it leadeth naturally to teares For there is a certaine Sympathy inter oculos genua betweene the eyes and knees for as they say that are skilfull in the nature of things the child in the mothers wombe oculos habet genibus superpositos hath his eyes placed ouer his knees and thence some thinke that genua the knees are called à genis of the cheekes that are ouer them therefore the eyes naturally breake out into teares when wee kneele as answering by a naturall affection tanquam collectaneis suis as it were to those with whom they were nourished But I will not say what it may be in man sure I am if the Emperour Marcus his narration bee true when he and his Armie were in distresse for want of water and he had called the Christians in his Armie to pray to their God to supply their extreame necessitie the Christians presently Proijcientes se in terram casting themselues on the earth fell to their prayers and as soone as they had fallen to the earth and called on God by prayer the Lord sent raine from heauen that saued the Emperor and all his Army there kneeling procured a most gratious rayne and so no doubt but it is powerfull to draw down all Gods graces vpon vs. I conclude with S. Augustine De cura pro mortuis cap. 5. Nam orantes de membris sui corporis faciunt quod supplicantibus congruit cum genua figunt cum extendunt manus vel etiam prosternuntur Solo si quid aliud visibiliter faciunt quamuis corum inuisibilis voluntas cordis intentio Deo nota sit nec ille indigeat his indicijs vt humanus eipandatur animus sed his magis seipsum excitat homo ad orandum gemendumque humiliùs atque ferrentiùs nescio quomodo cum hi motus corporis fieri nisi motu animi praecedente non possunt eisdemque rursus exteriùs visibilitèr factis ille interior inuisibilis qui eos fecit augetur ac per hoc cordis affectus qui vt fierent istapraecessit quia facta sunt crescit For they that pray of the members of their body doe that which agreeeth with suppliants when they kneele when they lift vp their hands or when they prostrate themselues on the earth or if they doe any other thing visible although their inuisible will and intention of their heart be knowne to God and hee needeth not any of these signes that mans minde may bee layed open before him but by these gestures man doeth excite himselfe to pray and sigh more humbly and more feruently And I know not how it commeth to passe when these motions of the body cannot be performed vnlesse the motion of the minde goe before them yet againe by these externall gestures visibly done the internall inuisible intention which stirreth them is increased and by these the affection of the heart which preceded that these gestures might be performed doeth increase because these are performed Ratio 6. Praxis Ecclesiae Triumphantis THe sixt Reason is Praxis Ecclesiae Triumphantis the practise of the Triumphant Church in heauen and this admitteth no refusal for heauenly things are the exemplars and patternes to which earthly things must bee conformed Is there a Tabernacle to bee made on earth must not the modell thereof bee taken from heauen Secundùm formam in monte Exod. 25.40.26.30 thou shalt make it according to the forme shewed thee in the Mount Is there a forme of life to be prescribed to men on earth Is it not to bee guided by the rule of heauen Matth 6.10 Thy will be done Sicut in coelo sic in terra In earth as it is in heauen the obedience of earth must be squared by the line of heauen and then though our bodies be on earth yet our conuersation is in heauen Phil. 3.20 The earth is the prison or place of mans banishment the out-house and suburbs in comparison of heauen the Citie and pallace of the great King The earth is the place of Pilgrimage and the valley of misery and heauen is the Countrey of rest and eternall felicitie In earth all things are vnperfect and only inchoate in heauen all things are consummate and in absolute perfection Mans ambition by the subtiltie of the Serpent Gen 3.5 was Eritis sicut Dij you shall be as gods but mans greatest exaltation after his fall is Eritis sicut Angeli you shal be as the Angels And if it be true that the Church-gouernment the neerer it commeth to the Hierarchie of heauen the more perfect and absolute it is it will also be true that the neerer the worship and Adoration of the Church militant resembleth the exact and absolute patterne of the Triumphant Churches worship in heauen the more pleasing and acceptable to God it must needs be For surely this Sicut in coelo reacheth principally to the worship of God So that this is an vndeniable proposition which must necessarily be granted Such as is the Adoration and gesture of the Saints in the worship of God and of the Lambe at the supper of the Lambe in Heauen such must be the Adoration gesture of the Saints in earth in the worship of God at the Supper of the Lambe on earth But the Saints in the worship of God and of the Lambe doe vse the Adoration of falling downe and kneeling at the Supper of the Lambe in Heauen Therefore the Saints must vse the Adoration of falling downe or kneeling in the worship of God at the Supper of the Lambe on earth For that there is a Supper in via in the way there can bee no doubt to him that readeth Christes wordes Luke 14.16 A certaine man made a great Supper and bade many And that there is a Supper in patria in the Countrey and kingdome of Heauen there can be no doubt to him that beleeueth S. Iohn Apoc. 19.9 that pronounceth them blessed that are called to the Supper of the Lambe The first Supper is sub Sacramentis vnder Sacraments for so long as we liue here in this vale of misery and our soule is clad about wth sinfull flesh we haue need of Elements which God hath ordeined to conuey his graces to vs and because we cannot see but as in a glasse or darke speaking all vailes are not taken from vs. But when we shall see as we are seene face to face wee shall bee admitted to that Supper which is sine Sacramentis without all Sacraments and as we shall be sicut Angeli as the Angels of God so we shall be fedde sicut Angeli as the Angels of God without the meanes of any creature or Element at all Now if they at the marriage Supper of the Lambe consummate in Heauen doe bow downe and kneele much more must wee that are onely admitted to the marriage Supper that is the contract and espousals that is made by the holy Spirit in the Church militant in earth bow and kneele
And so much the rather because the blessed Saints that bow and kneele in Heauen doe onely make Confessionem Laudis confession of praise and giue glory and honour to God in signe of their Ioy which is so absolute that all teares are wiped from their eyes And therefore the Saints on earth that make Confessionem peccatorum miseriae confession of their sinnes and miseries in token of their sorrow and contrition ought much more to bow downe and kneele to pacifie the anger of God Now that the Saints in heauen doe bow downe or fall on the ground and kneele when they worship in bodie if their bodies bee there or else in soule and spirit and adore God and sing praise to him thaâ— sitteth on the Throne it is apparant in many places in the Reuelation of S. Ioh. Cap. 4.10 The foure and twenty Elders fall downe before him that sate vpon the Throne and worship him that liueth for euer and euer and cast their Crownes before the Throne And cap. 5 8. the foure and twentie Elders fell downe before the Lambe and ver 14. the foure and twenty Elders fell downe and worshipped him that liueth for euer and euer And C. 7. ver 9. hauing put a certaine number for an vncertaine twelue thousand of euery one of the twelue Tribes A great number clothed in white robes and Palmes in their hands cryed Saluation to our God which sitteth vpon the Throne and vnto the Lambe And all the Angels stood round about the Throne and about the Elders and the foure beasts and fell before the Throne on their faces and worshipped God saying Amen Blessing and glory and wisdome and thankesgiuing and honour and power and might bee vnto our God for euer and euer Amen And that these are Saints in glory appeareth after ver 14. These are they that come out of great tribulations and haue washed their Robes and made them white in the blood of the Lambe therefore are they before the Throne of God and serue him day and night in his Temple and he that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sunne light on them nor any heate For the Lambe which is in the middest of them shall feede them and shall leade them vnto liuing fountaines of waters and God shall wipe away all teares from their eyes Now these are the Endowments of another life wee are in great tribulation as long as wee are in this life these came out of great tribulation wee doe now wash our selues in the blood of the Lambe and while wee liue we cannot get out all the spots of sinne and lust these haue washed their Robes and made them white in the blood of the Lambe This life is Esuries sitis Iustitiae the hunger and thirst of righteousnesse the life to come hath no hunger nor thirst because they liue at the well head and sea of all goodnesse and their cup doth alwaies ouerflow I omit other circumstances for these prooue sufficiently that the Saints which the Apostle describeth are Possessors in the Kingdom of glory not Trauellers in the way of grace And the Text saith Verse 17. The Lambe which is in the middest of the Throne shall feede them that must necessarily be Coena gloriae the Supper of glory the vision and contemplation of God and Christ face to face without all Sacrament And in all this worship that the consummated Saints giue to God it is said that the Angels and the Elders Cap. 7.7.11 and the beasts did fall downe before the Throne on their faces and worship God So in heauen there is no worship without prostration and kneeling In like sort the twenty foure Elders which sate before God on their seats fell on their faces and worshipped c. 11.16 And in the 19. Verse 4. Chapter where the great whore is iudged the foure and twenty Elders the foure beasts fell downe and worshipped God that sate on the Throne saying Amen Alleluia And in the ninth verse it followeth Blessed are they that are called to the marriage Supper of the Lambe So at the marriage Supper of the Lambe there is falling downe or prostration and kneeling If all this worship bee giuen to God that sitteth on the Throne and to the Lambe by the Angels and Elders and Beasts and Saints when they worship God and are feasted at the Supper of the Lambe in glory in heauen why should not their practise bee a warrant to the Saints in earth to vse like falling downe or kneeling in the worship of God at the feast of the Lambe in grace on earth since the practise of the Church Triumphant may well be receiued as a patterne and guide by the Church militant whose example so long as shee followeth shee can neuer erre whose imitation is her readiest way to perfection If any shall replie that this is not the practise of the Church Triumphant which S. Iohn describeth in the Reuel but rather that vnder the name of the Church Triumphant in heauen the Militant Church is described in earth though I doubt not but it may very well be collected out of the pregnant circumstances of the Text that many of those passages cannot well bee vnderstood of the Church Militant in earth but onely of the Triumphant Church in heauen as in part appeareth before yet I will not greatly contend with him that shall gainsay in this point For suppose St. Iohn vnder the name of the Throne and the Angels and beasts and Elders and heauen doe only vnderstand the Kingdome of heauen and the Throne of Christ in the Kingdome of grace in this Life yet to my purpose it is all one For be it the worship here spoken of be of the Saints in the Church militant it is worship with outward Adoration prostration or kneeling which worship is principally performed in the Eucharist And be it that the feeding and supper of the Lambe be the feeding by the Sacrament of the Eucharist which is the supper of the Lambe in the way For at the feeding by the preaching of the word no man calls for kneeling they must necessarily grant my Conclusion That at the receiuing of this supper there must be prostration falling downe and kneeling And if Saint Iohn saw this then in Saint Iohns time kneeling was the receiued gesture of Communicants at the Supper of the Lambe So whether Saint Iohn spake of the Supper of grace or the Supper of glory kneeling or prostration is the gesture of Communicants at the Lords Table The perfection of the Triumphant Church imposeth a necessitie of our imitation if it bee done in heauen it must be imitated on earth if it bee done in confession of glory it must much more be done in confession of sinne if it be done in the sacrifice of prayse it must much more bee done in the sacrifice of contrition and prayer if they that haue no want nor no imperfection
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
there thou shalt reade the depth of sinne that pearced not onely his hands and feete but his heart also in which hee offered vp prayers and supplications with strong cries and teares that he might ouercome the clamour of our crying sinnes Heb. 5.7 and Christ offered nothing for our redemption but that which was necessary and therefore teares must concurre as a part of our ransome And if our Sauiour wept for vs the Redeemer for the redeemed we haue much more reason to weepe for our selues and let none be found so profane amongst vs that when the Sonne of God wept and suffered for our redemption wee should laugh and make merrie at our condemnation as if wee were senselesse of our owne confusion First then hearken what Christ sayth to vs from his Crosse Vide quae pro te patior Behold O man what sorrow Christ suffered for thee vpon his Crosse and let his sighes and teares moue thee to compunction And if this will not preuaile then heare what hee sayth in heauen to all impenitent and wilfull sinners Vide quae à te patior Behold thou obdurate sinner how great reproches Christ suffers at thy hands who by thy wilfull impieties doest crucifie againe to thy selfe the Lord of life and then resolue that as Christs hands and feete and head yea and euery little pore and passage of his body was a fountaine of mercie that runnes in his blood so thy heart must bee as a spring of sighes and groanes and thine eyes must bee as fountaines of teares to wash with Magdalene Luk. 7.38 not so much Christs feete as thine owne soule Now interest Cui Pars 5 the question is of the Coram to whom this internall deuotion and outward prostration and this contrition is to bee tendered And my Text sayeth Coram Domino quifecit nos before the Lord our maker Adoration is due to Lordship or Maiestie and that by many rights 1. Potestatis quia principium creans First by reason of his power Hee is the principle author of our creation in whom we liue and mooue and haue our being Act 17.28 who made vs not according to the image of Angels Gen. 1.26 or beasts but according to his owne Image And therfore this worship must be giuē only to God quifecit sic fecit who made vs and made vs by no other stampe or patterne but his own Image 2 Bonitatis quia principium conseruans by reason of his goodnesse hee is the principle and fountaine of our preseruation in being in nature and restorer to our well being in grace and that by no other meanes then the Incarnation and death of his onely begotten Sonne And therefore this worship must bee exhibited onely to God Qui refecit sic refecit who restored vs and so restored vs by the blood of his owne Sonne as the Captiue euer honoureth him that ransomed him and the sicke man his Physician and the condemned man going to execution euer reuerenceth him that procureth his pardon 3. Felicitatis quia principium beatificans by reason of his felicitie he is the onely principle of mans eternall blessednes For all the perfection and fulnesse we looke for at Gods hands is God himselfe And the blessed Trinitie hath thus diuided The Sonne gaue himselfe in pretium for our price and ransome The holy Ghost gaue himselfe in arrhabonem as an earnest or pledge And the Father reserueth himselfe in praemium as our exceeding great reward Gene. 15.1 and therefore all seruice and worship is due to the Lord qui beatificat sic beatificat who blesseth vs and so blesseth vs with no lesse then the fruition of himselfe So that now Nec aliud pro illo nec aliud cum illo wee may neither adore another in stead of God nor any other together with God for he is sole and supreame Lord to whom all diuine and religious Adoration is due Propter Dominum for his Lordship Naturall Morall and Ciuill reuerence or adoration is due to them to whom God hath communicated some parts or branches of his power 1. Reg. 1.16 23. as vnto Kings as Bathsheba and Nathan adored Dauid to parents who as Gods instruments bring vs to a naturall being and to Priests who are Gods tongues and hands in our spirituall being and to others that haue any eminencie and excellencie of Gods graces And this duetie is deriued frō Religion the worship of God is done only for Gods cause yet it is not properly religious in the strict sense but Ciuill and humane For mans Lordship and dominion is not absolute and supreme in respect of Gods but vnder God and limited and coarcted by his Law It is ab illa sub illa in illam from Gods power hee is the author of it vnder Gods power and subiect to his coercion Hee is iudge of it and for Gods power subordinate and directed to him Hee is the end of it And therefore all powers on earth must giue this diuine and religious seruice onely to God whose Lordship is onely supreme and absolute in heauen and earth Angels and Saints haue no part in this diuine worship because though they be in possession of the Country and haue more excellencie of nature grace and glory then men haue yet they haue no dominion they haue Administrationem custodiam administration vnder God for they are ministring spirits Hebr. 1.14 Dan. 10.13 12.1 and haue custody of whole countreys and perchance of particular men yet they haue not dominium Lordship or dominion ouer men Apoc. 19.10 22.9 but professe themselues to be fratres conserui brethren and fellow seruants and not Lords and therefore forbid men to adore them And it is certaine and cleare no man euer offered sacrifice to any but to him Aug. de Ciuit. lib. 10. c. 4. Quem Deum aut sciuit aut putauit aut finxit whom he knew or thought Tho. secunda secundae q. 85. art 2. or fained to be a god And externall sacrifice is due onely to God because it is a signe or testificatiō of the inward sacrifice of the heart in which none hath any part but God onely And yet these later times haue placed much deuotion in the worshipping of Angels and Saints offering to them the inward and outward sacrifices of prayer and praise and their goods in vowes and pilgrimages and not onely distinguishing temples and Churches by their names which is lawfull but also dedicated them vnto them together with God at least in practise whatsoeuer their booke-doctrine be But Qui Deum colunt nolunt se coli pro Deo Angels and Saints will not be worshipped as gods vpō earth because they doe truely adore God in Heauen and excite vs to doe the like with them Quaest in Gen. lib. 1. q. 111. Gen. 4.61 It is true S. Augustine noteth vpon those Words of Deuteron 6. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God Et illi
words hee calleth this Sacrament Tribunal Christi the Tribunall of Christ And after Considera quaeso mensa Regalis est apposita Angeli mensae ministrantes ipse Rex adest tu adstas oscitans sordescunt tibi vestimenta nihil est tibi curae at pura sunt igitur adora communica Consider I pray you a Kingly feast is prouided the Angels minister at the Table the King himselfe is present and standest thou gaping thy garments are foule and takest thou no care but thy garments are pure Adore then and Communicate Quo non oportet igitur esse puriorem tali fruentem Sacrificio quo solari radio non splendidiorem manum carnem hanc diuidentem os quod igne spirituali repletur linguam quae tremendo nimis sanguine rubescit What shall I say then but that he must be cleerer then the Sunne beames that distributes this flesh and haue a mouth filled with heauenly fire and a tongue red with this fearefull blood that will duely receiue this reuerend Sacrament for it is not man but God that feedeth vs and it is not earthly but heauenly food wherewith we are refreshed And therefore I maruell not 1. Cor. 11.10 if the Apostle say that women must bee couered in the Church Propter Angelos for the Angels Gen. 28.12 13 When God as on Iacobs ladder standeth and beholdeth and the Angels are present and ascend and descend and the Priest doth represent the person of Christ in the consecration and the people be as the Apostles that receiue these dreadfull mysteries For bee it that the Angels bee there vnderstood Angels per naturam by nature and creation as the blessed Angels that are Gods ministring spirits or Angels per officium by office that haue the power of consecrating these dreadfull mysteries All reuerence is due to that sacred worke whereof God is the giuer Christ the gift it selfe the holy Ghost supreme agent the Angels assistants and the Bishops and Priests Angels by office are instruments and the mysteries themselues so dreadful reuerend that the lowest of humility is scant lowly enough for so great graces Since Dial. lib. 4. c. 58. as Gregorie speaketh Quis fidelium habere dubium possit in ipsa immolationis hora ad Sacerdotis vocem Coelos aperiri in illo Iesu Christi mysterio Angelorum choros adesse summis ima sociari terrena coelestibus iungi vnū quiddam ex visibilibus atque inuisibilibus fieri What faithfull man can doubt that in the houre of immolation at the voice of the Priest the heauens are open the quires of Angels are present in those mysteries of Iesus Christ the highest are sociated to the lowest earthly things are ioyned to heauenly things and some one thing is made of things visible and inuisible And may this coniunction of heauen earth spirit and flesh Christ our flesh be made without the greatest humilitie on our part May wee presume to eate the bread of heauen forget the duetie of sinful and earthly men that are but dust and ashes No surely Reuerend dreadfull mysteries must haue receiuers that come with reuerence and dread and such as our action is such must be our affection that is to receiue that with feare and trembling which is so fearefull and dreadfull in it selfe And men in feare fall to the ground in horror and confusion and wee out of humilitie must prostrate our selues and bow and kneele on the ground when wee consider that we are but earth and ashes in comparison of the reuerēd mysteries of which we may well say Quis ad haec idoneus Lord who is fit for these things So then though we kneele not nor adore those reuerend mysteries because they are but creatures yet wee ought to adore and kneele at the receipt of these mysteries since we receiue the body blood of Christ and Christ himselfe God and man to whom all adoration and prostration and kneeling is due I conclude this Reason with Chrysostomes wordes Terram tibi Coelum facit hoc mysterium In 2. Cor. 10. hom 24. Aperi ergo coeli portas perspice vel potiùs non coeli sed coeli coelorum tunc videbis quod dictum est nam quod illic est omnium preciocissimum maximè honorandum hoc ostendam tibi situm in terrâ sicut enim in regiâ id quod est omnium magnificentissimum non sunt parietes non tectum aureum sed corpus Regis sedens in solio sed hoc tibi nunc licet videre in terrâ Non enim Angelos nec Archangelos neque coelos coelos coelorum sed ipsum eorum ostendo Dominum vidisti quemadmodum quod est omnium praestantissimum maxime honorandum vides in terra neque solum vides sed etiam tangis sed etiam comedis eo accepto domum reuerteris Si tibi Regis filius cum mundo purpura diademate traditus esset ferendus quaecunque sunt in terrâ abiecisses Nunc autem non hominis Regis filium accipiens sed ipsum vnigenitum Dei Filium dic rogo non extimescis et eorum quae ad hanc vitam pertinent non omnem expellis amorem This mystery makes the earth to be heauen vnto thee open then the gates of heauen or rather of the heauen of heauens and behold and then thou shalt see that which is spoken For that which is of all others most precious and most to bee honored this will I shew thee vpon earth as in the Kings Court that which of all others is most magnificent is not the walls and golden seeling but the bodie of the King sitting in his Throne And that thou mayest now see on earth for I shew thee not Angels nor Archangels nor the heauen nor the heauens of heauens but the Lord of them Thou seest then that which is the best and most honorable in earth and thou doest not onely see him but touch him and feed on him and hauing receiued him thou returnest to thy house If the Kings sonne and his robe and his Diademe had been committed to be caried by thee thou wouldest haue cast away all other things on earth But now thou hast receiued not the Kings sonne that is a man but the onely begotten Sonne of God tell mee I pray thee doest thou not feare and cast off all the loue of the things that appertaine to this life The conclusion then in short is this These dreadfull and reuerend mysteries may bee as Tutors and Schoolemasters to imprint the same dread and reuerence in the soules and bodies of the receiuers which they carrie in themselues great and reuerend dreadfull mysteries must bee receiued with great and dreadfull humilitie of soule and humiliation of body of which kneeling is a part and therefore in the action of participating and receiuing wee must kneele that it may appeare in the sight of God and his Angels and men that wee doe homage and
the discipline of the Gospel of charitie Christians are vnder the discipline of charitie as well as Iewes were vnder the discipline of the Law and we haue Tutors and gouernours in the Gospel as well as they had in Nature in the Law And so as we are the sonnes of God so also we are the seruants of God not Serui timoris but Serui charitatis Rom. 6.18 serui Iustitiae not seruants by feare but seruants by loue and seruants of righteousnesse and bound to the Lawes of Loue and the Lawes of Children And then as children when they aske a blessing of their fathers they kneele so we when we aske pardon or grace and chiefly when we aske the greatest grace that is Christ in the Eucharist we must kneele And suppose we be Cohaeredes coheires ioynt-heires or heires annexed with Christ yet we are not aquales equals to Christ that wee should sit with him for our part commeth farre short of Christs part Doeth this Author thinke that we are equall to Christ in grace when hee receiued the Spirit without measure Psalm 45 8. Praeconsortibus and Pro consortibus aboue and for his fellowes and we in a scant measure or shal we be equal to him in glory who sitteth at the right hand of God Besides Christ Quà homo is Cibus as man he is the meat of this Feast and Quà Deus as God he is the maker of the Feast and though there may be some colour of equalitie Quà homo as he is a man yet as God there can be no equalitie nor proportion at all So though wee may be equall to the meate we receiue the flesh of Christ yet wee can neuer be equall to the Master of the Feast that is the Deitie of Christ and God himselfe And therefore though our Coheireship may giue vs some boldnesse in respect of Christs humanitie yet our vilenesse in respect of his Deitie should cast vs downe as low as the earth when wee thinke that dust and ashes is admitted to the Lords Table And the Coheires that we now speake of are but coheires inspe in hope but the Coheires in re in deed and in possession the Saints and Angels in Heauen that feed at the Supper of the Lambe without all Sacraments they doe fall downe or kneele and worship him that sitteth vpon the Throne and the Lambe cast downe their Crownes before the Throne Wee haue onely Ius adrem a right to our inheritance but are out of possession the Saints haue Ius inre right in the inheritance that is right and possession also and yet they kneele So the Saints in glory are humble and fall downe or kneele and worship and the Saints in hope are proud and sitte as if they were equall with God to whose Table they are admitted Besides this Argument is drawne from the common place of all sects that is Pride Now consider whither it tends for it trenches deepe and reaches almost to Arianisme to deny all worship to Christ For the Proposition being generall will beare many Conclusions We come to the Lords Table as Coheires with Christ Ergo wee must not knele nor humble our selues to Christ In like manner We come to Gods worship as Coheires with Christ Ergo Wee may not worship or pray to Christ he is but our Coheire For if we may pray to him and worship at all times and in all places then wee may kneele to him at all times and in all places and so at the Lords Table And if wee giue him inward deuotion and worship wee cannot deny him outward Adoration prostration and kneeling So the Argument either denieth all worship to Christ or else granteth kneeling at the Eucharist The second Reason is not worthy to be called a Reason Ratio 2 for it is but a branch of the former It is Certitudo Cohaeredum the assurance of our Coheireship Kneeling at the Eucharist crosseth our assurance of our Coheireship with Christ Therefore we may not kneele at the Eucharist And why doeth Kneeling crosse our assurance of our Coheireship with Christ For my part I know nothing that more crosseth the assurance of Coheireship with Christ then Pride and an assurance without ground And nothing doeth more assure the soule of a Christian in his inheritance in heauen then this humilitie For presumption and pride ouerthrowes all Theologicall and Christian morall vertues as appeareth in the Pharisee and humilitie is Basis fundamentum the base or foundation of all Christian vertues and the deeper the foundation of humilitie is so it be ioyned with hope and not with despayre the more strong and assured is the building that reacheth vp to heauen so that this proposition is vtterly false That Kneeling which is an Act of humilitie doth weaken or shake or crosse our assurance of Coheireship with Christ For nothing doeth more strengthen this assurance then this inward humilitie and deuotion of the heart testified by the outward gesture of the Kneeling and prostration of the body And no man can haue any assurance of his Coheireship that commeth not duely prepared by repentance and contrition by prayer and prayse all which are odious in the sight of God if they be not ioyned with humilitie For God hateth and abhorreth the prayer and the thanks of the proud and presumptuous their sacrifices are abominable in his sight 1. Pet. 5.5 hee respecteth the humble and resisteth the proud Suppose Iudas did sit at the Lords supper at the first institution what assurance of Coheireship had he The Fathers and Christians in the Primitiue Church as appeareth by the testimonies cited in the fift Reason did adore and kneele at the receiuing of the Eucharist what did their kneeling crosse their assurance of Coheireship with Christ Nay did not their humilitie and kneeling increase their assurance this false principle then must necessarilie produce a false conclusion like vnto it selfe For kneeling doeth direct vs not to an apprehension of disfellowship but rather of fellowship if that be not too familiar and vnitie with Christ As for that profane word Pag. 22. that kneeling doeth import subiection and disfellowship with Christ and the person of a guest and Coheire doeth import equaelitie and societie with him and therefore it is not to be vsed in the receiuing of the Eucharist it is a most odious speech becomming a Pharisee better then a Christian for though we haue fellowship with Christ yet wee shall neuer haue equalitie with him neither in this life nor in the life to come there may be equalitie in nature as hee is a man but there can neuer bee equalitie in the endowmēts either of nature grace or glory And if the words of the Prophet be true Psal 8.6 Omnia subiecisti sub pedibus eius 1. Cor. 15.27 thou hast put all things in subiection vnder his feete how is it that they which professe themselues to bee the Saints Heb. 2.8 the holy Brethren and the
as man doeth not make this Feast but Christ as God maketh this feast and Christ as man is the meate of this Feast And though there were equalitie betweene Christ and vs as he is man and our elder Brother yet betweene Christ and vs as he is God there is no equalitie but all subiection on our parts and therefore all submission of soule and body is to be tendered to him by vs when wee come to receiue his Flesh and Blood And it is a plaine fallacie and no good reason to inferre Wee sit at the Kings Table therefore wee must sit at the Lords Table And therefore we may not claime that libertie and prerogatiue at Gods Table that we take at the tables of men vnlesse wee will flatter our selues that no more reuerence and worship and Adoration and kneeling is due to God then vnto man The fourth Reason is Ratio 4 it is contra Ius naturae contrary to the Law of nature Kneeling at a feast or banquet is against the Law of nature therefore it is vnlawfull to kneele at the Feast or Supper of the Lord. Here I would bee glad to know where this Law of nature is written or to bee found If by the Law of nature hee vnderstand the Morrall Law I finde bowing downe or kneeling commanded there in the worship of God Exod. 20.5 Thou shalt not bow downe to them that is to Idols therefore thou shalt bow downe or kneele to God For where the one contrary is forbidden there the other contrary is commanded And this Sacrament is a principall part of Gods worship If he meaneth the naturall Law found out by the light of naturall Reason Gen. 17.3 then Abraham and the Wise-men Matt 2.11 worshipped God with prostration or kneeling If he meane the law of Nature that is the nature of the thing or action Vt naturarei sit Lex naturae that the nature of the thing should be the Law of Nature then kneeling is most agreeable to the nature of the action or thing done that is the Eucharist For it is altogether an action of subiection and humilitie and therefore kneeling is most sutable to it It is Cultus Dei the worship of God and a most eminent and principal part of it It is a Sacrifice commemoratiue It is a Sacrifice of our selues our soules and bodies It is a Sacrifice of contrition offered by penitentiaries a Sacrifice of Prayer offered by suppliants and kneeling is most fit for Sacrificers It is the Eucharist or Sacrifice of praise and in the Reuelation where it is often said That the Elders did fal downe worship there is seldome or neuer any prayer made for want but honour and glory and praise for that which was receiued So kneeling is most sutable to Thankesgiuing And in this Sacrament wee receiue the greatest blessings at Gods hand that this life is capable of and the greater Gods graces be the humbler should wee be at the receipt of them as men vse to receiue the greatest goodnesse of Princes vpon their knees So that besides the practise of the Church in Heauen and earth all reason pleadeth for kneeling and all Reason pleadeth against sitting For what is more repugnant to the nature of worshippers of Sacrificers of penitentiaries of suppliants of thankesgiuers then societie and fellowship and equalitie and sitting so this Reason is well retorted Sitting is repugnant to the nature of Communicants that worship that sacrifice that are contrite that are suppliants and receiuers therefore sitting is not to be vsed by the Communicants at the Eucharist as being repugnant to the law of Nature or naturall reason or the nature of the thing or action that is in hand The fift Reason is Ratio 5 It is Cultus priuatus in publico Kneeling at the receipt of the Eucharist is a priuate worship in the time and act of publicke worship therefore kneeling is vnlawfull This Reason I vnderstand not or else it is false and friuolous false for it is vtterly vntrue That it is vnlawfull to performe priuate worship during the time and act of Gods publicke Seruice As if he should say It is vnlawfull for a Christian to make his priuate prayers in the time of publicke prayers for his owne wants and necessities then which nothing is more absurd For why 1. Sam. 1.10 was it vnlawful for Samuels mother to aske a sonne of God in the Temple in the time of diuine and publicke worship Or was it vnlawfull for Naaman the Syrian 2. Reg. 5.18 in the time of the publike idolatrous worship in the house of Rimmon to make his petitions to the God of heauen Was it vnlawfull for the Apostles Acts. 3.1 S. Peter and S. Iohn to ascend to the Temple at the hower of prayer the ninth hower and there worship and make their priuate petitions after the manner of Christians for their owne wants and necessities in the time of the publike worship of the Iewes Is it vnlawfull for the Preacher in the time of diuine and publike worship to make his priuate prayer for Gods assistance in the discharge of his duetie in that worke But the secret of this proposition is This man meant to make some shew or colour for the prophane fashion of some of his Brethren who in time of Diuine Seruice come into their seates and there squatt downe and neuer vouchsafe once to kneele or make any prayer to God vnder pretence that they must ioyne in publicke worship and so neglect their owne priuate occasions and duties It is friuolous For how can any worship bee called publicke vnlesse it be also the priuat worship of the particular men there present as the vniuersall doth consist of many particulars Now this worship hath the name of publicke because it is performed by the particular men there present though peraduenture successiuely as the capacitie of the place will permit As first the Minister kneeles and receiues then hee stands vp and goeth and deliuereth the Sacrament to the Communicants kneeling in order It may be they do not all kneele together because they doe not all come together but yet euery mans priuat kneeling by succession maketh the publicke worship and adoration And so that this worship may be publicke and generall it is necessary that euery man by his owne priuat worship doe make the whole Seruice to be the publicke worship of God And if by the priuat there bee any disturbance or difference in the publicke worship of God the fault is in those refractary spirits that out of the humor of contradiction rather then reason refuse to kneele with the rest of the congregation that so there may neither be vnitie in heart nor vniformitie in gesture in the Seruice of God The 6. Reason is Sessio prior potior genuslectione Ratio 6. sitting is more ancient for it is the practise of Christ and his Apostles and it is better then Kneeling therefore we must sit at the Eucharist and not
tibi perfectè possim in Sacrificium laudis offerre Bonum enim mihi longeque gloriosius atque vtilius est vt tibi magis offerar quà m deserar mihi ipsi Nam ad meipsum anima mea conturbatur in te vero exultabit spiritus meus si tibi veraciter offeratur What doe we O brethren Doe we offer or what do we giue to Christ for all these things which he hath giuen to vs He offered for vs the most precious Sacrifice that he had then which none can be more pretious and let vs doe what wee can and offer to him the best that we haue which is our selues hee offered himselfe for vs and who art thou that delayest to offer thy selfe to him who shall procure for mee that so great maiestie shall vouchsafe to receiue my oblation And then he tels what he hath to offer not his soule onely but his body also Lord I haue two mites a body and a soule Oh would I could perfectly offer them to thee as a sacrifice of praise for it is good and farre more glorious and profitable to mee that I should rather be offered to thee then forsaken by my selfe for in my selfe my soule is troubled but if it be truely offered to thee my spirit shall reioyce in thee Thus haue I been long in this second reason of Sacrifice because it containeth at least fiue seuerall sacrifices I will bee short in the rest as occasion shall permit Ratio 3. à Donorum magnitudine THe third Reason is Donorum magnitudo the greatnesse of Gods gifts and graces which are heaped vp in this Sacrament And the greater the person is that giues that is God the greater the gift is that is giuen which is Christ and the holy Ghost and the more vile and base the Receiuer is that is mortall and sinfull man the greater must bee the humilitie of him that receiues so great gifts from so great a God euen the lowest humilitie of soule and humiliation of bodie De Purificat B. virginis Serm. 3. in prostration or kneeling And euen now out of S. Bernard we heard Hostiam pretiosiorem quam habuit Hee offered to God the most pretious sacrifice that he had and what he offered to God for vs on the Crosse that hee offereth to vs in this Sacrament that which hee gaue for vs he giues to vs. So God loued the world Ioan. 3.16 that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne that as many as beleeue in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting And how gaue he him Animam in precium carnem in cibum Ioan. 6.55.45.51 hee gaue his life for our price and ransome and his flesh for our foode And his flesh is meate indeede and his blood is drinke indeede and hee is the bread of life that liuing bread Luc. 14.16 that came downe from Heauen A certaine man made a great supper and bade many saith our Sauiour A great supper for Magnus qui fecit Hee is great that makes it no lesse then a King nay Matt. 22.2 no lesse then God himselfe And that must needes bee a great feast which is made by the God of all greatnesse and Maiestie who in all other his works is great but in this his grace is greater then greatnesse it selfe and his mercie appeareth aboue all his workes and gifts A great supper quia serui magni the seruants and attendants are great Patriarches and Prophets and Apostles and Bishops who succeed the Apostles pro patribus filij Aug. in Psal 44. Sons in stead of Fathers Bishops in stead of Apostles who are Princes in all lands yea Christ the Sonne ministreth vnto vs. A great supper quia coenaculum magnum the marriage chamber is great not Iudea not a corner or conuenticle but the world or rather the Church ouer all the world Expulsus ab vrbe ab orbe recipitur Christ that was excluded out of the citie Hierusalem and crucified on Mount Caluarie is receiued in the whole world Leo de passione Hom. 1. Merito foli non habent quod omnibus perire voluerunt sayth Leo The Iewes onely haue not Christ by their desert whome they would haue lost to all others and the whole earth is become his inheritance and there is a greater in expectation the Kingdome of heauen when that is consummate which is now begunne And a great Supper for Conuiuae magni the guests are great Kings and righteous men and learned and noble and wise and rich and poore and ignorant Piscator Imperator Orator the ignorant fisher the potent Emperour and the learned Orator all bow their necks vnder the yoke of Christ And a great supper Quia apparatus magnus for the preparation is great the booke of Creatures and the booke of Scriptures the volume of Nature and the volume of Grace the Dictats of earth and the Oracles of Heauen the Paschall Lambe and the fat Calfe the Sonne of man and the Sonne of God the Word vncreat and the word incarnate Charitie vncreated that is the holy Ghost and created Charitie that is the gifts of the holy Ghost and all things else whatsoeuer God is pleased to giue vs with his Sonne and for his Sonne In a word it is Refectio in via Psal 17.16 a refreshing in the way therefore it is called a dinner of grace Matth. 22. Come to me I will refresh you Matth. 11.28 And it is Possessio in patria the possession in the Countrey and therefore it is here called A Supper of glory I shal be satisfied with thy glory In the Schoole it is Coena doctrinae Euangelicae a Supper of Euangelicall doctrine that teacheth faith In the Church it is Coena Eucharistiae the Supper of the Eucharist that doeth nourish and augment faith and grace And in heauen it is Coena gloriae a Supper of euerlasting glory that crowneth Gods owne graces in vs. Hee that maketh the Supper is God the Father he that is the meat of this Supper is Christ the Sonne and he that prepareth and prouideth this Supper is the holy Ghost Christus sponsus spiritus Sanctus Pronubus Pater Rex The bridegrome at this mariage Feast is Christ not the seruant nor the kinseman but the Sonne of God the chiefe Minister or Vicar that calleth and ordereth the Feast the guests is the holy Ghost and the man for his humanitie or mercie and the King for his power and riches and seueritie that maketh this Feast is God the Father that gathereth a Church to bee a spouse to his owne Sonne Now as it is said of God Non tam habet quam est causa amoris God hath no cause of his loue but is indeed the cause of his owne loue or rather is Loue it selfe so in this case Nontam facit quam est Christ doth not so much make as he is indeed this Feast For the Feast and fulnesse that wee looke for at Gods hands is not aliquid Dei but
Lord himselfe the bread and meate and drinke of our soules The people of Israel who were a stiffe-necked people when Moses tolde them the law of the Passeouer Exod. 12.27 Incuruatus adorauit bowed themselues and worshipped or adored and that was but Typus the Type and Lex the Law of the Passeouer and not the true Passeouer But this Sacrament containeth Christ the true Passeouer and shall wee not much more bow downe and kneele when wee receiue this trueth and substance If the King that is but a mortal man whose breath is in his nostrils giue vs a pardon or some great gift and office who is so proud but hee will stoope and bow downe his head and kneele nay kisse his feete And the greater the Kings grace is the greater will be the receiuers humiliation And shall we denie that to God which we euery day tender to man So then as Religion taught men naturall and ciuill dueties to Parents to Kings and to Priests and benefactors to kneele and to bow the head in reuerence when wee receiue naturall and ciuill gifts so let nature and ciuilitie as Riuers returne their streames to the Sea of Gods goodnesse whence they take their beginning and teach men the dueties of Religion and deuotion to bow the head and the bodie and the knees with all reuerence and humilitie to God who giueth not onely naturall but also supernaturall and diuine graces and glory it selfe nay that giueth himselfe and his Sonne and his holy spirit for vs and to vs in this Sacrament And let Fathers and Masters on earth learne euen of their children and seruants on Earth to do their duetie to their Father that is in Heauen Thou bowest and kneelest to thy Father thy Master thy Prince thy ghostly Father in earth who are but instruments and vnder-agents of thy being and conseruation in nature and grace and therein doest but thy duetie And wilt thou not much more kneele and bow to thy Master and King and Father and God in Heauen who is the first and supreame Author and cause of our naturall and supernaturall being in grace and glory If thou doe it to Gods Image much more doe it to God himselfe for Gratiam Psal 84.12 gloriam dabit Dominus grace and glorie are both the gifts of God and because they bee the greatest gifts they must bee receiued with greatest reuerence and humiliation and therefore with kneeling Ratio 4. Tremenda mysteria I Come to the fourth Reason and that is Mysteriorum dignitas the dignitie of the mysteries And that surely is great since they exhibite Christ vnto vs for as it appeareth in the former Reasons in this Sacrament God giueth his Son Christ and Christ giueth himselfe to be our food And therefore since wee receiue the bread of Heauen and the soode of Angels we may well thinke the Church to bee another heauen vnto vs where God feedeth vs with his Sonne and the Angels assist and minister in this feast And in that respect all humilitie of soule and bodie and consequently kneeling is most fit for this holy action of consecration and participation of this heauenly and Angelicall foode Moses beheld a burning bush in the wildernesse Exod. 3.5 and hee might not come neere it vntill hee had put off his shooes the reason is because Locus in quo stas terrasancta est the place wheron thou standest is holy ground and is not this sacred mystery as holy if not more holy then this burning bush since it hath vim Sanctificantem a sanctifying power in all them that receiue it with true contrition and faith When God appeared to Iacob at Bethel Gen. 28.16 17 Iacob said Surely God is in this place and I knew it not and hee was afraid and said Quam terribilis est hic locus How dreadfull is this place This is none other but Domus Dei Gen. 31.13 and Porta Coeli the house of God and the gate of heauen and God calleth himselfe the God of Bethel But this mystery goes further It is not Domus but Mensa Dei not the House onely but the Table of God not Porta but Cibus Celi not the gate onely but the foode of heauen yea Christ that is God and man is here offered and receiued and therefore as that was Locus terribilis a dreadfull place so this is Actio terribilis an action not of familiarity which breedes presumption and presumption begets contempt but of dread and reuerence and therefore to be vndertaken with all deuotion of soule and humiliation and kneeling of bodie And if holinesse doe become Domum Dei Psal 93.6 the house of God for euer much more doth holines become Deum Bethel the God of Bethel the God of that house If holinesse become the materiall house or Temple much more doth it become the spirituall house and table of the Lord in which wee offer our soules and bodies to be spirituall Temples to the Lord. And this holinesse must make a difference of the Lords body from other meates 1. Cor. 11.29 for some eate and drinke their owne damnation because they discerne not the Lords bodie And what is it to discerne the Lords bodie Doth hee discerne or make a difference of the Lords body that commeth to this Sacrament with no more respect or reuerence then hee commeth to his ordinarie supper Doth hee discerne the Lords bodie that adoreth and kneeleth to the Elements and giueth the worship to the creature which is due onely to the Creator Doth hee discerne the Lords body that commeth to this Sacrament Pompaticè gloriosè pompously Cyprian de Coena Dom. and gloriously without all contrition and sorrow for guiltinesse of sinne without all praise and thanks for the great blessings hee is to receiue without any prayer that hee may worthily receiue those great mysteries Doth hee discerne the Lords bodie that commeth to these mysteries rashly and presumptuously as if he were coequall and hailefellow with Christ when as wee should indeed come cum timore tremore Chrysost with feare and trembling in respect of Gods greatnesse and our owne vnworthinesse to receiue these sacred mysteries So then these holy mysteries by their dignitie and greatnesse should strike an awe and reuerence in vs when we come to the Lords Table and procure adoration and kneeling not to them for they are but creatures consecrated to an holy vse but to the Creator that feedeth vs in such holy yet fearefull maner In which respect the ancient Fathers spake of these mysteries with great reuerence Hom. 24. in 1. Cor. 10.16 chiefly S. Chrysostom who expounding the words of S. Paul The cup of blessing which we blesse c. saith Quid dicis O beate Paule volens auditori pudorem suffundere reuerendorum mentionem faciens mysteriorum benedictionis Calicem vocas illum terribilem maximè formidandū calicem certè inquit non est enim paruum quod dictū est Nam
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
with Christ or else humbly in all humiliation of soule and body And though the holy Ghost know the secrets of all hearts because he is God yet no man can know the heart of another man and therefore wee must iudge them to come pompously and braggingly that will not kneele but will sit as equall with the eternall God without all outward humilitie when they are but dust and ashes Againe in the 17. Num. Ad haec intra sacra mysteria ad gratiarum actionem conuertitur inclinato capite munditia cordis adepta se intelligens consummatum restitutus peccator sanctificat am Deo animam quasi depositum custoditum fidelitèr reddit After in the sacred mysteries the soule turneth to thankesgiuing and bowing the head the restored sinner hauing gotten purenesse of heart vnderstandeth himselfe to be consummated and restoreth his sanctified soule as a thing committed and faithfully kept vnto God Here we haue almost all the Sacrifices spoken of before Contrition Prayer Thankesgiuing and the offering of our selues and this is done with the exterior gesture not onely of the bowing of the knee but the head also So that in Cyprians time humilitie of the body and kneeling was in vse at the receiuing of the Eucharist The 4. is Cyrillus of Hierusalem In catacheâ—â— mystagogica 5. who describeth the whole order of the Liturgie in the celebration of the Eucharist the water in which the Priests did wash the kisse of reconciliation the wordes of the Liturgie Lift vp your hearts the thankesgiuing Holy holy holy Lord God of Saboath the prayer at the consecration the Lords prayer and the like which hee there mentioneth then first hee describeth the ministring of the Bread and Body of Christ and the maner of the receiuing of it at last hee commeth to the Cup and then he saith Tum verò post communionem corporis Christi accede ad Calicem sanguinis illius non extendens manus sedpronus adorationis in modum venerationis dicens Amen Then after the Communion of the Body of Christ come also to the Cup of his Blood not reaching out thy hands but falling on thy face in maner of Adoration and worship say Amen I hope this testimonie is so plaine that malice it selfe cannot inuent a cauill to auoyd it The 5. is S. Gregory Nazianzen 370. in the oration for his sister Gorgonia Hee doeth not indeed describe the celebration of the Eucharist for it was in the night when shee was alone and neither Priest nor consecration but onely shee caried with her some of the consecrated mysteries which shee had reserued as the fashion of those times was and then in the stilnesse of the night when her disease gaue her a little truce Ante altare procubuit she kneeled or fell downe at the Altar and called on him whom she worshipped with a lowd voyce and all her endeuour after she leaned her head on the Altar and with cries and teares like to the woman with the bloody issue she touched herselfe with those mysteries and the coÌ„clusion is she was made whole This Gregorie Nazianzen reueileth as a secret and approoueth and commendeth it And I relate it onely to this end not to iudge of the miracle but to obserue in this the custome of Communicants which was Procubuit ad altare to fall downe and kneele at the Altar For surely shee did now in her sicknesse as she and all others did in their health when they come to the Lords Table that is fall downe and kneele The 6. is S. Ambrose 374. Cap. 12. in his third booke De spiritu litera who expounding the words of the Prophet Psal 98.5.99 according to the vulgar Adorate scabellum pedum eius exalt you the Lord our God and worship at his footstoole for he is holy He discourseth that God hath no body and needs no footestoole that the earth is a creature and may not be worshipped and then remembring that Christs flesh is earth he saith Perscabellum terra intelligitur per terram caro Christi quam hodie quoque in mysterijs adoramus quam Apostoli in Domino Iesu vt supra diximus adorarunt By the footstoole the earth is vnderstood by the earth the flesh of Christ which wee also adore in the mysteries this day and the same which the Apostles did adore in our Lord Iesus as I haue sayd before This testimony is plaine and cannot be eluded with that idle shift of adoring in soule or by any other meanes then kneeling for his coÌ„parison is plaine of external adoration by kneeling in the Apostles who did adore Christ at his ascension with externall singular and visible worship Luk. 24.52 for with internall deuotion they did alwayes adore him But this speciall worshipping must bee vnderstood both of soule and body so we must adore in soule and body and that must be with kneeling at the receiuing of the Sacrament And in the Comment that goeth vnder his name 1. Cor. 11. Deuoto animo cum timore accedendum ad communionem docet vt sciat mens reuerentiam se debere ei ad cuius corpus sumendum accedit he teacheth that hee must come to the Communion with feare that the soule may knowe that shee oweth reuerence to him whose body shee comes to receiue this reuerence must bee externall as the deuotion is internall and that appeareth in the words following Quem cum disciplina nos accipimus which blood we receiue with discipline that discipline certainly is the exterior order and carriage prescribed by the Church so prostration and kneeling was in that time an ordinance of the Church at the Lords Table not equalitie in coheireship and prerogatiues of a Table The seuenth is Gaudentius Brixensis who speaketh not of this Sacrament of the Eucharist in speciall but of the other of Baptisme or of both and there is much more reason to kneele at the Lords Table De manducat Agntpaschalis Sermone 9. then at Baptisme His words are Lectiones diuinas aure percipimus ore Dominum confitemur laudamus benedicimus obsecramus manus supplices ad Coelum tendimus pedibus ad Ecclesiam currimus vnam Trinitatis Deitatem flexis ad terram genibus adoramus Wee perceiue the diuine reading with our eares wee confesse the Lord with our mouthes we praise him we blesse him we beseech him wee stretch out our suppliant hands to heauen and kneeling on our knees on the earth we adore the one Deitie of the Trinitie Hee speakes in this Sermon much of Baptisme but the Title is De manducatione Agnipaschalis of the eating of the Paschall Lambe so it may well be applied to both Sacraments The eighth is S. Chrysostome Hom. 61. Adpopulum Antiochenum Considera quaeso mensa regalis est apposita Angelimensae ministrantes ipse Rex adest tuastas oscitans Sordescunt tibi vestimenta nihil est tibi curae at pura sunt igitur adora communica
Consider I pray thee The Royall table is set before thee the Angels minister at the Table the king himselfe is present and doest thou stand gaping Be thy garments foule and thou takest no care but thy garments are pure then adore and communicate So adoration goeth with receiuing and that this is externall adoration and kneeling Hom. 24. in 1. Cor. c. 10. he wil shew elsewhere Hoc corpus etiam iâ—cens in praesepi reueritisunt Magi viri impij barbari patria domo relicta longam viam confecerunt cuÌ„ venissent cum multo metu tremore adorarunt Imitemur ergo vel barbaros nos Coelorum ciues Nam illi quidem cum in praesepi vidissent in tagurio neque tale quidpiam vidissent quale tu nunc vides cum magna accesserunt reuerentia tu autem non in praesepi vides sed in altari non foeminam eum tenentem sed sacerdotem adstantem spiritum cum magnacopia ea quae sunt proposita superuolantem Non solummodo hoc ipsum corpus vides sicut illi sed nosli eius virtutem dispensationem nihil ignoras ex ijs quae per ipsum facta sunt vt qui in omnibus mysterijs sis exactè accuratè initiatus Nos ergo ipsos excitemus formidemus longè maiorem quà m illi barbari osteÌ„damus reuerentiam ne sitemere inconsideratè accesserimus in nostrum caput ignem congeramus The Wise men did reuerence this body lying also in the manger and these wicked and barbarous men leauing their houses and Countrey finished a long iourney and when they came they adored with great feare and trembling Let vs therefore the citizens of heauen imitate those Barbarians for they truely when they saw him in the manger and in the Cottage neither had they seene any such thing as thou now seest they came with great reuerence But thou seest him not in the manger but in the Altar not a woman holding him but the Priest present or standing by and the Spirit in great plenty flying ouer those things that are set forth neither doest thou onely see his very body as they did but thou knowest both his power and dispensation and thou artignorant of nothing done by him as being exactly and accurately initiated in all mysteries Let vs therfore excite our selues and feare and shewe much more reuerence then those Barbarians did lest if perchance wee should come rashly and inconsiderately we should heape fire on our owne heads This restimony is most plaine the wise men adore Christ in the manger falling to the ground or kneeling wee must imitate them wee must shew much more reuerence then they did therefore wee must kneele when we receiue this Sacrament The like he hath in Matt. Hom. 7. Imitemur nos saltem deuotionem Magorum Let vs at least imitate the deuotion of the wise men And after Et sifortè Magussis nihil te ad hunc regem introire prohibebit modò vt adoraturus honoraturus Dei filium non quasiconculcaturus aduenias modò vt honorem ipsum cum gaudio ac tremore offer as possunt enim vtraque haec paritèr conuenire sed caue ne Herodi efficiaris similis dicas vt ego veniens adorem eum cumque veneris interimere coneris huius enim similes sunt qui indignè abutuntur communione mysterij And if thou be a wise man nothing shall hinder thee to goe in to this King so as thou come to adore and honor the Son of God and not to tread him vnder thy feete so as thou offer this honor with ioy and trembling for those two may well stand together But take heed thou proue not like Herod and say that I also may come and worship him and when thou commest thou endeuour to kill him for such like are they that vnworthily abuse the Communion of this mystery And after speaking of the tyranny of Satan he addeth Hic enim in homines tenere imperium gestit suosque Cultores simulat mittit ad Christum vt specie quadam adorare videantur quantum vero inipsis est interimunt eum quem adorarese simulant Timeamus igitur ne quando speciemsupplicum atque adorantium geramus opere verò inimici existamus Igitur adoraturi Christum cuncta proijciamus è manibus Satan doeth desire to hold the Empire ouer men and he maketh his worshippers counterfeits and sendeth them to Christ that they may seeme to worship in shew and as much as in them is kill him whom they counterfeit to adore Let vs therfore feare lest when we take vpoÌ„ vs the shew of suppliants and adorers in worke we be found his enemies therefore when wee goe about to worship Christ let vs cast all things out of our hands And this word of Adoration is often vsed in this 7. Homilie which I must passe ouer and referre the Reader to some other places as the Homilie De Proditione Iudae and his Sermon De Eucharistia in Encaenijs by all which it is most plaine that Adoration and kneeling at the receiuing of the Eucharist was in vse in Chrysostome and those other Fathers time some 700. yeeres before Honorius that is made the first Author thereof The 9. is S. Augustine In Psalme 98. whose place is knowne to this Author and he labours to elude it against the haire as also he doeth S. Ambrose who vseth the word of Adoration as before you haue heard S. Augustine expounding the words of the Psalme Adorate scabellum pedum eius as the vulgar readeth it worship at his foot-stoole or his foot-stoole and alleadging the other Psalme Heauen is his Throne and the earth his foot-stoole and knowing that wee must worship the Lord our God and serue him onely he maketh a question how we may worship the earth without Idolatry and saith Anceps factus sum timeo adorare terram ne damnet me qui fecit terram Rursùs timeo non adorare scabellum pedum Domini mei quia Psalmus mihi dicit Adorate Scabellum pedum eius Quaero quid sit Scabellum pedum eius dicit mihi Scriptura Terra scabellum pedum meorum fluctuans conuerto me ad Christum quia ipsum quaero hic inuenio quomodò sine impietate adoretur terra sine impietate adoretur scabellum pedum eius Suscepit enim de terra terram quia caro de terraest de carne Mariae carnem accepit Et quia in ipsa carne hic ambulauit ipsam carnem nobis manducandam ad salutem dedit nemo autem illam carnem manducat nisi priùs adorauerit inuentum est quemadmodum adoretur tale scabellum pedum Domini non solùm non peccamus adorando sed peccamus non adorando I become doubtfull I feare to adore the earth lest hee condemne mee that made the earth Againe I feare not to adore the foot-stoole of my Lord because the Psalme
saith to me Adore his foot-stoole I questiō what is his foot stoole and the Scripture saith to me that the earth is his foot-stoole wauering I turne my selfe to Christ because I seeke him heare and I find how the earth may be worshipped without impietie and his foot-stoole may be adored without impietie For he tooke earth of earth for flesh is of the earth and he tooke flesh of the flesh of the Virgin And because hee walked here in the flesh and gaue that flesh to be eaten by vs to our saluation and no man eateth that flesh vnlesse he first haue adored it is found out how such a foot-stoole of the Lord may bee adored and wee shall not onely not sinne in adoring but sinne in not Adoring In these words S. Augustine speaketh of the receiuing of the Sacrament and he saith in effect that the custome and gesture was vniuersall ouer all the world Nemo manducat no man eateth that flesh but first hee Adoreth not the Sacrament but the flesh of the Sonne of God which without reason our Aduersaries wrest to the Adoration of the Sacrament But this must not be omitted that S. Augustine saith That it was so farre from sinne to Adore the flesh of Christ that it was sinne not to Adore it so the omission of this Adoration or kneeling is a sinne in S. Augustines iudgement And S. Augustine speaketh generally of all Adoration spirituall and corporall externall and internall for else we may deny spirituall Adoration as wel as externall in the receiuing of the Eucharist and that this Author doeth acknowledge and then I marueile he can deny corporall where he granteth spirituall For why May we worship and adore God at the receiuing of the Eucharist with our hearts and refuse to worship him with our bodies and our knees If we giue him our hearts and spirits shall wee deny him any thing that the heart and spirit doeth command Shall wee giue him the greater and better part of our selfe our Soule and deny him the lesse the bowing of the knee So S. Augustine speaking of Adoration in the solemne and compleate worship of God must bee vnderstood of inward and outward Adoration when both may be giuen Besides it is a friuolous exception that this man maketh that what S. Augustine speaketh of the flesh of Christ must be vnderstood spiritually Spiritualitèr intelligite quod loquutus sum vnderstand that spiritually which I haue spoken for hee particularly speaketh it of the flesh of Christ Non hoc corpus quod videtis manducaturi estis You shall not eate this body which you see nor drinke that Blood which the Crucifiers shall shed I haue commended vnto you a certaine Sacrament being spiritually vnderstood it shall quicken you or giue life and though it be necessary to celebrate it visibly yet notwithstanding it must be inuisibly vnderstood So S. Augustine saith that those words of the flesh of Christ must bee spiritually vnderstood the flesh that is the fleshly vnderstanding profiteth nothing but though the flesh be vnderstood spiritually yet there is no syllable that the Adoration should bee onely spirituall And because I will not trouble my selfe with this mans dotage it is his owne word that Adoration must not alwayes meane kneeling no more then the name Man doeth signifie Socrates Let him giue mee a reason why Adoration should not signifie both inward deuotion and outward bowing and kneeling alwayes except some circumstance or necessitie doe restraine it onely to inward worship when both inward and outward may and ought to be tendered But S. Augustines Text is plaine for externall bowing and kneeling Ideo ad terram quālibet cum te inclinas et prosternis Therfore when thou doest incline or bow downe or cast downe thy selfe to the earth behold it not as earth but as that holy one whose footestoole thou adorest for him thou adorest So S. Augustine speakes of such adoration wherin there is inclining bowing downe or kneeling and therfore this gesture of kneeling was the vniuersall custome of the Communicants in S. Augustines time I passe that ouer that S. Augustine doth cal this Sacrament honorandum honorable as you may see in his 118. Epistle ad Ianuarium c. 3. Only see wherein hee yea S. Paul in his iudgement placeth the abuse of the Sacrament Apostolus indignè dicit acceptum ab eis qui hoc non discernebant à caeteris cibis veneratione singulariter debitâ The Apostle saith that it was vnworthily receiued of them who distinguish't it not from other meates by yeelding it that worship which is especially due to it The tenth is Theodoret Dial. 2. Neque enim signa mystica post sanctificationem recedunt à natura sua manent enim in priori substantia figura forma videri tangi possunt sicut priùs intelliguntur autem ea esse quae facta sunt creduntur adorantur vt quae illa sunt quae creduntur The mysticall signes after sanctification doe not depart from their nature for they remaine in their former substance there the substance of bread and wine remaines in the Sacrament and figure and forme and may be seene and touched as before but they are vnderstood to be those things which they are made and are beleeued and adored as being those things which they are beleeued So in Theodorets time there was adoration at the receiuing of the Eucharist and that externall for creduntur they are beleeued implies the inward as this Author would make S. Augustine to speake and then Adorantur must extend to the outward which doth consist in the bowing prostration and kneeling of the bodie Againe Dialogo 3. answering how a bodie might procure our saluation he sayth Not the bodie of a man alone but of our Lord Iesus Christ the onely begotten Sonne of God And if that seeme small and vile to thee Quomodo eius typum ac figuram venerabilem ac salutarem existimas cuius autem typus est adorandus venerandus quemadmodum est ipsum exemplar archetypum vile aspernandum How doest thou esteeme the type and figure of him to be venerable salutiferous for how is the Archtypal examplar vile and to bee despised whose type is to be adored and worshipped Here it is cleere that there was veneration and adoration of Christ in the receiuing of the Sacrament the very elements are sacred and dreadfull after consecration then Adoration is not due to them beeing creatures but to Christ whose flesh is the type and couering or vaile of his Deitie The 11. is Eusebius Emissenus Homil. in 2. Dominica post Epiphan his words are Quando vero ad Christi Sacramentum accedimus fragilitatem nostram consideramus quid aliud dicit vnusquisque nostrum nisinon sum dignus vt intres sub tectum non sum dignus vt corpus sanguinem tuum suscipiam in ore meo when wee come vnto Christs Sacrament and consider our owne frailtie what else doth