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
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
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
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
A SERMON PREACHED before His Maiestie At Whitehall March 22. 1617. being Passion-Sunday Touching Prostration and Kneeling in the worship of GOD. ¶ To which is added a Discourse concerning Kneeling at the Communion By IOHN Bishop of Rochester DAT MANVS SVPERESSE MINERVA LONDON Printed by IOHN BILL M.DC.XVIII PSALM 95. VERS 6. Venite adoremus procidamus ploremus ante Dominum qui fecit nos Venite adoremus procidamus genuflectamus ante Dominum qui fecit nos O come let vs worship and fall downe and kneele or weepe before the Lord our Maker Venite c. THe Author of the Psalme is Dauid Hebr. 4.7 The Type is Iosua that gaue the rest of body in the land of promise And the trueth is IESVS that giues the rest of Soule in the Kingdome of Heauen to whom Dauid made this Psalme It begins with reioycing Venite exultemus O come let vs sing vnto the Lord or exult that is shew some part of that ioy which is so great that well it may be testified with our voyces but it can neuer be fully expressed by our words The first verse is Venite ad exultationem A call to exultation and that is no way fit for this time for what hath Musicke to doe with mourning or a Song of Sion Psal 137. with the day of captiuitie or a Text of mirth with a day of greatest sorrow that is Passion Sunday or a Theame of ioy with this time of Lent the seed time of Repentance in which the seeds of contrition must bee sowed with teares that in the haruest of Heauen shal be reaped in Ioy But this Verse is Venite ad humiliationem A call to humiliation which must haue Adoration and Prostration and kneeling or as the Ancient out of the Greeke of the Septuagint read it weeping before the Lord our Maker Adoration to him that is the God of all power and Maiestie Prostration or falling downe before him that came downe from Heauen to raise vs. Kneeling to him that bare our sinnes on the Crosse Luc. 15.5 and vs as lost sheepe on his shoulders And weeping before him that offered vp supplications and prayers Hebr. 5.7 with strong cries and teares to redeeme vs. And this is indeed a word in season Adoration to our Maker Prostration before our Iudge that is offended by vs. And kneeling or weeping before him whom we would pacifie by our teares and compunction FIrst then here is Dauids call The King that hath power to call all both Priest and people Venite Come let vs goe together to Gods worship 2. Here is Latria diuine Adoration Adoremus Let vs worship with the inward deuotion and sacrifice of the heart 3. Here 's Seruitus Seruice or outward worship of the body Procidamus Let vs prostrate our bodies together with the inward intention of our Soules 4. Here is Contritio Contrition and sorrow Genu flectamus or ploremus Let vs kneele and weepe for our sinnes that haue lifted vp our heads and taken delight in the pleasures of our sins And 5 Here is Maiestas or maior status The maiestie or greatest state to whom this worship and repentance is due Coram Domino qui fecit nos before the Lord our Maker who so dearely loued this workmanship of his handes that hee gaue the Sonne of his owne substance for his redemption None can be absent from God in place though many bee farre from him in affection therefore the Call is to all present and farre remooued Venite Come draw neere to God The creature owes homage to his Creator and the captiue to his Redeemer and therefore Adoremus Come let vs pay him the Rent of Sacrifice and adoration Sinne hath an eleuation in it selfe and the cure must be by the contrary and therefore Procidamus Let vs haue a deiection and willingly fall downe in humiliation as we haue wilfully cast down our selues headlong by our pride He that bends the knees of his soule ought likewise to stoope and bend the knees of his body and hee that beates his breast in the soules contrition ought also to resolue into teares to wash away his sinnes and therefore Genu flectamus or ploremus let vs kneele in humilitie and weepe in griefe And all these as vndiuided companions Inward adoration in the deuotion of the heart Outward worship in the prostration kneeling of the body and sighes and teares in the compunction of the soule must euer be tendred at the Altar of the Lord our Maker to whom all the riuers and brookes of our duetie and seruice must runne as into the Sea of all goodnesse The first thing is the Call of Dauid the King Part. 1 and therfore I may call it The Kings Call or The Kings Text. For the King is first among men and next or second to God neither Pope nor people stand betweene God and the King Rom. 13.4 For he is Gods Minister not mans He is superiour and aboue all men and inferiour and vnder God onely Hee hath no equall in earth and no superiour Tertull. Apologet cap. 30. but in Heauen greater then all men and solo Deo minor Lesser then God onely from whom he immediatly receiues his power ouer all men and all sorts of men Priest and people in all causes Ciuill and Spirituall For he is Custos vindex vtriusque tabulae Deut. 17.19 both the keeper and reuenger of both Tables of the Law as well the first that concernes Religion and worship of God as the second that concernes iustice and conuersation among men He onely hath power of life and death and he onely puts men to death without the sinne of murther because he beares the sword and executes vengeance in Gods stead that onely can giue and take away life And this hee doth as well vpon the Atheist and Heretike and Idolater and blasphemer Num. 15.35 36. and Sabbath breaker as Moses did which are against the first Table as vpon the Traitor and Rebel and Murderer and the like which are against the second Table And that in the Priest as well as in the people or else impunitie must be granted to the Priest Deut. 13.5 and the false prophet could not bee put to death as the Law commanded And this the King doth Quà Rex non quà Propheta by the ordinary power of a King not by the extraordinary power of a Prophet For it was so ordered in the Law by God himselfe who foreknew that all Kings should not be Prophets and no Prophet euer tooke power of life and death vpon him no not Ieremie whose commission was largest vt euellas destruas Ierem. 1.10 to plucke vp and destroy who most certainly vnderstood and executed his office but it was Prophetando not sententiando by prophecying and preaching downe Idolatrie and sinne and planting Religion and vertue but not by sentence or iudiciall power either of Popes Tribunal or peoples Cōsistorie to
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
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
quando dico benedictionem explico omnem thesaurum beneficentiae Dei magna illa dona in memoriam reuoco Nam nos quoque ad calicem recensentes ineffabilia Dei beneficia quaecunque sumus adepti it a ipsum offerimus communicamus gratias agentes quod ab errore liberarit hominum genus What sayest thou blessed Paul when thou wilt confound the Auditor mentioning the dreadfull mysteries thou callest that fearefull cup horroris plenum full of horror the cup of blessing It is true for it is no small thing that is said for when I call it blessing I call it the Eucharist and calling it the Eucharist I open the treasure of all the benignitie of God for with this Cup we reckon the vnspeakeable benefits of God and whatsoeuer we haue obtained So wee come to him and communicate with him giuing thankes to him that hath freed mankinde from error And mentioning elsewhere this Sacrifice horrore reuerentia plenissimuÌ„ most full of horror and reuerence he saith Per id tempus Lib. 6. de Sacord et angelisacerdoti assident coelestiuÌ„ potestatuÌ„ vniuersus ordo clamores excitat locus altari vicinus in illius honorem qui immolatur angeloruÌ„ choris plenus est id quod credere abundè licet velex tanto illo Sacrificio quod tum peragitur At that time the time of the Consecration of the Sacrament the Angels stand by the Priest and the vniuersal order of the heauenly powers do raise vp cries And the place neere the Altar is filled with the quires of angels in the honour of him that is immolated which may abundantly bee beleeued by that great Sacrifice which is then performed Lib. 3. Againe in the third booke Dum conspicis Dominum immolatum Sacerdotem sacrificio incumbentem ac preces fundentem tum vero turbam circumfusam pretioso illo sanguine in tingi ac rube fieri etiamnè te inter mortales versari atque in terrâ consistere censes ac nonpotiusè vestigio in coelos transferri While thou beholdest the Lord offered vp and the Priest sacrificing and the present multitude to be dipped and made redd with that precious Blood doest thou thinke that thou doest conuerse among mortall men on earth Or rather that thou art suddenly translated into heauen And after hee inferreth Hoc ergo mysterium omnium maximè horrendum verendumque quis tandem qui sanus in idem minimè sit quique è potestate non exierit fastidire ac despicere poterit What man that is not madd and out of his wits can despise or loath this mysterie of all others most dreadfull and fearefull And S. Cyprian long before him said Cyprian de Câ—na Dom. Sanguinem sugimus intra redemptoris nostri vulnera figimus linguam quo interiùs exteriúsque rubricati à sapientibus huius seculi iudicamur amentes Wee sucke his Blood and put our tongues into the wounds of our Redeemer with which being made redd within and without wee are iudged to be madd by the wise men of this world S. Augustine interpreting the words of the Lords prayer Giue vs this day our dayly bread vnderstandeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supersubstantiall bread to be the Eucharist which is called dayly bread Augustinus de verbis Dom. serm 28. And then he addeth Si quotidianus est panis cur post annum illum sumis accipe quotidiâ— quod quotidiè tibi prosit sic viue vt quotidie merearis accipere Idem habet Ambrosius qui non meretur quotidie accipere non meretur post annum accipere quomodo sanctus Iob quotidie pro filijs offerebat sacrificium ne forte aliquid vel in corde vel in sermone peccassent Ergo tu audis quod quotiescunque offertur sacrificium mors Domini resurrectio Domini eleuatio Domini significetur remissio peccatorum panem istum vitae nostrae quotidianum non assumis Qui vulnus habet medicinam requirit vulnus est quia sub peccato sumus medicina est coeleste venerabile Sacramentum If it be daily bread why doest thou receiue it once in the yeere receiue it dayly that it may daily profit thee Liue so that thou mayest obtaine to receiue it dayly he that obtaineth not to receiue it dayly obtaineth not to receiue it after a yeere As holy Iob offered Sacrifice dayly for his sonnes lest perchance they should offend in thought or word Doest thou heare that as often as the Sacrifice is offered the death of the Lord the resurrection of the Lord and the ascention of the Lord is signified and remission of sinne and doest thou not receiue this dayly bread of life He that is wounded seeketh physicke Now thy wound is sinne and the medicine is the heauenly and venerable Sacrament I cannot stand to reckon all the titles at large that the Fathers giue to this Sacrament I add S. Chrysostome for he is most copious in these amplifications Chrisostom Homil. 24. in 1. Cor. and exaggerations vpon these words Calix benedictionis the Cup of blessing which we blesse Valde fideliter dixit terribilitèr hoc est autem quod dicit Id quod est in Calice est id quod fluxit è latere illius sumus participes Calicem autem benedictionis vocauit quod eam habentes in manibus sic eum hymnis laudibus prosequimur admirantes Caeleste donum stupentes benedicentes bonisque verbis prosequentes quod eum ipsum effudit ne maneremus in errore non solum effudit sed etiam eum ipsum nobis impertijt Quamobrem si sanguinem inquit cupis non aram Idolorum brutorum caede sed meum altare meo cruentum sanguine quid est hoc horribilius quid autem amabilius He speaketh very faithfully and terribly and this is that which hee saith That which is in the Cup is that which issued out of his side and we are partakers of it And he called it the Cup of blessing because hauing it in our hands we do admiring folow him with hymnes and praises wondering at his ineffable gift blessing and setting forth with good words that hee hath powred it out that wee should not abide in error and not onely he hath powred it out but also giuen the selfe-same to vs wherefore saith he if thou desire this Blood not the altar of Idols bloody with slaine beasts but my Altar bloody with mine owne Blood what is more horrible and yet what more amiable then this And againe Ad populum Antiochenum Hom. 61. Hic sanguis effusus est coelum facit accessibile horrenda scilicet Ecclesiae mysteria horrendum altare This Blood is shed and maketh heauen accessible that is to say the dreadfull mysteries of the Church and the dreadfull Altar And in the same place Tu vero petens Sacrificium quod horrent Angeli When thou goest to the Sacrifice which the Angels dread and in the next
words hee calleth this Sacrament Tribunal Christi the Tribunall of Christ And after Considera quaeso mensa Regalis est apposita Angeli mensae ministrantes ipse Rex adest tu adstas oscitans sordescunt tibi vestimenta nihil est tibi curae at pura sunt igitur adora communica Consider I pray you a Kingly feast is prouided the Angels minister at the Table the King himselfe is present and standest thou gaping thy garments are foule and takest thou no care but thy garments are pure Adore then and Communicate Quo non oportet igitur esse puriorem tali fruentem Sacrificio quo solari radio non splendidiorem manum carnem hanc diuidentem os quod igne spirituali repletur linguam quae tremendo nimis sanguine rubescit What shall I say then but that he must be cleerer then the Sunne beames that distributes this flesh and haue a mouth filled with heauenly fire and a tongue red with this fearefull blood that will duely receiue this reuerend Sacrament for it is not man but God that feedeth vs and it is not earthly but heauenly food wherewith we are refreshed And therefore I maruell not 1. Cor. 11.10 if the Apostle say that women must bee couered in the Church Propter Angelos for the Angels Gen. 28.12 13 When God as on Iacobs ladder standeth and beholdeth and the Angels are present and ascend and descend and the Priest doth represent the person of Christ in the consecration and the people be as the Apostles that receiue these dreadfull mysteries For bee it that the Angels bee there vnderstood Angels per naturam by nature and creation as the blessed Angels that are Gods ministring spirits or Angels per officium by office that haue the power of consecrating these dreadfull mysteries All reuerence is due to that sacred worke whereof God is the giuer Christ the gift it selfe the holy Ghost supreme agent the Angels assistants and the Bishops and Priests Angels by office are instruments and the mysteries themselues so dreadful reuerend that the lowest of humility is scant lowly enough for so great graces Since Dial. lib. 4. c. 58. as Gregorie speaketh Quis fidelium habere dubium possit in ipsa immolationis hora ad Sacerdotis vocem Coelos aperiri in illo Iesu Christi mysterio Angelorum choros adesse summis ima sociari terrena coelestibus iungi vnū quiddam ex visibilibus atque inuisibilibus fieri What faithfull man can doubt that in the houre of immolation at the voice of the Priest the heauens are open the quires of Angels are present in those mysteries of Iesus Christ the highest are sociated to the lowest earthly things are ioyned to heauenly things and some one thing is made of things visible and inuisible And may this coniunction of heauen earth spirit and flesh Christ our flesh be made without the greatest humilitie on our part May wee presume to eate the bread of heauen forget the duetie of sinful and earthly men that are but dust and ashes No surely Reuerend dreadfull mysteries must haue receiuers that come with reuerence and dread and such as our action is such must be our affection that is to receiue that with feare and trembling which is so fearefull and dreadfull in it selfe And men in feare fall to the ground in horror and confusion and wee out of humilitie must prostrate our selues and bow and kneele on the ground when wee consider that we are but earth and ashes in comparison of the reuerēd mysteries of which we may well say Quis ad haec idoneus Lord who is fit for these things So then though we kneele not nor adore those reuerend mysteries because they are but creatures yet wee ought to adore and kneele at the receipt of these mysteries since we receiue the body blood of Christ and Christ himselfe God and man to whom all adoration and prostration and kneeling is due I conclude this Reason with Chrysostomes wordes Terram tibi Coelum facit hoc mysterium In 2. Cor. 10. hom 24. Aperi ergo coeli portas perspice vel potiùs non coeli sed coeli coelorum tunc videbis quod dictum est nam quod illic est omnium preciocissimum maximè honorandum hoc ostendam tibi situm in terrâ sicut enim in regiâ id quod est omnium magnificentissimum non sunt parietes non tectum aureum sed corpus Regis sedens in solio sed hoc tibi nunc licet videre in terrâ Non enim Angelos nec Archangelos neque coelos coelos coelorum sed ipsum eorum ostendo Dominum vidisti quemadmodum quod est omnium praestantissimum maxime honorandum vides in terra neque solum vides sed etiam tangis sed etiam comedis eo accepto domum reuerteris Si tibi Regis filius cum mundo purpura diademate traditus esset ferendus quaecunque sunt in terrâ abiecisses Nunc autem non hominis Regis filium accipiens sed ipsum vnigenitum Dei Filium dic rogo non extimescis et eorum quae ad hanc vitam pertinent non omnem expellis amorem This mystery makes the earth to be heauen vnto thee open then the gates of heauen or rather of the heauen of heauens and behold and then thou shalt see that which is spoken For that which is of all others most precious and most to bee honored this will I shew thee vpon earth as in the Kings Court that which of all others is most magnificent is not the walls and golden seeling but the bodie of the King sitting in his Throne And that thou mayest now see on earth for I shew thee not Angels nor Archangels nor the heauen nor the heauens of heauens but the Lord of them Thou seest then that which is the best and most honorable in earth and thou doest not onely see him but touch him and feed on him and hauing receiued him thou returnest to thy house If the Kings sonne and his robe and his Diademe had been committed to be caried by thee thou wouldest haue cast away all other things on earth But now thou hast receiued not the Kings sonne that is a man but the onely begotten Sonne of God tell mee I pray thee doest thou not feare and cast off all the loue of the things that appertaine to this life The conclusion then in short is this These dreadfull and reuerend mysteries may bee as Tutors and Schoolemasters to imprint the same dread and reuerence in the soules and bodies of the receiuers which they carrie in themselues great and reuerend dreadfull mysteries must bee receiued with great and dreadfull humilitie of soule and humiliation of body of which kneeling is a part and therefore in the action of participating and receiuing wee must kneele that it may appeare in the sight of God and his Angels and men that wee doe homage and
doe thus fall downe and kneele how much more must they cast downe themselues in all humility that abound in nothing but onely in wants and imperfections whose greatest perfection is Agnitio imperfectionis the acknowledgement of their imperfections and whose greatest glory is the ingenuous confession of their own vnworthinesse And surely Saint Iohn Apoc. 9.10.22.8 that wrote this Reuelation is twice reprooued by the Angel because he would haue giuen diuine worship to the Angel but the faul◠〈◊〉 in obiecto not in modo adorationis in the obiect of his adoration For hee would haue giuen that to the Angel which was peculiar only to God but it was not in the manner of his adoration he fell at his feete and worshipped him diuine worship must haue falling downe or prostration or kneeling but diuine worship may not bee giuen to any Angell or Saint or Sacred or consecrated Creature but only to God to whom onely it is due The sum therefore of this reason is short and punctuall The Church Triumphant worshipeth and feasteth at the Lambes Supper with prostration or kneeling Therefore the Church Militant that must learne of the Church Triumphant must worship with prostration or kneeling at the feast of the Supper of the Lambe For the earth must learne of heauen and he that refuseth such guides as the Saints in heauen in the worship of God it is to be feared that hee is turned ouer to worse Tutors on earth and vnlesse he repent and returne to the right way and follow their footsteps that are gone to heauen before him he will hardly attaine to the great City wherof they are admitted as Citizens and Saints And sure I am the very Habendum and Tenendum the hauing and holding the right and possession of our inheritance is as Christ said Vade fac similiter Luc. 10.37 goe and doe thou likewise They kneeled and prostrated themselues when they adored God and were admitted to the feast of the Lambe on earth they doe so as S. Iohn saith now in heauen and they that rest from all their labours rest not from this labour of Adoration and prostration and we must follow them in the way that we may be crowned with them at the end of the way in the Kingdome of glory I Come now to the reasons for sitting for the Authorities are for standing Now before I come to handle them in particular giue mee leaue to strike at the roote of them all in generall and that is in short Pride and Presumption You will maruell much that I should say the Foundation of all these Reasons is Presumption and Pride and I cannot but maruell at it my selfe but I must much more maruell at the Author of these Reasons that bearing the name of a Christian and perchance a Minister he should giue mee cause to say as I doe For I knowe no meane or medium in Theologicall contraries when wee come to the Lords Table either wee must be humble or else we must bee presumptuous and proud Luk. 11.23 Hee that is not with mee is against mee saith our Sauiour and hee that gathereth not with mee scattereth Either a good man or a bad man either faithfull or vnfaithfull either a good seruant or a bad seruant either borne of God and the childe of God or borne of the deuill and the childe of the deuill either wee doe righteousnesse or wee doe vnrighteousnesse either wee loue the Brethren or wee loue not the Brethren either a good tree and good fruit or a bad tree and bad fruit And although a good tree cannot but beare good fruit and a bad tree cannot but beare bad fruit yet Mala arbor fieri potest bona a bad tree may bee made a good tree and the change must be first in radice and then in fructu first in the Roote wee must be grafted into Christ and then it will follow in the fruite Yet in all these there is no meane there is none to be found but either he is good or bad so there is none that comes to the Lords Table but either hee is humble and comes in humilitie with the Publicane or else hee is presumptuous Luk. 18.10 and comes in pride with the Pharisee Now that I may not bee accused to mistake this Author I will relate his words Kneeling is not onely disagreeable with the ioyfull Pag. 85. carriage which in the iudgement of the said Fathers the solemnizing of the Lords day requireth throughout euery part of Diuine Seruice but also repugnant in particular to the person sustained by each Communicant and to the nature and intendment of the Lords Supper The Lords Supper being a Sacrament not of humbling our selues after the manner and guise of suppliants and penitentiaries but of spirituall feasting and reioycing on our parts not onely for the Lords Resurrestion and our owne in his person but for all other fauors and dignities purchased for vs by his death And Pag. 84. Kneeling which is a gesture of humiliation and of him that bewrayeth his sinnes and submissiuely sueth for the pardon of them is altogether unsutable and repugnant to reioycing and cheerefulnesse c. Good God Is there any action of a Christian that may be done without humilitie May man that is but dust and ashes present himselfe at any time in Gods sight without humilitie That is with Pride for these admit no meane either humble or proud May wee haue the affection of humilitie and not haue the gesture of humilitie Did not the Fathers that stood at their Prayers in honour of Christs Resurrection stand in all humilitie surely they stood in confidence of Gods grace and in hope of their owne Resurrection but they stood in al humilitie because they could not forget their owne frailtie confident in God but humble in themselues So the Fathers that layd downe the gesture of humilitie for a particular Reason did neuer lay downe the affection of humility because that is against all reason to cease to be humble when Christ said Discite ex me quia humilis Learne of me to be humble and meeke learne of mee not to create the world not to redeeme the world not to feed fiue thousand with fiue loaues nor to feed the whole world with a few seeds not to raise from the dead nor to keepe men that they die not by curing all diseases but learne of mee to be humble and meeke And may it suffice to be humble in confession of sinne and supplicating for pardon or will it suffice to be humble in asking petitions for supply of wants and not bee humble in giuing of thanks will it suffice to be humble in the Examination of our selues and preparing our selues before we come to the Lords Table and at the very comming receiuing to cease to be humble and take state vpon vs Did we by our humilitie attaine to bee in a measure fit and worthy for those great mysteries that so we may lay downe
the 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