a thing lawlesse without rule and sinners in Gods â—ies be as disordered and lawlesse men whom neither Gods word nor mans law can rule or make obedient Hence the Beniamites which defloured the Leuits wife and the Prophet Helies children are called the Sonnes or men of Belial Hence the Papistes abroad whose chiefest religon is mans tradition and Schismatikes at home the authors and abettors of confusion in the Church be Belials sonnes Christ hath no communion with Belial nor Christians with the sonnes of Belial either the idolatrous Papists or the lawlesse Schismatikes these hauing separated themselues from vs because of our orderly Kneeling and obedience wee hauing seuered our selues from the other for their manifest impieties Schis Come out and touch no vncleane thing are the wordes of the Apostle which either he wrote without warrant or we must sinne in Kneeling Pro. God bee thanked we haue fulfiled the Apostles words we are come out wee haue left Babylon and next we doe as little touch tast or see any idolatrous pollutions or haue communion with that which is vncleane in our Kneeling as you or any others in your owne opinion neuer so pure and reformed haue either in Sitting bowing or Standing by which sites of body idolatrie hath beene and is committed as well as by Kneeling They which onely and alwaies commit idolatrie bee not they which Kneele for then neuer should we Kneele but wee commit idolatrie and neuer should any commit idolatrie but such as Kneele both which to bee false our experience doth tell vs who find that both the most religious most deuoâ—t doe Kneele when they serue their God and the most idolatrous and superstitious the Papistes only excepted do neuer Kneele at their chiefest exercises of their deuotions Thinke therefore iudiciously of our Kneeling as it deserueth and neither condemne any men for Kneeling if they so do not idolatrouslie or superstitiouslie nor appooue them which Kneele if thereby they dishonour God Blame the Papists who by their Kneeling doe the greatest idolatrie that can bee but blame not vs which most sincerely thereby do serue God Christ not being more opposite to Belial than is the Popish masse to our Communion and the manner of administration of the same albeit both the Papists and we of the Church of England in receiuing they of their Masse we of the Communion in kneeling be like Schis Doth not God straightly forbid vs to serue him as idolaters doe their Gods Pro. You know or should not be ignorant how God had prescribed vnto his people the Israelites a certaine forme and manner how he would of them be worshipped whereunto whosoeuer should adde or any thing take or varie from the same hee was liable to Gods heauie wrath and displeasure The Israelites were faultie herein and therefore great and most grieuous were the punishments not onely threatned but inflicted also by God vpon the people of Israel for their disobedience But we Christians haue onely generall rules no speciall forme of seruice giuen vs by Christ as the Israelites had an assertion so true as some of you Sectaries haue a fancy that because God hath set downe none such in his word the Church therefore should be bound to none at all no not so much as to a forme of prayer and haue euen made praiers against ordinary and common praiers When God therefore hath left vs free blame vs not as Idolaters if differing from Papists in their Idolatrie wee be like vnto them in some indifferent ceremony or other and rather thinke though wee bee like them and they like vs in kneeling yet as they cannot be said to be good Christians and to serue God though they kneele so are not we to be counted Papists and to be Idolatrous though we kneele For by one and the same gesture both they doe worshippe their Idol and wee our Sauiour like in action most vnlike in affection neither they by Gods word iustified because they are like vs nor we condemned being in that ceremony like vnto them Schis These things considered can kneeling wherewith Papists doe honour their breaden God be honourable to Christ in his holy Sacrament Pro. Yea these things rightly considered euen kneeling wherewith the Papists do honor their breaden God may be to the honor of Christ in his holy Sacrament For by that gesture of body whereby they do worship their false God an idoll by the same do we worship the true God our Sauiour sitting at the right hand of the Father in the heauens Now let vs know at the length what the other consideration is why this kneeling is or should be so hatefull vnto God and men SECT 6. Whether Kneeling hindreth the sweet familiarity betweene Christ and his Church Schis SEcondly whereas the end of a Sacrament is to informe the outward man by sensible demonstration it pleaseth our M. Christ to vse such gesture as agreeably with bread and wine setteth out our Communion and spirituall familiarity with him and reioycing in him And therefore as he saith If any heare my voice and open the doore I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me so hee saith Many shall come from the East and West and shall sit with Abraham c. By which places it appeareth that as by Supper so by Sitting familiar reioycing or reioycing familiarity is expressed In which respect the Communion is called the Lords Supper and not a sacrifice and wee are said to bee partakers of the Lords table and not of an Altar And therefore not Kneeling but Sitting is for receiuing Pro. The end of all Sacraments is to informe not the outward onely but the inward man also by sensible demonstrations and therefore bee they called Gods visible word and seene engendring and confirming Faith and edifying the Soule as well as the Word audible and heard And as the word heard and beleeued diuersly doeth affect the soule and to diuers blessed and good purposes so doth the visible word the sacraments especially of the body and blood of Christ. For as Circumcision was a Seale of the righteousnes of Faith that is a testimonie confirming the Faith of Abraham so to euery one which worthily doth partake of the bodie and blood of Christ his verie receauing is a sealing to his faith that of Christ the body was giuen and the blood shed for his sinnes Next it teacheth them how the Sonne of God tooke on him the nature of man that by the oblation of his body and blood he might take away the sinnes of the world Besides the memorie of that sacrifice propitiatorie is made perpetual and thankes ascribed from time to time at the participating of those misteries vnto the blessed dutie By communicating at this holy Sacrament we learne moreouer and do beleeue that as the benefits of Christ are ours and doe appertaine vnto vs in so much as neither the members to the bodie nor the branches to
of Idolaters Baalites or Hypocrites and very vncharitably of your brethren as of men-pleasers Temporizers and I know not what For which I doubt not but your owne conscience doth chide you or will one time or other If to the latter end know you c. you shall neuer proue either vs that kneele to bee Time-seruers Men-pleasers and idolaters or those that will not stoope or bowe their knees no not at the Lords table and Communion to be the purest and best worshippers of God Haue you any more to say S. Yes Mark what Naaman said vnto the Prophet Herein the Lord be mercifull vnto me saith he that when my Master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there and leaneth on my hand and I bow my selfe in the house of Rimmon when I doe bow downe I say in the house of Rimmon the Lord be mercifull vnto thy seruant in this point 2. Kin. 5. 8. R. What likenes betweene the house of Rimmon and our Churches betweene the idol Rimmon and the holy Communion betweene Naamans bowing vnto or before an idoll and our bending the knee at the Lords table because the one was cursed and vnlawfull must needs the other be so S. When Cornelius fell downe at Peters feete and worshipped him accepted Peter of that adoration or rather did he not reproue Cornelius for so doing Acts 10. 25. 26. R. Cornelius shewed too much reuerence and farre passing decent order as though Peter had bin a God When we giue such adoration vnto the bread and wine blame vs for committing idolatrie as Peter did Cornelius you should proue that in worshipping God when wee kneele at the Lords table wee doe that which is vnlawfull and to that ende you beate your braines and trie your wits but to no purpose And though you see it a very difficult thing yea vnpossible for you to effect and know besides that our Church hath protested and published that the Sacrament of the Lordes supper is not by Christs institution to bee worshipped and neither directly nor indirectly imboldeneth any Communicant in Idolatrie or bread-worshippe but in adoring the Maker and Redeemer of vs all yet no remedie in kneeling wee are either Idolaters Baalites or Temporizing Naamites in your iudgement O hard and heauie censure Repent repent and change your vncharitable conceits THE SEVENTH OBIECTION S. IT is a breach of the second commandement R. Whither now No maruel that you liken vs to Idolaters Baalites Hypocrites when you dare affirme our kneeling to be a breach of the second commandement M. Caluin hauing perused our Leiturgie vsed in K. Edwards daies saith that he therin spied multas tolerabiles ineptias many tollerable imperfections but none intollerable impiety at all M. Cartwright that pried into that booke for all aduantages to bring it into dislike doth ingenuously confesse how the grosse errors and manifest impieties are taken away And M. Gifford writing against Barrow and Greenwood saith directly I stand to iustifie by the word of God that indeed there is neither idolatry heresie nor blasphemie in the same booke All these learned men against whom I know you will not accept though I could wish they had thought better of our Church do shew that what you here say is slanderous and vntrue But why is it a breach of the second commandement S. In that kneeling is a worshipping of God at or before a creature namely bread and wine R. May we not worship God at or before a creature Then may we not in our priuate houses with our familie nor in Gods house with our euen Christians worship God any way but it is a breach of the second commandement For who can any where or at any time worship God but it is either at or before some creature Had you said it had beene a breach of the second commandement to worship God at or before an idoll I had gone with you For it is a worshipping of the true God after a wicked and false manner but saying it is a breach of the second commandement to worship God at or before a creature without exception of any who can ioyne with you that hath his right wits S. It is a breach of the second commandement not only to worship an idoll but also God at or before any thing not appointed by himselfe for such an vse R. Then is it no breach of the second commandement to worship God at the participation of bread and wine at the holy Communion For he hath appointed them for such an vse for who can receiue them or how can they be receiued otherwise If what you say heere be true as it is most false you also that do sit when ye do participate of that heauenly repast as well as we that kneele are violaters of the second commandement For yee euen in sitting worship God as well as we in receiuing of the Sacrament and that before bread and wine too which are apppointed of God for such an vse And he eateth and drinketh vnworthily whether he kneele or sit who at the Lords table and when he receiueth bread and wine adoreth not God Ioshua fell downe prostrate before the Arke of God the Shunamite at the Prophet Elisha his feete the Priests and people of Israel bowed themselues and fell downe on their faces to the earth vpon the pauement and worshipped and praised the Lord and yet was neither Ioshua nor the Shunamite nor those holy Priests and people hitherto charged in these their actions to haue broken the second commandement of the Decalogue Cast your eyes I pray you vpon the Communion booke marke not only what euery one at the receiuing of the sacrament doth but what the Minister also at the deliuery of the bread wine saith and you shall find which you know well enough that it well beseemeth all Communicants to kneele at the hearing and consideration of such holy and heauenly wordes S. That prayer is not according to Christs institution R. Proue that our controuersie shal be quickly at an end S. Christ prayed onely in the consecration of bread and wine and not in the deliuerie of them R. Though he did well in praying at the consecration yet do we not ill in praying at the deliuerie of the Elements Neither can you shew a commandement from God either forbidding that we do or enioining the imitation of his example It hath afore beene proued by me and acknowledged by you that we are not necessarily and precisely bound to follow the doings of Christ in all things when wee administer the Sacraments S. The praier is ended before the receiuing of bread and wine and that some distance of time in great congregations where the Minister maketh the prayer but once but to some 40. or 50. Communicants who vsually sit all the time of praier and after that fall downe on their knees when the bread and wine are offered vnto them R. Impute not the disorders of some
the vine are more inseparably conioyned than we to him he communicating vnto vs his vigor and virtue Furthermore wee testifie and make it knowne to the world how we are members of that Church which professeth and acknowledgeth how the Sonne of God by the Sacrifice of his humane bodie hath pacified God for the sinnes of man It admonisheth vs in like sort of the mutuall loue and communion which is and ought to be betweene the members of so sacred and sanctified a body Many other causes and reasons may be alleadged why this Sacrament was instituted at the first and is frequented still of Gods people whereof though the setting out of our Communion and spirituall familiaritie with him and reioycing in him be one yet it is not the onely end but many being besides many gestures in diuers respects and not one onely is required for the more seemely receauing the same externallie Againe there being many causes and ends of our receauing the holy Supper one and the same site of body neither doth remember vs nor can present and represent all those ends vnto vs and others And therefore as sitting may note our communion and familiarity so kneeling our thankfulnes vnto God But if this spirituall Communion and comfort onely be thereby signified as nothing is more vntrue yet is the same expressed by the other Sacrament of Baptisme as well as by this and represented as well by water consisting of many drops as either of wine effected of many grapes or of bread made of many graines Which Baptisme yet is neither ministred nor vrged so to be by Sitting as the Supper is Neither is our corporall foode alwaies and euery where to the greatest comfort and token of sweetest familiarity receiued Sitting but sundry writers haue their seuerall fashions in their friendly and comfortable refreshings some taking the same one way some another not all Sitting especially in the Easterne parts of the world The antient Fathers some of them called this sacrament as the Lords Supper so a Sacrifice and that which the bread and wine were set vpon as the Lords Table so an Altar Whereof saith reuerent and most learned Zanchie although that Altars serue rather and be more meete for the offering then for the ministration of the Supper yet seeing neither Christ nor his Apostles either prohibited Altars or commended vnto vs the vse of wooden tables therefore is this also of altars to bee numbred among things indifferent and free for all and euery man to vse tables either of wood or stone at his discretion prouided that all superstition be remooued For what is an Altar saieth that holy and peaceable man what is an altar but a table made of stones about which would not I contend saith hee if so be otherwise there is a consent in the true doctrine and worship of God All this hath Zanchie which we say of Kneeling and the like And would to God you would so thinke of our Kneeing and others Altars and of all things else in good vse in reformed Churches that be indifferent Then would then could you neuer say that not Kneeling and Sitting is for receiuing It had bin too much for you to haue said how not kneeling but auerring that Sitting is for receiuing as if none other gesture were for the commodious and meete receiuing thereof but Sitting is very bad The first admonitioners which so disliked Kneeling at the Communion neuer vrged their Sitting as a thing necessary as you doe saying not Kneeling but Sitting is for receiuing For say they wee make not Sitting a thing of necessity belonging to the Sacrament neither affirme wee that it may not be receiued otherwise Therefore better iudge they of these than you doe but they best of all who take them as they are things of themselues indifferent and so except authority determine otherwise like to be deemed and that as good Communion and society they haue with Christ and his Church hauing on them the wedding garment of Faith which receiue Kneeling as they which Sit so as no man for the very act of kneeling no more then of Sitting sinneth Schis We read not of any gesture of body prescribed or obserued in Circumcision and Baptisme as in the Passeouer and Supper Pro. Or obserued Had you not added these wordes I should haue thought that by your reading you had found how thereis a forme of gesture prescribed vnto Christians at their taking the holy Communion And though I shreudly coniecture you are of that minde yet being not willing to take you at the worst let vs know the reason why a gesture was obserued though not prescribed at the holy Supper which was neither prescribed nor obserued at Baptisme and Circumcision Schis Because there needeth no naturall regard to be had of any certaine gesture in the two former Sacraments so the fore-skin were cut off and water be vsed but in the other two a gesture answerable to the action is requisite Pro. It is requisit and necessary that we take and eate bread and wine at the supper of the Lord as it was requisite that the fore-skin should be cut off at Circumcision and water vsed and none other liquor at Baptisme but that a certaine gesture was either obserued or requisit at the Communion this reason sheweth not Schis God prescribed to his people when they were to flie out of Egypt the gesture of loynes girded and staues in their hands because the eating then of the Passeouer was in hast But the gesture being but for that time as may appeare by the omission thereof when the obseruation of the Passeouer was established our Master Christ who came not to breake but fulfill the Law and knew what was fittest to be done did eate the Passeouer Sitting a gesture more answerable to eating in peace than the former vsed in Egypt Pro. Because God prescribed to the Iewes a forme of taking and eating the Passeouer hath hee therefore prescribed a forme to Christians of taking and receiuing the Lords Supper The one you manifest the other I would see prooued But had our God set downe as he hath not the manner how Christians should receaue the Supper as hee ordained how the Passeouer should bee taken and eaten of the Iewes yet because you heere confesse that this forme of eating the Passeouer in processe of time was altered the Iewes now eating the same Sacrament for substance but after a new manner sitting in Christs time for so you say standing afore and yet without sinne why may not wee Christians vpon as good reasons retaining the substance change the manner after which the holy Supper was ministred and receiued in the daies of Christ Before Christ his time there were additions vnto you heard afore in Christ his time there were alterations of the manner of taking the Passe-ouer your selfe do say yet all well liked and allowed of the Lord. Had the Iewes more libertie to adde formes euen of
thus vrged by authority if the sacramental signing of the body and blood of Christ bee no more to be reuerenced then water applyed in Baptizing children seeing that is also a sanctified signe of Christ his blood that washeth away our sinnes and iniquity P. If they will by you be aduised the simple and superstitious shall so argue and thereby fall into a loathing of our manner of receiuing the sacrament But you and they must be answered how the church of England hath the two sacraments in equall price and estimation conceiuing highly and religiously of them both but ascribing diuine adoration yea none adoration at all either vnto the Bread wine of the one or vnto the water of the other albeit the water signifieth Christ his blood that washeth away our sins iniquity the bread wine the body and blood of Christ shed and giuen for mans redemption But for-so-much as we are baptized infants when wee know not what wee do and are men old or young when wee partake of the other also that the very Bread and VVine exhibited to these senses and handes of all communicants do sacramentally represent the body and bloud of our Lord the Ministers deliuerie of them Gods very offering his fauours in Christ vnto vs the bread broken his body dead the wine his bloud shed vpon the Crosse lastly the distributing both of the wine and bread Christ his benefits and Gods blessings imparted and communicated vnto all Communicants whereof they be remembred so oft as they receiue in all places of the world and to the worlds end what Christian seeing and seriously considering these and the like things but will bee excited with all due submission and religious reuerence to come vnto the participation and receiuing of such celestiall fauours Not because it is either vnlawfull or vndecent with like reuerence to receiue the other Sacrament but for that partly our tendernesse is such because of our yeares that wee cannot and partly the necessity is not so vrgent that wee need to Kneele But doubtlesse were wee of good yeares and did know what we go about when we are to be baptized as we know what we do such is my perswasion and ought to be of vs all of all persons communicating at the Supper when wee come to the table of the Lord doubtlesse the Lord would not be displeased did we Kneele at Baptisme then our assured perswasion is that hee is not offended with our Kneeling at his Supper Therefore whereas all worthy communicants euen in duty and conscience are bound with this signe of reuerence to receiue these holy and heauenly mysteries and yet many persons in one respect or other will not bend nor bow their Knees but in no case Kneele if authoritie doe force such stubborne and wilfull persons to doe that necessarily which of themselues voluntarily they should performe neither doth authoritie transgresse their bounds nor do they sinne that obay their command And so let this satisfie those simple and superstitious persons and be an answer vnto you THE CONCLVSION S. TO conclude if kneeling in the very act of taking eating and drinking the Sacramentall bread and wine in the holy Communion be an institution of man P. It is no meere institution of man S. If it be the taking of Gods name in vaine when it is without all respect of reuerence P. It is done with all respect of reuerence in the Church of England S. If God be not honored thereby except it be according to his will P. It is according to his will and so God thereby is honored S. If it swarue from the example of Christ his sitting and therefore deserueth no praise P. Though it swarue from the example yet is it against no commandement of Christ. And therefore not to bee condemned S. If it bee a prouoking sinne to reiect the exemplary sitting of Christ whereby wee show our selues to bee in the Communion with Christ and the reformed churches and to retaine Kneeling which for bread-worship ought to bee banished and whereby wee seeme to bee in communion with Antichrist and his synagogue P. Wee reiect not the exemplary sitting of Christ neither should we sit haue we by it the more fellowship with Christ and his Churches reformed whose fellowship which without sitting praised be God we doe enioy is in partaking of spirituall graces in obeying and doing his precepts and in professing of Christian religion iointly and with one heart and minde neither by our Kneeling haue we either the lesse with Christ his true churches or the more familiaritie and communion with Antichrist and his synagogue In which respect neither is Kneeling to be banished out of our churches because of the Papists bread-worship nor do the kneelers by kneeling commit a prouoking sinne yea any sinne at all S. If it obscureth that reioycing familiaritie in and with Christ which the Lords supper signifieth P. At the Lords supper Kneeling obscureth not but furthereth our familiaritie and ioy with Christ and Christians S. If the argument from Christ his example be made the stronger in that he sat of purpose P. Christ his purposely sitting whatsoeuer it was maketh not our purposely kneeling to be vnlawfull S. If the lawfulnesse of choosing a fitter time than the euening cannot iustifie our reiecting Christ his exemplary sitting P. By the same authority Gods people may leaue the example of Christ in sitting if hee did sit whereby they left his example of ministring the supper in the euening vnlesse by some order and decree he had enioyned his example for our necessary imitation S. If the bittes of prayer ioyned with the words of institution do make Kneeling the more sinfull P. Euery bit yea and euery crumme of that prayer vsed with sound faith and deuotion doth make our kneeling the more acceptable vnto God S. If kneeling bee not as indifferent as standing nor best beseeming the holy communion and the King must appoint nothing but by the hand of the Lord. P. It is as indifferent and more conuenient than standing and in our iudgment and perswasion best beseeming the communion and appointed euen by God himselfe by the hand of our Lord the King S. If wee ought to abhorre Kneeling as wee abhorre Images transubstantiation and consubstantiation P. Kneeling is a pure ceremonie of our Church voide of all superstition and Idolatry whatsoeuer and our kneelers the most sincere worshippers of God and neither themselues nor their Kneeling to be abhorred S. If to scandalize bee greeuouslie to sinne and kneeling be a showe of the greatest euils and withall the greatest scandall P. There is no scandall giuen by kneeling neither is kneeling euill nor show of euill much lesse of the greatest euils or the greatest scandall S. If it bee a begging of the question to affirme kneeling to be indifferent and the Kings commandement so called both rather encrease than lesson scandall by kneeling P. Kneeling hath not as yet beene showne to bee of it selfe vnlawfull
chargeth Christ and his Apostles with want of reuerence which is absurd R. Not a whit For Christ and his Apostles did that which the custome both of those times and of their country made common and vsuall your selfe hath confessed And therfore both he and they did that which was both ciuill and comely Againe our Sauiour might do that surpassingly wel which we cānot Any action beseemed his person because without sin He graced all his gestures no gesture graced him But we alas we are sinfull wretches repairing vnto the Lords boord partly like supplicants humbly suing for the remission of our sinnes partly to shew our thankfulnesse for the comforts and benefites we haue receiued and hope to bee partakers of through Christ. And therefore haue iust cause euen most humbly to kneele as we do THE SECOND OBIECTION S. KNeeling in the receiuing the Lords Supper hath an apparance of euill R. From the commendation of Sitting how quickly are you come to the open condemnation of Kneeling at the L. table And a wonder it is if he that once falleth into a debasing of holy established orders in a church come not to an vtter detestation of them in the end Take heede in time If I should reason thus Sitting in the receiuing the Lords Supper hath an apparance of euill therfore to be auoided would you allow this argument for good No more doe I approue your kind of reasoning And yet sooner will I iustifie mine then you shall proue your Antecedent M. Beza saith that Kneeling in receiuing the signes hath a shew not of euill as you say but of godly and Christian veneration And this saying is true Did but an earthly King or Prince offer vs pardon for our transgressing his temporall statutes would it become vs or carried it a shew of reuerence to his Maiestie to receiue it Sitting And when grace and pardon for all our sinnes in the Sacrament of Christ his Supper is offered vnto vs by the seales of bread and wine carieth it a shew of euill to receiue it kneeling It is called the Sacrament of thankesgiuing euen for most heauenly benefites vnto Almightie God and with what better action of the bodie can wee testifie our thankfulnesse then on bended knees We offer vp our selues euen our soules and bodies an holy and liuely sacrifice vnto our God and is there any gesture that better becommeth such Priests then Kneeling Is this mysterie of so great waight as the open contempt thereof brings damnation and shall the receiuing thereof with the greatest shew of reuerence be counted if not an apparant euill yet an apparance of euill May the knee be bent at the name of Iesus and may we not kneele at the receiuing the holy Sacrament of his bodie and blood but we either do ill or seeme so to doe Must we humble our harts which is the greater not bend our knees which is the lesse Must we humble our hearts and not expresse our inward humiliation by outward Kneeling S. We may not R. Why so S. For it carrieth an apparance of Bread-worship Therefore to be auoided 1. Thes. 5. 12. R. You must iudge of our Kneeling by our doctrine as we iudge of the Papists kneeling by their doctrine we would not neither could we iustly condemne the Papists for their kneeling were not their doctrine most heretical and blasphemous Neither ought you to condemne our kneeling at the Cōmunion except you can shew the doctrine of the church of England is for the adoration of bread and wine Suscipitur ab artolatris Eucharistiae Sacramentum flexis poplitibus The Bread-worshippers receiue the Sacrament Eucharisticall on bended knees and here in England the faithfull take it with the same gesture of bodie whereat some are offended Sed meo iudicio nullâ de causa but in my iudgement without cause saith a learned man a stranger For both of them adore they that is the Papists the bread these viz. the faithfull in England not bread but Christ sitting at the right hand of the Father in the heauens I am sure there is not a syllable in the Communion booke that importeth any shew of this euill you speake of and our doctrine is as all the world doth know how to reserue cary about lift vp or worship the Sacrament of the Lords Sup. Supper is contrarie to the ordinance of Christ S. Doctrine and practise must go together otherwise we pull downe with one hand that wee build with the other As he that teacheth that an Idol is nothing in the world and yet sitteth at Table in an Idols Temple destroieth with his act that he built with his speech 1. Cor. 8. 4. 10. R. That the practise of our church concurreth not with her doctrine is a reproch laid very vniustly vpon a most religious nation should much vex your heart that euer you had such a thought of a Church most famous renowmed thorowout the world for the puritie of doctrine which shee doth professe and accordingly practise And therfore either make your words good or confesse your great ouerslip THE THIRD OBIEGTION S. IT is a monument of Idolatrie deuised by man of no necessarie vse in the seruice of God Therefore to be remoued Deut. 7. 25 26. 12. 3. 2. King 18. 4. Isa. 30. 32. 2. Cor. 6. 17. Iude 23. R. Be intreated I pray you to marke whither your affections not guided by discretion haue caried you At the first you said not that Kneeling at the Communion was an euill action but not the best nor after that how it was in it selfe euill but An apparance of euill But now forsooth it is a monument of Idolatrie which is euill indeed Thus one euill thought bringeth another Take heede of them in time else bring you to worse Besides this assertion is as voide of reason among men as it is of truth in religion For as to Kneele at the holy Communion is no Idolatrie nor so much as apparance thereof in sound Diuinitie so is Kneeling not in the predicament of substance but of Site And therefore no Monument by the rule of reason But be it a Momument is our kneeling a Monument of Idolatrie Kneeling at the Masse is grosse and palpable Idolatrie Is therefore kneeling also at the Communion a Monument of Idolatrie Last of al let Kneeling be of neuer so impious and detestable vse among Papists yet is the same gesture of good necessarie vse in our church For hereby as by the seemliest behauior for so religious a seruice we testifie the earnest and most zealous deuotion of our souls when we do either pray or praise God as we do both at the receiuing the sacrament So that were it a Monument of Idolatrie as it is nothing lesse deuised by man yet because it is of so good and necessarie vse in our seruice of God euen in your owne iudgement and conscience and that from these your words it is not to be remoued And
of the one then of the other For hee vsing both a speciall time and a certaine gesture if hee chose the one hee chose both and if his example bee of vs necessarilie to bee followed in the gesture it is to bee followed also in the time wee can no more alter the one then wee may change the other Schis That followeth not For it was vppon speciall and necessarie occasion for the Passeouer must bee eaten before the Lords Supper could be instituted in stead thereof and presently after Supper the houre came that Christ was to be betraied Pro. Be this acknowledged what hereof Schis Therefore if the Iewes transgressed not the institution of the Passeouer by changing a gesture at the first prescribed by God according to that their present occasion into another fitter for a time of rest much lesse do Christians transgresse the institution of the Lords Supper by changing the time taken by Christ vpon occasion but not prescribed into some fitter in discretion for the ordinarie celebration of the Lords Supper Pro. You haue twice now said that the Iewes changed the gesture of Standing prescribed euen by God himself at their eating the Passeouer if you had once proued your saying to make it out of doubt you had done well Other diuines not to be contemned thinke cleane otherwise namely that the Iewes and euen Christ himselfe kept the old custome of standing neuer changed the same into Sitting Non autem dubium est bee some of their words it is without doubt that Christ performed that ceremonie of eating the Passeouer Stando amictus baculum tenens Standing his loynes girded and holding a staffe in his hand But it may not bee acknowledged which now the second time also you say that their newe Sitting was fitter for a time of rest then their old Standing God hauing prescribed this Standing for a perpetuall memorie euen till the reall Passion of Christ of their suddaine and safe deliuerance from the most grieuous thraldome of theirs in Egypt But did or might the Iewes before the verie and full time was come that the said Passeouer was to take an end alter the rite and site of eating the same changing their Standing prescribed into Sitting not enioynd by God but deuised by themselues as fitter to represent their present and future rest then their former troubles may not Gods people in these dayes change the site of Christs Sitting if he did Sit which was neuer prescribed vnto Christians into Kneeling in their discretion The Iewes transgressed not the institution of the Passeouer say you by changing a gesture at the first prescribed of God and doe Christians transgresse the institution of the Supper by changing a gesture neither first nor last nor at all prescribed if practised by Christ And might Christians in former dayes lawfully change the time chosen by Christ but not prescribed into some other fitter in discretion for the ordinarie celebrating of the Lords Supper and doe Christians now offend in changing a corporall gesture no more enioined then was the time into some fitter in discretion for the celebrating of the Lords Supper in a publique Church at open publique praier and thanksgiuing Haue not Christians in these indifferent matters as great power as had the Iewes and the now liuing Christians as their forefathers And might both Iewes and Christians adde and alter formes of administring the Sacraments not changing their substance and sinne they now which in these dayes doe vse their libertie in these things after the example both of the Christians and Iewes See you not how your owne weapons doe wound your selfe Now among Christians who changed the time Schis Probably the Primitiue Church did Pro. You cannot then certainly say it you doe but probably coniecture that the Primitiue Church made the change What moueth you so to thinke Schis For euery first day of the weeke viz. the Lords day the brethren came together to breake bread that is to minister the Communion So that either they neuer met vpon the Lords day but in the Euening or els they celebrated the Communion at some other times Pro. Be it that the first day yea euerie first day of the weeke namely euery Lords day the Christians came together to breake bread that is to minister the Communion which yet is not agreed vpon among the learned yet that they so met euery first day in the day time and not in the night is but coniecturall yea that they met together in the night as well as in the day to that end the twentie of the Acts doth shew Wherupon some doe note how nocturnall meetings are not simplie and of themselues to be condemned But let it be more then probable and most certaine that the alteration of the time of ministring the Lords Supper came in while the Apostles liued yet did this ministring thereof in the day varie from Christ his ministring the same in the night and being done with good discretion the Church thereby transgressed not the institution of Christ. So without sinne was the gesture of our Sauiour changed into Kneeling whosoeuer were the authors thereof Schis But for any alteration of the gesture of Sitting especially into Kneeling there is not the least probabilitie Pro. When all the world knoweth and seeth the gesture to be altered how can you say it is not probable that it was altered And though it bee not apparent and if you will too not probable that the Apostles altered the gesture and that into Kneeling yet it is most certaine and more then probable that Apostolicall men endued with the holy Spirit were both alterers at the first and vsers afterward of that seemely gesture SECT 9. Whether the prayer at the deliuerie of the bread and wine be iustifiable Schis IT is further obiected that we may Kneele in regard of prayers to be vsed by prescription of authoritie at the deliuerie of the bread and wine viz. The bodie of our Lord Iesus Christ which was giuen for thee preserue thy bodie and soule vnto eternall life and take and eat this c. Pro. What is your answere Schis Hereunto these answers may be returned Pro. Which be they Schis First seeing wee reiect Christ his example of Sitting for Kneeling wee must not stand vpon what wee may doe but humblie consider what wee must doe Pro. Those Christians which Kneele doe no more reiect Christ his example of Sitting then doe you reiect it in ministring the Communion to women priuatly and many wayes besides otherwise then he did If euerie action of Christ be a necessarie iniunction binding Christians to the imitation of the same so as they may not varie therefrom in their discretion but they sinne that which you haue said of the Christians celebrating of the Supper in the day deserueth the same reproofe which this Kneeling doeth both swaruing from this example but surely neither of them tending to Gods dishonour nor against his will But what incenseth