beleeue The Couenant thus begunne in secret betwixt God and man is solemnized by the Sacraments in the which action man maketh a publike profession of his faith in God in comming to receiue and in receiuing the signe and badge of his Faith and Religion towards God and the Instrument and Seale of his iustification saluation from God and after this manner mans part is acted in the outward and solemne binding vp of the Couenant As on the other side God acteth his part by receiuing man in his fauour and grace admitting him to the communion of Saints in the Sacrament of Baptisme and by disponing and giuing to him the Bodie and the Bloud of his Son Iesus Christ and the new Testament confirmed thereby in the Sacrament of the Supper to assure him that his fauour and loue shall constantly remaine with him for euer SECT 7. That greater and more particular reuerence must be vsed in receiuing the Sacrament then in hearing the Word HEreby it is euident that although the preaching of the Word be a work of greater moment and charge oneris operae maioris and more excellent in regard of the gifts required in the Pastor and more necessarie to saluation then the administration of the Sacraments yet certaine it is that to be admitted and receiued to the Sacraments is a greater dignitie prerogatiue then to bee admitted to the hearing of the Word and to receiue the Sacraments then to heare the Word For in receiuing the Sacraments and in speciall this of the Bodie and Bloud of our Sauiour Christ draweth neerer to vs and communicateth himselfe with vs more particularly familiarly and entirely then in preaching of the Word which is common to all In the preaching of the Word God dealeth coniunctly generally and in common with all at once but in the Sacraments although the action bee publike and common to all the Receiuers yet therein God dealeth not coniunctly with all at once but seuerally and particularly with euery one alone and by himselfe And therefore in this action the common and generall reuerence and worship done to GOD in the publike prayer and thankesgiuing for the common benefit to bee receiued wherewith the action beginneth and for the common benefit that wee haue receiued when the action is ended this common and publike worship I say wherewith the action beginneth and endeth is not sufficient But as the common benefit is seuerally and particularly giuen to euery one so should euery one at the receiuing thereof doe reuerence and worship in particular for himselfe to God and his Sauiour from whose hand immediately hee receiueth the benefit For as the Sacramentall Word This is my Bodie this is my Bloud is generally and in common pronounced at the Consecration in the audience of all that are to receiue And yet at the receiuing euery one must esteeme that as the Bread and the Cup is in particular deliuered to him and receiued by him so the Word to bee spoken particularly to him This is my Bodie which is broken for thee this Cup is the new Testament in my Bloud that is shed for the remission of thy sinnes Euen so should euery one apply and tender vnto Iesus Christ in particular for himselfe the substance of the generall prayer and thankesgiuing that went before that is hee should when hee receiueth wish that by the death of his Sauiour whereof hee is made partaker himselfe may bee saued and that in his saluation his Sauiour may bee glorified These should be and are the thoughts and exercises of the minde of euery one that receiueth worthily for the thoughts of the worthy Receiuers should be and are such as the Sacramentall Word and Precept requireth The Sacramentall Word This is my Body that is broken for you this Cup is the new Testament in my Bloud that is shed for the remission of the sinnes of many requireth that euery receiuer at the instant when hee receiueth do actually beleeue that vnto him in particular Christ offereth himselfe and the new Testament confirmed by his Bloud containing the right of eternal saluation and that with his whole heart hee embrace him and rest on him hoping for that saluation and earnestly desiring to haue the full fruition and possession thereof Now this desire proceeding from this faith and hope is in effect a particular application to our selues of the generall prayer which went before wherein all desired to bee partakers of Christ himselfe and by him of life eternall Next the Precept Doe this in remembrance of mee requireth a present actuall remembrance of the death of Christ which remembrance at that time must either bee actually thankefull for the benefit which hee hath receiued in Christ or it is actually profane and diabolicall And this thankefull remembrance or this remembrance actually thankeful is a particular application of that generall Thankesgiuing that went before to God for our own Redemption Now to draw all the thoughts and exercises of the minde together that are required by the Sacramentall Word and Precept to bee in the Receiuer at the instant of receiuing are briefly and in substance these I call to minde with thankefulnesse O Lord thy Bodie that was broken and thy Bloud that was shed here represented and applyed to me and therein my soule trusteth and waiteth for thy saluation wherewith possesse mee I beseech thee Amen No tongue can vtter so briefly as these thoughts goe swiftly thorow the minde of the worthy Receiuer Eusebius in the sixt booke of the Ecclesiasticall Storie recordeth that Nouatus when he deliuered the Sacrament to his people did apprehend their hands compelled them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in stead of blessing to sweare by that which was in their hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to say in stead of Amen Wee shall not returne to Cornelius againe By the which words it is euident that they did not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pray and giue thankes before and after the receiuing but in the very Act it selfe while the bread was in their hands they blessed it and said Amen Now with what gesture and reuerence I pray you should these thoughts and meditations of our heart be accompanied at the instant when Christ is professedly giuing and wee receiuing from his hand Thinke yee that sufficient which is vsed when men attend to heare his Will declared in his Word If a King should generally declare to a multitude what benefit hee were to bestow vpon them and thereafter should call them man by man and with his hand deliuer it should the carriage of euery man comming seuerally to receiue bee no other then that which was vsed of all when they harkened to his speech SECT 8. That the name of a Supper giuen to this Sacrament doth not diminish the reuerence that is due thereto ANd here let it bee considered whether this should exempt vs from bowing the Knee because this gift is called a Supper which should not bee receiued with Kneeling
worship of God for it is an essentiall part of the Sacrament and therefore although it was adored for God yet is made an Idoll by Idolaters it is not to be abolished by vs but by the sound solid doctrine of the Word should be restored to the right vse estimation that wee should haue of it in the Sacrament So this example teacheth vs not to discharge the bowing of the Knee a gesture commanded by God to be vsed in his worship but whē we bow adore non in signo residere not to rest on the signe as Caluin saith but to lift vp our hearts to Christ that is in heauen to worship him his Body his Bloud whereof this Sacrament is a memorial an Image not made nor grauen by the hand of man but institute by Christ himselfe to represent his Passion and the application thereof to vs that therby we might be stirred vp to giue thankes both with externall internall deuotion which when we performe with bowing of the Knee at the receiuing of the Sacrament we adore not the Sacramēt but Christ that is signified and represented thereby SECT 0. The difference betwixt Kneeling at the Sacrament and before Images IF here it be replyed that all Idolaters doe likewise professe that they bow not the knee to the Image but to God whom the Image representeth and bringeth to their remembrance I answer that he is an euill grounded Christian who hath not learned to put difference betwixt the vse of an Image in diuine worship and the workes of God his Word and holy Sacraments Images are the doctrines of lies they represent nothing nor bring nothing to our mindes of God but lyes They teach vs that God hath eyes and seeth not eares heareth not feete walketh not and in them God is not worshipped but a conception and fantasie in stead of God bred and gendred in the mind by the Image where by the contrarie the least of Gods creatures doe demonstrate and shew so much of the diuinitie and power of God as may serue to ingender in our hearts a true conception of him and may furnish sufficient matter and cause wherfore to worship him How much more his Word and holy Sacraments where God and his goodnesse is so liuely expressed To bow downe then when wee haue seene the workes of God when wee haue heard the Word and when we receiue the Sacraments To adore him whom by his Workes the Word and Sacraments wee are taught to adore is neither to bow downe to an Idoll nor to worship God in an Idoll When the fire came downe from heauen and consumed Elias sacrifice the people that saw it fell on their faces and cryed The Lord is God The Lord is God In doing whereof they adored not the fire but the Lord whome the fire taught them to be God 1. Cor. 14. 24. If yee all prophecy saith Paul and an Infidell or Ideot come in he is conuinced by all hee is iudged by all and so the secrets of his heart are made manifest and so falling on his face he adores God c. In both these two examples the principall cause of the falling downe is God to whome they fell downe but the miraculous worke of the fire and the word of the Prophecy were the instrumentall causes whereby they were wakened and stirred vp Causae monitoriae excitantes Euen so when wee fall downe at the Sacrament the principall cause that moueth vs is God to whom we Kneele but the Sacrament is the instrument whereby wee are taught and admonished to fall downe at that time and in that place It being a memoriall of the death of Christ and the seale of the benefit of saluation that wee haue thereby And although wee carry a religious respect and reuerence to the Sacrament as a meane and creature consecrated to a most holy vse yet not of that religious respect and reuerence that we carry towards it we bow not downe our knees before it but out of the religious respect and reuerence that by it which wee are taught to giue to Christ we bow our knees before him to whome all knees should be bowed in that respect And therefore this assertion That hee who boweth at the receiuing of the Sacramentall Bread Wine boweth down in the Act of Diuine worship before a consecrated creature out of a religious respect and reuerence of it This assertion I say is a vaine Sophisticall cauillation for the reuerence and respect that we are taught by Gods Word to carry to the Sacrament is not the cause of our bowing downe when we receiue it So out of that respect we bow not downe as hath beene said but the reuerence and respect that wee are taught by the Sacrament to giue to Christ is the cause of our bowing downe the reuerence that is due to the Sacrament is not such as should moue vs to fall downe before it but the reuerence that is due to Christ whereof wee are admonished by the Sacrament wherin he is represented breaking his Body and sheading his Bloud vpon the Crosse for vs and with his owne hand applying it to nourish vs vnto eternall Life This reuerence I say is such and so great as no gesture nor position of body is able sufficiently to expresse Further it is heere to bee marked that hee who boweth at the receiuing of the Sacrament is not properly said to bow before the Sacrament for Coram 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which wee interpret before is only properly attributed to liuing things and not to things that want life such as the Sacramentall elements be so wee are properly said to bow before God or the congregation that is to God and in presence of the congregation but when wee speake of things that want life we say not before them or coram but versus è regione or ante oueragainst or towards them So Dauid saith I will bow towards the Temple of thy holinesse not before it It is properly said that Idolaters bow before the Sacramentall Bread for they esteeme it to bee GOD and bow themselues to worship it but as for those who worship the true God they bow themselues before God at the Sacrament that is when they receiue the Sacrament This is to bee marked that the simple bee not abused by the ambiguity of the word and made to thinke that it is one thing to bow at the receiuing of the Sacrament and to bow before the Sacrament to worship it as Papists doe which wee professe our selues to damne and detest So to conclude this point It is true that the Papists Kneele when they receiue the Sacrament and so doe not wee wee Kneele to Christ that sitteth in Heauen and so doe not they They giue to the Sacramentall Bread the worship that is due to Christ but wee giue that worship vnto Christ himselfe Therefore their Kneeling is prohibited in the second Commandement and ours is allowed for vnto mee saith
indifferent doubting whether it be lawfull or not because he is not perswaded of his liberty The third is the ground of both the former and this is it Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne For vnderstanding of this last sentence which is the ground of the two former wee haue three things to consider in it First what these things be that make a man guilty of sin if they be not done in faith Secondly what this faith is wherein they should be done Thirdly what kind of sin it is whereof he is made guilty As for the first the word Whatsoeuer is generall and comprehendeth all things that falleth vnder the action of man Of these things some are commanded or forbidden by God in his Word and are simply good or euill Some are neither commanded nor forbidden and these are called indifferent The Apostles rule Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne extendeth to both but because this rule is set downe by the Apostle in this place chiefly with relation to things indifferent which may haue vse in Religion whereof immediately before hee hath beene intreating leauing the former wee shall speake of these Things indifferent I call such as being considered in themselues absolutely are neither commanded nor forbidden in Gods Word First I say neither commanded nor forbidden to shew in what sense they are called indifferent not by reason of their nature for in nature all things are the good creatures of God but in respect of the Law wherein they are neither discharged nor commanded and so are neither good nor euill Morally Secondly I say considered in themselues for if in practice and vse they bee affected with any Morall respect or intention of the agent they cease to be indifferent and become either good or euill according to the quality of his intention As for example to salute with a Kisse is a thing indifferent but if thereby thou testifiest thy Christian loue towards thy brother it becommeth a holy Kisse Salute one another saith the Apostle with an holy Kisse And contrariwise if thou kisse with Iudas and Ioabs intention it is a treasonable and wicked Kisse Thirdly I say considered absolutely for if they be considered with relation to the exigence of occasions and circumstances they cease likewise to be indifferent As for example to eate or not to eate of such or such kind of meates in it selfe is a thing indifferent neither commanded nor forbidden Meat commends vs not to God for neither if we eate are we the better neither if wee eate not are wee worse And the Kingdome of God is not meate and drinke but iustice peace and the ioyes of the Holy Ghost This then to eate and not to eate being indifferent in it selfe is made good or euill by the exigence of occasions and circumstances If it bee said when thou art to eate This meate is consecrate to an Idoll this speech and the conscience of those who are present maketh thy eating not indifferent but if thou eate thou sinnest Againe wee see that Peter was rebuked by Paul for that hee did not eate with the Gentiles but withdrew himselfe so soone as the Iewes came vnto him because by his abstinence and separation of himselfe from the Gentiles hee made the Gentiles doubt of their Christian liberty and confirmed the Iewes in their errour touching the necessary obseruation of the Ceremoniall Law To stand or to kneele at prayer is a thing indifferent but in the Primitiue Church to kneele on the Lords Day or from Pasch till Whit sunday was not indifferent Nefas ducimus saith Tertullian because it was contrary to the custome of the Church Then to conclude this point in a thing indifferent three things are required First it must not be commanded nor forbidden expresly in Gods Word Secondly it must not in practice and vse be affected with any morall respect or intention of the Agent Thirdly it must bee free from the necessary exigence of occasions and circumstances The next thing to be considered in this rule is faith out of the which the action must proceed Faith is taken diuersly in Scripture but that whereby we and our workes are acceptable is of two kinds The one concerneth the iustification of our persons the other the righteousnesse of our actions That which maketh our persons acceptable is our confidence in God through Iesus Christ whereby wee are assured of pardon and grace This which concerneth the righteousnesse of our actions is an assurance in our mind that the thing which we are to doe is not against the Law of God as is set downe in the fift verse of this chapter This last is the faith which is required the other is supposed for the rule is giuen to Christians who are iustified by that faith without which it is impossible to please God Now as the faith which concerneth the acceptation of our persons leanes to the promise of the Gospell so the faith that concerneth the righteousnesse of our actions is grounded on the precepts of the Law in such things as are commanded or forbidden But as for things indifferent that are neither commanded nor forbidden there bee three generals whereon our faith must repose in the worship of God Pietie Charitie and Decencie First we must know assuredly that the thing which we are to doe tends to the glorie of God at least is no wayes derogatiue thereto next that it is not offensiue to our neighbour that is it giues him no iust cause nor occasion to scarre or take exception against our profession These two grounds wee haue in this chapter the last we haue in the end of the 14. chapter of the 1. Corinths Let all things be done grauely and orderly So whatsoeuer thing indifferent is not done with assurance that it is neither offensiue to God nor to our neighbour nor vndecent for our profession it is sinne Now what sinne this is which was last to be considered is easily declared for if it bee offensiue to God or vnseemely for our Profession whereof God is the Authour it is sinne against the first great Commandement Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy mind heart and strength And if it be offensiue to thy neighbour it is against the second Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe If these grounds be sure it is manifest that although indifferent things bee neither commanded nor forbidden particularly in the Word yet the vse and practice of them is subiect to the generall rules of Piety and Charity and as euery man in his priuate action must haue respect to these rules and not abuse his liberty to licentiousnesse So must the Magistrate in the Common-wealth set downe Orders and Lawes to bee kept by subiects touching the vse of such things as of times and places for Iustice for Markets for the exercise of Armes for vse and abstinence from meates at certaine times and seasons which things in themselues may be done indifferently at
same that is they are to be esteemed no more for common food but for the mysticall symbolls of the Bodie and Bloud of the Lord. And as for the Table in matter and forme is like other tables but in vse differeth as farre as a spirituall Table from a carnall a celestiall from a terrestriall And who knoweth not that our manners and gestures must bee composed neither according to the matter nor forme of the Table but according to the vse wherefore it is appointed For what is the cause when men come to the table of Exchange for to receiue money that they vse other forme and gesture then at a table appointed for meate Is it because they differ in matter and shape No verily but because the vse is different Therefore at these wee vse such gestures and motions as is meete for receiuing of money at this such as are most commodious for easing of our bodies and receiuing of meat Euen so our gesture at this sacred Table whereon our spirituall food is set and presented is not to bee proportioned to the matter and forme of the Table which is common but to the vse wherefore it is appointed that is to the giuing and receiuing of the sacred Mysteries and the communion of the Bodie and Bloud of the Lord Iesus which thereby are offered and deliuered to all worthy receiuers To this diuine and holy vse as all our manners behauiour and carriage should bee framed so should the Gesture and position of our bodies bee Otherwise if any man thinke that wee should vse the same gesture manners at this Table that are decent to bee vsed at other Tables What is the cause that at this Table wee vse no speech nor conference one with another but in silence meditate with our selues Why sport we not nor are merry but carry a modest and graue countenance Why are our heads bare and not couered What is the cause that wee touch nothing presented on this Table before that it be offered vnto vs Take nothing before we be commanded Neither eate nor drink before we bee instructed what to eate and drinke and for what end Why are all our maners rites and gestures vsuall at other Tables so changed at this Why is this silence this grauity this meditation the reuerence of the bare-head this abstinence from touching from taking from eating from drinking before the offer the command word of instruction Why Because the vse of this Table being meerely Religious Spirituall and Diuine is so farre different from the vse of other Tables For heere besides the materiall Table that the eye of the bodie sees there is another spirituall Table that should be obiected to the minde and beside the externall elements and other celestiall and eternall food which thy heart should perceiue These are but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the symbolicall vestures wherein Christ is wrapped vp but that is Christ himselfe his Bodie and his Bloud therefore is it that we feare or should feare to touch the sacred things before our hand and our mouthes be sanctified by that diuine Precept Take eate and drinke yee all hereof and to receiue before our mindes and hearts bee prepared and sanctified with knowledge and faith by the Sacramentall word This is my Body that is broken for you This cup is the new Testament in my Bloud c. Doe this in remembrance of mee By the which word the vaile is remoued the Mysterie is opened vp the garments and symbolicall vestures are taken away Christ is made naked and is exposed as really to the eye of our minde and to faith the hand of our heart as the sacred symbols are to our externall senses The respect therefore that is due to him who is the spirituall Table and the bread of Life whom the hid man of the heart sees and perceiues there really present makes all our deuotion and religious reuerence for this respect a choyce is made not of a common but of a sacred time place for this actiō for this respect we come fasting preferring our spirituall food to our naturall for this respect all our manner and carriage is holy and reuerend What then Shall wee esteeme Sitting a common Table-gesture and therefore dis-conforme to all the rest of our carriage that is sacred more decent for this heauenly Table then Kneeling a Religious gesture and therfore most conforme both to the nature of the Table and to all the rest of our Religious manner and behauiour that wee vse thereat SECT 4. An Obiection taken from Custome answered THIS I hope shall satisfie a modest spirit that searches for verity and striues not for the victory But if any list to be contentious and pleade from Custome that Kneeling cannot be decent because custome maketh Decencie and it is not the Custome to Kneele at a Table I grant it is not the custome at a common-Table because it is not commodious for commodity maketh Custome and Custome maketh Decencie in things of this kinde It is not commodious for it were wearisome and painefull to kneele so long time as an ordinary supper will last wherunto men come to refresh their bodies both with ease and meate But the time being short that is spent at the Sacrament and seeing men come thereto not to ease and feed their bodies but to worship God and to worke their owne saluation certainely to Kneele for such a space cannot bee painefull nor wearisome to those who are holy in Spirit and whole in body sickenesse and infirmitie makes exception and therefore although Kneeling is not nor hath not bin in custome at common Tables because it is incommodious and wearisome yet it hath beene in vse at the Lords Table farre longer then Sitting and is more vniuersally receiued in the reformed Churches For we must grant that before Sitting Kneeling hath beene vsed in the Christian Church neere foure hundred yeeres at least and therefore it may bee maintained with very good reason Certainely it may bee presumed that it hath beene in practice in all ages aboue euer vntill yee be able to designe some time when another gesture hath beene in vse The induction of foure hundred yeeres must either put you to an instance or silence SECT 5. An Answer to the instance of Honorius AND heere let me tell you that the instance of Honorius will not serue for Honorius did onely ordaine after the consecration at the eleuation of the Host so they call the Sacramentall Bread that the people should reuerently bow themselues that is Kneele as is manifest by the constant practice whereby obedience hath been giuen to this Canon This belongeth not to gesture vsed at the receiuing for in euery Masse at the eleuation the people kneeled and adored and this was done before that either the Priest himselfe or they receiued yea when after the people did not receiue at all but the Priest himselfe alone which was most frequent in these last times wherein the people receiued but
but is after knowne by fruition of the benefit And therefore then is to be acknowledged when it is seene and felt with Thanksgiuing either priuately or publikely as the qualitie of the benefit requireth So the Leper when he did finde and feele that hee was cured of his Leprosie returned and gaue thankes the operation and working of the cure hee could not perceiue till it was perfected It is one thing to receiue a benefit sent to vs by a Prince either by the hand of his seruant our equall or it may be by the hand of our owne seruant or inferiour and to receiue it from his owne hand deliuering it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in state and pompe openly in presence of his people As this deliuering and receiuing is not to bee compared with that no more is the gesture and reuerence whereby it should be expressed a word there may suffice to declare our thankefulnesse but here a word a bare head a beck are all scarce sufficient when we receiue the benefit of peace and prosperitie by the Kings good gouernment If in our hearts wee acknowledge that benefit and therefore in our prayers cōmend him to God and be ready to obey him our thankefulnes is sufficiently expressed So when God by his secret prouidence blesseth vs or by any of his creatures either our Superiours equals or inferiours doth vs good If in our Chamber secretly or in the Temple openly after the receiuing we declare our selues thankefull it is inough But when in the Sacrament God openly before his people professeth that he is a giuing and deliuering to vs the greatest benefit that can be giuen certainely not onely should there bee before and after the gifts receiued thankes giuen but in the very act of giuing and receiuing such reuerence vsed as may sufficiently declare and testifie how highly we esteeme of the greatnesse and goodnes of the Giuer and how vnworthy we thinke our selues to be of his inestimable beneficence what gesture is meetest to bee vsed according to Piety in such a case whether Sitting or Kneeling let them iudge that haue vnderstanding SECT 3. A consideration of the gift SEcondly if wee consider the gift it is not a bread that perisheth which is lesse worth then the life as our Sauiour saith but is the Bread of God that came down from heauen to giue life to the world a food more precious then all creatures and therefore such a food as wee are commanded in the very Sacrament to discerne from common naturall food and to eate that Bread and drinke the Cup of the Lord worthily except we would prooue guiltie of indignitie done to the Bodie and Bloud of the Lord Iesus In the which warning as faith and a religious disposition is required in the heart so an externall reuerence answerable thereto should be in the externall action for this the very word importeth Therefore hee that eateth this Bread and drinketh the Cup of the Lord vnworthily shall bee guiltie of the Bodie and Bloud of the Lord And after Hee that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh iudgement to himselfe because hee hath not discerned the Lords Bodie This eating and drinking here must be the externall receiuing of the Sacrament for the spirituall and inward eating and drinking admitteth no vnworthinesse but is performed with such discretion as giues to Christ the reuerence that is due to him both in outward action and inward affection But the externall action of eating and drinking may be vnworthily performed if either it be done in hypocrisie or profanely I call that to eate and drink in hypocrisie when an hypocrite giueth all due and externall reuerence to the Sacrament but in the meane time hath neither faith nor the true and right estimation that he should haue of the spirituall benefit To eate profanely is both to eate without the outward and inward reuerence that is due to the Bodie and Bloud of our Sauiour for no man wants the outward reuerence but hee that hath not the inward They who thinke that the vnworthinesse onely consisteth in the want of faith and inward reuerence must thinke hypocrites onely to eate vnworthily yet it is certaine in this place that the Apostle findeth no fault with the hypocrisie or superstition of the Corinthians but with their profanenesse for comming drunken for eschewing the poore and despising the Church so this vnworthinesse was as well in their outward behauiour as in their inward disposition And so consequently the Apostle would haue vs to discerne the Lords Bodie not by our inward estimation onely but by our outward carriage and gesture that it may bee seene of all that in the Sacrament wee doe chiefly consider and respect not the outward and symbolicall elements but the thing signified the Bodie and Bloud of Christ and that according thereto we compose and frame our selues and our manners which if wee doe this question is at a point For what gesture I pray you can make a more euident difference betwixt Christs Bodie the Bread of Life and other common Bread by giuing thereto such reuerence as best beseemeth the dignitie and worthinesse thereof then the humble and religious gesture of Kneeling SECT 4. The manner of receiuing THirdly to come to the spirituall receiuing which we know consisteth in faith Hee that commeth to mee shall neuer hunger and he that beleeueth in me shall neuer thirst And in the same Chapter after Hee that beleeues in me hath life eternall and I shall raise him vp at the last day And Augustine saith Wherefore preparest thou thy teeth and thy belly Beleeue and thou hast eaten This faith is accompanied with two inseparable companions in this action Prayer and Thankes-giuing for first no man commeth-worthily to this Table but hee that commeth with a hunger and thirst after righteousnes and life in Christ whom hee commeth to receiue for vnto such onely as are thus disposed the inuitation and promise is made Esay 55. Ho euery one that thirsteth come yee to the waters Math. 5. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be filled Luk. 1. 53. Hee hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich he hath sent away emptie Psal. 22. 26. The poore shall eate and be satisfied And in the exhortation vsed by the Minister before the Sacrament these words wee haue in our booke The end of our comming hither is not to make protestation that we are vpright and iust in our liues but contrariwise wee come to seeke our life and perfection in Iesus Christ c. With this hunger and thirst and with this spirituall appetite we should come eate and drinke And what is this but the feruent prayer that the heart is offering to God while the hand is receiuing and the mouth is eating For the substance of prayer consisteth not in the voyces of the mouth but in the wishes of the heart to God whereof the voyces are but significant signes With