admit aut omnes aut nullos either all prayers that euery priuate spirit that will reiect the Apostles rule and not be subiect to the spirit of the Prophets that is the Church shal frame or else we must in effect admit no prayer at all because there is but one praier prescribed by Christ and the holy Ghost and that is very short that may be vsed And if you will beleeue the purest reformers or rather de formers it must not bee vsed but layd by as a Patterne to fashion the like I come to the fife Sacrifice that I finde in the Lords Supper and that is Sacrificium Eleemosynarum the Sacrifice of Almes and that as it was chiefly appointed to be done on the Lords day or the first day of the weeke 1. Cor. 6. so it is apparant that the Lords Supper being then celebrated and the Apostles continuing in breaking of bread and prayer this Sacrifice of Almes was euer a companion of the Lords Supper of prayer ministration or diuine worship and indeed a true Sacrifice in it selfe For when Dauid said Psalm 51. If thou wouldest haue had Sacrifice I would haue giuen thee but thou delightest not in burnt offerings a troubled spirit is a Sacrifice to God August deciuit Dei lib. 10. cap. 4. a broken and contrite heart God wil not dispise Intueamur quemadmodum vbi Deum dixit nolle Sacrificium ibi Deum ostendit velle sacrificium non vult ergo Sacrificium trucidatipecoris sed vult sacrificium contriti cordis Marke saith S. Augustine where Dauid saith God would not haue Sacrifice there he plainely sheweth that God would haue Sacrifice God would not haue the Sacrifice of slaine beasts but he would haue the Sacrifice of broken and contrite hearts And his reason is good Illa enim Sacrificia nonrequirit Deus quibus significantur haec Sacrificia quae requirit Deus God doeth not require those Sacrifices carnall and externall by which those Sacrifices internall and spirituall are signified which God doth require Christ saith Matth. 9.13 I will haue mercy an not Sacrifice in which words nothing else is to be vnderstood but this Sacrificium sacrificio praelatum that one Sacrifice is preferred before another for that which of men is called Sacrifice is a signe of the true Sacrifice and then he applieth all this to Almes Porro autem misericordia verum est sacrificium Heb. 13.16 Mercie indeed is a true Sacrifice And so it was called by the Apostle To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such Sacrifices God is pleased or pacified and so it is true which the same Father saith elsewhere of Prayer and Praise and mortification and Almes and the like that they are Pro Sacrificijs and Prae Sacrificijs in place of Sacrifice and to be preferred before all Sacrifices for the outward Sacrifice receiueth life from the inward Sacrifice of the heart So then hee that layeth his money or goods at Gods Table or at the Apostles feete that they may be put into the bosomes of the poore he doth indeed lend them to the Lord and deliuereth and sendeth them by their hands to be stored vp with him who is a most faithfull keeper and bountifull rewarder who will become a debtor to thee for them And whereas thy goods were earthly and transitorie Dando coelestes fiunt by this giuing thou shalt make them heauenly purchase heauens kingdome with them De oratione Dominica And that made S. Cyprian to say Inefficax petitio est cum precatur Deum sterilis oratio when a barren prayer beseecheth God that Petition is vnfruitfull The reason is because the hand doeth not pray as well as the tongue and the hands voyce is lowder and will bee further heard then the tongue Hom. 29. inter 50. And S. Augustine saith The Sacrifice of the Christian is Eleemosyna in pauperem Almes to the poore for then he offereth a charitable heart to God as in prayer hee offereth a deuour heart in praise hee offereth a thankfull heart and in contrition and mortification hee offereth a broken heart And these Sacrifices are all accepted of God in Christ but in seuerall degrees the broken and contrite heart is accepted with non despicies Psal 51.17 God will not despise it Heb. 13.16 The charitable heart is accepted with Placatur Deus with such Sacrifices God is pleased and pacified Psal 50.23 and the gratefull heart is accepted with honorificabis mee hee that offereth me praise he honoureth me Monseiur du Plessis De sacrificio Miss l. 3. a pillar of the French Church hath ioyned all these together whom I principally alledge because he reciteth them all Eccui mirum quod Patres sacram coenam Sacrificium appellarunt in quam vnam tot sacrae actiones confluant tot proinde sacrificijs conspicuum vbisacrum officium sacrificij in cruce peracti commemoratio verbi diuini propositio expositio oratio feruens humilis simul sublimis tum peccati nostri tum gratiae diuinae meditatio inde vero cordis contritio corporis animique Deo consecrandi votum viscerum quasi suorum in fratres Christi cohaeredes expansio effusio Quae omnes vtique singulae actiones cum scripturis Patribus oblationum sacrificiorum nomine insigniuntur Can it seeme strange to any man that the Fathers haue called the sacred Supper a Sacrifice in which one so many sacred actions doe meet together and therefore is conspicuous with so many Sacrifices where there is the sacred office or Liturgie a commemoration of the Sacrifice finished on the Crosse a proposall of the word of God and exposition thereof feruent prayer an humble and withall an eleuated meditation both of our owne sinne and Gods grace also the contrition of the heart and a vow of consecrating of soule and bodie to God an enlarging and powring out of our bowels in Almes towards our brethren the coheires of Christ which all singular actions are called by the name of Sacrifices and oblations in the Scriptures and Fathers Veteres De vnico Christ sacrificio cap. 5. Resp 5. saith Sadeel S. Domini Coenam sacrificium appellarunt Primum quia in hoc mysterio fit commemoratio vnici illius sacrificij quod pro nobis in cruce factum est atque haec commemoratio coniunctam habet gratiarum actionem adeo vt sit sacrificium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratiarum actionis ac propterea inter spiritualia Christianorum Sacrificia recensendum Deinde quia in sacro hoc mysterio siquidem à nobis cum vera fide sincerisque animis celebretur nos ipsos totos Deo consecramus quod est spirituale sacrificium nobis imprimis ab Apostolo commendatum Denique quia id fuit elim in more positum vt cum S. Coena celebraretur tum fideles offerrent Eleemosynas The Fathers called this holy Supper of the Lord a Sacrifice First because in this mysterie
to Christ So it is plaine that in Tertullians time there were no stations on the Lords day and so the Lords day is not called the day of station because on that day they stood at prayer And station properly is nothing else but a diurnall watching in the time of solemne prayer in which they did watch in prayer 1. Pet. 4.7 as the Apostle said Vigilate in orationibus so this station was not so named for standing at prayer And Tertullian saith Their station shall be more solemne Si steteris ad aram Dei if thou standest at Gods Altar This is to be vnderstood of the stationary prayer made at the Altar which being made on the weeke dayes was made keeling and therfore stare here is genuflectere standing is kneeling And this sentence is full and complete in it selfe and then he addes Accepto corpore Domini reseruato the body of the Lord being receiued and reserued both is saued both the participation of the Sacrifice and the execution of our office And surely it is probable that they receiued the Sacrament kneeling as well as they prayed kneeling S. Cyprian is the fourth who affirmeth lesse then his Master Tertullian Anno 250. hee onely saith Cum stamus ad orationem when wee stand at Prayer and hee sayth nothing of the Lords day and from Easter to Pentecost whereby I conceiue hee knowing that at all other times they prayed kneeling and speaking in generall of Prayer his word stamus must not so much expresse the gesture of Prayer as the action of Prayer which whether it were standing or kneeling it must as the next words are be vigilant vigilare incumbere toto corde ad preces debemus we ought to watch and intend our prayers with our whole heart and then hee addes that which is vsed in our Liturgie sursum corda lift vp your hearts to which the people answere Wee lift them vp vnto the Lord by which we are admonished to thinke of nothing but of God and to shut our hearts against the aduersary As for S. Cyprian I take it his opinion is that they did bow or kneele at the receiuing of the Sacrament as in his place it will appeare The fift is S. Basil his words are In primo Sabbati erecti perficimus deprecationes Anno 370. De spiritu litera sed rationem omnes non nouimus vpon the first day of the weeke wee pray standing but all know not the reason He giueth two 1. the Resurrection of Christ 2. that day is Imago seculi futuri the Image of the world to come which shall neuer haue end that knowes no euening nor giueth place to a succeeding day But speaking afterwards of kneeling he saith Insuper quoties genua flectimus rursùs erigimur ipso facto ostendimus quod ob peccatum in terram delapsisumus per humilitatem eius qui creauit nos in Coelum reuocati sumus As often as we kneele and stand vp againe by this deede wee shew that for sinne wee are fallen to the ground and by his humilitie that created vs wee are called backe to heauen In which it appeares that confession of sinnes which alwayes goeth before the Communion requires kneeling that we may fall to the earth by humilitie as wee fell to the earth by sinne S. Hierome is the sixt his words are On the Lords day and throughout the Pentecost Anno 390. Contra Lucifer by the tradition and authoritie of the Church wee doe not adore on our knees nor fast The word wee hold it not lawfull is not in Hierome but it seemes this Author added it out of Tertullian In which I marke one thing which this Author might haue obserued in all his authorities that the Church hath authoritie to change a gesture from the natural and prescribed gesture vpon particular reason And why then shall not the Church haue power to prescribe a gesture at the Lords Table most suring with the memory of Christs death and the carriage of humble contrite Communicants In which case I pray you heare what Hierome saith vpon those words of the Apostle Eph. 3. Flecto genua Haec autē spiritualiter exponētes non statim iuxta literam orandi consuetudinem tollimus qua Deum genu posito supplicitèr adoramus fixo in terram poplite magis quod ab eo poscimus impetramus legimus enim Paulum in littore sic orasse geniculationes in oratione praeceptas sed illud aedificat supplices sicut veram geniculationem esse docemus in anima quia multi corporale flectentes genu animae nequaquam poplitem curuauerunt contra alij erecto Deum corpore deprecantes magis se animo curuauerunt Expounding these things spiritually we doe not presently take away the custome of praying in which we adore God humbly vpon our knees and obtaine that of him which we most desire setting our knees to the earth for we reade that S. Paul prayed thus vpon the shore and kneeling was commanded in prayer But this doth edefie the simple as wee teach the true kneeling to bee in the soule For many bowing their corporall knees do not bow the knees of their soule and on the contrary many praying to God standing vpright haue more bowed themselues in soule In which words I obserue 1. when we kneele then wee adore God supplicitèr humbly in the fashion of supplicants 2. By kneeling magis impetramus we preuaile more in our Peticions 3. Kneeling is not onely grounded vpon imitation and example but praecepta It is commanded So S. Hierome though he permit standing at prayer vpon a special reason yet he holdeth kneeling to be sub praecepto and of greater force in the sight of God S. Chrysostome is the seuenth his words are Anno 398. Frustra stamus ad Altare in vaine doe we stand at the Altar expecting Communicants and none come and that is common with vs to stand vntill the people draw neere then kneele whose words I haue answered before in Dionysius Alexandrinus S. Augustinus is the eighth who saith Propter hoc ieuinia relaxantur stantes oramus Anno 420. Epist 119. cap. 15. quod est signum resurrectionis For this cause we remit our fasts and stand at prayer which is a signe of the Resurrection which is no more then is granted And yet in the end of the 17. chapter he concludeth of it Vtrum vbique seruetur ignoro I know not whether it be obserued euery where There is a reason added out of S. Augustine in the same 15. Chapter which I accept of though I finde it not there that kneeling is a gesture of a Penetentiary and of such outward humiliation as is wholy disagreeable with the solemnitie of reioycing on the Lords day S. Augustine indeed mentioneth rest and reioycing and then addeth Propter hoc for this cause we fast not but stand wherin I see no reason but a man may haue
dispose any kingdome or take away the life of any were hee King or Subiect as his life and practise declares The Priest hath his call venite ad nuptias Matt. 22.4 come to the marriage but it is venite directiuum non coactiuum a call of direction not of externall coaction as the Kings is Saint Paul sayes These things command and teach 1. Tim. 4.11 command them that know teach the ignorant Imperamus nos In Oratione ad praesidem natū said S. Nazianzene wee in the Pulpit command also on Gods behalfe Luc. 14.23 And the Priest hath his compulsorie also Compelle intrare Compel them to come in but it is verbi potentiâ censuris by the power of the word the sword of the spirit not Caesars word and by the censures of the Church wherewith shee is armed to reuenge all disobedience which are sanatiuae 2. Cor. 10.6 and not eradicatiuae healing 1. Cor. 5.5 that the spirit may be saued in the day of the Lord not eradicatiue to take away life as the censure of the Ciuill power doth So then as the Church calls by the word and censures thereof so the King calls first verbo by his word or lawe Ciuill secondly exemplo by his practise and example His word is not Ite Goe yee and serue the Lord but venite come and goe with mee to serue God Iosua 24.15 I and my house will be first Hee is first in place before all men that he may be first among men in the seruice of God and the greater his power and graces are the greater is his obligation to adore God that placed him aboue men and neere to himselfe And thirdly Gladio He must call by his own ciuil sword by temporal punishments not spiritual to which all Recusants of all sorts must be subiect He must cōpel all men to enter into Gods house Now there is a threefold venite the first Singulare particular or singular in euery particular man for man is a little World or Citie or Kingdome in himselfe The spirit is to rule and all the powers of soule and bodie must obey Memorie must record all Gods blessings and our owne dueties Reason must apprehend and beleeue them Will must chuse and loue them and affection must desire them The senses must bee shut vp that they wander not but ascend and beholde The eyes must see Gods beauties not gad after vanities and send teares as Embassadors The eares must attend trueth not leasings The tongue must sound forth the Sacrifice of prayer and praise The hands must be lifted vp as an euening Sacrifice to intreat pardon and bestow almes And the knees must bee bowed that God who resisteth the proud may behold the humble afarre off Iam. 4.5 1. Pet. 5.5 and the whole man must be offered vp as a liuing sacrifice to God vt totus hic sit totus in Coelo offeratur that the whole man being in the Temple may at the same instant be presented to God in Heauen The second is Priuatum the priuate call of the master of the family which is another little kingdome and hath all the societies of man and wife father and sonne master and seruant in it as the Kingdome is the great familie consisting of many families and the power of the King is no other but Patria potestas that fatherly power that was placed by God immediatly in Adam ouer all the families that issued from him In which as Dauid said Psal 101.7 No deceiptfull person shall dwell in my house so euery Master must say No Recusant in Gods worship shall rest within my doores If he will not go to Gods house adore his Maker and receiue his blessed body and blood Non habitabit in domo mea Hee shall not hide his head in my house if he be ashamed to shew his face in Gods houses Our most religious Dauid that sits vpon the throne of this Kingdome and suffers none to serue him a King on earth vnlesse hee will also with him serue the King of heauen may be a singular light a patterne to all Masters in this kinde And surely hee can neuer bee a true seruant to a man in earth that is not a deuout and religious seruant to God in heauen If he be false to God he wil neuer be true to him that is but the Image represents the person of God on earth The third is Publicum the publike call when he calls all who hath authority to call all that is the Kings call to which euery one that is a part or member of the great familie and receiues protection and direction from him must be obedient and not onely one family or one Kingdome but as many families or kingdomes as are subiect to his dominion All his Kingdomes must be obedient to his venite and ioyne together not onely in vnitate in the vnitie and substance of Religion and worship of God but also in vniformitate in vniformitie of outward order and ceremony of Gods seruice if possibly it may be especially in all the parts of my Text of Adoration and Prostration and kneeling which are not ceremonies Rom. 13.4 but parts of Diuine worship and for disobedience must be subiect to his coercion who beares not the sword in vaine The Kings word is not venite adme come to mee Matth. 11.28 I will refresh you his office is not Reficere but Ducere not to refresh vs but to leade vs to refreshing that is proper to God and Christ who is both Shepheard and foode Pastor and pasture of our soules Neither is the Kings word venite per me Ioan. 14.6 Come by mee I am the way and the trueth that is true onely of Christ For no man commeth to the Father but by mee and the King is not via but Dux in via Not the way but the guide of the way But the Kings word is Venite mecum Come with me I am both a sheepe of the flocke Psal 78.71 and a Shepheard as Dauid was Let vs goe together as one man to worship God And therefore when God calls vs to come to him he is our end And Christ calls vs to come by him he is the way And the King calls vs to goe with him he is our Chieftaine And the Prophets and Priests teach vs to goe in the way they are our directors And the Saints of God are our companions and the Angels of God are our assistants in this way to goe to God Passibus mentis corporis with the steps of our soules and bodies Who wil refuse to goe by such a way as Christ is vnder such guides as Kings and Prophets are with such companions as Saints and Angels are vnto such an end as God is who is life and blessednes it selfe But strepitus est in anima Part. 2 3.4 ther 's such a confused cry in the soule that Dauids cry is not heard
to examine himselfe but first euacuating or purging the wickednes of his sinns to offer himselfe tried pure at the Lords Table And therefore let vs daily runne to the lamentation of repentance who sinne dayly And I hope these things should not be publikly and solemnly done without kneeling Although at all times we ought to acknowledge out selues to bee sinners yet then chiefly must we coÌ„fesse Alcuiâ—us â—e Diuinus officijs cum illo sacro mysterio c. when by that sacred mysterie the grace of remission and the indulgence of sinnes is celebrated I proceed to the fourth for I shall haue occasion to speake of this againe and that is Sacrificium orationis laudis the sacrifice of prayer and prayse And here I cannot sufficiently wonder at those who would haue this Sacrament administred and receiued without all maner of prayer or prayse at all according as it is barely deliuered to be instituted by our Sauiour Christ a little before his death As if the Church should meete onely to heare a Sermon that is an exposition of some Text chosen by the Preacher of which forme of Preaching there is scant a patterne to be found in all the word of God and why then should that bee called Preaching that is without Example and that ended without any prayer or thankesgiuing or preparation or premeditation to proceede to accipite comedite take and eate this is my body this is my blood and so farewel for more is not to be found in the institutioÌ„ And yet in the very institution where we reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benedixit hee blessed or consecrated many Greeke Copies haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratias egit hee gaue thankes which should worke much with them that value not Consecration much and both words of consecrating and thankesgiuing being in the Text I hope no man dates put thankesgiuing out of the celebration of the Sacrament when Christ vsed it in the Institution And after the very Institution there is further Hymnodicto when they had said Grace or sung an Hymne or Psalme surely that was thankes and prayse to God for his graces and blessings And it is worth obseruation that this forme of thankesgiuing or Hymne or Psalme of praise is principally if not onely mentioned in the institution of this Sacrament to shew that though it may and ought ex naturae dictamine by natures rule and direction be alwaies vsed to repay Gods goodnesse and bountie with the tribute of our thankefulnes yet it should neuer bee omitted in this Sacrament where if it bee not instituted surely it is most cleerely recorded and the greatnesse of the benefit requireth the greatest measure of thankefulnesse As for prayer 1. Tim. 4.5 if all creatures bee to bee sanctified by prayer and the word of God why should wee thinke that this heauenly spirituall foode of our soules should not first bee sanctified with prayer as well as consecrated by the word since it is a greater worke to sanctifie the food of the soule then of the bodie I euer thought that our Sauiour before he offered his all sufficient Sacrifice on the Crosse Heb. 5.7 did offer vp prayers supplications with strong cries and teares and hee was heard for his reuerence And his action being out institution we should folow his steps offer our prayers and supplications with strong cries and teares before we did presume to present Christ sacrificed to his Father or receiue him our selues or offer vp the sacrifice of our soules and bodies and the whole Church which is the dayly sacrifice of the Church I euer tooke it that the Apostles knew best how this Sacrament was to be receiued 2. Cor. 16. and that they meeting on the Lords day which is out Sunday or the first day of the weeke to make collection for the poore did continue in prayer and breaking of bread which I thinke is more ordinarily vnderstood of the Communion of the body and blood of Christ then of the distribution of Almes And in the 13. Act. 13.2 of the Acts the Church at Antioch before they sent out Paul and Barnabas they ministred fasted and prayed here is fasting and prayer and it is likely it was not without the Lords Supper for that which we reade ministring is translated by Erasmus to bee sacrificing Sacrificantibus illis and sacrificing did surely imply the representation of Christs sacrifice and the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 offring of diuine worship And so there was then a Liturgie and all Liturgies had this Sacrament in them so Prayer went through with this Sacrament And if the Apostles ioyned prayer and almes with breaking of bread I know no reason why our Church may not be bold to follow their example and ioyne prayer and breaking of bread or the Sacrament together vnder the protection of their practise especially since without all doubt the succeeding ages did follow their example Apol. 2. ad Antoninum as is cleere in Iustine Martyr and others Surgimus comprecamur vpon Sunday or the Sunnes day wee arise not wee stand it seemes from reading and hearing and pray and then that is after prayer Precibus peractis panis offertur vinum aqua Prayers being ended bread and wine and water is offered And Praepositus quantum pro virilisuo potest preces gratiarum actiones fundit populus faustè acclamat dicens Amen distributio communicatioque fit eorum in quibus gratiae actae sunt cuique praesenti The Bishop or Priest that was chiefe in that action doth powre out prayers and praises with all his might and the people doe ioyfully crie Amen and distribution and communication is made to euery one that is present of these things that are blessed or for which thanks were giuen and all antiquitie relate the same Origen saith L. 8. contra Celsum Nos qui rerum omnium conditori placere studemus cum precibus gratiarum actione pro beneficijs acceptis oblatos panes edimus corpus iamper precationem factos sanctum quoddam sanctificans vtens eo cum sano proposito Wee that study or endeuour to please the Creator of all things doe eate the offered bread with prayer and thankesgiuing for the benefits that we haue receiued being made Corpus quoddam sanctum sanctificans a certaine body marke that word holy in it selfe and sanctifying others by praier vsing it with a good intent c. Origen contra Celsum lib. 8. In this sacrifice saith S. Augustine Aug. Epist 120 there is thankesgiuing and commemoration of the flesh of Christ which he offered for vs And againe Hinc gratias agimus Domino Deo nostro quodest magnum Sacramentum in sacrificio noui Testamenti Chrysost Hom. in Matth. 26. And Chrysostome Gratiestote optima quippe beneficiorum custos est ipsa memoria beneficiorum perpetua gratiarum actio propterea reuerenda ac salutaria illa mysteria
est à sancta Synodo quoniam conson◠conueniens per omnes Ecclesias custodienda est consuetudo vt stantes ad orationem vota Domino reddamus Because there are some that kneele at prayers on the Lords day and the daies of Pentecost therefore it is decreed by this sacred Synod because an vniforme and conuenient custome is to be kept in all Churches that wee shall pay our vowes to God standing at prayer To the same purpose are cited some other later Councels and Fathers to proue that which no man denies that the Primitiue Church vsed to stand at prayers on the Lords day and from Easter to Pentecost in remembrance of the resurrection of our blessed Sauiour of which I shall say somewhat in their proper place In which allegations I pray obserue a plaine repugnancie betweene the witnesses and the author that produceth them for they doe directly crosse and confound his purpose for he maketh the gesture of the Apostles to bee in a maner essentiall to this Sacrament in diuers respects For why 1 the time after supper 2 the element vnleauened bread 3 the place a priuate chamber and 4 the preparation of the receiuers fasting or full may and are changed by the practise of the Church vpon good reason but this gesture of sitting may not be changed for any reason so it must be of the essence of the Sacrament And againe it is repugnant to the Law of nature to change this gesture of sitting because it doeth agree with a feast or banquet the prerogatiues of a table Ex natura rei out of the nature of the thing that is a feast a banquet and a table and the behauiour of guests at such a feast Now all the witnesses produced Fathers and Councels giue euidence for standing which is as repugnant to the Law of nature as kneeling is and so this learned Logitian proueth standing to haue bene vsed in the Primitiue Church and concludeth Ergo we must sit at the Lords Table Besides all the Fathers and Councels that mention standing in time of Prayer on Sundayes and from Easter vntill Whitsuntide doe approue of this gesture of standing as it were Ex priuilegio contra legem publicam by the way of Priuiledge or priuate law for a particular reason or cause against the publike law of Prayer which by consent of all should be made kneeling in all humilitie And all priuiledges are derogations to the common Law and rule of right And therefore it is a very poore kinde of arguing to dispute out of a priuiledge to ouerthrow the publike rule of the gesture of prayer For the Fathers decreed standing for Sundaies and from Easter to Pētecost non ex natura orationis not out of the nature of prayer which ought not to bee made standing but rather in honorem resurrectionis Domini in honour of the resurrection of Christ which as that day the first of the Creation wherein light was seuered from darknesse Apoc. 2. as Iustine Martyr reasons arose from the dead and made that day to vs the first of our Recreation regeneration or resurrection from sinne wherein all the darkenesse of sinne and death and ignorance and types and figures and shadowes was dispelled the power of Satan the Prince of darkenesse was vanquished and so discouered to be vanquished and we were brought into the cleere light of the Gospel that hath not so much as a cloud of doubting no not of our resurrection to obscure this glorious light in as much as Christ that died for our sinnes arose againe for our iustification 1. Cor. 13.20 and so became Primitiae mortuorum the first fruits of the dead and vbi primitiae ibi alij fructus where there are first fruits there are other fruits the first haue relation to other or second fruits that will follow And Christ as hee arose solus alone neuer to die more others that were raised by Christ did rise to die againe as Lazarus and others did so hee arose Totus All Christ that is all the members of Christ and all that haue the same manhood with Christ shall arise after him the faithfull from the death of sinne in this life which is the first resurrection and all men from the death of nature in the life to come And in this respect the day of rest after creation in nature was changed from the Iewes Sabbath to the day of rest of Recreation in grace and honoured with the name of Lords day because the worke of Redemption from which Christ rested at his resurrection is a greater worke and much more beneficiall to vs then the worke of Creation For Creation giues vs beeing but Redemption restores vs to that beeing which was lost by sinne to the well beeing of grace and giues vs a right by the free gift of God to the best and blessed beeing of glory And here I cannot omit this one thing that the Author of these reasons cares not to make all the Fathers and Councels and the greatest of all Councels next to the Apostles Councell the great Councell of Nice of 318. Bishops sinners against the law of Nature so hee may say somewhat against kneeling though therein he said asmuch and more against himselfe then indeed he doth against kneeling For if sitting at the Lords Supper bee essentiall to the Table and feast and banquet of Christ and the behauiour of guests and coheires the Fathers and Councels are guilty of the violation of this Law of Nature who vsed and decreed standing at prayer on Sundayes And therfore as this man most weakely would infer at the Lords Supper also which in those times it seemeth was seldom or neuer omitted on the Lords day and so all his witnesses as they testifie against him that produceth them so they are tainted with the breach of the Law of Nature which is in effect the Law of God and so no way to be credited And if any credit be to be giuen to them certainely they are good witnesses against him that produceth them and therefore they doe in effect argue thus against him Standing at Prayer and the Lords Supper was in vse in the Primitiue Church by the testimonies of Fathers and the decrees of Councels Therefore Sitting is not the gesture of the Commucants at the Lords Supper To which if wee add that the Fathers of those times and Councels best knew the practise of Christ and his Apostles whose example they proposed to themselues as their rule and institution one of these things will follow that either standing is the essential gesture which Christ and his Apostles vsed and not sitting or els the Fathers and Councels changed the gesture of sitting vsed by Christ and his Apostles into standing vpon particular reason of the resurrection of Christ and then the present Church may vpon as important reason of humilitie which is indeed the lesson that Christ taught verbo exemplo by word and example change sitting and standing into kneeling
or that which is the trueth the Fathers and Councels that vpon the particular of Christs resurrection decreed for standing prayer might and did as it will appeare vse kneeling at the Lords Table according to the generall rule of Prayer at all other times and occasions and according as they then vsed to do in the participation of those great and reuerend mysteries of the Body and blood of Christ Now among all these obseruations this must not be omitted in generall before wee come to the particular that all those Fathers who vpon particular reason of Christs resurrection speake for standing prayer on Sundayes and from Easter to Pentecost and at other times according to the Common Law or rule of prayer require kneeling and humility with prayer yet in the matter of this Sacrament either they are silent and say nothing or if they speake of it they reiect both sitting and standing and speake onely for adoration and kneeling And so here bee Testes but not Testimonia names of mute witnesses whose depositions or dictats are nothing against kneeling but rather pleade for it both by their silence and their reason For concerning their silence it is more then probable that they who for the resurrection of Christ and our hope and expectation of our owne Resurrection did in a maner violate the Law of Prayer and humilitie and ordaine standing on the Lords day and from Easter to Pentecost as a testimony of our ioy and confidence and expectation thereof and dispence against the generall Law of kneeling at Prayer would also haue added the like expresse declaration in a matter of so great consequence as the Lords Supper is and said plainely that for the same reason we ought also to stand at the Lords Table when we receiue the Body and Blood of Christ since these reuerend mysteries require as reuerend gesture and behauiour as prayer doeth because in this Sacramēt we receiue all that which our praiers can aske and receiue in this life that is Christ with all the benefits of his death and Passion and the holy Ghost with all the whole traine of his gifts and graces and the greater Gods gifts are the greater should bee our humilitie and reuerence in receiuing them And the Argument is good Quod hominem though it be defectiue in the Fathers sense which is this The Fathers and Counsels decreed for standing at Prayer on Sundayes and from Easter to Pentecost But in the celebration of the Eucharist according to Christs institution there was not neither should be now any prayer at all as these men suppose Therefore the Fathers and Councels that decreed for standing at Prayer on Sundayes and from Easter to Pentecost spake nothing of the Lords Supper in which there ought to bee no prayer at all So then the silence of the Fathers in point of the Lords Supper is an argument that they spake onely of standing at Prayer and not at the Lords Supper Come to the Reason and it wil appeare more plainely For besides that priuate Lawes are stricti iuris and therefore to be restrained to the strict letter and no further And as the Lawyers say Exceptio firmat regulam the exception doth make the rule more strong and firme the exception of Sundayes and betweene Easter and Pentecost concerning standing at prayer maketh the rule strong that we should not stand at any other time and the exception of Prayer on Sunday maketh it strong that at other parts of diuine worship whereof the Sacrament is a principall and most eminent part we should not stand but vse the gesture that the nature of the action requireth which is humilitie and kneeling The reason which the Fathers giue is the memorie and celebration of the resurrection of Christ and the confidence that we haue of our part in the first and second Resurrection Now what is this Reason to this Sacrament which is Commemoratio not Resurrectionis but Mortis a commemoration not of the Resurrection but of the death and Passion of Christ 1. Cor. 11.26 The Apostle saith not as often as you eate this bread and drinke this Cup Annunciabitis resurrectionem you shall shew forth the resurrection but Annunciabitis mortem Domini you shall shew foorth the death of the Lord So then the reason of the Fathers is quite turned against this disputer The Christians did stand at praier on Sundaies and from the Passeouer to Pentecost vpon a particular reason that is for the memorie of Christs Resurrection and the ioy and confidence of our Consurreximus our rising with Christ Phil. 3.10 and the power of his Resurrection in vs Wee come to this Sacrament not to celebrate the memorie of Christs resurrection nor our confidence of rising together with him but in remembrance of his death and Passion in which wee must die to sinne as hee died to nature Therefore though we stand at Prayer to celebrate Christs resurrection yet we ought to kneele in all humilitie at the receiuing of this Sacrament in remembrance of his death and Passion for the Passion of Christ is as forcible to procure sorrow and humilitie for our sinne that deliuered him to death as the Resurrection of Christ is able to procure ioy and confidence for our redemption and deliuerance from sinne and death And of the oxen and fatlings Christ said Matth. 22.4 Tauri mei altilia occisa sunt mine oxen and fatlings are killed and Christ was slaine not onely that he might be to Godward Pretium the price of our ransome but also that hee might to vs-ward be Cibus our food Wherein because man doeth altogether abhorre to eate liuing flesh our blessed Sauiour was put to death that so hee might be the food of our soules So then the reason of the Fathers which moued them to decree standing at Prayer on Sundayes and from Easter to Pentecost doeth proue a contrario that when we celebrate the memorie of Christs Passion in the Eucharist which mooueth compunction and humilitie we should then kneele in token of our contrition and humiliation as they did stand in the ioy and confidence of Christs and their owne resurrection Whereby it appeareth that the Fathers who ioyne teares and contrition and confession and prayer with this Sacrament ment not to alter the humilitie in the receiuing thereof though they change the ordinary gesture of kneeling at Prayer vpon Sundayes and from Easter to Pentecost for the ioy and confidence they receiued of our Sauiours Resurrection Thus haue we passed the example of our Sauiour and his Apostles and haue not yet found any solid proofe for sitting at the Sacrament but rather left it doubtfull what gesture they vsed whether standing as at the Passeouer or kneeling or lying or sitting Now after the time of Christs Ascention vnto the time of Iustin Martyr and Tertullian and Dionysius of Alexandria there is no Author produced that saith any thing concerning the gesture of Communicants only there is a coniecturall argument made to
quidam qui die Dominico in diebus Pentecostes flectunt genua placuit de hoc sanctae magnae Synodo cunctos in omnibus locis consonantèr consentientèr stantes Deum orare debere Because there be some that bow their knees vpon the Lords day and the dayes of Pentecost it hath pleased this sacred and great Synod in this point that all in all places ought to pray to God standing consonantly and with one consent In which I obserue nothing but that the continuance of this gesture at this time began to decay belike because it declined from the naturall gesture of prayer which should be kneeling with all humilitie and therefore they in Africa made this Canon to keepe life in it For as it is said before in S. Augustine there was some doubt of the obseruation of it in all places and in this Councell it is last mentioned plainely and affirmatiuely And after S. Augustine there is no author produced vntill Anselme And after this Councell there is little mention of it in plaine termes vntill the Councell of Turon about Anno 800. except the Quinnisext Councel of Constantinople and these wil appeare to be but cold testimonies for it To the third which is the Roman Councel held vnder Hilarius the Pope there needeth no answere for they doe onely decree the obseruation of the Nicene Canons in generall words without any particular mention of standing at Prayer on the Lords day in the dayes of Pentecost Vt diuinae legis praecepta Nicenorum Canonum constituta that the precepts of the diuine Law and the cōstitutions of the Nicene Canons be not violated This is all and it may be this 20. Canon about standing at Prayer was not much thought of in particular by those 48. Bishops in that Councell The Canons of the Councell called Quini-sextum which were made at Constantinople mention and approue this standing at Prayer and withall limit it Canon 90. that Post vespertinum ingressum After the euening ingresse to the Altar on Saturday to the next euening no man should kneele and after that euening they should kneele againe In which that appeareth which was before said that this was but a dispensation or a priuate Law which doth derogate from the publike vpon speciall reason and therefore it did easily returne to the prime institution The fourth and last Councell is the Councell of Turon vnder Charles the great and Leo the third I will set it downe at large Sciendumest quòd exceptis diebus Dominicis illis festiuitatibus quibus vniuersalis Ecclesia ob recordationem Dominicae resurrectionis solet stando orare fixis in terram genibus supplicitèr Dei clementiam nobis profuturam nostrorumque criminum indulgentiam deposcendum est cuius rei in Euangelio ipse Dominus nobis dedit exemplum sed Stephanum Martyrem Apostolum Paulum eadem fecisse Liber Actorum Apost testis est Ex quibus intelligi datur oportere Christianum humilitèr ad terram prosterni ne fortè illi dicatur Quidsuperbis terra est cinis We must know that except the Lords dayes and those festiuities in which the Vniuersall Church for the remembrance of the Lords Resurrection vsed to stand at Prayer wee ought to pray not wee may pray as this Author renders it or intreat Gods mercie profitable to vs and pardon of our sinnes humbly with our knees fixed on the ground of which kneeling in prayer our Lord himselfe gaue vs an example in the Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles are witnesse that S. Stephen the Martyr and S. Paul did the like By which it is giuen to vnderstand that Christians ought not may cast themselues humbly on the earth lest it be said to them Why art thou proud that art but dust and ashes The Canon doth not say Nefas ducimus as Tertullian did we hold it vnlawfull to pray kneeling on Sundayes and in the dayes of Pentecost but resolutely decreeeth for kneeling in prayer and by way of priuiledge onely permitteth standing at prayer on the Lords day and other festiuities celebrated in the Church by way of exception out of the generall rule Wherby it appeareth that the generall rule is that we must kneele at prayer and therefore prayer being ioyned with the celebration of the Sacrament not excepted we must also kneele at the receiuing of the Eucharist So this Councell is the last that speakes for standing at prayer and that by way of exception for Anselme saith nothing to the purpose and therefore there passing 300. yeeres from this Councell to the decree of Honorius it is very probable that kneeling at Prayer was receiued long before Honorius the third his time And kneeling at the Communion is as old as the eldest witnesse produced against it as I presume shall appeare in the testimonies that ensue I come now to this mans Verbum grande his great and grand and lowd word that I say no more of it that is that vntill Honorius the third about the yeere 1120. made a decree for the adoration of the Sacrament the Eucharist was euer receiued standing and not kneeling And kneeling is Antichristian brought into the Church for the adoration of their Breaden god in honour of Transubstantiation and as hee calls it Real presence which opinion was first hatched by Damascen and then fostered by Innocent 3. and now honored by Honorius the third I would this man had studied his Masters Caluin and Beza a little better hee would peraduenture haue learned a great difference betweene Transubstantiation and the Reall presence and no lesse then Inter rem ipsam modum rei betweene the thing it selfe and the manner of doing of it And surely Caluin and Beza doe allow a true and Reall presence if I vnderstand them that is that we in the Eucharist receiue the true Bodie and Blood of Christ which all antiquitie doe collect out of Christs wordes This is my Bodie This is my Blood But they renounce this new found manner by way of Transubstantiation found out against Berengarius whereby they thought to quench the flame that was then kindled but it was Igne maiori they put out the lesser with a greater fire and not onely filled their bookes with a number of curious idle and philosophicall questions and so corrupted diuinitie with philosophie but also for this new fangle of Transubstantiation and the maintenance of the Popes vast and vnlimited transcendent power made the rent and diuision of the Church vncureable desperate and past all hope because the Popes will neuer renounce and disclaime their boundlesse ambition and the Schoole will neuer giue ouer to adore this their Idol of Transubstantiation which the more they labour to make plaine the further they inuolue themselues with a world of difficulties Which no doubt is the occasion that most of the wise and vnderstanding Papists who see how great euill hath fallen to the Church by it and how much blood hath bene shed in
the cause doe wish in their hearts though perchance they dare not professe it that the decree had neuer bene decreed In which assertion I take it this man is palpably deceiued and would deceiue others For I take it to be plaine that kneeling and adoration was not brought into vse by Transubstantiation but rather Transubstantiation was collected out of the Adoration and kneeling that was vsed in the receiuing of the Eucharist as I shall shew by and by out of Algerus who inferreth Transubstantiation out of kneeling and Adoration As for Honorius decree I doe not finde kneeling expresly named in it Sacerdos frequentèr doceat plebem suam vt cum in celebratione Missarum eleuatur hostia salutaris se reuerentèr inclinet Let the Priest often teach his people that when in the celebration of the Masse the healthfull Host is eleuated they bow themselues reuerently The word is reuerent bowing not kneeling and it is to be done at the eleuatiō not at the receiuing I could wish that the whole decree were to be seene for then somewhat would be manifest that now is obscure But the first words of the Chapter Sane cum olim do imply somewhat more ancient and it is very probable that Honorius did not make a new decree and establish a new forme of Adoration at the Sacrament neuer vsed before but explane and confirme an old which was bowing or kneeling and peraduenture in particular to designe in special when it should be done namely at the eleuation And it is most certainely testified that some hundred yeeres before this Honorius was borne the Deacon did call at the Masse Flectamus genua Let vs kneele so that kneeling and bowing was generally in vse before but eleuation was vnknowne to the Fathers and after it had gained ground and began to be in request then this decree of Honorius did honour that particular action of eleuation with a reuerent bowing by those perchance which receiued it not which doeth no way prooue that kneeling was not vsed before Honorius time but rather those three words set before the decree doe lead vs to apprehend that some reuerence and humilitie of bowing or kneeling was anciently in vse out of which practise or pretence of antiquitie Honorius did ground his decree And it is a grosse non sequitur to inferre thus Honorius made a new decree that at the eleuation of the Host men should reuerently bow themselues Therefore before this decree men did not receiue the Eucharist with reuerent bowing or kneeling For they might and did kneele at receiuing the Communion in the times of the ancient fathers and yet this eleuation and circumgestation of the Sacrament be but a new deuise that made way to much superstition and Idolatry Now although it bee hard to finde out the beginning of euery outward gesture vsed in the worship of God and the Administration of the Sacraments yet as it falleth out with the shadow on the Diall we discerne it not moouing but we easily discerne that it hath mooued So we cannot easily discerne and point out the first beginning of this gesture of kneeling in the Eucharist though after it hath passed some lines and degrees of time we may easily discouer by the later vse and custome that it fetcheth his pedegree from the Apostles and Apostolicall men The Fathers of the first age being in continuall conflict with persecutors without and hereticks within had little leysure to delineate and describe euery gesture they vsed in the Liturgie yet surely they that so strictly required an examination and probation of our selues contrition and compunction and prayer and praise and almes and humilitie and reuerence in this part of the worship of God in such sort that they held none to come worthily nor bee admitted to the Lords Supper but those that vsed this probation and preparation of themselues though their words speake not of kneeling yet their reasons doe enforce it And the very discerning the Lords body did require as well an outward as an inward difference betweene the Lords Table and other common tables and therefore an outward gesture beseeming the presence of the Eternall God which must be sutable to the greatest humilitie and that must needs be kneeling And therefore this Author that speaketh and writeth so tediously against kneeling is forced to dash out all humilitie and reuerence in his Communicants lest if he had granted humilitie hee must also haue bene forced to admit kneeling the most proper and significant gesture of humilitie Now as all the Fathers cited by this Author that speake for standing at prayer are cleare witnesses against sitting which he maketh essentiall as being vsed in the first institution and most of their reasons are for kneeling so many of them as also many others speake manifestly for adoration and kneeling To omit then that at the deliuering of the Law of the Passeouer Exod. 12. the people Incuruatus adorauit bowed themselues and worshipped and Christ the true Passeouer Luke 22. in his Agonie before his Passion fell on his face and flexis genibus orauit praied on his knees I come to the Authors And to say no more of Iustin Marten it is cleare that his words are against sitting Post haec surgimus communitèr omnes preces profundimus these things added we all arise and pray There it is manifest they left sitting I come to Tertullian who is most resolute for standing at prayer De oratione for he saith Nefas ducimus we hold it vnlawfull to kneele at prayer on Sundaies c. it is irreuerent to sit in the sight and before the face of him whom thou doest reuerence and honour how much more is that action most irreligious to sit in the sight of the liuing God the Angel of Prayer being present vnlesse we will exprobate to God that our prayers haue wearied vs If Tertullian will haue reuerence and humilitie at prayer to God whom we most reuerence and honour why should hee not more require it at this Sacrament which is the greatest and most eminent part of Gods worship Againe Tertullian that speakes so boldly for standing at prayer doth require kneeling at Baptisme for speaking of the set dayes of Baptisme De Baptism in fine as Easter day hee saith Caeterùm omnis dies Dominiest omnis hora omne tempus habile Baptismo si de solennitate interest de gratia nihil refert Ingressuros Baptismum orationibus crebris ieiunijs geniculationibus peruigilijs orare oportet cum confessione omnium retro delictorum vt exponit etiam Baptismum Ioannis tingebantur inquiens confitentes delicta sua Euery day is the Lords day euery howre and euery time is fit for Baptisme though there be difference of solemnitie there is no difference of grace they that are to bee baptized must pray with often prayers and fastings and kneelings and watchings and with confession of all their sinnes past as Iohns baptisme shewes they were baptized
with Christ or else humbly in all humiliation of soule and body And though the holy Ghost know the secrets of all hearts because he is God yet no man can know the heart of another man and therefore wee must iudge them to come pompously and braggingly that will not kneele but will sit as equall with the eternall God without all outward humilitie when they are but dust and ashes Againe in the 17. Num. Ad haec intra sacra mysteria ad gratiarum actionem conuertitur inclinato capite munditia cordis adepta se intelligens consummatum restitutus peccator sanctificat am Deo animam quasi depositum custoditum fidelitèr reddit After in the sacred mysteries the soule turneth to thankesgiuing and bowing the head the restored sinner hauing gotten purenesse of heart vnderstandeth himselfe to be consummated and restoreth his sanctified soule as a thing committed and faithfully kept vnto God Here we haue almost all the Sacrifices spoken of before Contrition Prayer Thankesgiuing and the offering of our selues and this is done with the exterior gesture not onely of the bowing of the knee but the head also So that in Cyprians time humilitie of the body and kneeling was in vse at the receiuing of the Eucharist The 4. is Cyrillus of Hierusalem In catacheâ—â— mystagogica 5. who describeth the whole order of the Liturgie in the celebration of the Eucharist the water in which the Priests did wash the kisse of reconciliation the wordes of the Liturgie Lift vp your hearts the thankesgiuing Holy holy holy Lord God of Saboath the prayer at the consecration the Lords prayer and the like which hee there mentioneth then first hee describeth the ministring of the Bread and Body of Christ and the maner of the receiuing of it at last hee commeth to the Cup and then he saith Tum verò post communionem corporis Christi accede ad Calicem sanguinis illius non extendens manus sedpronus adorationis in modum venerationis dicens Amen Then after the Communion of the Body of Christ come also to the Cup of his Blood not reaching out thy hands but falling on thy face in maner of Adoration and worship say Amen I hope this testimonie is so plaine that malice it selfe cannot inuent a cauill to auoyd it The 5. is S. Gregory Nazianzen 370. in the oration for his sister Gorgonia Hee doeth not indeed describe the celebration of the Eucharist for it was in the night when shee was alone and neither Priest nor consecration but onely shee caried with her some of the consecrated mysteries which shee had reserued as the fashion of those times was and then in the stilnesse of the night when her disease gaue her a little truce Ante altare procubuit she kneeled or fell downe at the Altar and called on him whom she worshipped with a lowd voyce and all her endeuour after she leaned her head on the Altar and with cries and teares like to the woman with the bloody issue she touched herselfe with those mysteries and the coÌ„clusion is she was made whole This Gregorie Nazianzen reueileth as a secret and approoueth and commendeth it And I relate it onely to this end not to iudge of the miracle but to obserue in this the custome of Communicants which was Procubuit ad altare to fall downe and kneele at the Altar For surely shee did now in her sicknesse as she and all others did in their health when they come to the Lords Table that is fall downe and kneele The 6. is S. Ambrose 374. Cap. 12. in his third booke De spiritu litera who expounding the words of the Prophet Psal 98.5.99 according to the vulgar Adorate scabellum pedum eius exalt you the Lord our God and worship at his footstoole for he is holy He discourseth that God hath no body and needs no footestoole that the earth is a creature and may not be worshipped and then remembring that Christs flesh is earth he saith Perscabellum terra intelligitur per terram caro Christi quam hodie quoque in mysterijs adoramus quam Apostoli in Domino Iesu vt supra diximus adorarunt By the footstoole the earth is vnderstood by the earth the flesh of Christ which wee also adore in the mysteries this day and the same which the Apostles did adore in our Lord Iesus as I haue sayd before This testimony is plaine and cannot be eluded with that idle shift of adoring in soule or by any other meanes then kneeling for his coÌ„parison is plaine of external adoration by kneeling in the Apostles who did adore Christ at his ascension with externall singular and visible worship Luk. 24.52 for with internall deuotion they did alwayes adore him But this speciall worshipping must bee vnderstood both of soule and body so we must adore in soule and body and that must be with kneeling at the receiuing of the Sacrament And in the Comment that goeth vnder his name 1. Cor. 11. Deuoto animo cum timore accedendum ad communionem docet vt sciat mens reuerentiam se debere ei ad cuius corpus sumendum accedit he teacheth that hee must come to the Communion with feare that the soule may knowe that shee oweth reuerence to him whose body shee comes to receiue this reuerence must bee externall as the deuotion is internall and that appeareth in the words following Quem cum disciplina nos accipimus which blood we receiue with discipline that discipline certainly is the exterior order and carriage prescribed by the Church so prostration and kneeling was in that time an ordinance of the Church at the Lords Table not equalitie in coheireship and prerogatiues of a Table The seuenth is Gaudentius Brixensis who speaketh not of this Sacrament of the Eucharist in speciall but of the other of Baptisme or of both and there is much more reason to kneele at the Lords Table De manducat Agntpaschalis Sermone 9. then at Baptisme His words are Lectiones diuinas aure percipimus ore Dominum confitemur laudamus benedicimus obsecramus manus supplices ad Coelum tendimus pedibus ad Ecclesiam currimus vnam Trinitatis Deitatem flexis ad terram genibus adoramus Wee perceiue the diuine reading with our eares wee confesse the Lord with our mouthes we praise him we blesse him we beseech him wee stretch out our suppliant hands to heauen and kneeling on our knees on the earth we adore the one Deitie of the Trinitie Hee speakes in this Sermon much of Baptisme but the Title is De manducatione Agnipaschalis of the eating of the Paschall Lambe so it may well be applied to both Sacraments The eighth is S. Chrysostome Hom. 61. Adpopulum Antiochenum Considera quaeso mensa regalis est apposita Angelimensae ministrantes ipse Rex adest tuastas oscitans Sordescunt tibi vestimenta nihil est tibi curae at pura sunt igitur adora communica
doe thus fall downe and kneele how much more must they cast downe themselues in all humility that abound in nothing but onely in wants and imperfections whose greatest perfection is Agnitio imperfectionis the acknowledgement of their imperfections and whose greatest glory is the ingenuous confession of their own vnworthinesse And surely Saint Iohn Apoc. 9.10.22.8 that wrote this Reuelation is twice reprooued by the Angel because he would haue giuen diuine worship to the Angel but the faul◠〈◊〉 in obiecto not in modo adorationis in the obiect of his adoration For hee would haue giuen that to the Angel which was peculiar only to God but it was not in the manner of his adoration he fell at his feete and worshipped him diuine worship must haue falling downe or prostration or kneeling but diuine worship may not bee giuen to any Angell or Saint or Sacred or consecrated Creature but only to God to whom onely it is due The sum therefore of this reason is short and punctuall The Church Triumphant worshipeth and feasteth at the Lambes Supper with prostration or kneeling Therefore the Church Militant that must learne of the Church Triumphant must worship with prostration or kneeling at the feast of the Supper of the Lambe For the earth must learne of heauen and he that refuseth such guides as the Saints in heauen in the worship of God it is to be feared that hee is turned ouer to worse Tutors on earth and vnlesse he repent and returne to the right way and follow their footsteps that are gone to heauen before him he will hardly attaine to the great City wherof they are admitted as Citizens and Saints And sure I am the very Habendum and Tenendum the hauing and holding the right and possession of our inheritance is as Christ said Vade fac similiter Luc. 10.37 goe and doe thou likewise They kneeled and prostrated themselues when they adored God and were admitted to the feast of the Lambe on earth they doe so as S. Iohn saith now in heauen and they that rest from all their labours rest not from this labour of Adoration and prostration and we must follow them in the way that we may be crowned with them at the end of the way in the Kingdome of glory I Come now to the reasons for sitting for the Authorities are for standing Now before I come to handle them in particular giue mee leaue to strike at the roote of them all in generall and that is in short Pride and Presumption You will maruell much that I should say the Foundation of all these Reasons is Presumption and Pride and I cannot but maruell at it my selfe but I must much more maruell at the Author of these Reasons that bearing the name of a Christian and perchance a Minister he should giue mee cause to say as I doe For I knowe no meane or medium in Theologicall contraries when wee come to the Lords Table either wee must be humble or else we must bee presumptuous and proud Luk. 11.23 Hee that is not with mee is against mee saith our Sauiour and hee that gathereth not with mee scattereth Either a good man or a bad man either faithfull or vnfaithfull either a good seruant or a bad seruant either borne of God and the childe of God or borne of the deuill and the childe of the deuill either wee doe righteousnesse or wee doe vnrighteousnesse either wee loue the Brethren or wee loue not the Brethren either a good tree and good fruit or a bad tree and bad fruit And although a good tree cannot but beare good fruit and a bad tree cannot but beare bad fruit yet Mala arbor fieri potest bona a bad tree may bee made a good tree and the change must be first in radice and then in fructu first in the Roote wee must be grafted into Christ and then it will follow in the fruite Yet in all these there is no meane there is none to be found but either he is good or bad so there is none that comes to the Lords Table but either hee is humble and comes in humilitie with the Publicane or else hee is presumptuous Luk. 18.10 and comes in pride with the Pharisee Now that I may not bee accused to mistake this Author I will relate his words Kneeling is not onely disagreeable with the ioyfull Pag. 85. carriage which in the iudgement of the said Fathers the solemnizing of the Lords day requireth throughout euery part of Diuine Seruice but also repugnant in particular to the person sustained by each Communicant and to the nature and intendment of the Lords Supper The Lords Supper being a Sacrament not of humbling our selues after the manner and guise of suppliants and penitentiaries but of spirituall feasting and reioycing on our parts not onely for the Lords Resurrestion and our owne in his person but for all other fauors and dignities purchased for vs by his death And Pag. 84. Kneeling which is a gesture of humiliation and of him that bewrayeth his sinnes and submissiuely sueth for the pardon of them is altogether unsutable and repugnant to reioycing and cheerefulnesse c. Good God Is there any action of a Christian that may be done without humilitie May man that is but dust and ashes present himselfe at any time in Gods sight without humilitie That is with Pride for these admit no meane either humble or proud May wee haue the affection of humilitie and not haue the gesture of humilitie Did not the Fathers that stood at their Prayers in honour of Christs Resurrection stand in all humilitie surely they stood in confidence of Gods grace and in hope of their owne Resurrection but they stood in al humilitie because they could not forget their owne frailtie confident in God but humble in themselues So the Fathers that layd downe the gesture of humilitie for a particular Reason did neuer lay downe the affection of humility because that is against all reason to cease to be humble when Christ said Discite ex me quia humilis Learne of me to be humble and meeke learne of mee not to create the world not to redeeme the world not to feed fiue thousand with fiue loaues nor to feed the whole world with a few seeds not to raise from the dead nor to keepe men that they die not by curing all diseases but learne of mee to be humble and meeke And may it suffice to be humble in confession of sinne and supplicating for pardon or will it suffice to be humble in asking petitions for supply of wants and not bee humble in giuing of thanks will it suffice to be humble in the Examination of our selues and preparing our selues before we come to the Lords Table and at the very comming receiuing to cease to be humble and take state vpon vs Did we by our humilitie attaine to bee in a measure fit and worthy for those great mysteries that so we may lay downe
the Sacrament of encrease and perfection This authoritie is grounded in Grammer or rather Criticisme not in reason which I the rather conceiue because I find the like words vsed by Chrysostome in his 61. Homil. ad populum Antiochenum and in his 3. Homil. ad Ephes In vaine is the daily offring Frustra stamus ad altare In vaine stand we at the Altar others read it Frustra assistimus ad Altare his reason is Nullus qui cōmunicetur none commeth to the Cōmunion surely when there was no Communion there was no kneeling but standing or being at the Altar expecting Communicants As for Chrysostome he is cleare that we should kneele at the Communion as his following words ad populum Antiochenum shew At pura sunt igitur adora communica but thy garments are pure therefore adore that is kneele and cōmunicate as he elsewhere sheweth by the comparison of the Wise men that kneeled to our Sauiour in the manger as I wil shew in his place In like sort saith this Author out of Chrysostome The Deacon slandeth vp and speaketh to the people Let vs pray altogether Had the Deacon stood vp and said Stemus communicemus Let vs stand vp and Communicate it had bene some what to the purpose but the Deacon stood vp not to cōmunicate himselfe but to call on the people to pray he stood vp that he might be the better heard of all the people So this standing of the Deacon is no gesture of standing at Receiuing but of calling to prayer And it is vsuall in those Churches that reteine kneeling that the Minister or some other standeth vp and calleth to the people Let vs pray and yet the people pray kneeling And this Author might haue remembred that the Deacon in the time of Liturgie stood vp and called to the people at Prayer and Receiuing Flectamus genua Let vs kneele which is more to the purpose then this standing vp to call to Prayer Centur 3. cap. 6. de ritibus circa Coenam And whereas hee alledgeth that the writers of the Centuries collect out of this Epistle of Dionysius that the rite and custome of the Church in that age was that the Communicants did stand at the Table and reach out their hands to receiue the holy meats the Centurie writers say it is peruetustus mos an ancient custome vsed in many Churches that they did reach out their hands to receiue the Bread and Wine and not expect to haue it put into their mouthes which they proue out of Clemens Alexandrinus Stromatum lib. 1. p. 2. But of standing they bring no custome of any other Church but onely vse Dionysius word in the plurall Mensae assisterent not adstarent which he speaketh onely in the singuler Mensae adstitisset which rather signifieth his presence then his gesture therefore this testimony is little to the purpose The second is Iustin Martyr though first in time whose testimony in part is cited before On Sunday c. the reader ceasing Anno 150. Apo. 2. Praesidens which he readeth the Pastour with his Oration instructeth the people and exhorteth them to the imitation of so beautifull things and then addeth Sub haec surgimus communitèr omnes precationes profundimus after this wee arise altogether and powre out our prayers and then proceed to the Eucharist This witnesse had need of some helpe for in himselfe hee saith nothing for them and nothing against vs and therefore hee helpeth him with a false translation a false collection First he readeth it we arise and pray and that is the trueth of the letter which implieth the leauing of their former gesture of sitting or reading but no way designes a new gesture in particular that followed after sitting and therefore to helpe him out he after addeth there it is plaine Pag. 76. the people sate at the hearing of the word and rose vp to stand at prayer but after he plainely peruerteth the reading and saith After that they stood vp and prayed here rising is turned to standing But the Collection is they arose and prayed therefore they receiued the Sacrament standing which hath no coherence for they might arise to kneele as well as to stand and they might stand at some of the Prayers and yet kneele at the receiuing of the Body and Blood of Christ But whatsoeuer may bee iudged of this Collection sure I am this doeth necessarily follow out of this testimony they arose and prayed and after they receiued therefore they did not receiue sitting which according to this new doctrine is the essentiall gesture of Communicants The third is Tertullian De corona militis who saith Anno 203. Of prayer on the Sunday and from Easter to Pentecost Die Dominicâ ieiunium nefas ducimus vel de geniculis adorare we hold it not lawfull to fast on the Lords day or to pray on our knees This is not to be denied But no one of the Fathers is more resolute against sitting at prayer De oratione then Tertullian is Siquidem irreuerens est assidere sub conspectu contraque conspectum eius quem quà m maxime reuerearis ac venereris quantò magis sub conspectu Dei viui Angelo adhuc orationis astante factum istud irreligiosissimum est nisi exprobramus Deo quod nos oratio fatigauerit It is irreuerent to sit in the sight and before the face of him whom thou doest most reuerence and honour how much more is that actiō most irreligious to sit in the sight of the liuing God the Angel of prayer being present vnlesse wee exprobrate to God that our prayers haue wearied vs. As for that Collection that as they prayed so they Receiued standing as if they had vsed the same gesture at the Sacrament which they did at prayer Heare what Tertullian saith of the receiuing the other Sacrament of Baptisme De Baptismo in fine Ingressuros Baptismum orationibus crebris ieiunijs geniculationibus pervigilijs orare oportet They that were to be baptized ought to pray with often prayers and fastings kneelings and watchings Kneeling was ioined with the Sacrament of Baptisme which was giuen on the Sunday aswell as the Eucharist So the collection is not good they stood at prayer therefore they receiued the Eucharist standing for at the same time they stood at prayer and yet receiued Baptisme kneeling But in the word of station he is egregiously deceiued For saith he Tertullian de oratione putteth the word statio standing for prayer and calleth the Lords days Dies stationum the dayes of station or standing For it is cleere in Tertullian that Dies stationum the dayes of station were neuer made on the Sundayes and his words are plaine De corona militis Iam stationes aut alij magis faciet quam Christo aut die Dominico quando nec Christo He shal make his stations to another rather then to Christ or else on the Lords day and so not