quando dico benedictionem explico omnem thesaurum beneficentiae Dei magna illa dona in memoriam reuoco Nam nos quoque ad calicem recensentes ineffabilia Dei beneficia quaecunque sumus adepti it a ipsum offerimus communicamus gratias agentes quod ab errore liberarit hominum genus What sayest thou blessed Paul when thou wilt confound the Auditor mentioning the dreadfull mysteries thou callest that fearefull cup horroris plenum full of horror the cup of blessing It is true for it is no small thing that is said for when I call it blessing I call it the Eucharist and calling it the Eucharist I open the treasure of all the benignitie of God for with this Cup we reckon the vnspeakeable benefits of God and whatsoeuer we haue obtained So wee come to him and communicate with him giuing thankes to him that hath freed mankinde from error And mentioning elsewhere this Sacrifice horrore reuerentia plenissimuÌ„ most full of horror and reuerence he saith Per id tempus Lib. 6. de Sacord et angelisacerdoti assident coelestiuÌ„ potestatuÌ„ vniuersus ordo clamores excitat locus altari vicinus in illius honorem qui immolatur angeloruÌ„ choris plenus est id quod credere abundè licet velex tanto illo Sacrificio quod tum peragitur At that time the time of the Consecration of the Sacrament the Angels stand by the Priest and the vniuersal order of the heauenly powers do raise vp cries And the place neere the Altar is filled with the quires of angels in the honour of him that is immolated which may abundantly bee beleeued by that great Sacrifice which is then performed Lib. 3. Againe in the third booke Dum conspicis Dominum immolatum Sacerdotem sacrificio incumbentem ac preces fundentem tum vero turbam circumfusam pretioso illo sanguine in tingi ac rube fieri etiamnè te inter mortales versari atque in terrâ consistere censes ac nonpotiusè vestigio in coelos transferri While thou beholdest the Lord offered vp and the Priest sacrificing and the present multitude to be dipped and made redd with that precious Blood doest thou thinke that thou doest conuerse among mortall men on earth Or rather that thou art suddenly translated into heauen And after hee inferreth Hoc ergo mysterium omnium maximè horrendum verendumque quis tandem qui sanus in idem minimè sit quique è potestate non exierit fastidire ac despicere poterit What man that is not madd and out of his wits can despise or loath this mysterie of all others most dreadfull and fearefull And S. Cyprian long before him said Cyprian de Câ—na Dom. Sanguinem sugimus intra redemptoris nostri vulnera figimus linguam quo interiùs exteriúsque rubricati à sapientibus huius seculi iudicamur amentes Wee sucke his Blood and put our tongues into the wounds of our Redeemer with which being made redd within and without wee are iudged to be madd by the wise men of this world S. Augustine interpreting the words of the Lords prayer Giue vs this day our dayly bread vnderstandeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supersubstantiall bread to be the Eucharist which is called dayly bread Augustinus de verbis Dom. serm 28. And then he addeth Si quotidianus est panis cur post annum illum sumis accipe quotidiâ— quod quotidiè tibi prosit sic viue vt quotidie merearis accipere Idem habet Ambrosius qui non meretur quotidie accipere non meretur post annum accipere quomodo sanctus Iob quotidie pro filijs offerebat sacrificium ne forte aliquid vel in corde vel in sermone peccassent Ergo tu audis quod quotiescunque offertur sacrificium mors Domini resurrectio Domini eleuatio Domini significetur remissio peccatorum panem istum vitae nostrae quotidianum non assumis Qui vulnus habet medicinam requirit vulnus est quia sub peccato sumus medicina est coeleste venerabile Sacramentum If it be daily bread why doest thou receiue it once in the yeere receiue it dayly that it may daily profit thee Liue so that thou mayest obtaine to receiue it dayly he that obtaineth not to receiue it dayly obtaineth not to receiue it after a yeere As holy Iob offered Sacrifice dayly for his sonnes lest perchance they should offend in thought or word Doest thou heare that as often as the Sacrifice is offered the death of the Lord the resurrection of the Lord and the ascention of the Lord is signified and remission of sinne and doest thou not receiue this dayly bread of life He that is wounded seeketh physicke Now thy wound is sinne and the medicine is the heauenly and venerable Sacrament I cannot stand to reckon all the titles at large that the Fathers giue to this Sacrament I add S. Chrysostome for he is most copious in these amplifications Chrisostom Homil. 24. in 1. Cor. and exaggerations vpon these words Calix benedictionis the Cup of blessing which we blesse Valde fideliter dixit terribilitèr hoc est autem quod dicit Id quod est in Calice est id quod fluxit è latere illius sumus participes Calicem autem benedictionis vocauit quod eam habentes in manibus sic eum hymnis laudibus prosequimur admirantes Caeleste donum stupentes benedicentes bonisque verbis prosequentes quod eum ipsum effudit ne maneremus in errore non solum effudit sed etiam eum ipsum nobis impertijt Quamobrem si sanguinem inquit cupis non aram Idolorum brutorum caede sed meum altare meo cruentum sanguine quid est hoc horribilius quid autem amabilius He speaketh very faithfully and terribly and this is that which hee saith That which is in the Cup is that which issued out of his side and we are partakers of it And he called it the Cup of blessing because hauing it in our hands we do admiring folow him with hymnes and praises wondering at his ineffable gift blessing and setting forth with good words that hee hath powred it out that wee should not abide in error and not onely he hath powred it out but also giuen the selfe-same to vs wherefore saith he if thou desire this Blood not the altar of Idols bloody with slaine beasts but my Altar bloody with mine owne Blood what is more horrible and yet what more amiable then this And againe Ad populum Antiochenum Hom. 61. Hic sanguis effusus est coelum facit accessibile horrenda scilicet Ecclesiae mysteria horrendum altare This Blood is shed and maketh heauen accessible that is to say the dreadfull mysteries of the Church and the dreadfull Altar And in the same place Tu vero petens Sacrificium quod horrent Angeli When thou goest to the Sacrifice which the Angels dread and in the next
it is Idem sacrificatum the same thing sacrificed Christ crucified that is represented to God and communicated to vs. And surely euery one that doth desire to bee heard and therefore concludes his prayers with these words Per Iesum Christum Dominum nostrum through Iesus Christ our Lord doth represent and offer Christ crucified to God and entreates remission and grace through his death and passion And Christ our high Priest that sitteth at the right hand of God doth at that instant execute his office and make intercession for vs by representing his wounds or scarres to his Father In Baptisme in like maner when wee doe consecrate and dedicate our selues to Gods seruice wee doe as it were offer vp Christ crucified by way of representation as if we did explicate and vnfold the passion of Christ at that time desiring to bee accepted for his sake And that made S. In exposit incho Epist ad Rom. Tom. 4. Augustine to say Quodeo tempore quisque prose offert pro peccatis suis quum eiusdem passionis fide dedicatur at that time euery one offereth the sacrifice of Christs passion for his sinnes when he is dedicated in the faith of that passion and the maner he explicateth with Quodammodo offert he offers in a sort not properly but by way of representation and application And this is made good by the words of the Apostle Rom. 6.3 Know you not that as many of vs as are baptized into Christ Iesus are baptized into his death And againe v. 4. Consepulti per baptismum in mortem buried with him by baptisme into death And againe v. 5. Complantati similitudini mortis planted together in the likenesse of his death so our Baptisme is a representation of Christs death But this Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ as a more ample and perfect image doth more fully represent Christs death and by way of memoriall offer it to God as being instituted and commanded for a representation and commemoration thereof And this is generally receiued of antiquitie and so allowed by the Romish Sacrificers though they proceede further without ground or reason For why De Trinit lib. 4. cap. 14. S. Augustine said well Ipse cui offert qui offert quique offertur these bee proper to Christ to be the Godhead to whom he offereth to be the Priest that offreth the Sacrifice that is offered vp to God The true Sacrifice that is due onely to the true God is that Contra Faustum lib. 20. cap. 18. Quo eius altare solus Christus impleuit with which Christ onely filled his Altar As for Christians vnde iam Christiani peracti eiusdem sacrificij memoriam celebrant sacrosancta oblatione participatione corporis sanguinis Christi They celebrate the memorie of this sacrifice performed on the Crosse by the sacred oblation and participation of the bodie and blood of Christ So Christs sacrifice is the trueth and ours the representation of that trueth Aug. Epist 23. And in his 23. Epistle Nonne semel immolatus est Christus in seipso tamen in Sacramento nonsolùm per omnes Paschae solennitates sed omni die populis immolatur Hee was once offered in himselfe and yet in the Sacrament he is not only offered yeerely at the solemnitie of the Passeouer but also euery day And hee giues a reason Sienim Sacramenta quandam similitudinem earum rerum quarum Sacramenta sunt non haberent omnino Sacramenta non essent Ex hac autem similitudine plerunque etiam ipsarum rerum nomina accipiunt Sacraments haue a similitude of things whereof they are Sacraments els they were not sacramēts And by this similitude they borrow the names of those things whereof they are Sacraments Hoc sacrificium exemplum est illius Chrisost ad Heb. 10. this sacrifice is an example or imitation of that sacrifice of Christ on the Crosse So Christ offered and wee offer sed hoc quod nos agimus recordatio est sacrificij but that which wee doe is a commemoration of a sacrifice Againe S. Augustine saith Aug. quest 61. inter 83. Dominus noster Iesus Christus ostenditur Rex noster ipse est etiam Sacerdos noster in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedec quiseipsum obtulit holocaustum pro peccatis nostris eius sacrificij similitudinem celebrandam in suae passionis memoriam commendauit Hee is our King for euer after the order of Melchisedech who offered himselfe a sacrifice for our sinnes and hee commended the similitude of this sacrifice in the remembrance of his passion These and many other sentences of the Fathers Lomb. lib. 4. Dist 12. G. made the Master of the sentences to rest in this that this Sacrament is a representation or memorie of that Sacrifice performed on the Altar of the Crosse and further went not the diuinitie of his time And Thomas that liued long after him knew no other doctrine And hee giueth onely two Reasons why it is called Immolatio Christi the sacrificing 3. qu. 83. art 1. or immolation of Christ First because it is Imago quaedam passionis Christi It is a certaine Image or representation of Christs passion as Images are called by the names of those things whereof they are images as S. Augustine saith And when wee looke on a painted wall or table we vse to say this is Cicero this is Salust and the like So the celebration of this Sacrament is a representatiue image of Christ passion which is the true immolation of him and therefore it is called the Immolation of Christ and there hee produceth Chrysostomes words cited before The second Reason is Quia participes efficimur fructus Dominicae passionis Because by this Sacrament we are made partakers of the fruit and benefit of Christs passion therefore it is called the sacrifice of Christ so Thomas goeth no further then representation and participation I descend no further for by this it is plaine who are Veteratores and Nouatores the corrupters of antiquity that remoued the ancient bounds and the Authors of Noueltie that not onely speake old Diuinitie nouè in new words and formes but also bring in noua new and strange doctrines and Articles neuer heard of That this Sacrament is the onely proper externall dayly sacrifice of the Church without which the other two relatiues cannot stand viz. that there is no Religion without Priesthood nor Priesthood without sacrifice here it is manifest where the house began to runne to decay and where the enemie sowed Tares For as Thomas saith The Altar is the representation of Christs Crosse and the Priest beares the image of Christ our High Priest and so his sacrifice is but a representation of Christs sacrifice exemplum illius as before Againe Th◠Qu. 73. Art 4. compare this Sacrament with three times and it will haue many names Respectu praeteriti concerning the time past in as much as it is a commemoration of
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
there thou shalt reade the depth of sinne that pearced not onely his hands and feete but his heart also in which hee offered vp prayers and supplications with strong cries and teares that he might ouercome the clamour of our crying sinnes Heb. 5.7 and Christ offered nothing for our redemption but that which was necessary and therefore teares must concurre as a part of our ransome And if our Sauiour wept for vs the Redeemer for the redeemed we haue much more reason to weepe for our selues and let none be found so profane amongst vs that when the Sonne of God wept and suffered for our redemption wee should laugh and make merrie at our condemnation as if wee were senselesse of our owne confusion First then hearken what Christ sayth to vs from his Crosse Vide quae pro te patior Behold O man what sorrow Christ suffered for thee vpon his Crosse and let his sighes and teares moue thee to compunction And if this will not preuaile then heare what hee sayth in heauen to all impenitent and wilfull sinners Vide quae à te patior Behold thou obdurate sinner how great reproches Christ suffers at thy hands who by thy wilfull impieties doest crucifie againe to thy selfe the Lord of life and then resolue that as Christs hands and feete and head yea and euery little pore and passage of his body was a fountaine of mercie that runnes in his blood so thy heart must bee as a spring of sighes and groanes and thine eyes must bee as fountaines of teares to wash with Magdalene Luk. 7.38 not so much Christs feete as thine owne soule Now interest Cui Pars 5 the question is of the Coram to whom this internall deuotion and outward prostration and this contrition is to bee tendered And my Text sayeth Coram Domino quifecit nos before the Lord our maker Adoration is due to Lordship or Maiestie and that by many rights 1. Potestatis quia principium creans First by reason of his power Hee is the principle author of our creation in whom we liue and mooue and haue our being Act 17.28 who made vs not according to the image of Angels Gen. 1.26 or beasts but according to his owne Image And therfore this worship must be giuē only to God quifecit sic fecit who made vs and made vs by no other stampe or patterne but his own Image 2 Bonitatis quia principium conseruans by reason of his goodnesse hee is the principle and fountaine of our preseruation in being in nature and restorer to our well being in grace and that by no other meanes then the Incarnation and death of his onely begotten Sonne And therefore this worship must bee exhibited onely to God Qui refecit sic refecit who restored vs and so restored vs by the blood of his owne Sonne as the Captiue euer honoureth him that ransomed him and the sicke man his Physician and the condemned man going to execution euer reuerenceth him that procureth his pardon 3. Felicitatis quia principium beatificans by reason of his felicitie he is the onely principle of mans eternall blessednes For all the perfection and fulnesse we looke for at Gods hands is God himselfe And the blessed Trinitie hath thus diuided The Sonne gaue himselfe in pretium for our price and ransome The holy Ghost gaue himselfe in arrhabonem as an earnest or pledge And the Father reserueth himselfe in praemium as our exceeding great reward Gene. 15.1 and therefore all seruice and worship is due to the Lord qui beatificat sic beatificat who blesseth vs and so blesseth vs with no lesse then the fruition of himselfe So that now Nec aliud pro illo nec aliud cum illo wee may neither adore another in stead of God nor any other together with God for he is sole and supreame Lord to whom all diuine and religious Adoration is due Propter Dominum for his Lordship Naturall Morall and Ciuill reuerence or adoration is due to them to whom God hath communicated some parts or branches of his power 1. Reg. 1.16 23. as vnto Kings as Bathsheba and Nathan adored Dauid to parents who as Gods instruments bring vs to a naturall being and to Priests who are Gods tongues and hands in our spirituall being and to others that haue any eminencie and excellencie of Gods graces And this duetie is deriued frō Religion the worship of God is done only for Gods cause yet it is not properly religious in the strict sense but Ciuill and humane For mans Lordship and dominion is not absolute and supreme in respect of Gods but vnder God and limited and coarcted by his Law It is ab illa sub illa in illam from Gods power hee is the author of it vnder Gods power and subiect to his coercion Hee is iudge of it and for Gods power subordinate and directed to him Hee is the end of it And therefore all powers on earth must giue this diuine and religious seruice onely to God whose Lordship is onely supreme and absolute in heauen and earth Angels and Saints haue no part in this diuine worship because though they be in possession of the Country and haue more excellencie of nature grace and glory then men haue yet they haue no dominion they haue Administrationem custodiam administration vnder God for they are ministring spirits Hebr. 1.14 Dan. 10.13 12.1 and haue custody of whole countreys and perchance of particular men yet they haue not dominium Lordship or dominion ouer men Apoc. 19.10 22.9 but professe themselues to be fratres conserui brethren and fellow seruants and not Lords and therefore forbid men to adore them And it is certaine and cleare no man euer offered sacrifice to any but to him Aug. de Ciuit. lib. 10. c. 4. Quem Deum aut sciuit aut putauit aut finxit whom he knew or thought Tho. secunda secundae q. 85. art 2. or fained to be a god And externall sacrifice is due onely to God because it is a signe or testificatiō of the inward sacrifice of the heart in which none hath any part but God onely And yet these later times haue placed much deuotion in the worshipping of Angels and Saints offering to them the inward and outward sacrifices of prayer and praise and their goods in vowes and pilgrimages and not onely distinguishing temples and Churches by their names which is lawfull but also dedicated them vnto them together with God at least in practise whatsoeuer their booke-doctrine be But Qui Deum colunt nolunt se coli pro Deo Angels and Saints will not be worshipped as gods vpō earth because they doe truely adore God in Heauen and excite vs to doe the like with them Quaest in Gen. lib. 1. q. 111. Gen. 4.61 It is true S. Augustine noteth vpon those Words of Deuteron 6. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God Et illi
verò his tantùm sacrificijs contentus fuit sed quia seipsum consecrauerat Deo etiam orbem vniuersum studuit offerre S. Paul offered not sheepe and oxen but himselfe that made him say Iam immolor I am now ready to be offered and hee was not contented with these Sacrifices but because hee had consecrated himselfe to God hee studied to offer vp the whole world also I haue beene too long in setting downe these places of S. Augustine who is the most doctrinall among the ancient Fathers and therefore I content my selfe with him and some few more onely I adde Eusebius who ioyneth both these that is the commemoratiue sacrifice and the sacrifice of our selues together with other sacrifices concurring in that action Sacrificamus nouo more secundùm nouum Testamentum Euseb de Demon Euang. hostiam mundam sacrificium Deo spiritus contritus dictus est wee sacrifice after a new manner according to the new Testament a pure sacrifice and a contrite heart is called a sacrifice to God A broken and contrite heart God will not despise Iamque etiam incendimus propheticum illum odorem in omni loco offerimus ei benè olentem fructum omni virtute abundantis Theologiae hoc ipsum orationtbus directis adeum facientes quodsanè ipsum alius quoque docet propheta qui ait fiat oratio measicut incensum in conspectu tuo igitur sacrificamus incendimus aliàs quidem memoriam magni illius sacrificij secundùm ea quae abipso tradita sunt mysteria celebrantes gratias Deopro salute nostra agentes religiososque hymnos orationes sanctas illi offerentes aliàs nos ipsos totos illi consecrantes eiusque Pontifici ipsi vtique Verbo corpore animoque dicantes And now also we burne that propheticall sweete odour in euery place and we offer to him that sweete smelling fruit of diuinitie abounding with all vertue doing this with prayers directed to him which another Prophet teacheth also who saith Let my prayer be as incense in thy sight therefore wee doe but sacrifice and offer incense aliàs celebrantes memoriam sometime celebrating the memory of that great sacrifice according to those things which are deliuered by him and giuing thankes for our saluation and offering to him religious hymnes and sacred prayers aliàs nos ipsos totos illi consecrantes and sometimes consecrating out whole selues to him dedicating our selues in bodie and soule to his high Priest euen to the Word himselfe Here is both the commemoratrue sacrifice and the sacrifice or offering of our selues our soules and bodies beside the sacrifice of prayer and praise and contrition which I am now to speake of all ioyned in this one sentence of Eusebius To proceede then with this collection of sacrifices in this one sacrifice the third is Sacrificium non pecoris trucidati sed cordis contriti as S. Augustine calleth it The sacrifice not of slain beasts but of broken and contrite hearts by repentance and sorrow for sinne And this is collected out of the words of the Apostle Probet seipsum homo ◠Cor. 11.28 Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eare of that bread and drinke of that cup for he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation not discerning the Lords body And this probation is a iudiciall acte for so it followes If wee would iudge our selues w◠should not bee iudged And these are the actes of Penitents first to accuse and confesse or beare witnesse against themselues next to iudge condemne themselues and thirdly to execute and do vengeance on themselues by true sorrow cōtrition for their owne sinnes that so God may spare them And no man ought to approach the Lords Table till he haue first washed and clensed his soule by his repentance from all his sinne that so it may bee a fit house for the Lord to enter vnder the roofe thereof and a fit Temple for the holy Ghost to dwell in and to make his mansion or standing habitation So contrition and repentance to put away sin past and to put on a resolution against sinne to come is a necessary preparation before the receiuing of the body and blood of Christ lest we come to these holy mysteries with foule mouthes and polluted hearts and so eate and drinke our owne damnation Luk. 15.18 And so the prodigall sonne came First Peccaui in coelum I haue sinned against heauen and before thee and I am vnworthy to bee called thy sonne make me one of thy hired seruants by which sacrifice of contrition hee was not onely receiued as a seruant or hireling but as a sonne and admitted to his fathers kisse and embracing and adorned with a robe and a ring and then at last tanquam conuivae as a guest at the Lords Table he was fed with the fat calse that was slaine for him And so the adopted sonne of grace was fed with the flesh of the naturall Sonne of God the Sonne of his owne essence and substance And Saint Augustine said well In Psal 21. Quotiens Pascha celebratur nunquid totiens Christus moritur Sed tamen anniuersaria recordatio quasirepresentat quod olim factum est sic nos facit moueri tanquam videamus in cruce pendentem Dominum doeth Christ die as often as the Passeouer is celebrated But yet saith hee the anniuersary recordation of it doth as it were represent that which was long since done and doth make vs to be moued or affected as if wee now saw our Lord hanging on the Crosse And after he addeth Tempus lugendi estcū passio Dominicelebratur tempus gemendi est tempus flendi tempus confitendi deprecandi When the passion of the Lord is celebrated it is a time of mourning a time of sighing a time of confessing and begging of pardon Cyprian de Coena Domini In huius praesentia non superuacuae mendicant lachrymae veniam nec vnquam patitur contriti cordis holocaustum repulsam In his presence saith S. Cyprian teares doe not beg pardon in vaine and the sacrifice of a cōtrite heart neuer receiues repulse Quoties te in conspectu Domini videosuspirantem Spiritum sanctum non dubito aspirantem cum intueor flentem sentio ignoscentem As often as I see thee sighing in the sight of the Lord I doubt not but the holy Ghost is breathing vpon thee so oft as I behold thee weeping so oft I perceiue God pardoning And the holy Ghost chuseth the poore in spirit to this ministery and loueth them and he detesteth their worship that thrust themselues Pompaticè gloriosè pompously and gloriously to the holy Altars and who come more pompously and gloriously then they that will sit as coheires and fellowes as if they were Christs equals And S. Moral li. 2. c. 1. Gregorie vpon these words Let a man first examine himselfe Quid est hoc locose probare What is it saith hee
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
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
Sundayes and from Easter vntill Pentecost as the Fathers doe but spake generally of Prayer wee must vnderstand him to speake according vnto the cōmon law of prayer of that position which prayer in the nature thereof doth require which is kneeling of which Anselme elsewhere speakes very largely lest wee seeme to make him contradict himselfe Now the same Anselme vpon the words Flecto genua Ephes 3. For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Iesus Per flectionem genuum intelligimus humilitatem supplicantis nam ad hoc solent in oratione flecti genua vt humilitas interior denotetur humiliori supplicatione affectus orationis commendetur By the bowing of the knees we vnderstand the humilitie of a supplicant for to this end knees are bowed in prayer that inward humilitie may be declared and the affection of prayer is commended by the more humble supplication And then he varieth the words thus I bow my knees that is I supplicate humbly in prayers so that humble prayer and kneeling at prayer are equiualent with Anselme And humble prayer is effectuall prayer and then as it is true humilis oratio penetrat coelos humble prayer pearceth heauen so kneeling prayer must haue the same effect that it entreth heauen and is accepted of God Now I come to the Councels And first Cap. 20. the Fathers of the Nicene Councel decreed for standing at prayer on the Sundayes and the dayes of Pentecost but giue not their reason as the Fathers before had done but they labour for the vniformitie of one custome in the external forme of Gods worship which was not a forme prescribed by the word of God nor agreeable to the nature of prayer but yet decreed by those Fathers whose names are glorious in Gods Church vnto the worlds end And therefore they thought they had authority to ordaine establish and confirme externall worship and ceremonies in Gods seruice and those repugnant to the nature of the thing they had in hand which if they grant to bee vsed in the Communion as they affirme without proofe either these Patrons of standing must confesse the Churches power to be so great to alter the gesture vsed by Christ and his Apostles which is essentiall to the Sacrament it selfe and vpon priuate reason to place another in the stead thereof repugnant to the nature of prayer or else they must lay a foule aspersion vpon that most reuerend and venerable Synod of greatest note and authoritie that Christianitie hath knowen since the Apostles liued that is that they violated an essentiall part of this Sacrament when they turned sitting into standing at prayer and ministration of this great mystery Now as concerning this custome it was not begun by those Nicene Fathers but reduced to vnitie and vniformitie a thing which these sitters cannot endure but desire to be left at libertie enery man to vse what gesture and fashion he likes best but it was as all customes are and should bee so ancient that it was beyond all memorie of man for how can that be called a custome whose beginning is knowen by them that style it by the name of a custome and therefore no one witnesse or Father produced for standing at prayer speakes other of it then as of a receiued custome In moribus hominum in the manners of men before his time Iustin Martyr is the first he saith wee rise vp and pray hee sayth onely surgimus wee arise it is factum a thing not now begun but done before not decretum not now decreed to be done Tertullian sayth Nefas ducimus wee hold it vnlawfull to kneele at such times this custome was growne olde of great strength not to be resisted it was become naturall vnto them and prescription was another law to them to crosse which custome hee sayd we hold it vnlawfull So though this age testifie of it yet must it bee much elder and take beginning from the Apostles or succeeding Apostolicall men And this custome is onely confirmed and decreed in this Nicene Councell because as it seemes Christians liked not altogether the reason of it for there may be ioy in him that kneeleth as well as sorrow in him that standeth so though it were ancient and had some colour of reason for it yet it seemeth because there was greater reason for kneeling then for standing it began to grow out of vse and that was the cause of this decree Now that this decree for standing reacheth onely to Praier and not to the Sacrament it may appeare by another decree not of the first twentie that Ruffinus hath but those other set out by Gelasius Cyzicenus l. 3. wherein because in those times it seemed they were too humble at the Sacrament they thus decree Ne humiliter intentisimus ad propositum panem poculum sed attollentes mentes fide intelligamus situm in sacra illa mensa agnum illum Dei tollentem peccata mundi incruentè à Sacerdotibus immolatum pretiosum ipsius corpus sanguinem nos verè sumentes credere haec esse resurrectionis nostrae Symbola Let vs not be humbly intentiue to the Bread and Cup set before vs but lifting vp our minds let vs by faith vnderstand that the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world and is slaine vnbloodily by the Priests is set vpon that holy Table and that wee truely receiuing his pretious Body and Blood doe beleeue those to bee the Symbols of our Resurrection It seemeth somewhat was amisse that the Councell by this Canon would redresse and it must be in the humble intending to the Elements That must be either in the inward thought and opinion of the Bread and Wine and then the Councell should not haue said humilitèr intenti but reuerentèr intenti not humbly intentiue as if they thought too basely or humbly of them but rather reuerently intentiue as thinking too highly of the Elements or creatures or else it must be in the outward carriage and behauiour and then the Canon would redresse the outward gesture which might incline vnto too much honour of the Elements and so detract from the humble reuerence that was due to God whom we doe worship and adore more specially in this Sacrament And so it will appeare that they were too humble at the receipt of the Eucharist and therefore receiued it with kneeling for so much the Canon doeth imply à contrario sensu Ne humilitèr intenti simus ad propositum panem poculum Let vs not bee humbly intentiue to the Bread and Cup set vpon the Table Ergo humilitè intenti erga Deum qui corpore sanguine agni nos pascit Therefore let vs be humbly intentiue towards God who feedeth vs with the Body and Blood of the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world The next is the sixt Councell of Carthage Canon 20. which is no other then the former of the Nicene Councell in effect Quoniam sunt
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
confessing their sinnes So it is apparent by Tertullian that they which stood at praier on Easter day the most solemne day the day of Christs Resurrection they kneeled at Baptisme And if they came to baptisme cōfessing their sinnes they ought to come to the Eucharist with the like confession of their sinnes for there is as great necessitie of confession of sinnes in the Eucharist as in Baptisme as confession auricular was more enioyned before the Eucharist then before Baptisme And there was greater reason of kneeling at the Eucharist then at Baptisme because wee come neerer to Christ in this Sacrament of encrease then in the other of regeneration And of confession of sinnes which was neuer omitted before the Eucharist De poenitent Tertullian saith Itaque Exhomologesis prosternendi humilificandi hominis disciplina est Confession is the discipline of casting downe or prostration and humbling man So no Eucharist without confession of sinnes to God no confession without casting downe and humbling by kneeling therefore no Eucharist without prostration and kneeling so Tertullian that speakes most confidently of standing at prayer on Sundayes for the memorie of the resurrection of Christ speakes very throughly for kneeling at Baptisme and by consequent at the Eucharist The 2. is Origen about 220. yeeres after Christ vpon Numbers his words are Sed in Ecclesiasticis obseruationibus sunt nonnulla huiusmodi quae omnibus quidem facere necesse est nec tamen ratio corum omnibus patet Nam quod verbi gratia genua flectamus orantes quod ex omnibus coeli plagis ad solam orientis partem conuersi orationem fundimus non facilè cuiquam puto ratione compertùm sed Eucharistiae siue percipiendae siue eo ritu quo geritur explicandae vel eorum quae geruntur in Baptismo verborum gestorumque ordinum atque interrogationum atque responsionum quis facilè explicet rationem In the Ecclesiasticall obseruations there are some such things which it is needfull all should doe yet the reason is not manifest vnto all For example sake that we pray kneeling and powre out our prayers frō all parts of the world towards the East I thinke it is not easily knowen to euery one by reason And who can easily expresse the reason of receiuing the Eucharist and explicate the Rite with which it is performed or of those things that are done in Baptisme the words and gestures and orders and of the interrogations and answeres This witnesse is little fauourable to these sitters for he mentions interrogatories in Baptisme which they cannot well brooke and of kneeling in prayer and presently orders the rites of the Eucharist which if they had been different he had reason to haue set downe And so the Argument is concludent They kneeled at prayer and therefore at the prayer in the Eucharist so the Eucharist in Origens time was receiued with kneeling But in his fift Hom. In diuersos he speaketh more fully discoursing vpon the words of the Centurion Quando Sanctum cibum illudque incorruptum accipis epulum quando vitae poculo pane frueris manducas bibis corpus sanguinem Domini tunc Dominus sub tectum tuum ingreditur tuergo humilians teipsum imitare hunc Centurionem dicito Domine non sum dignus vt intres sub tectum meum vbi enim indignè ingreditur ibi ad iudicium ingreditur accipienti When thou receiuest that Sacrament and that vncorrupt banquet when thou enioyest that bread and cup of life and eatest and drinkest the Body and Blood of the Lord then the Lord entreth vnder thy roofe thou therefore humbling thy selfe imitate this Centurion and say Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe for where the Lord entreth vnworthily there he entreth to iudgement to the receiuer This is most plaine humilians teipsum must be in bodie and soule else it were humilians partem tui humble thy selfe thy whole selfe not a part of thy selfe in body as well as in soule The Centurions humilitie appeares in soule in his words and in his sending by others as thinking himselfe vnworthy to come by himselfe And all the Ancient thinke that at his comming hee humbled himselfe in bodie as Basil of Seleucia sayd Vidi Centurionem ad pedes Domini prouolutum I beheld the Centurion fallen at our Lords feete Therefore in Origens time humble kneeling was in vse at the receiuing of the Eucharist The third is S. Cyprian in his booke De oratione Dom. he saith The word and prayers of them that doe pray let it bee with discipline euery man may not doe what hee list and pray in what fashion he lift Continens quietem pudorem expressing rest or peace and shamefastnesse or modestie that is not to stand vpon the prerogatiue of coheires and a table without all humilitie certainly shamefastnesse will cause humilitie or confusion Let vs thinke wee stand in the sight of God and then he addeth Placendum est diuinis oculis habitu corporis modo vocis We must please the eyes of God with the habite of our body that is not sitting and the tune of our voyce And in his booke of the Lords Supper he commeth neerer to the point Sacramento visibili ineffabilitèr diuinase infundit essentia vt esset religioni circa Sacramenta deuotio The diuine essence doeth ineffably infuse it selfe into the visible Sacrament though our Transubstātiators know the maner of it that Religiō might haue deuotion about the Sacrament Deuotion is sometimes the inward Adoration of the heart but in Gods solemne worship outward Adoration is required with it And againe hauing described the sighes Num. 13. and groanes and teares of those that come to this Sacrament he saith Gemitus illos pietas excitat it is pietie that sendeth forth those sighes and after Inter data cōdonata se diuidens affectiō diuiding it selfe between graces giuen and sins forgiuen Fletibus se abluit lachrimis se baptizat washeth it selfe with weeping and baptizeth it selfe with teares Is not this the very highest or rather the lowest of humilitie And why should not the body bee as humble in kneeling Num. 14. as the soule in teares And then he addeth Pauperes spiritu eligit diligit Spiritus sanctus eorum qui pompaticè gloriose sacris se Altaribus ingerunt obsequia detestatur The holy Ghost chooseth those that are humble in spirit to this mysterie he loatheth them and hee hateth their obsequiousnesse that thrust themselues to the sacred Altars pompously and gloriously What is this pompous and glorious comming to the Altar Is it not to come proudly without humilitie For I must leaue the schoole of diuinitie if I doe admit any medium betweene Theologicall contraries euery man either humbleth himselfe or exalteth himselfe euery man commeth to the Lords Table either pompously gloriously without humilitie as if hee were coheire and coequall
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
Consider I pray thee The Royall table is set before thee the Angels minister at the Table the king himselfe is present and doest thou stand gaping Be thy garments foule and thou takest no care but thy garments are pure then adore and communicate So adoration goeth with receiuing and that this is externall adoration and kneeling Hom. 24. in 1. Cor. c. 10. he wil shew elsewhere Hoc corpus etiam iâ—cens in praesepi reueritisunt Magi viri impij barbari patria domo relicta longam viam confecerunt cuÌ„ venissent cum multo metu tremore adorarunt Imitemur ergo vel barbaros nos Coelorum ciues Nam illi quidem cum in praesepi vidissent in tagurio neque tale quidpiam vidissent quale tu nunc vides cum magna accesserunt reuerentia tu autem non in praesepi vides sed in altari non foeminam eum tenentem sed sacerdotem adstantem spiritum cum magnacopia ea quae sunt proposita superuolantem Non solummodo hoc ipsum corpus vides sicut illi sed nosli eius virtutem dispensationem nihil ignoras ex ijs quae per ipsum facta sunt vt qui in omnibus mysterijs sis exactè accuratè initiatus Nos ergo ipsos excitemus formidemus longè maiorem quà m illi barbari osteÌ„damus reuerentiam ne sitemere inconsideratè accesserimus in nostrum caput ignem congeramus The Wise men did reuerence this body lying also in the manger and these wicked and barbarous men leauing their houses and Countrey finished a long iourney and when they came they adored with great feare and trembling Let vs therefore the citizens of heauen imitate those Barbarians for they truely when they saw him in the manger and in the Cottage neither had they seene any such thing as thou now seest they came with great reuerence But thou seest him not in the manger but in the Altar not a woman holding him but the Priest present or standing by and the Spirit in great plenty flying ouer those things that are set forth neither doest thou onely see his very body as they did but thou knowest both his power and dispensation and thou artignorant of nothing done by him as being exactly and accurately initiated in all mysteries Let vs therfore excite our selues and feare and shewe much more reuerence then those Barbarians did lest if perchance wee should come rashly and inconsiderately we should heape fire on our owne heads This restimony is most plaine the wise men adore Christ in the manger falling to the ground or kneeling wee must imitate them wee must shew much more reuerence then they did therefore wee must kneele when we receiue this Sacrament The like he hath in Matt. Hom. 7. Imitemur nos saltem deuotionem Magorum Let vs at least imitate the deuotion of the wise men And after Et sifortè Magussis nihil te ad hunc regem introire prohibebit modò vt adoraturus honoraturus Dei filium non quasiconculcaturus aduenias modò vt honorem ipsum cum gaudio ac tremore offer as possunt enim vtraque haec paritèr conuenire sed caue ne Herodi efficiaris similis dicas vt ego veniens adorem eum cumque veneris interimere coneris huius enim similes sunt qui indignè abutuntur communione mysterij And if thou be a wise man nothing shall hinder thee to goe in to this King so as thou come to adore and honor the Son of God and not to tread him vnder thy feete so as thou offer this honor with ioy and trembling for those two may well stand together But take heed thou proue not like Herod and say that I also may come and worship him and when thou commest thou endeuour to kill him for such like are they that vnworthily abuse the Communion of this mystery And after speaking of the tyranny of Satan he addeth Hic enim in homines tenere imperium gestit suosque Cultores simulat mittit ad Christum vt specie quadam adorare videantur quantum vero inipsis est interimunt eum quem adorarese simulant Timeamus igitur ne quando speciemsupplicum atque adorantium geramus opere verò inimici existamus Igitur adoraturi Christum cuncta proijciamus è manibus Satan doeth desire to hold the Empire ouer men and he maketh his worshippers counterfeits and sendeth them to Christ that they may seeme to worship in shew and as much as in them is kill him whom they counterfeit to adore Let vs therfore feare lest when we take vpoÌ„ vs the shew of suppliants and adorers in worke we be found his enemies therefore when wee goe about to worship Christ let vs cast all things out of our hands And this word of Adoration is often vsed in this 7. Homilie which I must passe ouer and referre the Reader to some other places as the Homilie De Proditione Iudae and his Sermon De Eucharistia in Encaenijs by all which it is most plaine that Adoration and kneeling at the receiuing of the Eucharist was in vse in Chrysostome and those other Fathers time some 700. yeeres before Honorius that is made the first Author thereof The 9. is S. Augustine In Psalme 98. whose place is knowne to this Author and he labours to elude it against the haire as also he doeth S. Ambrose who vseth the word of Adoration as before you haue heard S. Augustine expounding the words of the Psalme Adorate scabellum pedum eius as the vulgar readeth it worship at his foot-stoole or his foot-stoole and alleadging the other Psalme Heauen is his Throne and the earth his foot-stoole and knowing that wee must worship the Lord our God and serue him onely he maketh a question how we may worship the earth without Idolatry and saith Anceps factus sum timeo adorare terram ne damnet me qui fecit terram Rursùs timeo non adorare scabellum pedum Domini mei quia Psalmus mihi dicit Adorate Scabellum pedum eius Quaero quid sit Scabellum pedum eius dicit mihi Scriptura Terra scabellum pedum meorum fluctuans conuerto me ad Christum quia ipsum quaero hic inuenio quomodò sine impietate adoretur terra sine impietate adoretur scabellum pedum eius Suscepit enim de terra terram quia caro de terraest de carne Mariae carnem accepit Et quia in ipsa carne hic ambulauit ipsam carnem nobis manducandam ad salutem dedit nemo autem illam carnem manducat nisi priùs adorauerit inuentum est quemadmodum adoretur tale scabellum pedum Domini non solùm non peccamus adorando sed peccamus non adorando I become doubtfull I feare to adore the earth lest hee condemne mee that made the earth Againe I feare not to adore the foot-stoole of my Lord because the Psalme
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
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