to expresse outward reverence at all times when the same Name is mentioned but onely there Secondly I reply If we are not bound to performe the dutie of the Text but by direction and command from the Church By what authoritie shall the damned in hell doe it who must yet fulfill the Text as well as we there is no Church-government in hell or will they have them doe it by direction from the Canon into what unspeakeable snares doe these men run into by this opinion * Againe they make the Church a perpetuall Person and the dutie never to be ended by this their exposition For these two clauses of bowing the knee and confession with the tongue that Jesus Christ is the Lord are coupled together by a conjunction copulative as duties to be done together both must be done in the Name of Jesus Therefore as they understand at the Name Jesus and understanding bowing the knee plainly and properly they must of necessitie understand confession with the tongue that Jesus Christ is Lord plainly also and literally See then what worke they will make of it The Naming of Jesus will call for a bowing of the knee at the sound of it also at that time a vocall confession with the tongue that Jesus is the Lord In which confession Jesus being againe named will call for a new bowing confession and so it will come over and over againe never to be ended this snare they cannot possibly avoyd by their so expounding the Text SECTION XII VVHatsoever Exposition of a Text shall diminish weaken and Eclipse the Glory and Majesty of Christs Kingdome is false blasphemous and abominable But the aforesaid Exposition doth so I will prove that it doth in sundry respects First When we understand Name above every Name for the Power and Dominion of Christ over all creatures and things by this Exposition the high Dignitie of Christ specified in these words God highly exalted him is amplified and enlarged and thus it answers other Scriptures as Ephes. 1. 20 21. where in the twentie verse the high honour of Christ is set downe in these words He raised him from the dead and set him at his right hand in heavenly places which words answers to these words in Phil. 2. 9. God highly exalted him Then it follows vers. 21. Far above all principalities and powers and every name that is named which is a farther amplification of Christs Honour and fitly answers this phrase in Eph. 1. 21. God gave him a Name above every Name Againe This answers patly to Daniels advancement who was a type of Christ Dan. 2. 48. Where it is said that the King made Daniel a great Man and gave him great gifts which is as much as if he had said according to the words of Phil. 2. 9. He highly exalted him Then it follows that he made him Ruler over the whole Province of Babylon and chiefe of the Governours of all the wise men in Babylon which is an amplification of Daniels honour and it is as much as if it had been said he gave him a Name above all the Names of the wise men in Babylon On the other side By understanding Name above every Name for the title Jesus the honour of Christ is rather diminished for they give him in effect no Dominion and Power at all for his proper Name Iesus which others had as well as he doth not properly denote Power and Authoritie but his Power consists in his command and dominion over all as he is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19. 16. Secondly The Text according to the true meaning thereof makes Christ Lord of every creature from whose government and dominion none can be exempted The other Exposition robs Christ of the honour and dutie of the most of his creatures which cannot possibly performe their dutie to Christ as they understand it as I have proved so that it makes Christ Lord but of a few of the Creatures who is Lord of all Thirdly The Text truly understood gives to Christ the honour of every knee Christ will have all the abilities of every part and parcell of every creature to bow to him every knee of every faculty of the soule and part of the body must bow he will be honoured with all our strength Now whereas Christ will have all knees they give him onely by this exposition the knee of the body properly so called or a low curtesie and no more * Fourthly The Text in the true meaning thereof injoynes the bowing therein at all times and places every creature will they nill they are subject to Christ and we are bound to bow continually all our strength all our gifts and endowments all our naturall and spirituall abilities as faithfull servants to the will dominion and pleasure of Christ our highest Lord The other exposition tyes this dutie not to every place but to one place viz. The Temple and not at all times but onely one day in a weeke ordinarily The Lords day and not at all times in the said day but onely then when Iesus is named which amounts in all but to a few minutes in a weeke So that they will make Christ Lord but for a few minutes in one day of a weeke It is a poore honour that they will allow to Christ from this Text and indeed it is all that the most of them can afford him or are willing to give him allow him two or three curtefies once in a weeke and all their time else dishonour him by their scandalous lives Fifthly Whereas Christ is Lord and King especially of his Church which amongst men are onely his true and faithfull subjects for whose sake he will bring downe all adversary Power this their exposition robs Christ of his true Subjects and thrusteth upon him for the most part the members of Antichrist For the most famous Divines of all times and of all Churches are against the said exposition The best Churches and Christians because they understand Gods Word practise it not and who doe practise it as a dutie of the Text a few simply mislead onely excepted but a sort of ignorant superstitious lewd scandalous persons or meere men-pleasers and servers of the times which are enemies to Christ yet this opinion forceth these on Christ to be his true subjects and thrusteth going his owne people purchased with his blood and what an unspeakeable indignitie is this to Christ * Sixthly and lastly The opinion of these men deprives Christ of his honour and glory at the great day of Judgement For. 1. It puts no difference between his kingdome now begun and his kingdome made perfect for by their exposition of the Text they cannot avoyd it but that they must make the bowing at the Name Iesus to be the true bowing at the great day of Judgement as I shewed before And 2. What an abasement will this be of Christs honour at that great day For whereas he shall then appeare in
there is no reason for that opinion from this place but if there were a reason in this place it makes as much for bowing at other titles of Christ as Iesus yea rather at the name Christ which is onely named in the Text for the whole fulnesse of the Godhead dwels no more in Iesus than in Christ But they presse it farther thus Christ man brings us to the Father and we could never have conceived rightly of the Deitie but by the humanitie of Christ I answer Christ man onely did not bring us to the Father but Christ Mediator God and Man and though by Christ we are brought to the right conceiving and true knowledge of God it is sensles to inferre hence if the consequent were good that therefore we must bow solely at the Name Jesus except they can prove that Jesus brought us to the Father and not Christ Some say that Jesus signifieth Christs Person but Christ his Office therefore we must bow rather at the Name Jesus than Christ I answer I have proved already that Iesus signifies the Office of our Saviour as well as Christ though more summarily and I affirme againe that the Name Christ doth every where denote Christs Person as well as the Name Jesus and if this distinction abovesaid could be proved true that Iesus signifieth our Saviours Person Christ his Office yet it will be an ill Consequent to affirme if it were necessary to bow at Names that we should bow onely at that Name that signifieth Christ Person and not at that name that signifies his Office seeing by his Office he brings us to God and makes knowne unto us the Father Therefore this reason is without ground and without any light from Scripture The onely consequent that the Scripture gives signification of upon this ground is this Because Christ brings us to God and reveales to us the knowledge of the Father therefore we must pray to the Father in the Name of Christ but it doth not say that therefore we must bow at the Name Iesus and upon this their ground it may be as well inferred that we must pray to the Father by mentioning of the Name Iesus onely as bow to the Father at the mentioning of this Name onely CONCLUSION I will shut up all with this Argument drawn from the Premises EVery Exposition of a Text which doth advance the Glory of God and of Christ and doth cleere the Truth without any ambiguitie and absurditie is to be preferred before such an exposition which derogateth from the Glory of God and of Christ and produceth many ambiguities and dangerous absurdities But this exposition of Phil. 2. 9 10. To understand Name above every Name given to Christ of the Power Glory and Dominion of Christ above all creatures and things created Powers Dignities and Dominions Gods Name and Power onely excepted and to understand bowing of every knee in the Name of Jesus of the subjection of every creature thing dominion and power to the Glory Power and Dominion of the Lord Jesus advanceth the Glory of God and of Christ and cleeres the Truth without any ambiguitie and absurditie But on the other side To expound Name above every Name in the Text of the advancement of the Name or Title Jesus either absolutely or relatively above not onely all created Names but also above all Divine Names and Titles and secondly to understand bowing every knee of things in heaven things in earth and things under the earth in the Name of Jesus of bowing of expresse corporall knees when the Name Iesus is sounded out These expositions doe obscure the Text doe deface the Glory of God and of Christ and produce many dangerous consequences and absurdities Therefore the former interpretation of the said Text is to be preferred before the other yea is true when the other is false The dangerous Consequences which the second opinion doth produce are noted in the Premises to be these 1. In respect of the whole Trinitie 1. IT confoundeth the Persons of the Trinitie 2. It will make all Names and Titles of the Trinitie and Deitie as Lord God Christ Jehovah Father Holy Ghost to bow knees to the Name Jesus 2. In respect of God the Father 1. It makes him inferiour to his Sonne and to bow to his Son 2. It accuseth him of crueltie and injustice in appointing such a worship to most of his Creatures in whom he hath not created Power of performance 3. It maketh him to regard things of lesse importance and to neglect the weightier 3. In respect of God the Sonne 1. It attributes unto him a Name which they say is above every Name yet without power and authoritie making it onely the proper Name Jesus which others had as well as he 2. It overthroweth the dutie of the Text to Angels Devils and Reprobates or else it will make Christ a Saviour to them yea it will make Christ a Saviour to Hell sinne death and the Grave which must bow as well as other things as appeares by the Premises 3. It deprives Christ of the honour of the most of his creatures which cannot possibly performe the Text as they understand it so that it makes Christ Lord but of a few of the Creatures who is Lord of all 4. For those that can performe it it gives to Christ the honour onely of one part of the body when he will be honoured with the whole body and soule so that it makes him Lord but of the knee onely 5. It gives him this honour but one day in the weeke ordinarily and that but now and then in that day and but in one place ordinarily when he will be served at all times and places So that it makes Christ Lord but for the space of a few minutes in one day of the weeke and that but in one place 6. It depriveth Christ of his true Subjects and forceth upon him the members of Antichrist 7. It depriveth Christ of his honour and glory at the great day of Judgement and makes his Kingdome in the height of it to be extreamly ridiculous 8. It advanceth the Sonne above the Father 9. It giveth greater honour to the Sonne than to the Father and so maketh inequalitie between the Persons of the Trinitie 10. It attributeth our salvation either to the bare Name Jesus and so it is flat Idolatry or else it divideth Christ from himselfe making Jesus and Christ two Persons and from Jehovah making him not God or above God and so it is flat blasphemy 4. In respect of God the Holy Ghost 1. It makes him inferiour to the Second Person 2. It brings his worke into bondage at the will of man yea sometimes of vile men 5. Concerning the Church It gives her authoritie over Gods Word 6. Concerning our selves 1. It brings us into bondage by making us to performe Gods worship at every mans pleasure and so it enthralls Gods worship
knees when the most of them have no such knees to bow If it should be said that those Subjects of such a King cannot pay where it is not it is sufficient that they pay what they are able but let them that are able pay the whole summe I answer this had been reasonable if the Kings command had been so but how shall this excuse the King that against his knowledge shall command all his Subjects to pay alike as well those that are not able as those that are So to say in respect of this Bowing let those that have no knees pay what they can but let those that have knees pay knees It were faire indeed if God should leave it so at libertie But how can this at quit God of want of wisdome and justice if he should command all creatures and things to bow corporall knees when he knoweth that the most of his creatures and things have no such knees to bow Seeing then that bowing of the knee cannot be taken literally I understand it of subjection and so it is taken Gen. 27. 29. Thus Isaac blesseth Jacob Let people serve thee and Nations bow downe to thee that is let them be subject to thee So Pro. 14. 19. c So in common use of speech when one saith to another that he will make him bow he meaneth that he will make him yeeld The same subjection is signified Psal. 2. 12. by the word Kisse where Rulers and Judges are commanded to kisse Christ that is to yeeld their subjection to him If then the word Kisse in that place cannot be taken properly but figuratively why should it be thought unreasonable by any to have bowing the knee here to be understood figuratively Now that bowing here is meant of subjection many correspondent places doe evidently prove it as 1 Cor. 15. 27. Hâ—b. 2. 8. Ephes. 1. 22. testified by the most judicious Primitive Fathers that write upon the said Text as also by our most eminent moderne Divines as that worthy and famous Confessor of Christ Master William Prin largely evidenceth in his learned Appendix against bowing at the Name Jesus to which I referre thee By bowing every knee of things in Heaven things in Earth and things under the Earth is understood the subjection of all things and creatures with all and every one of their powers faculties vertues and abilities will they nill they to the dominion and government of Christ There is not the least abilitie in the nature of man saith Master Gurnay but must finde a knee to bow to Christ our least muscles and knuckles inclinations and dispositions The like may be said of every creature they must bow the strength they have in every part of them to the power and dominion of Christ And in this generall sense the knee of the body properly so called is not excluded but in a proper and literall sense it is not injoyned Secondly It is to be considered what is meant by the confession of every tongue By the confession of every tongue is not meant properly and literally the vocall confession of that member which we call the tongue because every Name under Christs Name which must bow the knee must also confesse with the tongue which for the most part want tongues as well as knees By the confession with the tongue that Jesus Christ is the Lord is meant the expression and yeelding forth of the severall parts functions gifts powers and abilities of every creature both rationall and irrationall to the glory and praise of Christ the highest Lord 1. That it is understood of all kinds of creatures it is evident from the forequoted place of Rev. 5. vers. 10. where the foure Beasts and the foure and twenty Elders by whom are understood rationall creatures as Angels and men are said to extoll and glorifie Christ And it follows verse 13. that John heard all the creatures in Heaven and Earth and under the Earth and in the Sea and all that are in them to say Praise glory and honour be to the Lambe c. which creatures there are all irrationall creatures which have no proper tongues to speake and yet are said to speak the praise of Christ Even as the Heavens and the Earth are said Psal. 19. 1 2 3. to speake in all languages the praise of God their Creatour So now they shall praise Christ the great Lord and Redeemer And secondly that every part and parcell of the creature shall praise the Lord it appeares from Psal. 103. 1 2 3. where the Prophet David calles upon his Soule and all that is within him that is all the vigours and powers that are in every part of him to praise the Lord As David in every part of him praised God and the Messiah to come so shall every part of every creature either willingly or unwillingly praise and extoll the great Name of the Lord Jesus being come and advanced and in this generall sense the proper tongue of man is not excluded And thus at the last day the Friends of Christ with their wills and his enemies against their wills shall call Christ Lord Mat. 7. 22. Mat. 25. 37. 44. SECTION IV. Wherein it is to be considered what is meant by this phrase In the Name of Jesus THe Bowers at the Name Jesus to make their opinion and practise good doe thus understand in the Name of Jesus to be at the mention of the Name Jesus But I inferre that this interpretation is sensles and absurd having for it no ground or warrant from Scripture For 1. as I said before this phrase Name of Jesus is never taken for the Name Jesus or for any other Titles of our Saviour 2. Therefore In the Name of Jesus can never be taken for at the mention of the Name Jesus anywhere 3. This phrase in the Name prefixed before any of the Titles of the Deitie as in the Name of Christ Lord God c. is never taken for at the Naming of any of these Names in any part of the Old and new Testament but if any shall fasten such a sense upon it anywhere it will marre and murder the sense as indeed it doth the sense of this Text by that exposition To instance but in two places amongst many Psal. 118. 10. All Nations compassed me about but in the Name of the Lord I will destroy them would not it be a wilde sense to say At the Naming of the Lord I will destroy them So Act. 9. 29. Saul spake boldly in the Name of the Lord Jesus were it not infinitely absurd to say that he spake boldly at the Naming of the Lord Jesus Thus ridiculous will the sense be made every where where this phrase is used according to this exposition try it who will This exposition which they make of the Text is one of the maine pillars of their cause which did they not make they should loose a maine and principall ground for this their opinion and practise and therefore this failing
ancient and moderne Confessed also by the Champions for bowing at the Name Jesus as * Bishop Andrewes and * Mr Page who in his Treatise of Justification of Bowing understands the Text of the generall subjection of all Creatures to Christ at the great day of Judgement and is forward to alledge many Authors for it as Theophilact Anselme Aquinas Illyricus Hunnius and Hyperius Salmeron Zanchius and Estius and tels us that he could cite twice as many more if he pleased The Major therefore is undeniable For the Minor I never read any yet in Print to affirme that we shall all bow at the Name Jesus at the day of Judgement Master Page indeed coasteth towards it but speaks not out plainly For thus he answereth the Argument taken from the day of Judgement * Though all shall be subject to Christ then yet shall not we be subject before we needs must and declare our subjection by our bowing at the Name of Jesus for subjection doth not exclude but include bowing It shall be true of all knees then but it must be verified of some knees now I agree with him in this that there is a present equitie of the Text I consent to Mr Calvin who saith that though the Kingdome of Christ be not prefect till the day of Judgement yet it is begun already and encreaseth daily * Christ hath now all things under his feete and all Creatures are at his Rule and becke and must and shall fulfill not their owne will but the will of Christ though they shall not be perfectly subdued till the last day But yet Master Pages inference is not to the purpose for to affirme that because we must be all subject to Christ at the day of Judgement therefore we must declare our subjection by bowing at the Name Jesus is all one as to affirme because servants must be subject to their Masters that they must shew their subjection by bowing at their Masters Name or because wives must be subject to their husbands therefore they must make a cursie at the Name of their Husbands But if Master Page will speake to the purpose he must say thus Because all creatures shall declare their subjection by bowing at the Name Jesus at the last day accordingly we must now witnes our subjection This inference is right if he can prove his ground but that lyes upon the proofe Of necessitie our present bowing must be according to the future the parts must be according to the whole the prefect bowing must regulate the imperfect therefore if bowing at the Name Jesus shall not be performed at that day it concernes none so to bow now Some to whom I have put this Argument and finding it too hot for them stand to it to affirme that bowing at the Name Jesus shall be fulfilled at the day of Judgement but they cannot prove it otherwise than by seeking shelter at this Text If any such assertion shall ever come in Print I am confident that every judicious Reader will smile at it if not grieve to see the wilfulnes of such men that rather than they will yeeld to the truth will justifie such dangerous Paradoxes I will therefore by Gods assistance encounter with it and I thinke I shall upon better reasons disprove it than they can ever prove it First There is no Scripture for it and it is in no wise to be imagined that so many cleere Scriptures speaking so fully and plainly of the Judgement-day and of the deportment of those that shall then appeare should say nothing of this ceremony of bowing at the name Jesus if it were then to be done Secondly To what end shall the Name Jesus be sounded out at that day that all shall bow at the sound of it When he shall then appeare in his most glorious Name of Power and Glory when he shall not come as a Jesus to the most that shall then bow but a Lord to all and so shall all call him Mat. 25. 37. 44. Thirdly It is absurd to imagine that the Holy Ghost would describe the perfection of Christs Kingdome onely by such a gesture as a childe can performe at the mention of his Father Fourthly Bishop Andrewes the late Father of the corporall bowing at the Name Jesus will confute it by a saying of his He is exalted to whose Person knees doe bow His Person is taken out of our sight all that we can doe will not reach to it but his Name he hath left behinde him to us that we may shew by our reverence and respect to it how much we esteeme him If then we must now bow to the Name because the Person of Christ is out of our sight then it followes that when Christ shall manifest his Person there will be no time or place for bowing at the Name But by the Bishops reason seeing he acknowledgeth the fulfilling of the Text at the day of Judgement it will follow that Christ shall send out his Name at that day to have it sounded out that all should bow at it and not come himselfe in Person or else if then he come in Person he must leave his Name behinde him and so the duty of the Text shall not be fulfilled Againe It is very absurd to affirme that our worship will reach to the Name but not to the Person of Christ for shall veneration and honour reach to a bare Name as it is sounded out by the breath of man who is lesse than nothing Isa. 40. 17. And can no worship reach to the Person who besides that he is in the glory of the Father in the heavens as man also is every where present by his infinite Deitie and especially present in and among his Saints by his Spirit Names be signes and a kinde of images of things or Persons represented by them An Idolater bowes to an image which he doth see because he deemes that it represents unto him the Person whom he adores which he cannot see whereas if the Person were present before him he would never bow to the Image The Name Jesus is as it were the signe or image of our Saviour it would be therefore worse than Idolatry it selfe to bow to Christs image efore his owne face If any shall yet inferre that though all other Scriptures say nothing for the bowing at the Name Jesus at the Judgement day yet it is enough that it be specified in one Text as viz. in this present Text of Phil. 2. 9 10. I answer It is utterly against reason to imagine that if bowing at the Name Jesus were to be done at the Judgement day that the Holy Ghost would omit to specifie it in so many cleere places treating of the Judgement day and would set it downe in an obscure Text that treats not plainly of the Judgement day but as it must be enlightned by other cleere Scriptures and that in such words and phrases that are different in sense to all those words and phrases
his great and glorious Name of Power and Glory accompanied with his Mightie Angels in flaming fire who shall then yeeld unto him their fullest service and subjection which is the bowing that they shall willingly performe unto him at that day To the end that he may make all his enemies to tremble that they shall licke the dust and become his foot-stoole give them a full and finall overthrow thrust them into the bottomles pit which is the bowing in the Text which they shall performe to Christ against their wills and that he may wholly free his Saints from the corruption of their natures and renue them perfectly according to his image and reward them with everlasting blisse and happines which is the bowing that they shall willingly yeeld unto him and that he may renue the creature which now groanes and travaileth in paine by reason of mans sin This their exposition makes it to be nothing else but a * Ceremony a corporall bowing at the title Jesus which will be a poore honour to Christ a poore affrightment to his enemies a poore advancement to his Friends It will make this glorious day of the Lord to have no glory in it yea it will make Christs kingdome in the height and perfection of it to be but a ridiculous mock-kingdome such a kingdome in effect as his enemies ascribed to him Mat. 27. 29. Who platted a crowne of thornes and put it on his head and bowed the knee before him and mocked him Yea these in some sort deale worse with him than they for they dealt thus with him in his extreame humiliation but these doe it in the greatest height and perfection of his Kingdome This opinion therefore darkneth diminisheth yea overthroweth the kingdome of Christ therefore it is a blasphemous opinion not to be endured SECTION XIII THe bowing at the Name Iesus is neither typified nor prophesied of in the old Testament therefore it is no way probable that it is a due honour to Christ in the new Testament The Consequent is proved by these places Act. 10. 43. Act. 3. 24. What is there any thing materiall concerning Christ but it was fore-shewed Yea the Law hath jots and Titles concerning Christ small matters of him were foretold as his flying into Egypt his bringing up at Nazareth his birth at the Towne of Bethlehem the Souldiers casting Lots for his Garments the not breaking of his bones But this honour in the Text is the honour of Christs kingdome which indeed is foretold according to the true meaning of the Text as Psal. 2. 8 9 10 11 12. Is 45. 23. But whereas all other honours concerning Christ both externall and internall are foretold corporall bowing at his Name is not foretold and seeing jots and titles concerning Christ are foreshewed and bowing at the Name Jesus if it were the Evangelicall honour of Christ not foretold it would lay an high imputation on the Majestie of God and impute that crime to Gods charge that our Saviour justly laid to the charge of the Pharisees Mat. 23. 23. Who tithed Mint and Cummin and neglected the weightier matters of the Law SECTION XIV THere is no example for bowing at the Name Iesus in the whole New Testament therefore it is not probable that it is a commanded dutie The consequent is plaine for what necessary dutie is there but there is sufficient light in Scripture that it was practised We reade of the often meeting of the Church together in the New Testament of their Prophesyings Prayers with the severall gestures of them but there is not the least intimation in the Scripture that ever bowing at the Name Jesus was practised As there must be offences for the hardening of the wicked so God will have Examples for the benefiting of his people and for the leaving the wicked without excuse The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 6. 2. That the Saints shall judge the world that is one way of their judging of them by their vertuous examples God was ever mindfull that there should be examples Iohn 13. 15. Phil. 2. 5. 1 Thes. 1. 7. 2 Thes. 3. 9. 1 Tim. 4. 12. The Apostle having spoken Heb. 11. of the faith of Gods Worthies and of the singular fruits thereof concludes Heb. 12. 1. Seeing there is such a cloud of witnesses let us run with patience the race that is set before us There are a cloud of witnesses for other duties not one witnes for this bowing What will God have us run in other duties and stand still in this it is impossible if it were of his appointment Seeing then there is neither example nor shew of example in the whole Booke of God for bowing at the Name Iesus it is a strong convincing Argument that it is none of Gods appointment SECTION XV THis opinion and practise was not knowne in the purest of ancient times yea it was not knowne within seven hundred yeares after Christ I might goe yet a great way further as some doe It is the usuall wont of these men to boast that generally all the Fathers are on their side whereby they deceive poore simple soules But they must not thinke to carry it away with big words of ostentation but they must prove what they say and not bring halting proofes but full to the purpose Generally saith Zanchy the Fathers doe understand the Name above every Name either of the Name of God or the Name of the onely begotten Sonne of God and some of Christs Glory how then could they expound the Text as these men do If three or foure Fathers may be brought to make the Name Iesus the Principall Name which are either not the most ancient or most orthodox they are nothing to the generall streame of the other more ancient or more orthodoxe that doe not make the Name Iesus the principall Name Yet these three or foure as Master Page confesseth doe not say that adoration must be done at the sound of the Name Jesus yea he affirmes that there is no full authoritie for bowing at the Name Iesus from the Fathers Some Divines doe conjecture that this custome was brought up first to testifie Christs divinitie against Arrius but they neither prove it neither can they and if it were so it overthrowes these mens grounding it upon the Text The best instance which these Bowers bring from the Fathers is that of S. Hierome whom yet they doe pittifully wrest This Father commenting on Isa. 45. 23. sheweth that this Text is now fulfilled in Christ For saith he Moris est Ecclesiastici Christo genu flectere It is an Ecclesiasticall custome to kneele or bow the knee to Christ But Hierome speakes of Christ not Jesus He doth not say that this kneeling or bowing should be done at the name Jesus It is also the manner of Christians to bow to God doe they therefore bow at the Name God And indeed what Hierome saith is now verified by every true Christian