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
per illam nam quia ex vnopane partipamus omnes vnum corpus Christi vnus sanguis inuicem membra efficimur concorporati Christo existentes Wee communicate with Christ by the Eucharist and participate his flesh and Deitie and because we communicate wee are vnited among our selues by it for because wee all participate of one bread wee are made one body of Christ and one blood and members one of an other being incorporated with Christ S. Conf. lib. 7. c. 10. Augustine sayd excellently well in the person of Christ Cibus sum grandium cresce manducabis me nec tu me in te mutabis sicut cibum carnis tuae sed tu mutaberis in me I am the meate of strong men growe and thou shalt eate mee neither shalt thou change mee into thee as thou doest the meate of thy flesh but thou shalt bee changed into mee De passione Domini Serm. 14. And S. Leo in like sort Non aliud agit participatio corporis sanguinis Christi quà m vt in id quod sumimus transeamus The participation of the body blood of Christ workes nothing else but this De Sacram. lib. c. 4. that we shall become that which wee receiue S. Ambrose saith Qui vulnus habet Idem Aug. de verbis Domini Serm. 28. medicinam requirit vulnus est quia sub peccato sumus medicina est coeleste venerabile Sacramentum Hee that hath a wound let him require physicke the wound is that we are vnder sinne and the medicine is the heauenly and venerable Sacrament But why doe I trouble my selfe with many authorities When as it is confessed by all that in this Sacrament wee receiue the Body and Blood of Christ Instit l. 4. ca. 17 as Caluin doth most fully proue and Beza in an Epistle to Caluin Epist 309. Ad secundum verò non ponimus inquam pro re significatâ in Sacramentis ipsum tantùm meritum passionis Christi sed ipsissimum corpus cruci affixum sanguinem ipsissimum in cruce effusum pro nobis In summâ Christus ipsemet verus Deus homo nobis significatur per illa signa vt attollamus corda nostra ad illum contemplandum spiritualitèr fide in coelis vbi nunc est atque ita communicamus cum omnibus ipsius bonis thesauris in vitam aâ—ernam idquetam verè tamque cervò quam verum ac certum est nos naturalitèr videre accipere edere bibere signa illa quae videntur à nobis sunt corporea To the second for the thing signified in the Sacraments I say We put not the merit of Christs passion onely but the same bodie that was nailed on the Crosse and the same blood that was shed on the Crosse for vs. In summe Christ himselfe true God and man is signified vnto vs by those signes that we may lift vp our hearts to contemplate him spiritually by faith in the heauens where now he is and so we communicate with all his goods and treasures vnto eternall life and that so truly and certainly as it is true and certaine that we naturally see and receiue and eate and drinke those signes which are seene of vs and are corporall And after Inter. Epist Caluius he addeth the words of the Queene to the Cardinal Audisne Domine Cardinalis non aliam esse Sacramentariorum opinionem quam eam ipsam quam nunc ipse approbasti Doe you heare Sir Cardinall that the opinion of the Sacramentaries is but the same which you haue approued Add to this that Christ neuer commeth alone but is euer attended with a traine of graces and as the Father sendeth the Sonne God of God and Light of light to redeeme vs so the Father and the Sonne send the holy Ghost to sanctifie vs. Rom. 8.32 If God hath giuen vs his Sonne how shall he not with him freely giue vs all things saith the Apostle And that this Sacrament is a Communion or participation of Christs Body and Blood it is apparant in the Apostle 1. Corinth 10. And whereas wee participate of Christs Body and Blood in the preaching of the word and in Baptisme yet this onely Sacrament is called Communio the communication of the Body Blood of Christ there must be some special reason of it namely a more liuely and neere coniunction of our selues to Christ that we should indeed be liuing members incorporated into his mysticall body that liue no longer by our owne spirit but by the Spirit of Christ who is the spirit of our spirit the soule of our soules and the very life of our liues He is the Sun from whose beames we receiue the light of grace the Fountaine from whom we as riuers receiue the water of life The Roote from whom wee as branches receiue the sap of increase and the Head from whom we as members receiue being and life By the force and effect of this Sacrament wee receiue power against sinne and Satan and abilitie to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse and the neglect thereof giueth aduantage to our spirituall enemies whereby we are intangled in many temptations and fall into many sinnes S. Donatiuitate Christi Cyprian saith Sacramentorum communicatio per quam illius corporis sinceritati vnimur nos in tantum corroborat vt de mundo de Diabolo de nobis ipsis victoriâ potiamur Sacramentali gustu viuificis mysterijs inhaerentes vna caro vnus spiritus simus dicente Apostolo Qui adhaeret Domino vnus spiritus est The Communication of the Sacraments by which we are vnited to the sinceritie of his body doth so farre forth corroborate vs that we obtaine victory ouer the world the deuil and our selues And by this Sacramentall tast adhering to the life-giuing mysteries we are one flesh and one spirit as the Apostle saith He that adhaereth to God is one spirit with him Againe Panis hic azymus cibus verus sincerus per speciem De Caena Domini Sacramentum nos tactu sanctificat fide illuminat veritate Christo conformat sicut panis communis quem quotidie edimus vitaest corporis it a panis iste supersubstantialis vita est animae sanit as mentis This vnleauened bread the true and sincere meat by a shew or Sacrament sanctifieth by the touch illuminateth by faith and by trueth conformeth to Christ and as common bread which we eate daily is the life of the body so this supersubstantiall bread is the life of the soule and the health of the minde S. Ambrose saith Venias ad cibum Christi In Psal 118. Serm. 15. ad cibum corporis Dominici ad epulas Sacramenti ad illud poculum quo fidelium inebriantur affectus vt laetitiam induas de remissione peccati curas seculi huius metum mortis solicitudinesque deponas Come to the meat of Christ to the banquet of the Sacrament to that
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
words hee calleth this Sacrament Tribunal Christi the Tribunall of Christ And after Considera quaeso mensa Regalis est apposita Angeli mensae ministrantes ipse Rex adest tu adstas oscitans sordescunt tibi vestimenta nihil est tibi curae at pura sunt igitur adora communica Consider I pray you a Kingly feast is prouided the Angels minister at the Table the King himselfe is present and standest thou gaping thy garments are foule and takest thou no care but thy garments are pure Adore then and Communicate Quo non oportet igitur esse puriorem tali fruentem Sacrificio quo solari radio non splendidiorem manum carnem hanc diuidentem os quod igne spirituali repletur linguam quae tremendo nimis sanguine rubescit What shall I say then but that he must be cleerer then the Sunne beames that distributes this flesh and haue a mouth filled with heauenly fire and a tongue red with this fearefull blood that will duely receiue this reuerend Sacrament for it is not man but God that feedeth vs and it is not earthly but heauenly food wherewith we are refreshed And therefore I maruell not 1. Cor. 11.10 if the Apostle say that women must bee couered in the Church Propter Angelos for the Angels Gen. 28.12 13 When God as on Iacobs ladder standeth and beholdeth and the Angels are present and ascend and descend and the Priest doth represent the person of Christ in the consecration and the people be as the Apostles that receiue these dreadfull mysteries For bee it that the Angels bee there vnderstood Angels per naturam by nature and creation as the blessed Angels that are Gods ministring spirits or Angels per officium by office that haue the power of consecrating these dreadfull mysteries All reuerence is due to that sacred worke whereof God is the giuer Christ the gift it selfe the holy Ghost supreme agent the Angels assistants and the Bishops and Priests Angels by office are instruments and the mysteries themselues so dreadful reuerend that the lowest of humility is scant lowly enough for so great graces Since Dial. lib. 4. c. 58. as Gregorie speaketh Quis fidelium habere dubium possit in ipsa immolationis hora ad Sacerdotis vocem Coelos aperiri in illo Iesu Christi mysterio Angelorum choros adesse summis ima sociari terrena coelestibus iungi vnū quiddam ex visibilibus atque inuisibilibus fieri What faithfull man can doubt that in the houre of immolation at the voice of the Priest the heauens are open the quires of Angels are present in those mysteries of Iesus Christ the highest are sociated to the lowest earthly things are ioyned to heauenly things and some one thing is made of things visible and inuisible And may this coniunction of heauen earth spirit and flesh Christ our flesh be made without the greatest humilitie on our part May wee presume to eate the bread of heauen forget the duetie of sinful and earthly men that are but dust and ashes No surely Reuerend dreadfull mysteries must haue receiuers that come with reuerence and dread and such as our action is such must be our affection that is to receiue that with feare and trembling which is so fearefull and dreadfull in it selfe And men in feare fall to the ground in horror and confusion and wee out of humilitie must prostrate our selues and bow and kneele on the ground when wee consider that we are but earth and ashes in comparison of the reuerēd mysteries of which we may well say Quis ad haec idoneus Lord who is fit for these things So then though we kneele not nor adore those reuerend mysteries because they are but creatures yet wee ought to adore and kneele at the receipt of these mysteries since we receiue the body blood of Christ and Christ himselfe God and man to whom all adoration and prostration and kneeling is due I conclude this Reason with Chrysostomes wordes Terram tibi Coelum facit hoc mysterium In 2. Cor. 10. hom 24. Aperi ergo coeli portas perspice vel potiùs non coeli sed coeli coelorum tunc videbis quod dictum est nam quod illic est omnium preciocissimum maximè honorandum hoc ostendam tibi situm in terrâ sicut enim in regiâ id quod est omnium magnificentissimum non sunt parietes non tectum aureum sed corpus Regis sedens in solio sed hoc tibi nunc licet videre in terrâ Non enim Angelos nec Archangelos neque coelos coelos coelorum sed ipsum eorum ostendo Dominum vidisti quemadmodum quod est omnium praestantissimum maxime honorandum vides in terra neque solum vides sed etiam tangis sed etiam comedis eo accepto domum reuerteris Si tibi Regis filius cum mundo purpura diademate traditus esset ferendus quaecunque sunt in terrâ abiecisses Nunc autem non hominis Regis filium accipiens sed ipsum vnigenitum Dei Filium dic rogo non extimescis et eorum quae ad hanc vitam pertinent non omnem expellis amorem This mystery makes the earth to be heauen vnto thee open then the gates of heauen or rather of the heauen of heauens and behold and then thou shalt see that which is spoken For that which is of all others most precious and most to bee honored this will I shew thee vpon earth as in the Kings Court that which of all others is most magnificent is not the walls and golden seeling but the bodie of the King sitting in his Throne And that thou mayest now see on earth for I shew thee not Angels nor Archangels nor the heauen nor the heauens of heauens but the Lord of them Thou seest then that which is the best and most honorable in earth and thou doest not onely see him but touch him and feed on him and hauing receiued him thou returnest to thy house If the Kings sonne and his robe and his Diademe had been committed to be caried by thee thou wouldest haue cast away all other things on earth But now thou hast receiued not the Kings sonne that is a man but the onely begotten Sonne of God tell mee I pray thee doest thou not feare and cast off all the loue of the things that appertaine to this life The conclusion then in short is this These dreadfull and reuerend mysteries may bee as Tutors and Schoolemasters to imprint the same dread and reuerence in the soules and bodies of the receiuers which they carrie in themselues great and reuerend dreadfull mysteries must bee receiued with great and dreadfull humilitie of soule and humiliation of body of which kneeling is a part and therefore in the action of participating and receiuing wee must kneele that it may appeare in the sight of God and his Angels and men that wee doe homage and
euery one of vs say but this I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe I am not worthy to receiue thy bodie and blood in my mouth He speakes not plainly for kneeling but the opinion of the ancient is that this Centurion Prouolutus adpedes Domini fell down or kneeled at Christs feete and then hee meant this acknowledgement to bee with kneeling And sure I am this testimony confounds this man that denies any humilitie to bee vsed in receiuing the Eucharist for his confession of his vnworthinesse argues his humilitie and his humilitie is the first linke or moouer of kneeling so hee that requires inward humilitie of soule may well bee vnderstood of outward humiliation of bodie in the publike solemne and highest acte of Gods worship The 12. is Caesarius Arelatensis Homil. 12. Biblioth SS Pat. Tom. 2. p. 107. Ideò qui vult missas ad integrum cum lucro suae animae celebrare vsque quò or atio Dominica dicatur benedictio populo detur humiliato corpore compuncto corde se debet in Ecclesia continere He that will celebrate the whole Masse or Liturgie with the gaine of his owne soule ought to containe himselfe in the Church with an humbled body that 's kneeling and a contrite heart vntill the Lords prayer be said and the blessing bee giuen to the people And hee spends almost an whole Homilie the 34. of this title De genibus flectendis in oratione vel de verbis otiosis in which hee perswades that while they pray at the Altar or the Deacon calls on them to pray they should bend not onely their hearts but also their bodies faithfully and then hee makes an obseruation that when the Deacon calls flectamus genua let vs kneele hee marked most of the pleople erectos sicut columnas stare to stand vpright like pillars and therefore those words flectamus genua are very auncient since it is remembred by him as a thing receiued in vse not newly brought into the Church of which hee saith Obedientibus in remedium inobedientibus in testimonium it is a remedie to the obedient and a testimonie to the disobedient After he saith The Publicane by his humilitie obtained mercie of God that lifted not vp his eyes to heauen but hanging or inclining downe his head smote his breast Againe he doth not beleeue his sinne to be heauie who doth not prostrate and kneeling seeke the cure of his soule Againe hee saith I would know of them that will not kneele nor incline their heads if they should sue for any needful thing of the Iudge or any potent person whether they would supplicate stantes standing and holding their hands vpright Wee aske temporall things of earthly men and wee incline and bow our selues humbly euen almost to the earth and wee aske remission of sinnes and eternall rest of God and vouchsafe not to bow and incline our heads Againe did our Sauiour want nothing for which he should supplicate in this sort he wanted nothing but he prepared for vs by his example the remedies of prayer Orat misericordia non orat miseria orat charitas non humiliatur iniquitas orat prostratus in terra medicus non inclinatur aegrotus orat innocentia non orat nequitia Mercie prayed kneeling and shal not miserie charity praieth and is not iniquity humbled the Physitian lay prostrate vpon the earth and doth not the sicke man bow Innocencie prayeth and doth not guiltines pray He that sinned not neither was there guile found in his mouth prayeth and doth not he cast himselfe on the earth that is obnoxious to many sins the Iudge prayeth and desires to spare and doth not the guilty person pray that he may obtaine pardon Orat qui Iudicaturus et orare dissimulat iudicandus hee that is to giue iudgement prayeth doth he that is to be iudged dissemble to pray And after he compareth the Church to a liuing spiritual fountaine of liuing water and no man can drinke of an earthly spring vnlesse he stoope or bow downe and no man can drinke of Christ the liuing fountaine and the Riuer of the holy Ghost vnlesse hee will incline in all humilitie I omit many other things which the Reader shall there finde and the Homilie is worth the reading The 13. is Eligius Nouiomensis Homil. 15. Quocirca cum timore compunctione mentis omnique reuerentia debemus accedere ad altare ad mensam corporis sanguinis Christi dicere humilitèr cum Centurione Domine non sum dignus vt intres sub tectum meum Wherefore wee ought to come to the Altar and Table of the Body and Blood of Christ with feare and compunction of heart and all reuerence then of body and soule and say humbly with the Centurion Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe The 14. is venerable Beda in 1. Ioan. 1. vpon those words And the Blood of Christ purgeth vs from all sinne Humiliter quotidie nostros confitemur errores cumsanguinis illius Sacrament a percipimus Wee doe humbly confesse our errors to him dayly when wee receiue the Sacrament of his Blood and Confession as Tertullian saith is the discipline of kneeling The 15. is Damascen de Orthodox fid li. 4. c. 14. Proinde omni cum timore conscientia pura indubitabili fide accedamus et omnino fiet nobis quod credimus non dubitantes et veneremur ipsum omni puritate animi et corporis Therefore let vs come with all feare and a pure conscience and faith without doubting and altogether it shal be done to vs as wee beleeue not doubting and let vs worship him with all purenesse of minde and body Here is expresse veneration and worshipping in the receiuing of the Sacrament and worship of body as well as soule and therefore Kneeling The 16. is Albinius Flaccus Alcuinus de diuinis officijs He first sheweth that it was receiued in the Leiturgie or the Masse that the Priest saith Oremus Let vs pray and the Deacon calleth Flectamus genua Let vs kneele And a little before he saith Pro periculis huius vitae pro haereticis per omnes alias orationes genua flectimus vt per hunc habitum corporis mentis humilitatem attendamus excepto quando pro perfidis Iudaeis oramus for the perils of this life and for Heretickes and Pagans and in all other our Prayers we kneele and this was on Easter day that by this habite of the body we may attend the humilitie of the mind except it be when we pray for the perfidious Iewes And he giueth his reason For they bowed their knee to our Sauiour doing a good worke ill because they did it mocking him wee to demonstrate that we ought to auoyd those workes that are done in dissimulation auoyd kneeling for the Iewes And after Licèt omni tempore peccatores nos esse ex corde cognoscere debeamus tunc quà m
all the subtilties and niceties that are imposed as articles of necessitie And surely in this point those men must not onely be accounted nescire to bee ignorant and know little in point of faith that cannot distinguish betweene the worship of God and Christ when wee receiue the Sacrament and the worship of the Sacrament or elements but rather after so many so cleere resolutions and demonstrations they must be concluded Nolle scire that it is a wilfull and affected ignorance in them that accuse our Church of Artolatry and Idolatry which so fully and so plainely professeth that she giueth adoration worship to God and Christ onely to whom it is due at all times and in all places and dareth not giue any worship to the bread and wine to which it can neuer be lawfully giuen For why Do we not daily worship God in his holy Temple and yet not worship the Temple it selfe The high Priest in Sancto Sanctorum in the holy place worshipped God before the Mercie-seat the Cherubims but he did not worship either the Mercy-seat or the Cherubims or the holy place And we worship Christ at his table or Altar and at the receiuing of the Sacraments but we vtterly renoūce the worship either of the Altar or Sacraments We do not in imitation of the superstitions of Rome vse any eleuation of the consecrated mysteries Wee hold them after they are blessed by the words of Christ to be reuerend and sacred mysteries so consecrated for vse not for Adoration to conuey the flesh and blood of Christ to the beleeuing soule not to the carnall teeth or belly Wee remember the words of our Master Accipite comedite hoc est corpus meū and we wonder and admire the order First accipite and comedite take and eat and then hoc est corpus meum this is my body and blood And wee worship Christ when wee receiue his Flesh and Blood but we destroy not the nature of the Sacrament to make a conuersion of the substance of Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ or to annihilate the substances the accidents still remayning and hanging in the aire without any subiect Neither doe we giue that rent and tribute of diuine worship to the creature which is proper onely to the Creator wee deale not with the Sacrament as they of Rome do with their Images which they adore perse and propter se by themselues and for themselues Wee worship God and Christ when wee receiue the Sacrament and wee hold a most reuerend opinion of the holy and reuerend mysteries but wee worship them not neither by themselues nor for themselues And wee pray our Brethren members of the Church of England as wee are to conceiue so charitably of their mother that shee will neuer giue any the least approbation of the worship of the Elements of bread and wine since the superstitious Papists who brought in not the adoration of God at the receiuing of the Sacrament for that is much elder then the new doctrines of the Papacie but the adoration of the Sacrament are ashamed and disclaime this superstitious worship of the elements or species as they call them I produce one of the greatest and learnedst Iesuites Suares his words are In Eucharistiâ mente discernendus est Christus à visibili signo Christus quidem adorandus est non tamen Sacramentum quia species illae sunt resrceatae inanimes consequentèr incapaces adorationis neque enim satis est vt Christus sub illis sit quia etiam Deus est in animá tanquam in templosuo tamen adoratur Deus non anima Tom. 3. Quest 79. Art 8. dist 65. Sect. 1. In the Eucharist Christ is to be discerned by the mind frō the visible signe and Christ truely is to be adored but not the Sacrament because those Elements are things created and without life and consequently incapable of Adoration for it is not enough that Christ is vnder them for God also is in the soule as in his Temple and yet God is worshipped and not the soule Ratio prima quod sit pars cultus diuini THe first Reason then is this It is Pars cultus Dei a part of diuine worship In which I vnderstand not the worship of God in a large sense for euery acte that concurreth in the worship of God but in a more neere and proper sense as it doth exhibite and offer vp somewhat to God I knowe that all antiquitie in their orderly Liturgies did intermingle many things which may not be properly called diuine worship in which respect they had both Sermons and readings of Scriptures which goe as parts of diuine seruice and this also is still obserued by them that haue no Liturgie nor order in the worship of God but what euery priuate mans fancie doth dedicate vnto him And therefore they that brought all ad nudum nomen to the bare name of worship and left nothing of reuerend antiquitie but a Psalme a Chapter and a Sermon admit somewhat if not all into the worship of God that may not properly be called diuine worship For reading and preaching are Doctrina cultus not cultus ipse the doctrine that teacheth and the way that leadeth to Gods worship but not properly the worship it selfe For worship offereth and sendeth somewhat vpward to God these do only bring somewhat downward from God to vs and serue to feede the vnderstanding and stirre vp the affection but the offering of our hearts and soules in some one kinde or other that is indeed the worship of God Ascensus mentis ad Deum When God speakes or sends to vs Colit he doth till and dresse vs as the husbandman doth his field or vineyard but when we speake offer to God then we doe indeed Colere Deum worship and adore God by our deuotion and seruice in which respect the wisedome of the Church hath so ordered that all the worship of God should not be prayer and praise onely least too much intention should weary out the soule as too much and too long bending the bowe doth make it slagge and grow weake in which respect reading is mixt with praying nor yet all the worship of God should bee reading lest the bowe standing still vnbent should not shoot at all and so send vp no prayers not so much as short eiaculations into heauen In which respect all the Liturgie is not spent in reading And the reason is that in Gods worship these three might euer bee ioyned Lectio meditatio oratio reading as the foode of the soule meditation as the ruminating and digesting of it and prayer as the force and strength that presents it vnto God Lectio docet meditatio praeparat oratio adorat reading teacheth the duety of worship meditation applieth and prepareth the heart to worship and prayer offereth vp and tendereth the worship it selfe vnto God Now the Sacrament is a part of Gods worship not as reading or
reuerence to him that feedes vs by these reuerend mysteries with the heauenly and diuine foode whereon the blessed Angels and Saints euer feed and euer desire to feede Inhiantes semper edunt edentes inhiant their eating doth not fill but increase their appetites and they euer say Ioan. 6. Lord euermore giue vs this bread Ratio 5. Praxis Ecclesiae Militantis THe fift Reason is Praxis Ecclesiae militantis the practise of the Church militant which is the best interpreter of the Churches doctrine in point of outward gesture Ceremonie as in the old Testament Praxis Prophetarum was Interpres Prophetarum the Prophets practise was the best expounder of the Prophets In which because it is not altogether cleare what Christ and his Apostles did in the first institution wee must be content to proceede à posteriori and from the neerest succeeding ages to collect what they learned from their predecessors euen from the time of the Apostles And first although it please them that are the fauourers of sitting at the Receiuing of the Comunion to take it as granted that Christ administred the Apostles receiued this Sacrament Discumbentes sitting or lying on one side or leaning on one arme as the custome of that time and Countrey was yet the grounds of that conceipt are not so cleere as they take them to be First then it must bee obserued that in this night in which this Sacrament was instituted there was Triplex Coena Paschalis Vulgaris Eucharistica the Paschal supper according to the Law Exod. 12. The vulgar supper of common meates if the Paschal did not suffice and the Eucharisticall which is the very institution of this Sacrament And of the Paschall and Eucharisticall there is no doubt The figuratiue Paschall Lambe was to continue vntill the true Paschall Lambe Christ was to bee offered and then in presence of the Substance the shadow was to cease and in the presence of the Truth the figure was to bee remooued Leo de Passione Domini Serm. 7 Vt ouem figuratiuam vera ouis remoueret hostia in hostiam transit sanguis sanguinem excludit legalis festiuitas dum mutatur impletur The true Lambe Christ that takes away the sinnes of the world tooke away the figuratiue Lambe one Sacrifice was translated into another Sacrifice the blood of Christ excluded all other blood and the legall festiuitie while it is changed is indeed fulfilled And Christ was to make his Will and Testament before his death that hee might seale it with his Crosse confirme it with his Blood so Christs death was the end of the figuratiue Passeouer and the beginning of the true Passeouer that was then offered for vs. And that there were three Suppers Euthim. in 26. Matt. cap. 63. Euthimius sheweth in these words De modo autem manducandi verisimile est quod stantes primùm manducauerunt Pascha secundum legem deinde discubuerunt coenauerunt For the manner of eating it is very likely that first they did eate the Passeouer standing according to the Law then they sate downe and did suppe And the same will further appeare out of Chrysostome and Theophylact. I obserue this to this end to shew how vncertaine this point of sitting at the celebration of the Eucharist is when they that ground it vpon the gesture of the Apostles which they take to be an eternall law or rule to all their successors are forced to make it vp with verisimile est or non constat it is very likely or probable that they sate or there appeareth no other gesture but sitting when they receiued this Sacrament For why Matth. 26.20 S. Matthew saith Now when the euen was come Discumbebat he sate downe with the twelue but this is plaine to be spoken of the Paschal Supper for the disciples say to Iesus Where wilt thou that wee prepare for thee to eate the Passeouer Vers 17. 19. And the disciples did as Iesus appointed them and they made ready the Passeouer And then follow the words When the Euen was come he sate downe with the twelue so this Discumbebat was in coena Paschali this sitting was at the Paschal Supper And the Eucharistical Supper was begunne after the end of the Paschal Supper Luke 22.20 1. Cor. 11.25 as it is plaine in S. Luke and S. Paul Et postquam coenasset and after Supper hee tooke the Cup And two seuerall Suppers might haue two gestures And it is a very poore argument to conclude thus Christ sate with his Apostles at the Paschal Supper and likewise at the vulgar supper if there were any therefore he sate also at the Eucharistical Supper For though S. Matthew say Matth. 26.26 Coenantibus illis while they did eate Luke 22.20 1. Cor. 11.25 Christ tooke bread and blessed it and brake it c. Yet S. Luke and S. Paul expound his meaning to be postquam coenauit after Supper or in the end of Supper betweene Supper and rising to goe to the Mount Oliuet Caluin harmo Euangel in Matih 26. And Caluin saith Finita coena sacrum parem vinum gustarunt they tasted the sacred Bread and Wine Supper being ended S. Marke hath the same narration of the preparation of the Passeouer and then addeth In the euening Iesus came with the twelue Mar. 14.17 18. and as they sate and did eate our Sauiour told them that one that did eate with him should betray him And in the 22. verse he saith as S. Matthew did Manducantibus illis as they did eate Iesus tooke bread c. But S. Luke maketh it most cleare for after the phrase of sitting downe with the twelue hee describeth two Cups one of the Paschal or common Supper of which he said Diuidite inter vos Take this and diuide it among your selues the other of the Euangelicall Supper Luke 22.14.17.19 in the 19. Verse He tooke bread And in the 20. Verse Likewise after Supper hee tooke the Cup. And lest any out of the former wordes should gather that onely the Clergie should taste of the Cup and the people should be debarred of the Blood of Christ because of the Paschal Cup he had said Diuidite inter vos Diuide it among you Of the Eucharistical Cup he saith in S. Matthew Matth. 26. ver 27. Bibite ex hoc omnes Drinke you all of this all for whom my Blood is powred out S. Iohn omitteth this Eucharisticall Supper or the institution of this Sacrament as being fully related by the other Euangelists but he mentioneth his rising from Supper and the washing of his Disciples feete And then hee addeth So after hee had washed their feete and had taken his garments and was set downe againe He said vnto them c. So it seemeth this sitting was ad pradicandum to teach them the vse of washing their feete and to discouer the traitor Iudas and then to fall into that excellent diuine Sermon equall to
rest and reioyceing for Christs Resurrection and yet haue sorrow and contrition and humiliation for his sinne without which no man can bee duely prepared for the Lords Table And as standing at prayer may agree with rest and reioyceing so compunction and humiliation is most sutable to a Penetentiarie and all Communicants must first be penitents and examine themselues and discerne the Lords body before they receiue it And therefore they that reioyce at Christs Resurrection and so stand must bee contrite and humble and so kneele when they participate of Christs Body and Blood And I presume it will be plaine that S. Augustine required kneeling at the receiuing of the Body and Blood of Christ And here I pray you obserue what a vast hiatus gulfe or space this Author maketh From S. Augustine he descendeth per saltum or rather praecipitium hee leapeth or rather casteth himselfe downe headlong to Anselme our Archbishop of Canterbury a long leape from the beginning of the fiue hundredth yeere vnto eleuen hundred yeeres at one iumpe It seemeth in all that time of 700. yeeres he could not finde one writer except a Councell or two that spake for standing at Prayer And S. Augustine though hee allow the custome of the Church in standing at prayers for certaine dayes yet hee doubteth of the successe of the decree of the Nicene Councell in that case Epist 119. cap. 17. in his last words Quod vtrùm vbique seruetur ignoro which whether it be euery where obserued I know not and hee would not haue made the doubt if hee had not knowne that it was not euery where obserued And if it were doubted whether it were obserued in S. Augustines time who liued about an hundred yeeres after the Nicene decree I should haue thought it had bin quite discustomed long before Anselme but that it was held in life by some after Councels yet from the last Councell vnto Anselme there passed about 300. yeeres in which time there is not found one word in fauour of standing at prayer Now this Author from S. Augustine cites no other till he come to Anselme who liued neere 700. yeeres after him yet this gesture of standing is mentioned in Beda and Alcuinus and I finde it in Hugo de sancto Victore who liued neere 60. yeeres after Anselme But in this I obserue That this standing was not during all the Liturgie but onely at a part not at the Eucharist For Hugo de sancto Victore obserueth that they stood at prayer vntill the Collect Domine Deus Pater qui nos ad principium O Lord God and heauenly Father which hast safely brought vs to the beginning of this day which is the last Collect in our first Seruice in the Liturgie of the Church of England I say the first Seruice for it is still in vse in some Cathedral Churches in England they haue the first Seruice on the Sunday morning and then goe out for a time and come in againe and beginne at the Lords Prayer ten Commandements or second Seruice and so goe to the Communion and the first Seruice is said in the ordinary place but at the second the Priest goeth vp to the Communion Table or Altar and there proceedeth to the Communion And in some Churches the Sermon is betweene the first and second Seruice Yea in some Parish Churches though they goe not out to come in againe yet they make a pause and knoll a Bell to giue warning of the beginning of the second Seruice De diuinis Officijs And I finde in Alcuinus somewhat recorded to the same purpose His finitis omnes exeunt this being ended and in this there is no mention of the Eucharist all goe out And Hugo de Sancto Victore speakes in the fame place of so much of the Liturgie De Officijs Ecclesiast lib. 2. cap. 2. as he there reckons Et haec omnia in Dominicis diebus caeteris festiuis diebus stando dicuntur propter memoriam Dominicae resurrectionis cum quo omnes sanctispe consurrexerunt And all these prayers are sayd standing on Sundayes and other festiuities for the memorie of the Lords Resurrection with whom all the Saints are risen in hope And hitherto hee hath not one word of the Eucharist After Cap. 4 Hugo makes a difference Inter preces orationem which must be expounded by some that are better skilled in their Masses and orders then I am His words I will relate and leaue them to the iudicious Reader to be further scanned Dum preces dicuntur Sacerdos qui peccator est cum peccatoribus prostratus est sed quia vicem tenet Christi stando dicit orationem vt resurrectionem recolat eius cuius vicem tenet While the prayers are said the Priest because hee is a sinner kneeles or prostrates himselfe with sinners but because hee beares the place of Christ he saith the prayer standing that he may remember his Resurrection whose place he beares Here be preces prayers many in number which both Priest and people all sinners say prostrate or kneeling and here is oratio one prayer in the singular whether the Lords prayer or some other singular prayer made for the celebration of the Resurrection I cannot resolue but must leaue it to the Readers more mature iudgement But the argument is very probable because Hugo designeth some prayers that were sayd standing which are no part of the Communion therefore the speciall prayers vsed at the receiuing of the Eucharist were not said standing but kneeling according as the Deacon called to the people Flectamus genua Let vs kneele and as wee in our Liturgie stil obserue at the confession before the Eucharist Make your humble confession to Almightie God meekely kneeling on your knees And surely Anselme vpon those wordes Cap. 4. ad Coloss Instate in oratione saith little for it for in the place cited hee onely sayth It becomes all to bee instant in prayer And hee doth well to command to watch in prayer vt cum stamus ad orationem that when wee stand at prayer all carnall and worldly thoughts may be banished Cumstamus ad orationem is no more but cum oramus when wee stand at prayer is no more but when wee pray and so much his reason shewes for we must watch in prayer bee it on Sunday or any other day and drowsie and sleepie prayers are neuer acceptable vnto God and the word of the Text is Instate in oratione bee instant in prayer and watch in the same with thankesgiuing and Instare in oratione and astare ad orationem to bee instant in prayer and to stand in prayer are of one extent to bee vsed at all times Sundayes and other dayes and this watching in prayer with thankesgiuing is as much required in kneeling as in standing and wee must shut out all worldly and fleshly thoughts in all our prayers Wherein because Anselme doth not mention this priuate law of standing at prayers on
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
saith to me Adore his foot-stoole I questiō what is his foot stoole and the Scripture saith to me that the earth is his foot-stoole wauering I turne my selfe to Christ because I seeke him heare and I find how the earth may be worshipped without impietie and his foot-stoole may be adored without impietie For he tooke earth of earth for flesh is of the earth and he tooke flesh of the flesh of the Virgin And because hee walked here in the flesh and gaue that flesh to be eaten by vs to our saluation and no man eateth that flesh vnlesse he first haue adored it is found out how such a foot-stoole of the Lord may bee adored and wee shall not onely not sinne in adoring but sinne in not Adoring In these words S. Augustine speaketh of the receiuing of the Sacrament and he saith in effect that the custome and gesture was vniuersall ouer all the world Nemo manducat no man eateth that flesh but first hee Adoreth not the Sacrament but the flesh of the Sonne of God which without reason our Aduersaries wrest to the Adoration of the Sacrament But this must not be omitted that S. Augustine saith That it was so farre from sinne to Adore the flesh of Christ that it was sinne not to Adore it so the omission of this Adoration or kneeling is a sinne in S. Augustines iudgement And S. Augustine speaketh generally of all Adoration spirituall and corporall externall and internall for else we may deny spirituall Adoration as wel as externall in the receiuing of the Eucharist and that this Author doeth acknowledge and then I marueile he can deny corporall where he granteth spirituall For why May we worship and adore God at the receiuing of the Eucharist with our hearts and refuse to worship him with our bodies and our knees If we giue him our hearts and spirits shall wee deny him any thing that the heart and spirit doeth command Shall wee giue him the greater and better part of our selfe our Soule and deny him the lesse the bowing of the knee So S. Augustine speaking of Adoration in the solemne and compleate worship of God must bee vnderstood of inward and outward Adoration when both may be giuen Besides it is a friuolous exception that this man maketh that what S. Augustine speaketh of the flesh of Christ must be vnderstood spiritually Spiritualitèr intelligite quod loquutus sum vnderstand that spiritually which I haue spoken for hee particularly speaketh it of the flesh of Christ Non hoc corpus quod videtis manducaturi estis You shall not eate this body which you see nor drinke that Blood which the Crucifiers shall shed I haue commended vnto you a certaine Sacrament being spiritually vnderstood it shall quicken you or giue life and though it be necessary to celebrate it visibly yet notwithstanding it must be inuisibly vnderstood So S. Augustine saith that those words of the flesh of Christ must bee spiritually vnderstood the flesh that is the fleshly vnderstanding profiteth nothing but though the flesh be vnderstood spiritually yet there is no syllable that the Adoration should bee onely spirituall And because I will not trouble my selfe with this mans dotage it is his owne word that Adoration must not alwayes meane kneeling no more then the name Man doeth signifie Socrates Let him giue mee a reason why Adoration should not signifie both inward deuotion and outward bowing and kneeling alwayes except some circumstance or necessitie doe restraine it onely to inward worship when both inward and outward may and ought to be tendered But S. Augustines Text is plaine for externall bowing and kneeling Ideo ad terram quālibet cum te inclinas et prosternis Therfore when thou doest incline or bow downe or cast downe thy selfe to the earth behold it not as earth but as that holy one whose footestoole thou adorest for him thou adorest So S. Augustine speakes of such adoration wherin there is inclining bowing downe or kneeling and therfore this gesture of kneeling was the vniuersall custome of the Communicants in S. Augustines time I passe that ouer that S. Augustine doth cal this Sacrament honorandum honorable as you may see in his 118. Epistle ad Ianuarium c. 3. Only see wherein hee yea S. Paul in his iudgement placeth the abuse of the Sacrament Apostolus indignè dicit acceptum ab eis qui hoc non discernebant à caeteris cibis veneratione singulariter debitâ The Apostle saith that it was vnworthily receiued of them who distinguish't it not from other meates by yeelding it that worship which is especially due to it The tenth is Theodoret Dial. 2. Neque enim signa mystica post sanctificationem recedunt à natura sua manent enim in priori substantia figura forma videri tangi possunt sicut priùs intelliguntur autem ea esse quae facta sunt creduntur adorantur vt quae illa sunt quae creduntur The mysticall signes after sanctification doe not depart from their nature for they remaine in their former substance there the substance of bread and wine remaines in the Sacrament and figure and forme and may be seene and touched as before but they are vnderstood to be those things which they are made and are beleeued and adored as being those things which they are beleeued So in Theodorets time there was adoration at the receiuing of the Eucharist and that externall for creduntur they are beleeued implies the inward as this Author would make S. Augustine to speake and then Adorantur must extend to the outward which doth consist in the bowing prostration and kneeling of the bodie Againe Dialogo 3. answering how a bodie might procure our saluation he sayth Not the bodie of a man alone but of our Lord Iesus Christ the onely begotten Sonne of God And if that seeme small and vile to thee Quomodo eius typum ac figuram venerabilem ac salutarem existimas cuius autem typus est adorandus venerandus quemadmodum est ipsum exemplar archetypum vile aspernandum How doest thou esteeme the type and figure of him to be venerable salutiferous for how is the Archtypal examplar vile and to bee despised whose type is to be adored and worshipped Here it is cleere that there was veneration and adoration of Christ in the receiuing of the Sacrament the very elements are sacred and dreadfull after consecration then Adoration is not due to them beeing creatures but to Christ whose flesh is the type and couering or vaile of his Deitie The 11. is Eusebius Emissenus Homil. in 2. Dominica post Epiphan his words are Quando vero ad Christi Sacramentum accedimus fragilitatem nostram consideramus quid aliud dicit vnusquisque nostrum nisinon sum dignus vt intres sub tectum non sum dignus vt corpus sanguinem tuum suscipiam in ore meo when wee come vnto Christs Sacrament and consider our owne frailtie what else doth
the discipline of the Gospel of charitie Christians are vnder the discipline of charitie as well as Iewes were vnder the discipline of the Law and we haue Tutors and gouernours in the Gospel as well as they had in Nature in the Law And so as we are the sonnes of God so also we are the seruants of God not Serui timoris but Serui charitatis Rom. 6.18 serui Iustitiae not seruants by feare but seruants by loue and seruants of righteousnesse and bound to the Lawes of Loue and the Lawes of Children And then as children when they aske a blessing of their fathers they kneele so we when we aske pardon or grace and chiefly when we aske the greatest grace that is Christ in the Eucharist we must kneele And suppose we be Cohaeredes coheires ioynt-heires or heires annexed with Christ yet we are not aquales equals to Christ that wee should sit with him for our part commeth farre short of Christs part Doeth this Author thinke that we are equall to Christ in grace when hee receiued the Spirit without measure Psalm 45 8. Praeconsortibus and Pro consortibus aboue and for his fellowes and we in a scant measure or shal we be equal to him in glory who sitteth at the right hand of God Besides Christ Quà homo is Cibus as man he is the meat of this Feast and Quà Deus as God he is the maker of the Feast and though there may be some colour of equalitie Quà homo as he is a man yet as God there can be no equalitie nor proportion at all So though wee may be equall to the meate we receiue the flesh of Christ yet wee can neuer be equall to the Master of the Feast that is the Deitie of Christ and God himselfe And therefore though our Coheireship may giue vs some boldnesse in respect of Christs humanitie yet our vilenesse in respect of his Deitie should cast vs downe as low as the earth when wee thinke that dust and ashes is admitted to the Lords Table And the Coheires that we now speake of are but coheires inspe in hope but the Coheires in re in deed and in possession the Saints and Angels in Heauen that feed at the Supper of the Lambe without all Sacraments they doe fall downe or kneele and worship him that sitteth vpon the Throne and the Lambe cast downe their Crownes before the Throne Wee haue onely Ius adrem a right to our inheritance but are out of possession the Saints haue Ius inre right in the inheritance that is right and possession also and yet they kneele So the Saints in glory are humble and fall downe or kneele and worship and the Saints in hope are proud and sitte as if they were equall with God to whose Table they are admitted Besides this Argument is drawne from the common place of all sects that is Pride Now consider whither it tends for it trenches deepe and reaches almost to Arianisme to deny all worship to Christ For the Proposition being generall will beare many Conclusions We come to the Lords Table as Coheires with Christ Ergo wee must not knele nor humble our selues to Christ In like manner We come to Gods worship as Coheires with Christ Ergo Wee may not worship or pray to Christ he is but our Coheire For if we may pray to him and worship at all times and in all places then wee may kneele to him at all times and in all places and so at the Lords Table And if wee giue him inward deuotion and worship wee cannot deny him outward Adoration prostration and kneeling So the Argument either denieth all worship to Christ or else granteth kneeling at the Eucharist The second Reason is not worthy to be called a Reason Ratio 2 for it is but a branch of the former It is Certitudo Cohaeredum the assurance of our Coheireship Kneeling at the Eucharist crosseth our assurance of our Coheireship with Christ Therefore we may not kneele at the Eucharist And why doeth Kneeling crosse our assurance of our Coheireship with Christ For my part I know nothing that more crosseth the assurance of Coheireship with Christ then Pride and an assurance without ground And nothing doeth more assure the soule of a Christian in his inheritance in heauen then this humilitie For presumption and pride ouerthrowes all Theologicall and Christian morall vertues as appeareth in the Pharisee and humilitie is Basis fundamentum the base or foundation of all Christian vertues and the deeper the foundation of humilitie is so it be ioyned with hope and not with despayre the more strong and assured is the building that reacheth vp to heauen so that this proposition is vtterly false That Kneeling which is an Act of humilitie doth weaken or shake or crosse our assurance of Coheireship with Christ For nothing doeth more strengthen this assurance then this inward humilitie and deuotion of the heart testified by the outward gesture of the Kneeling and prostration of the body And no man can haue any assurance of his Coheireship that commeth not duely prepared by repentance and contrition by prayer and prayse all which are odious in the sight of God if they be not ioyned with humilitie For God hateth and abhorreth the prayer and the thanks of the proud and presumptuous their sacrifices are abominable in his sight 1. Pet. 5.5 hee respecteth the humble and resisteth the proud Suppose Iudas did sit at the Lords supper at the first institution what assurance of Coheireship had he The Fathers and Christians in the Primitiue Church as appeareth by the testimonies cited in the fift Reason did adore and kneele at the receiuing of the Eucharist what did their kneeling crosse their assurance of Coheireship with Christ Nay did not their humilitie and kneeling increase their assurance this false principle then must necessarilie produce a false conclusion like vnto it selfe For kneeling doeth direct vs not to an apprehension of disfellowship but rather of fellowship if that be not too familiar and vnitie with Christ As for that profane word Pag. 22. that kneeling doeth import subiection and disfellowship with Christ and the person of a guest and Coheire doeth import equaelitie and societie with him and therefore it is not to be vsed in the receiuing of the Eucharist it is a most odious speech becomming a Pharisee better then a Christian for though we haue fellowship with Christ yet wee shall neuer haue equalitie with him neither in this life nor in the life to come there may be equalitie in nature as hee is a man but there can neuer bee equalitie in the endowmēts either of nature grace or glory And if the words of the Prophet be true Psal 8.6 Omnia subiecisti sub pedibus eius 1. Cor. 15.27 thou hast put all things in subiection vnder his feete how is it that they which professe themselues to bee the Saints Heb. 2.8 the holy Brethren and the
kingdome of Christ should deny subiection to him in any action of Christianitie Luc. 19.14 Is not this to say Nolumus hunc regnare super nos we will not haue this man to reigne ouer vs we will doe no act that shall import subiection and disfellowship with him to whom it is performed He is our Brother and Coheire and that is in effect to say Hee is no more but our Brother and Coheire that is he is a man and no more but a man For if they did acknowledge him to bee God they would yeelde humilitie and subiection to his Deitie though they claymed Coheireship and Fellowship with his humanitie So then the Reason is turned thus against them It is the Sonne of God that feedeth vs in the Eucharist with his flesh and blood All worship and Adoration and Kneeling is due vnto the Sonne of God in signe of humilitie and subiection to him Therefore all worship Adoration and kneeling is due to him that feedeth vs in the Eucharist with his flesh and blood in signe of humilitie and subiection to him If any shall say Because they haue societie with the Sonne of man therefore they will not be subiect to the Sonne of God they are fitter to be chastised with Lucifer then confuted with Reason and so I passe to the third Reason which is as reasonlesse as the two former are The third Reason is Prerogatiua mensae conuiuarum Ratio 3 the Prerogatiues and liberties of a Table and a guest his reason is this Not to partake with Christ in the Liberties and Prerogatiues of a Table in the Eucharist is a sinne Kneeling in the Eucharist doth debarre vs from partaking with Christ in the Liberties and prerogatiues of a Table Therefore to kneele in the Eucharist is vnlawfull and may not bee performed without sinne All this Reason is drawen from the rules of Tables and Feasts amongst men wherein this man is as grosse and carnall as in the two former Reasons hee was absurd and smelt of Arianisme A ciuill Symposiarch admits all his guests to sit with him at his Table therefore all must sit with Christ at his Table This is the force of this Argument as if hee should say Christ is tied to the rule of ordinarie Feast-makers and must doe as they doe It is a Table and a Feast and they are guests and therefore all liberties and prerogatiues of a Table and a Feast and guests and so sitting equalitie and society without humilitie and subiection is due vnto them as their libertie and prerogatiue The word of the Apostle was neuer truer then in this case 1. Cor. 1.14 Animalis homo non percipit ea quaesunt Dei this carnal man vnderstands not the things of God For what greater ignorance can there be then out of the fashion of Tables and gestures of guests at Feasts amongst men to gather a necessary Conclusion That because the Lord hath a Table and admits guests to that Table therefore men may demeane themselues with like gesture at Gods Table as they doe at the feasts of men But this man might haue remembred that the Eucharist is as well called Sacrificium and Cultus Dei as Caena a Sacrifice and the worship of God aswell as a Supper and then Kneeling and Prostration and Adoration are more fitter gestures for sacrificers and worshippers then sitting is for guests at the Table of the Lord of all power and Maiestie And therefore as in S. 1. Cor. 10.21 Heb. 13.10 Paul there is Mensa Domini the Table of the Lord. So there is Habemus altare wee haue an Altar whereof they haue no right to eate which serue the Tabernacle And the word Altar in the Fathers is more common then the word Table so that as the name of Table may pleade for sitting so the name of Altar enforceth worship and Sacrifice and that implieth Adoration and Kneeling But his grand error is that hee inferreth that the gesture vsed by guests at the feast or table of a man is and must bee essentiall at the Lords Table For why Suppose the greatest Monarch or King should feast the meanest of his Subiects and admit him to sit at his Table is it an Argument à pari to conclude therefore Wee must sit at the Table of the Lord why then will it not follow thus The King suffers his subiect to sit at his Table with him couered or his Hat on for this is one of the liberties prerogatiues of a table and vsed ordinarily at all great feasts therefore we must come and sit couered or our Hats on our heads at the Table of the Lord. But the true difference is this The King and the Subiect though different instatu in state the one is to gouerne as Gods Vice-Roy the other to bee gouerned and the King hath power of life and death ouer his Subiect according to Iustice and Law yet they are equall in nature and condition both men created according to one stampe or Image the Image of God both borne by one way of generation both liuing and dying after one fashion and the graue knowes no difference betweene the ashes of the King and his meanest vassall And they are equall in grace both bought with one price the blood of Christ both regenerate in one Lauer of Baptisme both sanctified by one holy Spirit both fed with one and the same bread the Word of God and the flesh and blood of Christ both equall in hope of eternall glory so there is inequality in one thing that is in state but there is equalitie in three for it that is in Nature Grace and Glory But betweene God euer blessed and euer to bee adored and man whose greatest blessing is to bee admitted euer to blesse and adore God there is no equalitie at all For it is proper only to the eternall Sonne of Gods owne substance to be aequalis Deo sine rapina equall to God without robbery Men are called Gods but they are Gods onely in name Psal 82.6 Dixi Dijestis I haue sayd yee are Gods Iob 10.34 35. because the word of God was sent to them and can neuer be equall to God and it is grosse saeriledge that any man who is a God by grace or name onely should account himselfe Gods equall or fellow as this man doth account himselfe all his coheires to be equal to Christ For God and man doe differ infinitely because God is infinite and man is finite and betweene eternitie mortalitie the Creator and the creature there can bee no comparison at all And in this Sacrament Christ as man is our food and Christ as God and the whole Trinitie doe giue this food yea Christ not onely Qua homo but also Qua homo mortuus not onely as he is a man but also as he is dead for vs is our food and therefore this Sacrament doth represent not vitam but mortem Christi not the life but the death of Christ So Christ