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
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
downe on their faces and prayed to stay the plague and here Dauid calls all to bowing and kneeling And likewise Solomon that built and dedicated the Temple Flexis genibus and leuatis manibus 2. Paral. 6.13 He kneeled downe and lift vp his hands at the dedication The word is stetit in the 12. verse and likewise 2. 1. Reg. 8.21 Reg. 8. Hee stood and this verse by way of Parenthesis is a declaration or explication of the manner of his standing so standing among Iewes is there expounded to bee kneeling For the Prophets 1. Reg. 18.42 we haue Elias and Daniel Elias fell on the earth and put his face inter genua betweene his knees lying double as a childe in the wombe Dan. 6.10 And Daniel prayed in his house that was priuate adoration genibus flexis kneeling thrice in a day All these in the old Testament witnesse that prostration and kneeling are parts of diuine worship Come to the Gospel and there we shall find like patternes and examples The wisemen from the East vsed prostration by the light of nature The Leper The man that prayed for his dumbe sonne Iairus The woman with the bloody issue The possessed with the Legion of deuils The Ruler The yong rich man Saint Peter when he was called to bee a fisher of men Mary Magdalene and others All these vsed this externall adoration of falling downe and kneeling vnto our Sauiour Christ who accepted this honour and neuer reproued it in any that offered it vnto him Matt. 8.18 In which I obserue that of Iairus S. Matthew saith Mar. 1.22 Luk. 8.41 Adorauit he worshipped him S. Marke and S. Luke say Cecidit adpedes Hee fell downe at Iesus feete So externall worshipping or falling downe is all one with kneeling in the Gospel But some will say these were nouices in Christs schoole Act. 9.40 Let vs come to the Captaines S. Act. 20.36 Peter kneeled and prayed when hee raised Dorcas S. Paul kneeled at his prayers at Ephesus Acts. 21.5 and on the shore at Tyre S. Acts 7.60 Steuen the first Martyr kneeled downe and prayed for them that stoned him and when he layd downe his life he would not lay downe his Externall adoration Sic pastores sic ergo grex the chiefe leaders and sheepheards thus kneele the whole flocke must follow their example But what doe I insist in seruants when wee haue the example of the Master Christ that is aboue all Example He fell on his face in the garden saith S. Matthew and S. Marke Matth. 26.39 Mark 14.35 Luke 22.41 Hee kneeled downe prayed saith S. Luke So falling downe and kneeling is all one Sic Caput sic medicus sic ergo membra sic aegrotus The Head kneeled that was without sinne much more must the poore members kneele that are nothing but sinne The sound Physicion kneeled to cure vs and therefore the sicke patients must kneele also when they receiue Calicem salutaris 1. Cor. 10.16 Psal 116.13 the Cup of blessing and the Cup of Saluation the greatest benefit of soule and body with the greatest humiliation of soule and body for that is receiued with Inuocation which should haue outward worship with it I would bee loath to grieue the Michalites of our time and therefore I omit those mockers that cloathed our Sauiour in Kingly roabes Matth. 26.29 and then bowed the knee to him though they denied his Kingdome and Deitie and these confesse him to be both King and God Phil. 2.10 and yet will not kneele to him to whom all knees are bowed in Heauen in earth and vnder the earth These professe to adore our Sauiour and wil not kneele before him Marke 3.11 and yet the very diuels did bow to him whom they doe not adore But one thing I must needs say there is no remission at Gods hand except we with the indebted seruant doe fall at our Makers feet Matth. 18.26 and pray for patience and pardon For though I say not that God hath aures in pedibus suis eares in his owne feet yet his eyes and his eares are in pedibus tuis set vpon our feet to heare their prayers that offer vp vnto him humble soules and humbled bodies God sware it with an oath Isai 45.23 Omne genu flectetur mihi Euery knee shall bow to me And all Religion by God himselfe is called by the name of kneeling 1. Reg. 19.18 I haue left me 7000 Qui non curuauerant which haue not bowed their knees to Baal I feare these Elephanti Elephants that haue no ioynts in their knees haue sworne and vowed that they will not kneele to God and his Christ that they may make it knowne that they esteeme their owne phantasie more then they doe the oath of God who cannot repent The ready way then to encline the heauens to vs is to encline our selues to the earth Wilt thou say to God Psal 144.5 Bow downe the heauens and come downe Thou must first say to thy selfe Inclina â—eipsum decende Bow downe thy selfe soule and body and descend that the Lord that resisteth the proud may behold thy humilitie Doest thou seeke an hill to pray on Aug. in Psal 94. Vt Deo sis proquinquiâ—r that thou mayest be neerer to God He that dwelleth in the highest Psal 113.6 is neerest to the most lowly Therefore Descende vt ascendas descend in soule and body that treading downe thy selfe thy prayer may the better ascend to heauen And if thou be bareheaded in signe of reuerence and kneele in signe of humilitie the lifting vp of thy hands shal be vnto thee a signe of hope that thy deuotions are acceptable to God A Doration as it is contra-diuided against prostration and kneeling is an acte of inward reuerence sacrifice to God which in the intention of the heart is called Deuotion and in the attention thereof is called Pietie which in the order of production first is an act Fidei ostendentis of faith that sheweth both the obiect God who onely is to bee worshipped and the maner how that is as himselfe hath prescribed 2. It is an acte Charitatis informantis of Charitie that animateth vs to giue diuine worship to him that is our greatest and last good 3. It is an act Iustitiae reddentis of Iustice that payeth that debt to God to whom onely it is due And 4. it is an acte Latriae exhibentis of diuine and religious worship that is exhibited in recognition of supreme dominion vnto God and so as in man the heart is first framed and then the outward parts so grace first offereth the heart and soule in deuotion to God and then tendreth the body in bowing and kneeling in his seruice THis Prostration and kneeling is not so much a ceremonie as a part or duetie in diuine worship not to be omitted but in case of necessity as our Sauiour that kneeled in the garden
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
ad recipiendum not to sacrifice the natural bodie of Christ for that is proper to Christ to bee Hostia Sacerdos the Sacrifice and the Sacrificer and no man may offer that in sacrifice that is not his owne 2. Sam. 24.24 As Dauid would not offer sacrifice till he bought it though Araunah offered to giue it to the King freely as a King And the worde of the Psalme applied by the Apostle is Corpus dedisti mihi Hebr. 10.5 thou hast giuen mee a bodie which is onely to be offered by him whose body it is And the Apostle exhorteth Offerte corpora vestra Rom. 12.1 It is not Corpus Christi offer vp your owne bodies wherof you haue power not Christs bodie whereof he onely hath power Ioan. 10.18 Ego ponam animam meam nemo tollit I lay downe my life and no man taketh it from me but it is giuen to vs to receiue it and therewith all the fruits and benefits of his death and passion And the word Hoc facite is not properly Hoc sacrificate doe this Luc. 22.19 that is sacrifice this he must sacrifice it and wee must commemorate and represent it for it is hoc facite doe this not simply sacrifice but doe this that I haue done that is Take bread wine and blesse and consecrate it and receiue it as my body and blood and Christ did not sacrifice his body there but on the Crosse The Euangelists say Effunditur my blood is shed but it is Praesens pro futuro the present tense for the future a phrase most common and familiar in Scripture because of the certainety of it or else Effunditur virtute effundetur actu it is shed in virtue Hebr. 13.8 Christ yesterday to day and the same for euer but to bee shed in act else it must needs follow that Christs blood was not in his body but shed on the earth before it was shed by the whips and thornes and nailes and speare and so he suffred before he suffered yea he suffered when he suffered not In which respect I cannot sufficiently maruell at Bellarmins subtiltie Bellar. lib. 1. de Missa C. 2. that will haue this Sacrament to bee an externall proper sacrifice not onely as the name sacrifice doth signifie rem sacrificatam the thing sacrificed that is Christ crucified which is there truely giuen and receiued but also as it doth signifie actionem sacrificij or sacrificandi the action of sacrifice so that the action of Christs sacrifice on the Crosse and of the Priests in the Host must bee one and the same action For if they bee diuers and many in number then Christ must be offered and so suffer often which is directly against the Apostle And Christ the Priest must be one high Priest and the same action must bee bloodie and vnbloodie and haue sufferings and no sufferings in it For the number doth vary the action and two diuers agents must produce two diuers actions and blood and no blood passion and no passion must necessarily make many and diuers actions in number and so Christ must suffer and offer often And as absurd is his other conceit Bellarm. ibid. C. 1. That one and the same Action should be Res and Repraesentatio rei the thing and the representation of the thing As if he should say that one and the same man is homo viuus and homo pictus a liuing man and the image and statue of a man that the Picture and the thing pictured is all one that a sound Logitian and a subtill Sophister is all one Surely in this coÌ„ceit Bellarmine is a plaine Sophister and no Logitian for he doth instance onely in this particular of this Sacrament that it is the representation of Christs sacrifice vpon the Crosse as Christ and all antiquitie call it and the very sacrifice it selfe or action of the sacrifice and he cannot giue an instance in any thing else in the whole world in no creature no not in the Creator For the Sonne Heb. 1.3 that is the brightnesse and Image of his Father though hee be one in essence wâ—â—h the Father yet is not one person with the Father so that if the Sacrament be the representation of the true proper and externall sacrifice of the Church then it cannot be the sacrifice it selfe And the trueth is that the Church hath euer offered true sacrifices and that in this Sacrament but as Saint Peter speaketh 1. Petr. 2.5 they bee Hostiae spirituales spirituall sacrifices acceptable vnto God per Iesum Christum by Iesus Christ so the Church offereth her dayly spirituall sacrifice not Iesum but per Iesum Christum not Iesus Christ he onely hath power to offer himselfe but by Iesus Christ her high Priest by whom they are presented vnto and accepted of God But although this Sacrament bee not an externall proper sacrifice as our aduersaries would make it yet it hath in it spirituall sacrifices of diuers sorts all which require all humilitie of soule and body in the offerers For to say nothing of the Elements that were in all times and ages brought by the people in sportulis in little baskets and so in a sort offered vp to bee consecrated for the vse of the congregation which is nowe done by publike charge there are besides diuers other spirituall Sacrifices in the whole action of the ministration of this Sacrament First then as the sacrifices of the Law had a double respect first as they were offered vp to God Secondly as they were communicated and eaten by those men that offered them so this Sacrament of the Lords supper which conteines a commemoration of Christs one and onely all-sufficient Sacrifice consummated vpon the Crosse and neuer more to bee reiterated by any man hath the same double respect in it and therefore as it is represented to God by our consecration so it may well bee called Sacrificium repraesentatiuum or commemoratiuum a representatiue or commemoratiue Sacrifice And that is warranted in the words of our Sauiour Do this in mei coÌ„memorationem Luk. 22 19. in remembrance of me or of my death and so expounded by the Apostle so often as yee eate this bread and drinke this cup 1. Cor. 11.26 Annunciatis mortem Domini yee shew forth or represent and commemorate the Lords death till he come And as it is receiued by vs it may be called Sacrificium communicatiuum a communicatiue sacrifice or the communication or application of that sacrifice that was offered for vs on the Crosse and that is most plaine in the Apostle 1. Cor. 10.16 The Cup of blessing which wee blesse is it not the communion of the blood of Christ the bread which wee breake is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ So that though there be not idem sacrificium the same sacrifice as it denoteth the action of sacrificing or offring which is here done only by way of representation yet
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
the Lords Passion which was the true Sacrifice Secundum hoc nominatur sacrificium in this respect it is called a sacrifice Respectu praesentis in respect of the time present that is the vnitie of the Church because men are vnited and gathered together by this Sacrament it it is called Communio or Synaxis a Communion Respectu futuri in respect of the future time because it figureth vnto vs that fruition of God that wee hope for in another life it is termed Viaticum our spirituall food that giueth vs strength to attaine it It is called Eucharistia the Eucharist or good grace of God because the grace of God is eternall life or else because it really cōtaineth Christ that is full of grace So it is called Metalepsis or assumptio an assumption because by this wee assume or are made partakers of the Deitie of the Sonne Againe in his answere It is called a Sacrifice in as much as it representeth the Passion of Christ And it is called Hostia an Host because it containeth Christ who is the oblation and sacrifice of a sweet smelling sauour to God Ephe. 5. This was the receiued doctrine of the fathers and ancient Schoole And that this offering of Christs death by way of representation cannot be the proper externall sacrifice of the Church I proue by these Reasons First all externall sacrifice is acceptable vnto God for the internall sacrifice of the heart Externum propter internum as God first looked vpon Abel Gen. 4 4. and then vpon his Sacrifice not vpon Abel for his Sacrifice but on the Sacrifice for Abels sake First he offered himselfe a Lambe to God and then he offered his Lambe de adipibus a well chosen Lambe of the best and fattest none was too good for God First God accepteth the man then the gift not as men doe that so accept the man as they like and feele his gift If then Christs Sacrifice be externall and offered by vs it followeth that Christs Sacrifice must be accepted for the inward Sacrifice of our hearts and so we are more acceptable to God then Christ is which is an horrible blasphemie Secondly euery Sacrifice is accepted for the sacrificers person that is first accepted of God Sacrificium propter sacrificantem therefore if wee offer Christ to God Christs Sacrifice is not acceptable for it selfe but for our sakes that offer it Thirdly the outward visible sacrifice is a Sacrament or sacred signe of the inward inuisible Sacrifice Aug. de Ciuit. Dei l. 10. c. 5. therefore if Christs Sacrifice bee the outward visible Sacrifice it is but a Sacrament or sacred figure a type or figure the trueth or substance is the inward sacrifice of our hearts So Christ is turned to a figure or shadow who is indeed the trueth and substance of all figures and shadowes So then it is manifest that this Sacrament is no proper externall Sacrifice but onely commemoratiue and communicatiue of the all-sufficient Sacrifice of Christ In which I haue bene the larger because Bellarmine is pleased to finde fault with Kemnitius who takes it Prosacrificio commemoratiuo for a commemoratiue Sacrifice though hee findeth not that word in Scripture But saith hee Kemnitius admitteth that sense to elude the places of the Fathers in which the Masse is called a Sacrifice Caeterùm haec acceptio arbitraria est conficta this acception is arbitrary and fained for neither the Scriptures nor Fathers call this a Sacrifice which is onely a figure or commemoration of a Sacrifice which I must referre to the iudgement of the iudicious Reader to resolue whether it bee not most plaine in the Fathers and in Lumbard and in Thomas that it is called a Sacrifice because it is a memory or representation of Christes Sacrifice on the Crosse This Sacrament is called a Sacrifice because in it we offer vp and present vnto God our selues Verba Litur our soules and bodies to bee a liuing Sacrifice vnto God which is our reasonable seruice and worship of him as the Apostle calleth it Rom. 12.1 And it is also warranted by S. Iames Iacob 1.18 Of his owne will hee begate vs by the word of Trueth that wee should bee Primitiae the first fruits of his creatures In the Law they gaue vnto God Primitias agri the first fruits of their cattell and of their field In the Gospel wee offer not the corne of our ground nor the first borne of our cattell but Primitias aenimae the first fruits of our Soules our selues to bee first fruits and Sacrifices vnto God And this indeed is the daily Sacrifice of the Church for Christ the head offered himselfe as the onely propitiatorie Sacrifice for sinne and the Church offer themselues as the members of such an head to be consecrated by Christ our High Priest as liuing Sacrifices to God In which as God gaue Christ and Christ gaue himselfe for vs so we giue our selues to God Our Sauiour Christ in the forme of God August lib. 10. De Ciuitate Dei cap. 20. receiueth Sacrifice with his Father with whom he is one God yet in the forme of a seruant hee chose rather to be a Sacrifice then receiue Sacrifice least by this occasion any should thinke that we might sacrifice to any creature By this he is the Priest hee is the offerer and he is the oblation Cuius rei Sacramentum voluit esse quotidianum Ecclesiae Sacrificium quae cum ipsius capitis corpus sit seipsamper ipsum discit offerre Of which his Sacrifice he would haue the daily Sacrifice of the Church to bee a Sacrament which Church being the body of the head himselfe doth learne to offer herselfe by him Where I pray you obserue these two things First the daily Sacrifice of the Church is but a Sacrament of Christs Sacrifice and therefore it is not Christs Sacrifice it selfe Secondly the body of Christ here spoken of is not naturale but mysticum not the naturall but the mysticall body of Christ And the Church offereth not Christs naturall body but the mysticall body of Christ that is her selfe and this is the daily Sacrifice of the Church Againe C. 19 visible Sacrifices are the signes of inuisible Sacrifices as sounding words are the signes of things Wherefore as wee that pray or prayse doe direct signifying voyces to him to whom we doe offer the things themselues in our hearts which wee signifie so sacrificing we know visible sacrifice is to be offered to none other but to him Cuius in cordibus nostris inuisibile Sacrificium nos ipsi esse debemus Whose inuisible Sacrifice in our hearts we our selues must be But the cleerest and fullest place is in the sixth Chapter The true Sacrifice saith S. Augustine is euery worke done to adhere by a holy society to God referred to that end of goodnesse by which we may be truely blessed Whereby it commeth to passe that mercy it selfe that is preferred before Sacrifice by which wee relieue
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
admit aut omnes aut nullos either all prayers that euery priuate spirit that will reiect the Apostles rule and not be subiect to the spirit of the Prophets that is the Church shal frame or else we must in effect admit no prayer at all because there is but one praier prescribed by Christ and the holy Ghost and that is very short that may be vsed And if you will beleeue the purest reformers or rather de formers it must not bee vsed but layd by as a Patterne to fashion the like I come to the fife Sacrifice that I finde in the Lords Supper and that is Sacrificium Eleemosynarum the Sacrifice of Almes and that as it was chiefly appointed to be done on the Lords day or the first day of the weeke 1. Cor. 6. so it is apparant that the Lords Supper being then celebrated and the Apostles continuing in breaking of bread and prayer this Sacrifice of Almes was euer a companion of the Lords Supper of prayer ministration or diuine worship and indeed a true Sacrifice in it selfe For when Dauid said Psalm 51. If thou wouldest haue had Sacrifice I would haue giuen thee but thou delightest not in burnt offerings a troubled spirit is a Sacrifice to God August deciuit Dei lib. 10. cap. 4. a broken and contrite heart God wil not dispise Intueamur quemadmodum vbi Deum dixit nolle Sacrificium ibi Deum ostendit velle sacrificium non vult ergo Sacrificium trucidatipecoris sed vult sacrificium contriti cordis Marke saith S. Augustine where Dauid saith God would not haue Sacrifice there he plainely sheweth that God would haue Sacrifice God would not haue the Sacrifice of slaine beasts but he would haue the Sacrifice of broken and contrite hearts And his reason is good Illa enim Sacrificia nonrequirit Deus quibus significantur haec Sacrificia quae requirit Deus God doeth not require those Sacrifices carnall and externall by which those Sacrifices internall and spirituall are signified which God doth require Christ saith Matth. 9.13 I will haue mercy an not Sacrifice in which words nothing else is to be vnderstood but this Sacrificium sacrificio praelatum that one Sacrifice is preferred before another for that which of men is called Sacrifice is a signe of the true Sacrifice and then he applieth all this to Almes Porro autem misericordia verum est sacrificium Heb. 13.16 Mercie indeed is a true Sacrifice And so it was called by the Apostle To doe good and to distribute forget not for with such Sacrifices God is pleased or pacified and so it is true which the same Father saith elsewhere of Prayer and Praise and mortification and Almes and the like that they are Pro Sacrificijs and Prae Sacrificijs in place of Sacrifice and to be preferred before all Sacrifices for the outward Sacrifice receiueth life from the inward Sacrifice of the heart So then hee that layeth his money or goods at Gods Table or at the Apostles feete that they may be put into the bosomes of the poore he doth indeed lend them to the Lord and deliuereth and sendeth them by their hands to be stored vp with him who is a most faithfull keeper and bountifull rewarder who will become a debtor to thee for them And whereas thy goods were earthly and transitorie Dando coelestes fiunt by this giuing thou shalt make them heauenly purchase heauens kingdome with them De oratione Dominica And that made S. Cyprian to say Inefficax petitio est cum precatur Deum sterilis oratio when a barren prayer beseecheth God that Petition is vnfruitfull The reason is because the hand doeth not pray as well as the tongue and the hands voyce is lowder and will bee further heard then the tongue Hom. 29. inter 50. And S. Augustine saith The Sacrifice of the Christian is Eleemosyna in pauperem Almes to the poore for then he offereth a charitable heart to God as in prayer hee offereth a deuour heart in praise hee offereth a thankfull heart and in contrition and mortification hee offereth a broken heart And these Sacrifices are all accepted of God in Christ but in seuerall degrees the broken and contrite heart is accepted with non despicies Psal 51.17 God will not despise it Heb. 13.16 The charitable heart is accepted with Placatur Deus with such Sacrifices God is pleased and pacified Psal 50.23 and the gratefull heart is accepted with honorificabis mee hee that offereth me praise he honoureth me Monseiur du Plessis De sacrificio Miss l. 3. a pillar of the French Church hath ioyned all these together whom I principally alledge because he reciteth them all Eccui mirum quod Patres sacram coenam Sacrificium appellarunt in quam vnam tot sacrae actiones confluant tot proinde sacrificijs conspicuum vbisacrum officium sacrificij in cruce peracti commemoratio verbi diuini propositio expositio oratio feruens humilis simul sublimis tum peccati nostri tum gratiae diuinae meditatio inde vero cordis contritio corporis animique Deo consecrandi votum viscerum quasi suorum in fratres Christi cohaeredes expansio effusio Quae omnes vtique singulae actiones cum scripturis Patribus oblationum sacrificiorum nomine insigniuntur Can it seeme strange to any man that the Fathers haue called the sacred Supper a Sacrifice in which one so many sacred actions doe meet together and therefore is conspicuous with so many Sacrifices where there is the sacred office or Liturgie a commemoration of the Sacrifice finished on the Crosse a proposall of the word of God and exposition thereof feruent prayer an humble and withall an eleuated meditation both of our owne sinne and Gods grace also the contrition of the heart and a vow of consecrating of soule and bodie to God an enlarging and powring out of our bowels in Almes towards our brethren the coheires of Christ which all singular actions are called by the name of Sacrifices and oblations in the Scriptures and Fathers Veteres De vnico Christ sacrificio cap. 5. Resp 5. saith Sadeel S. Domini Coenam sacrificium appellarunt Primum quia in hoc mysterio fit commemoratio vnici illius sacrificij quod pro nobis in cruce factum est atque haec commemoratio coniunctam habet gratiarum actionem adeo vt sit sacrificium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratiarum actionis ac propterea inter spiritualia Christianorum Sacrificia recensendum Deinde quia in sacro hoc mysterio siquidem à nobis cum vera fide sincerisque animis celebretur nos ipsos totos Deo consecramus quod est spirituale sacrificium nobis imprimis ab Apostolo commendatum Denique quia id fuit elim in more positum vt cum S. Coena celebraretur tum fideles offerrent Eleemosynas The Fathers called this holy Supper of the Lord a Sacrifice First because in this mysterie
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
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
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
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
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
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