per illam nam quia ex vnopane partipamus omnes vnum corpus Christi vnus sanguis inuicem membra efficimur concorporati Christo existentes Wee communicate with Christ by the Eucharist and participate his flesh and Deitie and because we communicate wee are vnited among our selues by it for because wee all participate of one bread wee are made one body of Christ and one blood and members one of an other being incorporated with Christ S. Conf. lib. 7. c. 10. Augustine sayd excellently well in the person of Christ Cibus sum grandium cresce manducabis me nec tu me in te mutabis sicut cibum carnis tuae sed tu mutaberis in me I am the meate of strong men growe and thou shalt eate mee neither shalt thou change mee into thee as thou doest the meate of thy flesh but thou shalt bee changed into mee De passione Domini Serm. 14. And S. Leo in like sort Non aliud agit participatio corporis sanguinis Christi quà m vt in id quod sumimus transeamus The participation of the body blood of Christ workes nothing else but this De Sacram. lib. c. 4. that we shall become that which wee receiue S. Ambrose saith Qui vulnus habet Idem Aug. de verbis Domini Serm. 28. medicinam requirit vulnus est quia sub peccato sumus medicina est coeleste venerabile Sacramentum Hee that hath a wound let him require physicke the wound is that we are vnder sinne and the medicine is the heauenly and venerable Sacrament But why doe I trouble my selfe with many authorities When as it is confessed by all that in this Sacrament wee receiue the Body and Blood of Christ Instit l. 4. ca. 17 as Caluin doth most fully proue and Beza in an Epistle to Caluin Epist 309. Ad secundum verò non ponimus inquam pro re significatâ in Sacramentis ipsum tantùm meritum passionis Christi sed ipsissimum corpus cruci affixum sanguinem ipsissimum in cruce effusum pro nobis In summâ Christus ipsemet verus Deus homo nobis significatur per illa signa vt attollamus corda nostra ad illum contemplandum spiritualitèr fide in coelis vbi nunc est atque ita communicamus cum omnibus ipsius bonis thesauris in vitam aâ—ernam idquetam verè tamque cervò quam verum ac certum est nos naturalitèr videre accipere edere bibere signa illa quae videntur à nobis sunt corporea To the second for the thing signified in the Sacraments I say We put not the merit of Christs passion onely but the same bodie that was nailed on the Crosse and the same blood that was shed on the Crosse for vs. In summe Christ himselfe true God and man is signified vnto vs by those signes that we may lift vp our hearts to contemplate him spiritually by faith in the heauens where now he is and so we communicate with all his goods and treasures vnto eternall life and that so truly and certainly as it is true and certaine that we naturally see and receiue and eate and drinke those signes which are seene of vs and are corporall And after Inter. Epist Caluius he addeth the words of the Queene to the Cardinal Audisne Domine Cardinalis non aliam esse Sacramentariorum opinionem quam eam ipsam quam nunc ipse approbasti Doe you heare Sir Cardinall that the opinion of the Sacramentaries is but the same which you haue approued Add to this that Christ neuer commeth alone but is euer attended with a traine of graces and as the Father sendeth the Sonne God of God and Light of light to redeeme vs so the Father and the Sonne send the holy Ghost to sanctifie vs. Rom. 8.32 If God hath giuen vs his Sonne how shall he not with him freely giue vs all things saith the Apostle And that this Sacrament is a Communion or participation of Christs Body and Blood it is apparant in the Apostle 1. Corinth 10. And whereas wee participate of Christs Body and Blood in the preaching of the word and in Baptisme yet this onely Sacrament is called Communio the communication of the Body Blood of Christ there must be some special reason of it namely a more liuely and neere coniunction of our selues to Christ that we should indeed be liuing members incorporated into his mysticall body that liue no longer by our owne spirit but by the Spirit of Christ who is the spirit of our spirit the soule of our soules and the very life of our liues He is the Sun from whose beames we receiue the light of grace the Fountaine from whom we as riuers receiue the water of life The Roote from whom wee as branches receiue the sap of increase and the Head from whom we as members receiue being and life By the force and effect of this Sacrament wee receiue power against sinne and Satan and abilitie to serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse and the neglect thereof giueth aduantage to our spirituall enemies whereby we are intangled in many temptations and fall into many sinnes S. Donatiuitate Christi Cyprian saith Sacramentorum communicatio per quam illius corporis sinceritati vnimur nos in tantum corroborat vt de mundo de Diabolo de nobis ipsis victoriâ potiamur Sacramentali gustu viuificis mysterijs inhaerentes vna caro vnus spiritus simus dicente Apostolo Qui adhaeret Domino vnus spiritus est The Communication of the Sacraments by which we are vnited to the sinceritie of his body doth so farre forth corroborate vs that we obtaine victory ouer the world the deuil and our selues And by this Sacramentall tast adhering to the life-giuing mysteries we are one flesh and one spirit as the Apostle saith He that adhaereth to God is one spirit with him Againe Panis hic azymus cibus verus sincerus per speciem De Caena Domini Sacramentum nos tactu sanctificat fide illuminat veritate Christo conformat sicut panis communis quem quotidie edimus vitaest corporis it a panis iste supersubstantialis vita est animae sanit as mentis This vnleauened bread the true and sincere meat by a shew or Sacrament sanctifieth by the touch illuminateth by faith and by trueth conformeth to Christ and as common bread which we eate daily is the life of the body so this supersubstantiall bread is the life of the soule and the health of the minde S. Ambrose saith Venias ad cibum Christi In Psal 118. Serm. 15. ad cibum corporis Dominici ad epulas Sacramenti ad illud poculum quo fidelium inebriantur affectus vt laetitiam induas de remissione peccati curas seculi huius metum mortis solicitudinesque deponas Come to the meat of Christ to the banquet of the Sacrament to that
euery one of vs say but this I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe I am not worthy to receiue thy bodie and blood in my mouth He speakes not plainly for kneeling but the opinion of the ancient is that this Centurion Prouolutus adpedes Domini fell down or kneeled at Christs feete and then hee meant this acknowledgement to bee with kneeling And sure I am this testimony confounds this man that denies any humilitie to bee vsed in receiuing the Eucharist for his confession of his vnworthinesse argues his humilitie and his humilitie is the first linke or moouer of kneeling so hee that requires inward humilitie of soule may well bee vnderstood of outward humiliation of bodie in the publike solemne and highest acte of Gods worship The 12. is Caesarius Arelatensis Homil. 12. Biblioth SS Pat. Tom. 2. p. 107. Ideò qui vult missas ad integrum cum lucro suae animae celebrare vsque quò or atio Dominica dicatur benedictio populo detur humiliato corpore compuncto corde se debet in Ecclesia continere He that will celebrate the whole Masse or Liturgie with the gaine of his owne soule ought to containe himselfe in the Church with an humbled body that 's kneeling and a contrite heart vntill the Lords prayer be said and the blessing bee giuen to the people And hee spends almost an whole Homilie the 34. of this title De genibus flectendis in oratione vel de verbis otiosis in which hee perswades that while they pray at the Altar or the Deacon calls on them to pray they should bend not onely their hearts but also their bodies faithfully and then hee makes an obseruation that when the Deacon calls flectamus genua let vs kneele hee marked most of the pleople erectos sicut columnas stare to stand vpright like pillars and therefore those words flectamus genua are very auncient since it is remembred by him as a thing receiued in vse not newly brought into the Church of which hee saith Obedientibus in remedium inobedientibus in testimonium it is a remedie to the obedient and a testimonie to the disobedient After he saith The Publicane by his humilitie obtained mercie of God that lifted not vp his eyes to heauen but hanging or inclining downe his head smote his breast Againe he doth not beleeue his sinne to be heauie who doth not prostrate and kneeling seeke the cure of his soule Againe hee saith I would know of them that will not kneele nor incline their heads if they should sue for any needful thing of the Iudge or any potent person whether they would supplicate stantes standing and holding their hands vpright Wee aske temporall things of earthly men and wee incline and bow our selues humbly euen almost to the earth and wee aske remission of sinnes and eternall rest of God and vouchsafe not to bow and incline our heads Againe did our Sauiour want nothing for which he should supplicate in this sort he wanted nothing but he prepared for vs by his example the remedies of prayer Orat misericordia non orat miseria orat charitas non humiliatur iniquitas orat prostratus in terra medicus non inclinatur aegrotus orat innocentia non orat nequitia Mercie prayed kneeling and shal not miserie charity praieth and is not iniquity humbled the Physitian lay prostrate vpon the earth and doth not the sicke man bow Innocencie prayeth and doth not guiltines pray He that sinned not neither was there guile found in his mouth prayeth and doth not he cast himselfe on the earth that is obnoxious to many sins the Iudge prayeth and desires to spare and doth not the guilty person pray that he may obtaine pardon Orat qui Iudicaturus et orare dissimulat iudicandus hee that is to giue iudgement prayeth doth he that is to be iudged dissemble to pray And after he compareth the Church to a liuing spiritual fountaine of liuing water and no man can drinke of an earthly spring vnlesse he stoope or bow downe and no man can drinke of Christ the liuing fountaine and the Riuer of the holy Ghost vnlesse hee will incline in all humilitie I omit many other things which the Reader shall there finde and the Homilie is worth the reading The 13. is Eligius Nouiomensis Homil. 15. Quocirca cum timore compunctione mentis omnique reuerentia debemus accedere ad altare ad mensam corporis sanguinis Christi dicere humilitèr cum Centurione Domine non sum dignus vt intres sub tectum meum Wherefore wee ought to come to the Altar and Table of the Body and Blood of Christ with feare and compunction of heart and all reuerence then of body and soule and say humbly with the Centurion Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe The 14. is venerable Beda in 1. Ioan. 1. vpon those words And the Blood of Christ purgeth vs from all sinne Humiliter quotidie nostros confitemur errores cumsanguinis illius Sacrament a percipimus Wee doe humbly confesse our errors to him dayly when wee receiue the Sacrament of his Blood and Confession as Tertullian saith is the discipline of kneeling The 15. is Damascen de Orthodox fid li. 4. c. 14. Proinde omni cum timore conscientia pura indubitabili fide accedamus et omnino fiet nobis quod credimus non dubitantes et veneremur ipsum omni puritate animi et corporis Therefore let vs come with all feare and a pure conscience and faith without doubting and altogether it shal be done to vs as wee beleeue not doubting and let vs worship him with all purenesse of minde and body Here is expresse veneration and worshipping in the receiuing of the Sacrament and worship of body as well as soule and therefore Kneeling The 16. is Albinius Flaccus Alcuinus de diuinis officijs He first sheweth that it was receiued in the Leiturgie or the Masse that the Priest saith Oremus Let vs pray and the Deacon calleth Flectamus genua Let vs kneele And a little before he saith Pro periculis huius vitae pro haereticis per omnes alias orationes genua flectimus vt per hunc habitum corporis mentis humilitatem attendamus excepto quando pro perfidis Iudaeis oramus for the perils of this life and for Heretickes and Pagans and in all other our Prayers we kneele and this was on Easter day that by this habite of the body we may attend the humilitie of the mind except it be when we pray for the perfidious Iewes And he giueth his reason For they bowed their knee to our Sauiour doing a good worke ill because they did it mocking him wee to demonstrate that we ought to auoyd those workes that are done in dissimulation auoyd kneeling for the Iewes And after Licèt omni tempore peccatores nos esse ex corde cognoscere debeamus tunc quà m
Luk. 22.41 did not kneele at his prayers on the Crosse because hee could not kneele And I conceiue I haue good reason for it For first it was vsed by Abraham and the Wise men Gen. 17.3 17. Matt. 2.11 who onely knew the Law of Nature Secondly it is commanded in the Morall Law to be giuen to God and forbidden to be giuen to an Idoll Exod. 20.5 In the negatiue Thou shalt not bow downe to them there is the outward seruice nor worship them there is inward adoration both forbidden to be bestowed on any false god In the affirmatiue Deut. 6.13 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God there is the inward adoration of the heart by deuotion and him onely shalt thou serue and the body onely can serue the soule is free there is the outward bowing and kneeling And the Law of Nature and the Moral Law touch not Ceremonies so Prostration or kneeling is a duetie 3. August retract lib. 2. cap. 37. Ceremonie is named à Carendo of Want because the soule that wants other meanes to expresse it selfe doth it by signes and gestures And in heauen where grace and glory are receiued immediatly without any Sacrament or Ceremonie at all there can bee no Ceremonie and yet the Elders in Heauen cast downe their Crownes and fall downe Apoc. 4.10 and worship him who sitteth on the Throne and therefore kneeling or bowing is a duetie which may not be omitted as an indifferent thing in the solemne worship of God SO then in this seruice soule and bodie must ioyne together for many reasons The first is Naturae totius debitum the debt or duety of the whole man for God created soule and bodie by his diuine power and Christ redeemed our soules by the agony of his soule and our bodies by the death of his bodie and the holy Ghost sanctifieth our soules and bodies in such sort that our bodies are members of Christ body and our soules and bodies are Temples of the holy Ghost 1. Cor. 3.16 6.15 19. and therefore soule and body must ioyne in Adoration of him that made vs and restoreth vs and sanctifieth vs for himselfe The second is Excitatio mutua mutuall excitation for the soule doeth alwayes excite the body as the Musician strikes the instrument and the body doeth sometimes call home and awaken the soule that wandreth and is heauy in the seruice of God and as an instrument with a sweet melody doeth quicken the soule in this harmony of Gods Religion The third is offensio mutua both soule and body are sharers in the offence to God by sinne and therefore both soule and body must concurre in the pacification of God our hearts must be broken and contrite by inward sorrow and our bodies and knees bowed to testifie that we are broken poore and impotent because wee come before that Physician who cureth none but them that confesse their owne sicknesse and seeke his helpe So then since wee come to Gods house to pacifie him let our cariage be such that we stirre him not to more anger and let vs euer hold this rule Ingressus cum reuerentia progressus cum adoratione Let our entry try be with reuerence and our progresse with Adoring and then Egressus cum benedictione our departure shal be with a blessing Now Ploremus where the Hebrew reades Genu flectactamus let vs kneele the Septuagint the Vulgar and most of the ancient haue Ploremus let vs weepe In which difference I resolue nothing I onely relate that which the Learned in those tongues obserue which is that the little deflection of Niucha which is Genu flectamus let vs kneele from Niurecha Ploremus let vs weepe may bee the occasion that the Hebrew and the Septuagint doe differ and likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let vs kneele and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let vs weepe may bee the cause of this varietie And the coniecture is not improbable for Dauid first saying Procidamus let vs fall downe which implies the prostration of the whole body it is not likely that in the next words he would adde Genu flectamus let vs kneele which is but a part and included in falling downe Howsoeuer since Christ and the Apostles so often follow the Septuagint in some Textes that differ from the originall I hope I may passe without blame who make vse of both And surely Verse 1. in this Psalme as Exultemus and Adoremus are well ioyned let vs reioyce and let vs adore sing for our deliuerance and adore our Deliuerer for praise without adoration is to giue God our tongues but not our seruice and obedience and adoration without exulting is to doe God seruice and not to giue him thankes for his benefits Verse 6. So Adoremus and Ploremus are as well ioyned let vs adore him for his dominion or Lordship and let vs weepe before him to intreate pardon for our transgressions For adoration without teares is to looke with the Pharisee so much on Gods graces and our owne vertues that wee forget our owne sinnes Luk. 18.11 And teares without inuocation is so much to looke on our owne sinnes that we forget the mercies of God that forgiueth sinne and so are swallowed vp in despaire So that as we must praise God for his goodnesse and adore him for his greatnesse so we must weepe before him to wash away our sinnes and deplore and preuent our present and future miseries And surely if wee plucke away the vaile of fig-leaues that couereth our shame rather then cureth our wounds wee shall discerne that all our state and being is a lamentable and miserable being For the naturall man Plorandus quia non plorat is most to be pitied because he laments not his sinne and miserie because he seeth it not as the sicke man is most desperate whose woundes are past cure because they are past sense and the spirituall man Non plorandus quia plorat is therefore not so much to bee lamented and pitied because hee doth in such sort lament and deplore his owne sinnes and miseries that his whole life is nothing else but a continuall repentance and contrition for his sinnes alwayes sorrowing for his sinne and ioying in nothing but onely in this that he is truely contrite for his sinne For why The spirituall Pharaoh Satan with all his armie will neuer be drowned but in the red Sea of teares which may well bee called red for they are Sanguis animae the blood of the soule The fire of concupiscence will neuer be quenched but in this water of teares and the spots and deformities of the soule will neuer be washed away but in the Sope or Lye of teares and compunction Wilt thou then O wretched man know the weight and greatnesse of sinne Looke vpon the Crosse of Christ which this * Passion Sunday day represents vnto thee and there thou shalt learne that none could beare it but the Sonne of God
of our Natiuitie are layd downe by the Sacrament of Baptisme Caro abluitur vt anima emaculetur Tertul. de Baptismo Caro corpore Christi sanguine vescitur vt anima de Deo saginetur The flesh is washed or Baptized that the soule may bee made cleane or without spot the flesh is fedd with the body and blood of Christ that the soule may be fed and fatted with God Optatus saith Lib. 5. contra Parmentum Baptisma Christianorum Trinitate confectum gratiam confert si repetatur facit vitae iacturam The Baptisme of Christians giuen in the Name of the Trinity conferreth grace marke that word and if it bee iterated it effects losse of life It was S. Tract 80. In Ioan. Augustines question Vnde tanta virtus aquae vt corpus tangat cor abluat Whence commeth this force to the water that it should touch the body and cleanse the soule And surely if this Sacrament consist of two things the signe and the thing signified it must necessarily follow that grace which is the thing signified must bee exhibited in with or by the signe or else it will cease to be a Sacrament for it shall haue but one part And therefore Caluin out of S. Lib. 4. Instit C. 17. Sect. 35. Augustine maketh this collection where he sayth Sacramenta in solis electis efficere quod figurant that The Sacraments doe effect that which they figure onely in the elect Ib. §. 10. And his iudgement is cleare in the point Fateor sane fractionem panis symbolum esse non rem ipsam verùm hoc posito à symbolitamen exhibitione rem ipsam exhiberi ritè colligemus Nisi enim quis fallacem vocare Deum volet inane ab ipso symbolum proponi nunquam dicere audeat I truely confesse that the breaking of the bread is the symbole and not the thing it selfe but this being granted wee rightly gather from the exhibiting of the symbole that the thing it selfe is exhibited For vnlesse a man will call God false or fallacious he will neuer dare to say that God proposeth vnto vs an empty signe or symbole And thereupon hee proposeth a rule to bee held by all godly men that so often as they see the signes or symboles instituted of God Illic rei signatae veritatem adesse certò cogitent ac sibipersuadeant They should certainely thinke and perswade themselues that the trueth of the thing signified is there present And againe Dico igitur in coenae mysterio per symbola panis vini Christum verè nobis exhiberi adeoque corpus sanguinem eius I say then that in the mystery of the Supper by the signes and symboles of bread and wine Christ is truely exhibited vnto vs his body and his blood §. 5. And againe a little before Vbi idipsum intùs complet quod exteriùs designat Where that is in the Sacrament hee doth inwardly fulfill that which he doth outwardly designe Now the spring is on high Grace is desursum Iacob 1.17 from aboue from the Father of lights the channels or conduits are deorsum from below and run in the vallies of humilitie that is in humble soules and humbled bodies so that the Sacrament must bee receiued with reuerence adoration and kneeling Againe the Sacraments are vasa consecrationis or dedicationis the vessels or instruments of our consecration in which we are offered vp and dedicated to God and his seruice In Baptisme we are offered vp and dedicated to bee Christians and members of Christ In the Lords Supper we are offered vp and dedicated as liuing and holy Sacrifices to God And things consecrated dedicated and sacrificed must bee offered vp with all humilitie of soule and body because in them both our soules and bodies are offred vp to God Now before I come to the reasons themselues it shall bee needfull to cleare one point that much troubleth many weake consciences who out of an affected tendernesse refuse to kneele in the worship of Christ for feare they should commit Idolatry with the sanctified creatures But we are so farre from worshipping or adoring the bread and wine after consecration as the Church of Rome doth that wee hold it to bee no better then Artolatry and Idolatry It is true the hypostaticall vnion of the deitie and humanitie in the person of Christ is such that diuine worship is due and was euer tendered to the humanitie of Christ Lignum nudum non est tactui inaccessibile atqui igni coniunctum carbo factum non propter seipsum sed propter coniunctum ignem inaccessibile fit caro secundum sui naturam non est adorabilis adoratur autem in incarnato Deo Verbo non propter seipsam sed propter coniunctum ipsi secundum hypostasin Deum Verbum The wood saith Damascen may be touched of it selfe but being set on fire it cannot be touched and the flesh is not to bee adored for it selfe but being the flesh of Christ and ioyned in hypostaticall vnion with the deitie in one person wee adore not bare flesh vt creatura est as it is a creature Damas lib. 4. Fidei ortho c. 3. but carnem Dei Deum incarnatum the flesh of God and God incarnate Yea we dare not but adore Christs manhood because it is inseparably assumed by his Deitie into the vnitie of his person But in the Sacrament there is no impanation nor incorporation of his deitie with the bread and wine as the Godhead dwelleth bodily with the manhood in his incarnation and therefore it is most easie to make a manifest separation between the adoration of Christs humanitie as he is God and man which is to bee done euery where and the adoration of the Sacrament where Christs flesh and blood is exhibited and receiued by vs which may neuer bee done to the Elements though it must alwayes be giuen to Christ himselfe because there can bee no such vnion of the Godhead with the Elements that they should make one person that is God blessed for euer Adoramus Deum in mysterijs non mysteria in Sacramentis non Sacramenta P. Mornay de Miss l. 4. c. 7. So then though we doe adore Christ when wee receiue the Sacrament as antiquitie did yet wee doe not adore the species or Elements as our superstitious aduersaries doe because there is no colour of proofe that euer the ancient Fathers of the Primitiue and purest Church Vide Beza inter Epist Caluini Epist 309. did giue any such adoration to the Sacraments or externall signes The questions of curiositie de modo of the maner of Christs presence of Con and trans and sub and cum or in and the like which now vexe all Christendome were not then hatched and simple faith then beleeued that God performed his word without doubting or disputing whereas now Magnae scientiae est esse Christianum It is a matter of great knowledge to attaine to
offereth his mysticall body that is her selfe by Christ her high Priest and head vnto God as S. Peter sayeth 1. Pet. 2.5 of which I shall speake more in the next reason To this I adde the confession of the Aduersaries of kneeling at the Lords Table which call it a will worship and addition to the worship of God I omit all others and instance in one onely that would seeme to haue collected the force of all his fellowes one that wrote an answere to D. Sparke D. Couell M. Hutton M. Rogers whose arguments you shall finde confuted in the end of this discourse his fift argument is this pag. 38. To performe priuate worship during the time and act of the publicke is the doing of that which is vnlawfull Hee that kneeleth at the instant of receiuing the Sacrament performeth priuate worship during the time and acte of the publicke Therefore he that kneeleth at the instant of the receiuing the Sacrament doeth that which is vnlawfull Here it is assumed and confessed that the receiuing of the Sacrament is an acte of publike worship and kneeling is a priuate worship in a publike So this first Proposition is cleare and manifest that this Sacrament is a principall part of Gods worship wherein wee our selues and not others for vs with a full and free consent of vnderstanding and will doe offer our greatest offering to God that is our whole selues and Qui scipsum dedit nihil sibi reliquit The second Proposition is In publike and solemne Adoration the deuotion of the soule and the worship bowing and kneeling of the body the bending of the knees of the soule and the bending the knees of the body humilitie of the soule and humiliation of the body are required And this is prooued out of the words of the Psalme where Dauid calleth to Adoration Psal 95.6 and Prostration and kneeling and by many examples of Scripture and reason that both soule and body must concurre in the pacifying of God as soule and body concurred in the offence of God that soule and body must pay this rent and tribute to their Maker especially in the Sacrament where they receiue their Maker and the soule must informe and animate the body in grace as wel as in nature and the body must mutually excite the soule in the actions of pietie as well as of ciuilitie and to kneele to God with the body and not to kneele and bee humble in soule is to play the hypocrite and to dissemble with God and to bow the knees of the soule in humilitie and not to bow the knees of the body in publike like and solemne Adoration is to be ashamed of God and to deny to professe him before men The conclusion is necessary out of these premisses therefore in the acte and instant of receiuing the Sacrament in which wee offer vp our selues to God we must kneele in all humiliation It is true that in our Liturgies wee stand vp at the saying of the Creed and reading of the Gospel and we sit at the reading of the Psalmes and Chapters For besides that there must be some varietie in so long an action for the ease of men who would sometimes sit and sometimes stand and also an vniformitie must be obserued in that varietie the very gestures fit and may seeme to proceed Ex natura rei out of the nature of the thing it selfe For hearers do sit as the Preachers haue Cathedras Chaires so the hearers haue Subsellia Pewes or seats And we stand at the Creed for it is gestus Confessorum the gesture of Confessors and souldiors that fight the good fight of faith in token that in the strength of this faith onely we shall stand in the presence of God and tread all our spirituall enemies vnder our feete State in fide 1. Cor. 16.13 We stand at the reading of the Gospel it is Gestus expectantium the gesture of those that expect the glad tidings of the Gospel of peace as if we did with all cheerefulnesse lift vp the eares of our bodies as well as our soules at the happy newes of our saluation Ephes 6.14 State succincti lumbos But when we pray and offer vp spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ then we kneele for it is Gestus petentium offerentium the gesture of suters and petitioners that desire to receiue and of those that offer and desire to bee receiued and accepted at Gods hand And if in the receiuing of this Sacrament wee be petitioners for the greatest graces and offerers of that Sacrifice that God will onely accept that is Nos 2. Cor. 12.14 not Nostra nothing of ours but our selues and God will not accept any thing of ours vnlesse he first accept our selues though it might bee tollerable in some part of our prayers and Petitions not to kneele yet in this great and most waightie part of our deuotion and pietie it is a matter of great waight and moment to kneele most deuoutly and piously before the Table of our most bountifull and gracious Father who in Iustice doeth resist the proud with all seueritie Ratio secunda Sacrificium est THe second Reason it is Sacrificium or Congeries Sacrificiorum a sacrifice or rather a collection and gathering together a summe or Epitome of all the sacrifices of Christianitie And sacrifice was euer to be offered with all humilitie of soule and body and therefore with kneeling the true gesture and representation of humilitie I would not be mistaken as if I spake in fauour of any externall dayly sacrifice of the Church such as the Iewes had in time of the Law for the one Sacrifice of Christ once offered vpon the Crosse hath made a full and perfect redemption and needs no new Sacrifice nor reiteration of the old to perfect it Hebr. 9.12 By his owne blood hee entered in once into the holy place hauing obteined eternall redemption for vs. Hee must not offer himselfe often saith S. Paul Heb. 9.25 For then hee must haue often suffered If Christ be often offered he must often suffer that is the Apostles rule vers 26. so no suffering and therefore no offering Once in the end of the world hath hee appeared to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe And againe v. 28. Christ was once offered to beare the sinnes of many Againe Hebr. 10.10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offring of the body of Iesus Christ once for all And vers 14. By one offering hee hath perfected for euer them that are sanctified The Church according to Christs commandement keepes the memorie of this offering in this Sacrament Doe this in remembrance of mee but shee doth not reiterate the action or take vpon her to offer the body of Christ for though it be De meo flesh of our flesh and Meum ours giuen for vs on the Crosse and to vs in the Sacrament yet it is not giuen to vs ad sacrificandum but
there is made a commemoration of that one onely sacrifice which was made for vs vpon the Crosse and this commemoration hath thankesgiuing ioyned with it that it may bee an Eucharisticall sacrifice of thankesgiuing and therefore it is to be reckoned among the spiritual sacrifices of Christians Againe because in the sacred mysterie if it be celebrated by vs with true faith and sincere minds we do consecrate our whole selues to God which is the spiritual sacrifice chiefly cōmended to vs by the Apostle Rom. 12. And to conclude because it was the ancient custom that when the sacred Supper was celebrated then the faithfull did offer Almes which is a kinde of spirituall sacrifice Heb. 13. It is sufficiently manifest by the name of Eucharist which signifieth thankesgiuing that the Fathers had a respect to this Sadeel in Resp ad fid profes a Burdegalen Act. 14. P. 140 when they called the Eucharist a Sacrament And againe Propterea veteres Patres Coenam Domini vocarunt Sacrificium quod in ea fit commemoratio sacrificij Iesu Christi ac proinde est Sacrificium laudis Adde quod ibidem nos offerimus Deo vt ei consecremur quost est rationalis noster eultus Denique propterea quod antiquitùs in celebratione Coenae Domini Eleemosynae in pauperes conferebantur quae omnia dicuntur Sacrificia in sacris Literic The ancient Fathers therefore called the Supper of the Lord a Sacrifice because in it there is a commemoration of the sacrifice of Iesus Christ and therefore it is a sacrifice of prayse Adde to this that there wee offer our selues to God that we may be consecrated to him which is our reasonable worship of him And to conclude therefore also it is called a sacrifice because anciently in the celebration of the Lords Supper almes was bestowed on the poore all which are called Sacrifices in holy writ Calu. l. 4. c. 17. S. 43. Caluin mentioneth publike prayers and a Sermon and then a Prayer againe afterward the Elements were set forth vpon the Table that God who had giuen vs his aliment would make vs fit and worthy to receiue it then there should bee Psalmes sung or somewhat read and so the people should communicate decently After the Supper ended there should be an exhortation to the sincerity of faith and charitie and good life beseeming Christians And lastly there should be thankesgiuing and praise sung to God This is then plaine that in the ministration and receiuing of the Sacrament there are these fiue kindes of sacrifices 1. The Sacrifice commemoratiue to Godward and communicatiue to vs. 2. The Sacrifice of our selues our soules and bodies in which the Church offers the mysticall body of Christ that is it selfe the Church to God by her High Priest Christ 3. The sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart 4. The Sacrifice of Prayer and Praise and 5. The sacrifice of Almes And in the offering of all these solemne Sacrifices humility both of soule and body is necessarily required and therefore this Sacrament ought to be receiued with kneeling And this will appeare the more plainely if we consider the meditation and behauiour of sacrificers And that will be the more manifest if we doe but remember that which all ancient Liturgies haue and wee retaine Leuate corda ad Dominum Lift vp your hearts saith the Priest the people answere Wee lift them vp vnto the Lord. Videte quid ad quem so S. Augustine obserueth Consider what you lift vp your hearts and to whom you lift them vp vnto God and as God is pure so be sure to lift vp pure hearts to him that is the God of all puritie And it may passe as probable that the bodily gesture of those that come to the Lords Table was very humble in those times because they called on them Leuate corda lift vp your hearts though your bodies be humbled and cast downe and let not your soules be fixed on these sacred Elements here belowe but lifted vp to heauen And surely if we remember 1. the greatnesse of God before whom we stand and 2 the greatnesse of the sinne which stands out against vs which wee there confesse and 3. the vilenesse and basenesse of vs poore silly creatures dust and ashes that there present our selues and stand out before him Tantus tantillos tantum so great a God and Creator as the Lord is to whom none can be comparable because he is singular aboue all and so vnworthy and contemptible creatures wormes and no men nay worse then wormes for the poorest worme neuer sinned against God and wee neuer did any thing but sinne in his sight and yet that so great a God should so infinitely loue vs vile creatures and foule polluted sinners that hee should giue the Sonne of his Substance for vs the rebellious workemanship of his owne hands whom hee loued so dearely that hee spared not his onely and dearely beloued Sonne that he might spare vs most disobedient and wicked seruants that is loue aboue all loues and measure without all measure To which when wee reckon that wee are no way able to make any recompense or satisfaction as hauing nothing to pay for Plùs diligit priùs he loueth vs first and he loueth vs most how can it be but wee which are the worst of all Gods creatures for no creature below man is a sinner but man when we presume to sacrifice and offer vp our selues most vnworthy and vnfit for so great grace to that God who is holinesse it selfe and cannot endure nor admit any vncleannesse when wee aduenture to presse into his presence and not onely approach to his Table as Communicants but also exhibit our selues as Sacrifices on his Altar but wee should then I say tender our selues with all humilitie of soule and humiliation of body since both soule and body are there offered vnto him in mentall and corporall adoration and prayer and praise and almes and the like in which the worke of the hand and the tongue is but an idle sound without the word of the heart and the soule and the word of the heart is but empty and barren without the obedience of the hand So the person to whom we Sacrifice and the person that offereth himselfe a Sacrifice require our humilitie of soule and humiliation of body this is the Sacrificers meditation and other it ought not to bee for finiti ad infinitum nulla est comparatio there is no comparison betweene God that is infinite and man that is finite because they differ Plusquam genere more then in kinde And therefore dust and ashes that appeareth before his Creator must appeare in his owne kind as dust and ashes neerest to the earth since sinne hath placed man in this Earth in the vale of miserie Now what is the behauiour of Sacrifices Gene. 22.9 Isaak was a liuing and reasonable Sacrifice and no doubt holy therfore acceptable to God in Christ as much as the state
but man and if hee depart from God God looseth not by it but man it behoueth vs in all Gods worship so to carrie our selues that our sacrifice and our selues and our worship may be accepted of God And nothing is more offensiue to God then pride and presumptuous carriage and nothing more pleasing then our humility and the plea of our vnworthinesse For as Kemnicius saith In Examin Concil Triden part 2. de venâ—rat Sacram. Externa irreuerentia signum est prophanae mentis sicut Paulus dicit Corinthios non dijudicare Corpus Domini quia illud in Coena Dominica non maiori reuerentia tractabant quam vulgares concoenationes Externall irreuerence is a signe of a prophane minde as S. Paul said that the Corinthians did not discerne the Lords body because in the Lords Supper they handled it with no more reuereÌ„ce then they did their ordinary suppers And at the common suppers they did sit and therefore some other gesture doth befit that high Feast And Bishop Iewell said well It is without doubt our dutie to adore the body of Christ in the word of God in the Sacrament of Baptisme in the mysteries of the body and blood of Christ and to conclude wheresoeuer any footstep or signe of it appeareth but chiefly in the holy mysteries in which we haue a liuing expresse image of all Christs peregrination in the flesh And I assure my selfe this Reuerend Bishop and dâ—fender of the Church and Liturgie of England was no enemie of kneeling at the Sacrament though he most stoutly denied all adoration to the Elements or Species themselues as we all doe In the worship of God non sum dignus is the best argument and surely there is no argument more forcible or more worthy in Gods sight then the acknowledgement of our owne vnworthinesse nor no fitter gesture to expresse this acknowledgement Hom. 8. in Coena Dom. ad poenit then this kneeling or casting our selues downe to the earth S. Eligius Episcopus Nouiomensis saith Let this sentence be pronounced by the soule that a man iudge himselfe vnworthy of the participation of the body and blood of Christ. And againe Biblioth S S. Pat. Tom. 2. p. 1506. Lactuca quoque agrestis valde amara est in viris luxuriam reprimit significat autem hoc vt quando ad Corpus Christi qui verus agnus est sumendum accedimus quamuis de Redemptione laetemur amaritudinem tamen ex recordatione peccatorum habeamus The wild Lettuce is very bitter and doth represse lust in men and it signifies this that when we come to receiue the body of Christ who is the true Lambe although wee reioyce of our redemption yet wee should haue bitternesse in the remembrance of our sinne Idem hom 14. de esu vtriusque agni paschalus And againe Certè Redemptor noster consulens nostrae fragilitati tradidit nobis hoc Sacramentum vt quia ipse iam non potest mori nos quotidie peccamus habeamus verum Sacrificium quo possimus expiari à peccatis nostris Quocircà cum timore compunctione mentis omnique reuerentiâ debemus accedere ad altare ad mensam corporis sanguinis Domini dicere humiliter cum Centurione Domine non sum dignus vt intres sub tectum meum Our Redeemer deliuered to vs this Sacrament prouiding for our frailtie that since hee can die no more and wee sinne daily wee might haue a true Sacrifice by which wee might be expiated from our sinnes Therefore we must come with all feare and compunction of heart and all reuerence I hope this is reuerence of body as well as of soule to the Altar and Table of the Body and Blood of our Lord and say humbly with the Centurion Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter vnder the roofe of my house And S. Basil of Seleucia saith Orat. 19. Vidi Centurionem prouolutum ad vestigia Domini Eusebius Emissenu Hom in Dom. 2. in Epipha I saw the Centurion falling downe or kneeling at our Lords feet Eusebius saith Quando verò ad Christi Sacramentum accedimus fragilitatem nostram consideramus quid aliud dicat vnusquisque nostrum nisi non sum dignus vt intres sub tectum meum non sum dignus vt corpus sanguinem suscipiam in ore meo When we come to the Sacrament of Christ and consider our owne frailtie what should euery one of vs say but this I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe I am not worthy to receiue thy Body and Blood into my mouth For why Matth. 8.8 Luke 7.6 this Centurion that thought not himself worthy vnder whose roofe Christ should enter receiued a high fauour for his lowly thought that Christ though hee entred not vnder the roofe of his house yet entred vnder the roofe of his heart Matth. 3.11 And Iohn Baptist that professed himselfe vnworthy to vnty the latchet of Christes shooe was admitted to that high fauour to baptize Christs head Luke 7.38 And the woman that in the sense of her owne vnworthines began at Christs feete with her teares Marke 14.3 proceeded to the anoynting of his head with precious oyle Iohn 20.16 and was the first that saw him after his Resurrection This is indeed the great Fisher S. Peters art Hee put Christ away from him with this word Luke 5.8 Depart from me for I am a sinnefull man that so he might draw neerer to him and become a chiefe Fisher of men and the first among the Apostles After which examples if wee stand afarre off with the Publican and confesse our owne vnworthines with the deuotion of our soules deiection of our bodies we shal be sure to draw the neerer to God procure the more easie acceptation of the Sacrifices of our selues our soules and bodies and Prayers and Praises and Almes So then this Sacrament hath many Sacrifices in it and nothing maketh Sacrifice so acceptable to God as the heartie acknowledgment of our owne vnworthinesse to offer to him any Sacrifice at all This acknowledgment consisteth in the humble pietie and deuotion of the heart and the voluntary deiection bowing or kneeling of the body therefore this Sacrament must bee receiued with a reuerend kneeling All which I conclude with the words of S. Bernard S. Bernard Serm. 3. de Purificat B. Virginis Quid fratres nos offerimus aut quid retribuimus Christo pro omnibus quae retribuit nobis Ille pro nobis obtulit hostiam pretiosiorem quam habuit nimirum qua pretiosior esse non potuit Et nos ergo faciamus quod possumus optimum quod habemus offerentes illi quod sumus vtique nosmetipsi Ille seipsum obtulit tu quis es qui teipsum offerre cuncteris Quis mihi tribuat vt oblationem meam dignetur maiestas tanta suscipere Duo minuta habeo Domine corpus animam Dico vtinam haec
with Christ or else humbly in all humiliation of soule and body And though the holy Ghost know the secrets of all hearts because he is God yet no man can know the heart of another man and therefore wee must iudge them to come pompously and braggingly that will not kneele but will sit as equall with the eternall God without all outward humilitie when they are but dust and ashes Againe in the 17. Num. Ad haec intra sacra mysteria ad gratiarum actionem conuertitur inclinato capite munditia cordis adepta se intelligens consummatum restitutus peccator sanctificat am Deo animam quasi depositum custoditum fidelitèr reddit After in the sacred mysteries the soule turneth to thankesgiuing and bowing the head the restored sinner hauing gotten purenesse of heart vnderstandeth himselfe to be consummated and restoreth his sanctified soule as a thing committed and faithfully kept vnto God Here we haue almost all the Sacrifices spoken of before Contrition Prayer Thankesgiuing and the offering of our selues and this is done with the exterior gesture not onely of the bowing of the knee but the head also So that in Cyprians time humilitie of the body and kneeling was in vse at the receiuing of the Eucharist The 4. is Cyrillus of Hierusalem In catacheâ—â— mystagogica 5. who describeth the whole order of the Liturgie in the celebration of the Eucharist the water in which the Priests did wash the kisse of reconciliation the wordes of the Liturgie Lift vp your hearts the thankesgiuing Holy holy holy Lord God of Saboath the prayer at the consecration the Lords prayer and the like which hee there mentioneth then first hee describeth the ministring of the Bread and Body of Christ and the maner of the receiuing of it at last hee commeth to the Cup and then he saith Tum verò post communionem corporis Christi accede ad Calicem sanguinis illius non extendens manus sedpronus adorationis in modum venerationis dicens Amen Then after the Communion of the Body of Christ come also to the Cup of his Blood not reaching out thy hands but falling on thy face in maner of Adoration and worship say Amen I hope this testimonie is so plaine that malice it selfe cannot inuent a cauill to auoyd it The 5. is S. Gregory Nazianzen 370. in the oration for his sister Gorgonia Hee doeth not indeed describe the celebration of the Eucharist for it was in the night when shee was alone and neither Priest nor consecration but onely shee caried with her some of the consecrated mysteries which shee had reserued as the fashion of those times was and then in the stilnesse of the night when her disease gaue her a little truce Ante altare procubuit she kneeled or fell downe at the Altar and called on him whom she worshipped with a lowd voyce and all her endeuour after she leaned her head on the Altar and with cries and teares like to the woman with the bloody issue she touched herselfe with those mysteries and the coÌ„clusion is she was made whole This Gregorie Nazianzen reueileth as a secret and approoueth and commendeth it And I relate it onely to this end not to iudge of the miracle but to obserue in this the custome of Communicants which was Procubuit ad altare to fall downe and kneele at the Altar For surely shee did now in her sicknesse as she and all others did in their health when they come to the Lords Table that is fall downe and kneele The 6. is S. Ambrose 374. Cap. 12. in his third booke De spiritu litera who expounding the words of the Prophet Psal 98.5.99 according to the vulgar Adorate scabellum pedum eius exalt you the Lord our God and worship at his footstoole for he is holy He discourseth that God hath no body and needs no footestoole that the earth is a creature and may not be worshipped and then remembring that Christs flesh is earth he saith Perscabellum terra intelligitur per terram caro Christi quam hodie quoque in mysterijs adoramus quam Apostoli in Domino Iesu vt supra diximus adorarunt By the footstoole the earth is vnderstood by the earth the flesh of Christ which wee also adore in the mysteries this day and the same which the Apostles did adore in our Lord Iesus as I haue sayd before This testimony is plaine and cannot be eluded with that idle shift of adoring in soule or by any other meanes then kneeling for his coÌ„parison is plaine of external adoration by kneeling in the Apostles who did adore Christ at his ascension with externall singular and visible worship Luk. 24.52 for with internall deuotion they did alwayes adore him But this speciall worshipping must bee vnderstood both of soule and body so we must adore in soule and body and that must be with kneeling at the receiuing of the Sacrament And in the Comment that goeth vnder his name 1. Cor. 11. Deuoto animo cum timore accedendum ad communionem docet vt sciat mens reuerentiam se debere ei ad cuius corpus sumendum accedit he teacheth that hee must come to the Communion with feare that the soule may knowe that shee oweth reuerence to him whose body shee comes to receiue this reuerence must bee externall as the deuotion is internall and that appeareth in the words following Quem cum disciplina nos accipimus which blood we receiue with discipline that discipline certainly is the exterior order and carriage prescribed by the Church so prostration and kneeling was in that time an ordinance of the Church at the Lords Table not equalitie in coheireship and prerogatiues of a Table The seuenth is Gaudentius Brixensis who speaketh not of this Sacrament of the Eucharist in speciall but of the other of Baptisme or of both and there is much more reason to kneele at the Lords Table De manducat Agntpaschalis Sermone 9. then at Baptisme His words are Lectiones diuinas aure percipimus ore Dominum confitemur laudamus benedicimus obsecramus manus supplices ad Coelum tendimus pedibus ad Ecclesiam currimus vnam Trinitatis Deitatem flexis ad terram genibus adoramus Wee perceiue the diuine reading with our eares wee confesse the Lord with our mouthes we praise him we blesse him we beseech him wee stretch out our suppliant hands to heauen and kneeling on our knees on the earth we adore the one Deitie of the Trinitie Hee speakes in this Sermon much of Baptisme but the Title is De manducatione Agnipaschalis of the eating of the Paschall Lambe so it may well be applied to both Sacraments The eighth is S. Chrysostome Hom. 61. Adpopulum Antiochenum Considera quaeso mensa regalis est apposita Angelimensae ministrantes ipse Rex adest tuastas oscitans Sordescunt tibi vestimenta nihil est tibi curae at pura sunt igitur adora communica
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
The proud man calls none for he cannot endure either superior or equall but must be singuler and alone And the couetous man calls none for he can abide no partner and he denies that most to himselfe that hee gets from others these in their silence stop the cares against Dauids call The voluptuous calls Venite perfruamur Wisd 2.6 to fil himselfe voluptatibus he might haue said morbis with pleasures or rather with diseases of the body and the worme of conscience in soule For while hee labours not to loose the flower of his youth he spends his life and ends in that which he hates most that is corruption and rottennesse The malicious calls for reuenge Iere. 18.18 Venite cogitemus percutiamus linguâ and occidamus Let vs deuise ther 's their conspiracie Let vs wound with our tongues ther 's their practise let vs wound or murther his good name Let vs kill him ther 's their end he is the heire the inheritance shall be ours But this is a cursed wrath that kills the enemies body and withall kills and eternally condemnes their owne soules The Ambitious man calls to his owne faction without which he cannot aspire Venite aedificemus Gene. 9.4 Let vs build a Tower to clime to heauen but it is Babel a Tower of confusion and ambition that pleases all torments all and it lifts to the highest that it may giue the greater and more headlong downefall In this confusion of calls this Religious call Venite adoremus Come let vs worship God is scant heard or regarded In which giue me leaue to ioyne these three Adoration Prostration and Kneeling together because in trueth they should neuer be separated And first I obserue It is not said Venite audiamus Come let vs heare as those doe that turne Oratories into Auditories and Temples into scholes and all adoration and worship into hearing of a Sermon As if all soule and body were turned into an eare or as if all Religion and sacrifice that must be sent vp to God were onely this to know the message that God sends downe by his Seruants Luke 10.42 Rom. 10.17 Hearing indeed is a good part of Christianitie but it is but a part And faith comes by hearing but faith hope and charitie Iustice and Religion are not hearing but the fruits of hearing And therefore no man may thinke that he hath giuen God his due worship if hee haue heard God speake by his Minister as if a man had obserued the Sabaoth well if they haue heard reuerently as some Catechismes teach much lesse may they thinke that they haue done all their duetie that haue slept or talked out a Sermō or heard it but not regarded it For in this Psalme there is a difference betweene hearing and worshipping Verse 8. Hodie si vocem eius audiueritis To day if you will heare his voice harden not your hearts The Iewes heard Gods voice in the Mount their Audire was not obedire Their hearing was not obeying They heard but they worshipped not God but the golden Calfe And therefore Dauid after hearing calls for worshipping so hearing is not all 2. The Adoration here called for is Publica solennis publique and solemne and so much the Call proues for it is of all the whole multitude of the people And likewise the place for it is not Praeueniamus ipsum Let vs come before him Verse 2. for that may be done in euery place on the way in the field in the chamber in the bed in the closet and euery where when wee are most retired and alone but it is Praeueniamus faciem eius Let vs come before his face or his presence with thankesgiuing His presence is his Tabernacle or his Temple the place which hee hath chosen to dwell in And then as the adoration is compleat and solemne so it must haue all the parts and dueties thereof performed to God In solemne and compleat Adoration these two or three here mentioned must be offered to God First internall Adoration that is the deuotion of the heart and inward worship and next outward worship that is Prostration falling downe or bending of the body and kneeling which is a kinde of falling downe and may well be included in it In all adoration the inward deuotion and sacrifice of the heart in prayer and praise is alwayes required and accepted In sacrificijs externis semper desiderantur interna Aug. In externall sacrifices God alwayes calls for the inward Prou. 23.26 My sonne giue mee thy heart and God cares not for the outward nay hee loathes it if the inward be wanting Matt. 6. If the heart doe not fast and pray and giue almes the rest is no better then the stage playing of a fast Isay 29.19 Matth. 15.8 Marc. 7.8 or a prayer or a Maundie when our lips draw neere to God and our hearts draw farre from him God cryes downe the Sacrifices that himselfe did institute with Isa 1.11 12. Quo mihi multitudinem and quis requisiuit Why doe you loade me with these loathsome and abominable sacrifices or who requires them And of this outward Adoration there is no doubt but it is receiued and allowed by all though not performed by all But in publike and solemne Adoration not onely the inward deuotion and prostration of our soules and the bending the knees of our hearts is to bee tendered and offered vp to God but also the outward prostration and kneeling of our bodies is required at our hands And this externall worship of kneeling is opposed by those that loue their ease more then their dueties and therefore cannot endure to kneele or stand but must sit at their deuotions which is contrary to all discipline and sit at the Lords Table as if they were equall guests with him else wee shal bee Idolaters Good God! Is it Idolatry to kneele at Gods Table or at our prayers when as no man without the brand of irreuerence and ill manners makes his suite or askes a pardon or receiues a great benefit from a mortall King without this bowing or kneeling And the vniuersall custome of the purer Church was that no man did receiue the flesh of Christ Nisi priùs adoret but first he did adore August in Psal 98. I doe not say the Sacrament or element but Christ himselfe and it was the practise of all the Saints and holy men to adore with bowing and kneeling For the Patriarches wee haue Abraham Gen. 17.3 17. the father of the faithfull in the law of nature Cecidit pronus in terram Hee fell on his face For the Iudges we haue Moses Procidi in faciem sicut priùs Deut. 9.18 marke that word sicutpriùs I fell on my face as at the first It was Moses custome so to doe For the Kings we haue Dauid a man after Gods owne heart and the Elders with him in sackcloth Proni in facies ceciderunt 1. Paral. 21.17 they fell
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
soli seruies and him onely shalt thou serue That the word Soli is added to the latter but not to the former as if it were lawfull to adore others besids God but it were not lawfull to serue any but God But S. Augustine speaketh there of ciuill reuerence and adoration such as Abraham did to the children of Heth Gene. 23.7 but not of diuine adoration such as the Angel for bad S. Iohn to giue him For saith hee the Angel appeared such to S. Iohn that he might bee taken for God himselfe and therefore Corrigendus adorator the adorer was to bee reproued And thus it comes to passe that too much humility or pestiferous flattery doth coÌ„municate that to creatures which is peculiar to the Creator God blessed for euer Now some are called gods quos fecit homo whom mans superstition and folly hath deified and these are no more to be adored then deuils and some are called gods quos fecit Deus whom Gods power and grace hath made gods and these will not endure to be adored with diuine worship But we must adore him with kneeling and weeping who is not Deus factus but factor not a god made by opinion or superstition of man but him that is a God in trueth and being and the maker of all things who giueth being and blessing vnto men And it is no small assurance vnto vs in our inuocation and adoration quiafecit that he made vs for the Creator loues his creature as the Artificer is in loue with the child of his owne braine and he reaches out the right hand of power to create and grace to sanctifie Iob 14.15 and glory to crowne the worke of his owne hands Wee are the sheepe of his hands Veâ—se 7. man buyes sheepe he maketh them not we are Gods sheepe quas fecit quas emit Hee maketh vs by his power and bought vs with the blood of his Sonne His blessings are finite to vs for wee are not capable of Infinitie but his nature is infinite in himselfe as the light of the Sunne is great though the illuminatioÌ„ in vs be little The action quam agit which he performes for vs and in vs is created and therefore finite but the affection quâ agit out of which he createth and blesseth vs is infinite that is his power and goodnesse In which wee must consider not quantum how much it is that he doth for vs though that exceedeth all merit and capacitie but rather à quanto how incomprehensibly great he is that doth all this for vs. And because God hath no neede of vs our adoration is no increase to him and it is impossible to returne to him quod aequale Psal 16.1 that which shall equall his grace and goodnesse much lesse come neere to that immesurable loue wherewith he loueth vs for the creature can neuer requite his Creator nor the childe euer recompence his parents either in nature or grace let vs endeuour to do that which onely remaines in our power that is quod possibile all that is possible for a creature to do that is offer to God the sacrifice of our soules and bodies in Adoration and Prostration and Kneeling and Contrition Ex toto with all our hearts and mindes and power Luk. 10.27 and strength And if we thus obey Dauids venite Come let vs worship and fall downe and kneele and weepe before our Lord and maker in this life when this life shal be ended we shal be partakers of Christs Venite Come ye blessed of my Father Matt. 25.34 receiue the kingdom prepared for you Which God grant c. Amen A DISCOVRSE CONCERNING KNEELING at the Communion THis is the generall doctrine concerning kneeling in the worship of God as it is a transcendent and to be vsed in all the parts thereof to expresse the humiliation of our outward man as well as the humilitie of the inward And at that time when I spake thereof I proceeded no further Since being occasioned to descend to the particular of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper I haue added this ensuing discourse giuing such reasons to others as most moued my selfe and as I conceiue the whole Church to tender this duetie of kneeling to God to whom all duety and seruice of soule and body is alwayes due but most specially to be guien when wee are more neerely conioyned to God and participate most of his graces And the Sacraments are Canales gratiae The chanels and conduits wherein Gods mercies and graces doe runne and are conueyed to vs Exhibent quod signant They exhibite that to vs which they signifie and represent For Iohn Baptist saith Marke 1.8 I baptise you with water but he that is Christ shall baptise you with the holy Ghost The grace of the holy Ghost is there signified and there exhibited Else he would haue said ille dabit not ille baptizabit he will giue you the holy Ghost which may be giuen otherwise then by Baptisme not he will baptize you with the holy Ghost so the holy Ghost that is signified by Baptisme is giuen in baptisme and therefore Baptisme exhibiteth that which it signifieth Marke 16.16 And he that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued and saluation is the consummation of grace and Baptisme by water and the holy Ghost maketh a passage or entrance into the kingdome of Heauen Ioan. 3.5 Acts. 2.38 and obtaineth remission of sinnes Repent and bee baptized for remission of sinnes By which Christ doeth cleanse his Church in the lauer of regeneration by the word Ephes 5.26 Ephes 5.26 The Mileuitan Councell said well C. 2. Paruuli qui nihil peccatorum in semetipsis adhuc committere potuerunt ideo in peccatorum remissionem veraciter baptizantur vt in eis regeneratione mundetur quod generatione contraxerant Little children who as yet could not coÌ„mit any sinne in themselues are there truely baptized for remission of sinnes that that may be cleansed in them by regeneration which was contracted by generation In Symbolo Niceno 2. C. 25. As the Councels of Nice and Constantinople said I beleeue one Baptisme for the remission of sinnes And Concilium Arausicanum said Hoc etiam secundum fidem Catholicam credimus quod accepta per baptismum gratia omnes baptizati Christo auxiliante cooperante quae ad salutem pertinent possint debeant si fideliter laborare voluerint adimplere We beleeue that by grace receiued in Baptisme all the baptized Christ helping and working with them may and ought if they will labour faithfully fulfill those things that pertaine to saluation Cyprian saith Sacramenta quidem c. The Sacraments as much as in them is cannot be without their owne vertue neither doeth the diuine Maiestie absent himselfe from the mysteries by any meanes Cyprian de Coena Dom. Hom. 14. in Luc. 2. And Origen saith Sordes natiuitatis per baptismi Sacramentum deponuntur The vncleannesse or spots
meditation is but as prayer and the like which properly offer diuine adoration to God For why The Sacrament is a visible signe of an inuisible grace in which as God offereth to vs his Sonne in his death and passion and the graces of the holy Spirit so wee offer to him our selues In Baptisme the Sacrament of Spirituall generation the water washeth the body and the Blood of Christ washeth the soule there God becommeth our Father by adoption and wee offer vp our selues and our children to be sonnes of God by grace Aug. Tract 2. in loan Dedit vnicum vt non esset vnicus God giueth his onely Sonne to vs that hee might no longer be an onely Sonne but make many brethren vnto himselfe and sonnes and heires to God Christ giueth himselfe to vs to be our head and wee consecrate and dedicate our selues to Christ to be his members God becommeth our Lord and we become his seruants we offer our selues to fight as souldiers vnder his colours and he receiueth vs into his army and protection and armes vs by his grace to fight his battailes so that Baptisme is as a mutuall or reciprocal couenant that he should be our God and we should be his people consecrated and sealed to his seruice The like is done in the Eucharist the Sacrament of encrease there the Flesh and Blood of Christ the meate and drinke of our soules is giuen to vs for our growth and we there giue and offer vp our whole selues a holy and liuing sacrifice acceptable to God which is our reasonable seruice of him The first of regeneration is done of vs being children when wee are not able to promise for our selues in this of nourishment we doe contract by our selues that he shall be our God and wee will be his holy Temple that hee shall be our head and we will be his liuing members that hauing receiued life from his life and spirit from his Spirit we will no more liue to our selues but vnto him that so we may say with the Apostle Viuo ego iam non ego I liue yet not I Gal. 2.27 but Christ liueth in mee we cease to liue the life of sinne that wee may altogether liue the life of grace In which respect the fathers call this Sacrament Latreiam diuine worship Cyril Epist. ad Nectar Actor Concil Ephe. Tom. 1 c. 14 apud Biunium pag. 714. Dum vnigeniti filij Dei hoc est Iesu Christi mortem ex mortuis resurrectionem annunciamus eiusdemque in Coelum assumptionem profitemur incruentum in Ecclesia Dei cultum nos obire mysticasque benedictiones adire eaque ratione sanctificari vtpote sacrae carnis pretiosi sanguinis Christi omnium saluatoris participes effecti While we do shew the death of the onely begotten Sonne of God that is Iesus Christ and his resurrection from the dead and his assumption into heauen we professe to performe the vnbloody worship of God in the Church and come to the mysticall blessings and by that meanes to be sanctified as being made partakers of the sacred flesh and the pretious blood of Christ the Sauiour of vs all Aug. de Ciuit. Dei lib. 10. c. 4. so sayeth S. Cyrill And S. Augustine saith Hinc nos seruitutem quae latria graecè dicitur siue in quibusdam Sacramentis siue in nobis ipsis debemus We do owe to God that seruice which in Greeke is called diuine worship either in certaine Sacraments or in our selues Againe the oblation of sacrifice pertaineth Ad cultum Latreiae to diuine worship August contra Faust Man l. 20. cap. 21. And againe Sacrifice is diuine worship Aug de Trinit l. 3. c. 10. And againe Infantes non nouerunt quod in altari ponitur peracta pietatis celebratione consumitur Infants know not that which is set vpon the Altar and performed in the celebration of pietie where this Sacrament is called pietie But in my iudgement Caluine doeth best expresse this point for hee defineth a sacrament thus Instit lib. 4. cap. 14. §. 1. It is Testimonium diuinae in nos gratiae externo signo confirmatum cum mutua nostrae erga ipsum pietatis testificatione A testimony of diuine grace in vs confirmed by an externall signe with a mutuall testification of our seruice or pietie towards him And that this pietie is to Godward it appeareth in the word erga ipsum And againe when he saith That as God doeth seale the promises of his beneuolence to our consciences by these externall symbols so we in like sort doe testifie our pietie to him as well before him and his Angels as in the sight of men So the Sacrament is an action of our pietie to God and pietie is the inward deuotion or adoration of the soule And therefore Viguerius in his institutions which are a briefe of Schole diuinitie collecteth thus That Viguerius cap. 16. ver 8. Gratia Sacramentalis ad duo ordinari videtur videlicet ad tollendos defectus peccatorum praeteritorum in quantum transeunt actu remanent reatu iterum ad perficiendam animam in his quae pertinent ad cultum Dei secundùm religionem Christianae vitae Sacramentall grace is ordained for two ends 1. to take away the defects of sinnes past in as much as they bee past in acte and remaine in the guilt 2. to perfect the soule in those things that appertaine to the worship of God according to the Religion of Christian life And ver 3. He saith Dicitur signum datum ad sanctificandum hominem in cultum honorem Dei that it is a signe giuen to sanctifie man to the worship and honour of God And after In vsu Sacramentorum duo possunt considerari Cultus diuinus sanctificatio hominis In the vse of the Sacraments two things may be considered The worship of God and the sanctification of man As in the Law Circumcision did consecrate and seale the seed of Abraham to God and the Passeouer did prepare them to the sacrifice of God in the wildernesse Yea and this Passeouer is called Religio Religion What is this seruice Exod. 12.26 and Victima transitus Domini ver 27. the sacrifice of the Lords Passeouer And Exod. 13.10 Custodies huiusmodi cultum thou shalt obserue this ordinance or forme of worship so in the Gospel Baptisme doeth regenerate and consecrate vs to God and the Eucharist doeth offer vs vp in sacrifice to him And this Sacrament may better be called an Act of Religion or pietie and the sacrifice of the Lords Passeouer since that was Typus agni paschalis a type of the Paschal Lambe and here are offered membra agni Paschalis the members of the Paschal Lambe And this offering vp of our selues to him is indeed the true and dayly sacrifice of the Christian Church which being the mysticall body of Christ cannot offer Christs natural body which Christ offered once for all vpon the Crosse but
man is not a Sacrifice if it be not done for Gods sake and although it bee done and offered by man yet Sacrifice is a diuine thing whereby man himselfe consecrated to the Name of God and deuoted to God in as much as hee dieth to the world and liueth to God is a Sacrifice for this belongeth to that mercy that man doth to himselfe Our body the seruant and instrument of the soule is a Sacrifice if we chastice it by temperance for Gods sake Rom. 12.1 much more our soule referred to God inflamed with the fire of his loue c. shall be a Sacrifice Since then works of mercy towards our selues and towards our neighbors referred to God are sacrifices and workes of mercy are done that we may be freed from misery c. it is certainely effected vt tota redempta ciuitas that the whole redeemed Citie that is the Congregation societie of Saints Vniuersale sacrificium offeratur Deo per sacerdotem magnum may bee offered vp an vniuersall sacrifice to God by that great Priest who also offered vp himselfe in his Passion for vs that wee might bee the body of so great an head in the forme of a seruant for this hee offered and in this hee was offered because according to this nature he is a Mediator in this he is a Priest and in this he is a Sacrifice Whereas then the Apostle had exhorted vs to offer vp our bodies a liuing sacrifice holy and pleasing to God which is our reasonable seruice of him and that we should not be conformed to this world but reformed in the newnesse of our minde to proue the will of God which is good and well pleasing and perfect Quodtotum Sacrificium nos ipsi sumus all which Sacrifice wee our selues are I say saith he by the grace of God which is giuen to me to euery one that is among you not to thinke of himselfe more highly then he ought to thinke but to thinke soberly or to be wise to sobrietie as God hath delt to euery man the measure of faith for as wee haue many members in one body and all the members haue not the same office so wee being many are one body in Christ and euery one members one of another hauing diuers gifts according to the grace that is giuen to vs Hoc est Sacrificium Christianorum multi vnum corpus sumus in Christo Quod etiam Sacramento altaris fidelibus noto frequentat Ecclesia vbi ei demonstratur quod in ea oblatione quam offert ipsa offertur This is the Sacrifice of Christians many are one body in Christ which Sacrifice the Church doeth frequent in the Sacrament of the Altar knowne to the faithful where it is demonstrated to her the Church that in that oblation which she offereth herselfe that is the Church is offered In which passage of S. Augustine it is most plaine that in this Sacrament the Church offereth the proper Sacrifice of Christians not the naturall but the mysticall body of Christ that is herselfe or our selues our soules bodies in particular and all the whole Church in generall by our great high Priest Christ Iesus And this is the vniuersall Sacrifice of the Church And this place of S. Augustine may serue as an interpretation of the Fathers authorities that speake of the offering of the body of Christ which are to be vnderstood of the offering of his naturall body by way of representation or commemoration or else of his mysticall body the Church which offereth her selfe as a dayly sacrifice to God Againe S. Augustine Lib 22. cap. 10 De ciuitat Dei giuing a reason why wee build not Temples to the Martyrs as vnto gods but rather memories to dead men whose Spirits liue with the Lord saith Nec ibierigimus altaria in quibus sacrificemus Martyribus sed vni Deo Martyrum nostrorum sacrificium immolamus ad quod sacrificium sicut homines Dei qui mundum in eius confessione vicerunt suo loco ordine nominantur non tamen à Sacerdote qui sacrificat inuocantur Deo quippe non ipsis sacrificat quamuis in memoria sacrificet eorum quia Dei Sacerdos est non illorum Neither doe we there erect Altars in which we should sacrifice to the Martyrs but we offer the Sacrifice to that one God that is our God and the God of the Martyrs At which sacrifice the Martyrs are named in their place and order as men that haue ouercome the world in the confession of God but they are not inuocated or called vpon by the Priest that sacrificeth for he Sacrificeth to God and not to them though he Sacrificeth in the memory of them And then hee addeth For hee is the Priest of God and not of Martyrs Ipsum vero sacrificium corpus est Christi quod non offertur ipsis quia hoc sunt ipsi And the Sacrifice it selfe is the body of Christ which is not offered to them that is the Martyrs because they also are this body And surely the Martyrs are not the natural body of Christ which was offered vpon the Crosse De natal Dom. Serm. 3. but his mysticall body Non elegit Deus nec speciem tuam nec oleum tuum nec ieiuniū tuum sed hoc quod te hodie redemit ipsum offer id est animam tuā saith S. Augustine God regardeth neither thy beautie nor thy oile nor thy fasting but this that he redeemed thee offer thy selfe that is thine owne soule And in his 45. Epistle to Armentarius Tertul. de Idol Ei te restitue à quo institutus Restore thy selfe to him of whom thou hast thy being Giue to Caesar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods the image of Caesar that is the money to Caesar and the Image of God that is the man to God Caesari pecuniam Deo te ipsum thy money to Caesar and thy selfe to God Hierom. ad Luciu Epist. 28. To lay downe our gold is the worke of beginners not of those that are perfect so did Crates the Theban and Antisthenes Seipsum offerre Deo propriè Christianorum est Apostolorum It is proper to Christians and Apostles to offer themselues to God saith S. Hierome And after The first faithfull offered or layd their money at the Apostles feete Sed Dominus magis quaerit animas credentium quam opes but the Lord more seeketh the soules of beleeuers then their goods Te non Tua God would haue thee offer thy selfe not thine The Apostles left all for Christ what was that but their Netts and Ships yet by the testimony of him that is the future Iudge they are crowned Quia offerentesse totum dimiserunt quod habebant because offering themselues they left all they had Chrysostome said Non oues offerebat Chrysost lib. de laud. S. Paul aut boues sed semetipsum immolabat propter quod confitendo dicebat ego enim iam immolor neque
verò his tantùm sacrificijs contentus fuit sed quia seipsum consecrauerat Deo etiam orbem vniuersum studuit offerre S. Paul offered not sheepe and oxen but himselfe that made him say Iam immolor I am now ready to be offered and hee was not contented with these Sacrifices but because hee had consecrated himselfe to God hee studied to offer vp the whole world also I haue beene too long in setting downe these places of S. Augustine who is the most doctrinall among the ancient Fathers and therefore I content my selfe with him and some few more onely I adde Eusebius who ioyneth both these that is the commemoratiue sacrifice and the sacrifice of our selues together with other sacrifices concurring in that action Sacrificamus nouo more secundùm nouum Testamentum Euseb de Demon Euang. hostiam mundam sacrificium Deo spiritus contritus dictus est wee sacrifice after a new manner according to the new Testament a pure sacrifice and a contrite heart is called a sacrifice to God A broken and contrite heart God will not despise Iamque etiam incendimus propheticum illum odorem in omni loco offerimus ei benè olentem fructum omni virtute abundantis Theologiae hoc ipsum orationtbus directis adeum facientes quodsanè ipsum alius quoque docet propheta qui ait fiat oratio measicut incensum in conspectu tuo igitur sacrificamus incendimus aliàs quidem memoriam magni illius sacrificij secundùm ea quae abipso tradita sunt mysteria celebrantes gratias Deopro salute nostra agentes religiososque hymnos orationes sanctas illi offerentes aliàs nos ipsos totos illi consecrantes eiusque Pontifici ipsi vtique Verbo corpore animoque dicantes And now also we burne that propheticall sweete odour in euery place and we offer to him that sweete smelling fruit of diuinitie abounding with all vertue doing this with prayers directed to him which another Prophet teacheth also who saith Let my prayer be as incense in thy sight therefore wee doe but sacrifice and offer incense aliàs celebrantes memoriam sometime celebrating the memory of that great sacrifice according to those things which are deliuered by him and giuing thankes for our saluation and offering to him religious hymnes and sacred prayers aliàs nos ipsos totos illi consecrantes and sometimes consecrating out whole selues to him dedicating our selues in bodie and soule to his high Priest euen to the Word himselfe Here is both the commemoratrue sacrifice and the sacrifice or offering of our selues our soules and bodies beside the sacrifice of prayer and praise and contrition which I am now to speake of all ioyned in this one sentence of Eusebius To proceede then with this collection of sacrifices in this one sacrifice the third is Sacrificium non pecoris trucidati sed cordis contriti as S. Augustine calleth it The sacrifice not of slain beasts but of broken and contrite hearts by repentance and sorrow for sinne And this is collected out of the words of the Apostle Probet seipsum homo ◠Cor. 11.28 Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eare of that bread and drinke of that cup for he that eateth and drinketh vnworthily eateth and drinketh his owne damnation not discerning the Lords body And this probation is a iudiciall acte for so it followes If wee would iudge our selues w◠should not bee iudged And these are the actes of Penitents first to accuse and confesse or beare witnesse against themselues next to iudge condemne themselues and thirdly to execute and do vengeance on themselues by true sorrow cōtrition for their owne sinnes that so God may spare them And no man ought to approach the Lords Table till he haue first washed and clensed his soule by his repentance from all his sinne that so it may bee a fit house for the Lord to enter vnder the roofe thereof and a fit Temple for the holy Ghost to dwell in and to make his mansion or standing habitation So contrition and repentance to put away sin past and to put on a resolution against sinne to come is a necessary preparation before the receiuing of the body and blood of Christ lest we come to these holy mysteries with foule mouthes and polluted hearts and so eate and drinke our owne damnation Luk. 15.18 And so the prodigall sonne came First Peccaui in coelum I haue sinned against heauen and before thee and I am vnworthy to bee called thy sonne make me one of thy hired seruants by which sacrifice of contrition hee was not onely receiued as a seruant or hireling but as a sonne and admitted to his fathers kisse and embracing and adorned with a robe and a ring and then at last tanquam conuivae as a guest at the Lords Table he was fed with the fat calse that was slaine for him And so the adopted sonne of grace was fed with the flesh of the naturall Sonne of God the Sonne of his owne essence and substance And Saint Augustine said well In Psal 21. Quotiens Pascha celebratur nunquid totiens Christus moritur Sed tamen anniuersaria recordatio quasirepresentat quod olim factum est sic nos facit moueri tanquam videamus in cruce pendentem Dominum doeth Christ die as often as the Passeouer is celebrated But yet saith hee the anniuersary recordation of it doth as it were represent that which was long since done and doth make vs to be moued or affected as if wee now saw our Lord hanging on the Crosse And after he addeth Tempus lugendi estcū passio Dominicelebratur tempus gemendi est tempus flendi tempus confitendi deprecandi When the passion of the Lord is celebrated it is a time of mourning a time of sighing a time of confessing and begging of pardon Cyprian de Coena Domini In huius praesentia non superuacuae mendicant lachrymae veniam nec vnquam patitur contriti cordis holocaustum repulsam In his presence saith S. Cyprian teares doe not beg pardon in vaine and the sacrifice of a cōtrite heart neuer receiues repulse Quoties te in conspectu Domini videosuspirantem Spiritum sanctum non dubito aspirantem cum intueor flentem sentio ignoscentem As often as I see thee sighing in the sight of the Lord I doubt not but the holy Ghost is breathing vpon thee so oft as I behold thee weeping so oft I perceiue God pardoning And the holy Ghost chuseth the poore in spirit to this ministery and loueth them and he detesteth their worship that thrust themselues Pompaticè gloriosè pompously and gloriously to the holy Altars and who come more pompously and gloriously then they that will sit as coheires and fellowes as if they were Christs equals And S. Moral li. 2. c. 1. Gregorie vpon these words Let a man first examine himselfe Quid est hoc locose probare What is it saith hee
to examine himselfe but first euacuating or purging the wickednes of his sinns to offer himselfe tried pure at the Lords Table And therefore let vs daily runne to the lamentation of repentance who sinne dayly And I hope these things should not be publikly and solemnly done without kneeling Although at all times we ought to acknowledge out selues to bee sinners yet then chiefly must we coÌ„fesse Alcuiâ—us â—e Diuinus officijs cum illo sacro mysterio c. when by that sacred mysterie the grace of remission and the indulgence of sinnes is celebrated I proceed to the fourth for I shall haue occasion to speake of this againe and that is Sacrificium orationis laudis the sacrifice of prayer and prayse And here I cannot sufficiently wonder at those who would haue this Sacrament administred and receiued without all maner of prayer or prayse at all according as it is barely deliuered to be instituted by our Sauiour Christ a little before his death As if the Church should meete onely to heare a Sermon that is an exposition of some Text chosen by the Preacher of which forme of Preaching there is scant a patterne to be found in all the word of God and why then should that bee called Preaching that is without Example and that ended without any prayer or thankesgiuing or preparation or premeditation to proceede to accipite comedite take and eate this is my body this is my blood and so farewel for more is not to be found in the institutioÌ„ And yet in the very institution where we reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Benedixit hee blessed or consecrated many Greeke Copies haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratias egit hee gaue thankes which should worke much with them that value not Consecration much and both words of consecrating and thankesgiuing being in the Text I hope no man dates put thankesgiuing out of the celebration of the Sacrament when Christ vsed it in the Institution And after the very Institution there is further Hymnodicto when they had said Grace or sung an Hymne or Psalme surely that was thankes and prayse to God for his graces and blessings And it is worth obseruation that this forme of thankesgiuing or Hymne or Psalme of praise is principally if not onely mentioned in the institution of this Sacrament to shew that though it may and ought ex naturae dictamine by natures rule and direction be alwaies vsed to repay Gods goodnesse and bountie with the tribute of our thankefulnes yet it should neuer bee omitted in this Sacrament where if it bee not instituted surely it is most cleerely recorded and the greatnesse of the benefit requireth the greatest measure of thankefulnesse As for prayer 1. Tim. 4.5 if all creatures bee to bee sanctified by prayer and the word of God why should wee thinke that this heauenly spirituall foode of our soules should not first bee sanctified with prayer as well as consecrated by the word since it is a greater worke to sanctifie the food of the soule then of the bodie I euer thought that our Sauiour before he offered his all sufficient Sacrifice on the Crosse Heb. 5.7 did offer vp prayers supplications with strong cries and teares and hee was heard for his reuerence And his action being out institution we should folow his steps offer our prayers and supplications with strong cries and teares before we did presume to present Christ sacrificed to his Father or receiue him our selues or offer vp the sacrifice of our soules and bodies and the whole Church which is the dayly sacrifice of the Church I euer tooke it that the Apostles knew best how this Sacrament was to be receiued 2. Cor. 16. and that they meeting on the Lords day which is out Sunday or the first day of the weeke to make collection for the poore did continue in prayer and breaking of bread which I thinke is more ordinarily vnderstood of the Communion of the body and blood of Christ then of the distribution of Almes And in the 13. Act. 13.2 of the Acts the Church at Antioch before they sent out Paul and Barnabas they ministred fasted and prayed here is fasting and prayer and it is likely it was not without the Lords Supper for that which we reade ministring is translated by Erasmus to bee sacrificing Sacrificantibus illis and sacrificing did surely imply the representation of Christs sacrifice and the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 offring of diuine worship And so there was then a Liturgie and all Liturgies had this Sacrament in them so Prayer went through with this Sacrament And if the Apostles ioyned prayer and almes with breaking of bread I know no reason why our Church may not be bold to follow their example and ioyne prayer and breaking of bread or the Sacrament together vnder the protection of their practise especially since without all doubt the succeeding ages did follow their example Apol. 2. ad Antoninum as is cleere in Iustine Martyr and others Surgimus comprecamur vpon Sunday or the Sunnes day wee arise not wee stand it seemes from reading and hearing and pray and then that is after prayer Precibus peractis panis offertur vinum aqua Prayers being ended bread and wine and water is offered And Praepositus quantum pro virilisuo potest preces gratiarum actiones fundit populus faustè acclamat dicens Amen distributio communicatioque fit eorum in quibus gratiae actae sunt cuique praesenti The Bishop or Priest that was chiefe in that action doth powre out prayers and praises with all his might and the people doe ioyfully crie Amen and distribution and communication is made to euery one that is present of these things that are blessed or for which thanks were giuen and all antiquitie relate the same Origen saith L. 8. contra Celsum Nos qui rerum omnium conditori placere studemus cum precibus gratiarum actione pro beneficijs acceptis oblatos panes edimus corpus iamper precationem factos sanctum quoddam sanctificans vtens eo cum sano proposito Wee that study or endeuour to please the Creator of all things doe eate the offered bread with prayer and thankesgiuing for the benefits that we haue receiued being made Corpus quoddam sanctum sanctificans a certaine body marke that word holy in it selfe and sanctifying others by praier vsing it with a good intent c. Origen contra Celsum lib. 8. In this sacrifice saith S. Augustine Aug. Epist 120 there is thankesgiuing and commemoration of the flesh of Christ which he offered for vs And againe Hinc gratias agimus Domino Deo nostro quodest magnum Sacramentum in sacrificio noui Testamenti Chrysost Hom. in Matth. 26. And Chrysostome Gratiestote optima quippe beneficiorum custos est ipsa memoria beneficiorum perpetua gratiarum actio propterea reuerenda ac salutaria illa mysteria
quae in omni certe Ecclesiae congregatione celebramus Eucharistia id est gratiarum actio nuncupatur Giue thanks for the memory of benefits is the best keeper of benefifits and a perpetuall confession of thankes and therefore the reuerend and healthfull mysteries which we celebrate in euery Congregation are called the Eucharist or giuing of thankes So in those times prayer and praise were alwayes ioyned with the Eucharist though it bee not expresly mentioned in the institution of Christ And there is all reason for it For why should any man thinke that the Eucharist should be without praise and thankesgiuing when as it is the Eucharist or a Sacrifice of thankesgiuing for the greatest blessings that euer God gaue to man Or why should any hold it vnfit to vse contrition and prayer in the ministration of this Sacrament when as for the preparation thereunto nothing can be more needfull then these two things 1. That wee should be fit and worthy for so great mysteries which wee can neuer obtaine at Gods hand but by prayer which is the meanes that draweth downe all Gods graces to vs. 2 That God would giue vs Panem super-substātialem the supersubstantiall and heauenly bread of our soules that is the Body Blood of Christ which we aske in the Lords prayer Giue vs this day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our supersubstantiall or heauenly bread the bread of our soule which is more needfull and therefore more to be asked as well as our daily bread the bread of the body which is earthly and transitory and if there bee cause to aske Panem corporis the bread of the body there is farre greater cause to aske of God Panem animae the bread of the soule the Body and Blood of Christ S. Gregory noteth that Mox post precem straight after prayer ended wee say the Lords prayer Quia mos Apostolorum fuit Greg. Mag. l. 7. Indict 2. ep 63 vt ad ipsam solummodo orationem oblationem hostiae consecrarent For it was the custome of the Apostles that they consecrated the Host of the oblation with that prayer onely So then there were other prayers and the Lords prayer before the consecration And that made S. Hierome say Malachies oblation is contained in prayers Epist 59 Qu. 5. S. Augustine in the sanctification of the Eucharist and distribution thereof findeth out al these Supplications Prayers Intercessions and giuing of Thanks mentioned 1. Tim. 2. Supplications he calleth those which wee make in the celebration of the Sacraments before that which is set on the Lords table is begunne to be blessed Prayers hee calleth that when it is blessed and sanctified and broken for Communion which whole petition almost all the Churches conclude clude with the Lords prayer And then disputing whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be votum or Oratio hee addeth all things are vowed which are offered vp to God chiefly the oblation of the holy Altar in which Sacrament another of our greatest vowes is preached Quo nos vouemus in which we vow our selues to be mild or meeke in the band of Christs body Postulationes Intercessions are made when the people are blessed In which the Bishops or aduocates doe offer vp to the most merciful power Susceptos suos their Christened or confirmed by imposition of hands And these things being done and the Sacrament being parricipated gratiarum actio thankesgiuing concludeth all so in those times the sacrifice of prayer and praise were ioyned with the Sacrament of the Lords Supper August de spirit lit c. 11. And in his booke De spiritu litera he saith Theosebeia porrò si ad verbi originem Latinè expressam interpretaretur Dei cultus dici poterat qui in hoc maximè constitutus est vt anima ei non sit ingrata Vnde in ipso verissimo in singulari Sacrificio Domino Deo nostro agere gratias admonemur Theosebia that is pietie to God if it be interpreted according to the expresse deriuation in Latine may bee called the worship of God which doeth chiefly consist in this that the soule should not be vnthankfull to God and therefore in the most true and singular Sacrifice we are admonished to giue thankes to our Lord God As for the necessary vse of prayer heare Tertullian de Oratione Neque enim propria tantum orationis officia complexa est vel venerationem Dei aut hominis petitionem sed omnempene sermonem Domini omnem commemorationem disciplinae vt reuera in oratione breuiarium totius Euangelij comprehendatur It doth not onely containe the dueties of Prayer the worship of God and the petition of man but also almost all the word of God and all commemoration of discipline insomuch that in trueth in this prayer there is contained a breuiarie of all the Gospel So that out of this it may wel be inferred that there can be no act of diuine worship and Religion without prayer And surely since the Iewes that had no forme of Gods worship prescribed for them did frame to themselues a forme of Liturgie which they dayly vsed and among Christians there bee many Liturgies or formes of diuine worship that beare the names some of the Apostles others of the ancient Fathers which whether they bee theirs whose names they beare I cannot say but surely by all mens confession they are very ancient It is a strange noueltie and indeed most monstrous in the Church of Christ that there should bee no prescribed formes of Prayer and administration of Sacraments but euery man left to his libertie or rather license to worship God after his owne fancie and vnder the name of forbidding will-worship to set out nothing but will-worship in the Church and indeed as many will-worships as there be wils and so set vp Altar against Altar and worship against worship and make the Church that is acies ordinata a well ordered Armie or house or kingdome to bee no better then Babel a Tower of confusion And either the Church must haue power to ordaine and order Liturgies and Gods worship or else I know not why any priuate man may bee so bold as to frame a worship or Liturgie to himselfe For if the whole Church haue not this power where was it committed to any priuate man or any part or member of the Church And I know the Apostles desired Christ to teach them to pray And Christ taught them onely the mother prayer of all prayers by which all prayers must be ruled and squared and so it shall be lawfull onely to vse the onely prescribed prayer that is the Lords prayer when you pray pray thus And then I know there bee other precise Brethren that stand at their elbowes and tell them that the Lords prayer was not made for that vse to bee said publikely or priuately but onely to be layd vp as a rule an Idea or exemplar to make other praiers by and so it commeth to passe that wee must
and condition of man would permit and he was bound and layd at the Altar to be Sacrificed there was neither sitting as if he were equall with that God that called for him to be Sacrificed nor so much as standing either in his innocencie or his hope and expectation And therefore being the type both of Christ the propitiatorie Sacrifice and of the Christians Eucharisticall Sacrifice wee as bound by the chaine of our owne sinne and vnworthinesse and layd and nailed as it were on the Altar of Christs Crosse with the nailes of contrition of deuotion of prayer and praise and of compassion must present our selues in the gesture and behauiour of those that are to bee offered vp as Sacrifices to God in all deiection and humilitie of soules and bodies kneeling with Salomon 1 Reg. 8.12 2. Paralip 6.13 in the consecration and dedication of the spirituall Temple of our soules and bodies as he did when he cōsecrated the materiall Temple vnto God Where I pray you let it neuer be forgotten that it must needs be that the thoughts of Isaak the Sacrifice could be no other when he lay bound at the Altar then this that he was Ia◠iam Sacrificandus therefore moriturus euen now in an instant to be sacrificed and die And he was then to die the naturall death of the body we at the Lords Table die the spirituall death to sin in mortification and newnesse of life and therefore there is no great likelyhood that hee then thought of the gesture and prerogatiues of a guest and a table as if he were equall to that iust and seuere God to whom hee was to be sacrificed and so presented himselfe to him without all feare and reuerence S. Stephen the first Martyr and therefore the first Sacrifice among Christians Acts. 7.56.60 prayed and kneeled and though hee were partaker of the vision of God which is the Supper of the Lambe and that without Sacrament for hee saw the heauens open and the Sonne of man sitting at the right hand of God yet Deposuit vitam ne deponeret obedientiam he neuer layd downe his obedience till he layd downe his life but persisted in kneeling till hee fell into his last sleepe And why should not the gesture of a Martyr bee a fit gesture for a Communicant at the Lambes Supper since both are Sacrificers of themselues the one in body the other in soule and spirit And this was in the time of Nature Let vs looke on Moses Law concerning Sacrifices In Leuiticus it is often repeated Leuit. 1.4 4.24 that the Priest when he offered for himselfe or the people and euery priuate man that offred his priuate Sacrifice Imponet manum super caput He shall lay his hand vpon the head of the Sacrifice How 1. in Leuit Origen expoundeth it allegorically of Christ Imposuit peccata humani generis super caput suum Christ layd his hand vpon the head of the Sacrifice that is layd all our sinnes vpon his owne head But in the letter there are two reasons giuen of it 1. Vide Tostat. in Leuit. cap. 3. Vt renuntiaret proprietati siue iurisuo That the priuate man might surrender vp all his right and proprietie that he had in the Sacrifice when he deliuered it vp to the Priest to be Sacrificed to God 2. Vt poenas peccatorum in caput animalis transferret quas inflicturus erat offerenti That he might transferre the punishment of sinnes due to the offerer vpon the beast that was to be sacrificed In which it is manifest that euery man that presenteth his Sacrifice at the Altar standeth as a condemned man ready to bee executed that entreateth and beggeth of God that the punishment due to him by his demerits may be layd on the Sacrifice that is vpon Christ that beareth our punishment and curse vpon his Crosse and healeth vs by his stripes As the death prepared for Isaak was transferred from him to the Ramme that was hanged in the bushes that is Christ crowned with thornes and nailed on the Crosse And he that feelingly considereth this state wil easily resolue of the humble thoughts and humble gesture of such a Sacrificer as deserueth the death that the Sacrifice suffereth for him and deprecateth pardon for his sake whose Sacrifice maketh atonement for the sinnes of man In this case when we thus condemne and execute our selues can any thoughts be too lowly or any gesture too humble to entreat pardon So this carriage of the carnall sacrificer telleth vs what our carriage must bee in the offering of the spirituall sacrifice of our selues Our prayers that sue for grace and remission must shew humilitie in soule and body because wee seeke indulgence to soule and body And when we confesse we are most worthy to die in our selues and for our selues both soule and body and desire to receiue grace not for our selues but for Christs sake must we not testifie this vnworthinesse with the deiection of both soule and body Yea our very prayses and thankes for all Gods mercies must bee offered with all outward and inward humility since as it is in the second Psalme Psal 2.11 it becōmeth vs not only to serue the Lord infeare but also to reioice to him with reuerence cum tremore as the vulgar reades it with tremor or trembling For as the goodnesse of God causeth confidence and reioycing so the greatnesse and iustice of God and our owne guiltinesse and sinne cause trembling and humilitie So our very sacrifice of praise and glory requires humilitie and kneeling as the examples of those in heauen who being freed from all wants and therefore neuer needing to pray but onely to giue prayse for their ouerflowing and fulnesse of glory at the well head doth shew Apoc. 4.10 who cast downe their Crownes and fall downe and worship him that sitteth on the Throne and the Lambe And surely the Gospel in the offering of spirituall sacrifices differs not in dueties of Nature and Religion and chiefly in humility which is virtus Christiana Euangelica the Christian and Euangelicall vertue vnknowen and contemned by the heathen and taught onely in the Schoole of Christ And therefore our Sauiour Christ might teach all sacrificers how to behaue themselues when hee entred into his agonie in the garden which was the entry and beginning of his sacrifice for there he did sacrifice himselfe voluntate in wil as he finished it vpon the Crosse actu in acte Positis genibus orauit Luk. 22.41 he prayed vpon his knees to teach all spirituall sacrificers to vse the same kneeling in their deuotions and prayers and sacrifices which he began in the propitiatory and all-sufficient sacrifice for sinne Wherin because that wherewith God is worshipped doth profit man and not God for no man doth good to the fountaine if hee drinke of it nor to the light if he see by it and if man come to God God is not increased by it
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
Deus not somewhat of God but God himselfe to whom it is proper to bee the Physitian and the Phisicke the food and the Feeder of our soules So then although all Gods gifts and graces be great and like to himselfe yet here in this Sacrament he giueth not simile but idem not somewhat like himselfe of a like substance to himselfe but hee giueth himselfe and the Sonne of his owne Substance And then quantus Deus qui dat Deum How great how good and gratious is God the Father to vs that giueth vs no lesse nor no other then God himselfe his onely Sonne to be the meat of our soules and the holy Spirit to bee our Comforter and refresher in this Sacrament The Elements or Signes after the words of Consecration are not bare accidents or signes and species but true substances and in that respect they are by Christ and the Euangelists and Apostles called Bread and Wine but the thing signified is the Body and Blood of Christ It is not figur a tantùm though the Sacrament be a figure it is not a figure onely but the trueth substance and God doeth not now feed vs with shadowes because the trueth and substance is there receiued this Sacrament doth exhibite this which it signifieth Neither is it Efficacia tantùm that is a very weake and short exposition Hoc est corpus meum 1. efficacia corporis mei This is my body that is this is the efficacie and vertue of my Body This is my blood that is this is the efficacie or effect of my Blood for that were to deuide the Body Blood of Christ from the force and vertue thereof But this is indeed the Body and Blood of Christ not in any grosse or carnall or corporall maner but in a spirituall maner a maner best and onely knowne to him that performeth that which he promiseth Caluin instit l. 4. c. 17. §. and as Caluin and Sadeel and others teach a manner aboue our capacitie and vnderstanding Experior magis quam intelligo which we prooue rather then vnderstand and therein are happie that wee finde it to bee so in deede and trueth though it surpasse the capacitie of mans wit be knowen onely to God In which wee doe imitate the blessed Apostles who beleeued Christs word and receiued it with faith Cyril in Ioan. lib. 4. c. 13. without once doubting or asking the Iewish question full of infidelitie Quomodo How can he giue vs his flesh Chryfostome saith Hom. 26. in matth 8. Etsi enim paruum aliquid fuerit quod datum est fit magnum tamen de honore dantis immò nihil exiguum est quod illo largiente confertur non solùm etiam quia datur à Deo sed quia tale est quicquid ille confert vt dici non mereatur exiguum vt enim alia vniuersa praeteream quae multitudine suâ numerum exuperant arenarum quidnam poterit ei quae propter nos facta est dispensationi conferri Quod enim erat apud eum omnibus pretiosius vnigenitum pro nobis filium dedit quidem cum adhuc essemus ipsius inimici nec dedit solùm sed nostram illum fecit esse mensam Although it be little that is giuen yet it is made great by the honour of the giuer yea nothing is little which is conferred God giuing it not onely because it is giuen of God but that whatsoeuer he giueth is such that it deserueth not to bee called little for to passe all other things which with their multitude exceede the number of the sands what can bee preferred before that dispensation that is made for vs For that which was more precious to him then all things hee gaue his Sonne for vs and that truely when wee were his enemies neither did hee giue him onely but also he made him to bee our Table Nec Moses dedit nobis panem verum Hieron ad Heb. d. qu. 2. sed Dominus Iesus ipse conuiua conuiuium ipse comedens qui comeditur illius bibimus sanguinem sine ipso potare non possumus quotidiè in sacrificijs eius de genimine vitis verae vineae sorec quae interpretatur Electa rubentia musta calcamus nouum ex his vinum bibimus de regno Patris Moses gaue not vs this true bread but the Lord Iesus saith S. Hierom he is the guest and the banquet the feeder and the foode wee drinke his blood and without him wee cannot drinke dayly in his sacrifices wee treade those chosen red sweete wines out of the fruit of the true vine and vineyard sorec and out of those wee drinke the new wine of the kingdome of the Father Cuiusdā Serm. d◠Coena Domini inter opera Ber. In coena illa munerans munus Cibans cibus conuiua conuiuium offerens oblatio He is the giuer and the gift the feeder and the foode the guest and the feast the offerer and the oblation In which respect the Eucharist Dion Areop c. 5 de Hier. Ecclesiast by Dionysius is called Omnium Sacramentorum consummatio or perfectissimum Sacramentum The consummation of all the Sacraments or the most perfect Sacrament Medicamentum immortalitatis antidotum non moriendi sed viuendi per Iesum Christum in Deo Catharticum expellens malum It is the Physicke of immortalitie the antidote or preseruatiue against death giuing life in God by Iesus Christ the medicine purging of all vices or driuing away all euils so Ignatius It is Cibus inconsumptibilis Epist ad Ephes vnconsumable meate so Cyprian De Coena Dom. Pignus salutis aeternae tutela fidei spes resurrectionis It is the pledge of eternall saluation the defence of faith and the hope of resurrection so Optatus S. Cyrill goeth further Lib. 10. in Ioan. c. 13. Considerandum est non habitudine solùm quae per charitatem intelligitur Christum in nobis esse verum etiam participatione naturali Nam quemadmodum si igne liquefactam ceram aliae cerae similiter liquefactae miscueris vt vnum quid ex vtrisque factum videatur sic communicatione corporis sanguinis Christi ipse in nobis est nos in ipso Consider saith hee that Christ is in vs not onely by an habitude which is vnderstood by charitie but also by a naturall participation for as waxe if it bee melted by the fire is so mingled with other melted waxe that it makes one waxe of both so by the communication of the body and blood of Christ he that is Christ is in vs and wee in him And hee prooues it out of S. Paul The bread that we breake is it not the communion of the body of Christ De fide orthodox lib. 4. c. 14. And Damascen explaining those words saith Communicamus per ipsum Christo participamus eius carne diuinitate quia communicamus vnimur inuicem
cup with which the affections of the faithfull inebriantur are drunken that thou maiest put on ioy of remission of sinnes and put off the cares of this world And Chrysostome saith Hom. 24. in 1. Cor. Vt frigida ad Eucharistiam accessio periculosa est it a nulla mysticae illius Coenae participatio pestis est interitus ipsa namque mensa anima nostrae vis est nerui mentis fiduciae vinculum spes salus lux vita nostra As the cold comming to the Eucharist is dangerous so no participation of this mysticall Supper is a plague and death it selfe for this Table is the strength and force of our soule the sinewes of the mind the band of confidence our hope our health our light and our life In Ioan. homil 45. Againe Hic mysticus sanguis Demones procul pellit angelos angelorum Dominum ad nos allicit Demones enim cum Dominicum sanguinem in nobis vident in fugam vertuntur angeli autem concurrunt his sanguis effusus vniuersum abluit orbem terrarum This mysticall blood driueth the deuils afarre of draweth the Angels and the Lord of Angels to vs for the deuils when they see the Lords blood in vs they are turned to flight and the Angels come vnto vs this Blood being powred out doeth wash the whole earth And againe In Psal 22. Qui veniunt ad mensam potentis considerantes ea quae apponuntur eis accipere cum timore tremore tribulationes fiunt consolationes auferuntur ea quae sunt carnis infunduntur ea quae sunt spiritus ex mensa praeparat a proficiunt contra eos quitribulant eos To them that come to the Table of the mightie considering to receiue those things that are set before them with feare and trembling feare and trembling is the gesture of Communicants with S. Chrysostome not familiaritie and equalitie of heires that boast of the Prerogatiues of a Table to them tribulations are consolations those things that are of the flesh are taken a-away and those things that are of the spirit are powred in and by this prepared Table they profit or preuaile against them that trouble them This made him say Ad Popul Antioch homil 61. Tanquam Leones ignem spirantes ab illa mensa recedimus facti Diabolo terribiles As Lions that breath fire we depart from this Table made terrible to the diuel c. And after Parentes quidem alijs sepè filios tradunt alendos ego autem inquit non ita sed carnibus meis alo meipsum vobis appono vos omnes generosos esse volens bonas vobis praetendens de futuris exspectationes Parents often deliuer their children to others to be nourished or brought vp but I doe not so saith the Lord but with mine owne flesh I nourish them and set my selfe before them willing to haue them all noble and pretending good expectations to them of future things This made S. Cyprian to say Epist 54. Non infirmis sed fortibus pax necessaria est nec morientibus sed viuentibus communicatio â nobis danda est vt quos excitamus hortamur ad praelium non inermes nudos relinquamus sed protectione sanguinis corporis Christi muniamus c. Peace is necessary not onely to the weake but to the strong the Communion is giuen by vs not to the dead but to the liuing that wee may not leaue them vnarmed whom wee excite and exhort to the battell but arme them with the protection of the Blood and Body of Christ And whereas the Eucharist is ordained for this end that it may hee a defence to the receiuers Let vs arme them with the muniment of the Lords saturitie whom wee desire to be safe against the aduersary For how doe we teach or prouoke them to shed their blood in the confession of Christs name if we deny to them going to fight the Blood of Christ Giue them the Cup of Christ that are to drinke the cup of Martyrdome Serm. de Bapt. in Coena Dom. I conclude this point with S. Bernard Duo illud Sacramentum operatur in nobis vt videlicet sensum minuat in minimis in grauioribus peccatis tollat omnino consensum si quis vestrum non tam saepe modò nontam acerbos sentit iracundiae motus inuidiae luxuriae aut caeterorum huiusmodi gratias agat corpori sanguini Domini quoniam virtus Sacramenti operatur in eo gaudeat quod pessimum vlcus accedat ad sanitatem This Sacrament saith he worketh two things in vs it diminisheth sense in small faults and in great sinnes it altogether taketh away consent if any of you feele not so often nor so sharpe motions of anger or enuie of luxurie or the like let him giue the thanks to the Body and Blood of Christ for the power of the Sacrament worketh in him and let him reioyce because the worst soare draweth neere to health Now Luke 15. what shall I say more The Sonne of God as the Sheepheard seeketh vs and carrieth vs to the fold of the Church The holy Ghost as the woman lighteth the candle of knowledge and sweepeth the house by obedience and sanctitie and there remaineth but one onely greater gift the vision and possession of God the Father who is our exceeding great reward The two first of the Sonne and the holy Ghost pertaine to grace the third of God the Father belongeth to glory The two first are in the way the third in the Country in the end of the way What greater gifts could God giue vs then those that he hath giuen in this Sacrament that is not creatures but the Creator the second and third person in the Trinitie the Sonne and the holy Ghost Quem horum contemnitis which of these two can wee despise The Sonne whose members wee are or the holy Ghost whose Temples we are If God had giuen vs the best of his creatures wee ought with all reuerence to haue receiued them kneeling had bene decent and necessary Respectu doni donātis both in respect of the gift it selfe which far surmoūteth all proportion of desert in vs but much more of the giuer whose incomparable and infinite greatnes and loue more then infinite requireth all reuerence of body and soule of vs vile wretched sinners who deserue punishment and receiue remission and life euerlasting But when he giueth Creatorem the Creator the Sonne and the eternall Word that made all things and the holy Ghost who is Charitas increata vncreated and essentiall charitie and Donum the gift that is both the gift of God and God himselfe can any deuotion or adoration of the soule and prostration and bowing or kneeling of the bodie bee too humble nay humble enough when wee come to the Table of the Lord there to receiue not Panem Domini the bread of the Lord alone as Iudas did but Panem Dominum the
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
confessing their sinnes So it is apparent by Tertullian that they which stood at praier on Easter day the most solemne day the day of Christs Resurrection they kneeled at Baptisme And if they came to baptisme cōfessing their sinnes they ought to come to the Eucharist with the like confession of their sinnes for there is as great necessitie of confession of sinnes in the Eucharist as in Baptisme as confession auricular was more enioyned before the Eucharist then before Baptisme And there was greater reason of kneeling at the Eucharist then at Baptisme because wee come neerer to Christ in this Sacrament of encrease then in the other of regeneration And of confession of sinnes which was neuer omitted before the Eucharist De poenitent Tertullian saith Itaque Exhomologesis prosternendi humilificandi hominis disciplina est Confession is the discipline of casting downe or prostration and humbling man So no Eucharist without confession of sinnes to God no confession without casting downe and humbling by kneeling therefore no Eucharist without prostration and kneeling so Tertullian that speakes most confidently of standing at prayer on Sundayes for the memorie of the resurrection of Christ speakes very throughly for kneeling at Baptisme and by consequent at the Eucharist The 2. is Origen about 220. yeeres after Christ vpon Numbers his words are Sed in Ecclesiasticis obseruationibus sunt nonnulla huiusmodi quae omnibus quidem facere necesse est nec tamen ratio corum omnibus patet Nam quod verbi gratia genua flectamus orantes quod ex omnibus coeli plagis ad solam orientis partem conuersi orationem fundimus non facilè cuiquam puto ratione compertùm sed Eucharistiae siue percipiendae siue eo ritu quo geritur explicandae vel eorum quae geruntur in Baptismo verborum gestorumque ordinum atque interrogationum atque responsionum quis facilè explicet rationem In the Ecclesiasticall obseruations there are some such things which it is needfull all should doe yet the reason is not manifest vnto all For example sake that we pray kneeling and powre out our prayers frō all parts of the world towards the East I thinke it is not easily knowen to euery one by reason And who can easily expresse the reason of receiuing the Eucharist and explicate the Rite with which it is performed or of those things that are done in Baptisme the words and gestures and orders and of the interrogations and answeres This witnesse is little fauourable to these sitters for he mentions interrogatories in Baptisme which they cannot well brooke and of kneeling in prayer and presently orders the rites of the Eucharist which if they had been different he had reason to haue set downe And so the Argument is concludent They kneeled at prayer and therefore at the prayer in the Eucharist so the Eucharist in Origens time was receiued with kneeling But in his fift Hom. In diuersos he speaketh more fully discoursing vpon the words of the Centurion Quando Sanctum cibum illudque incorruptum accipis epulum quando vitae poculo pane frueris manducas bibis corpus sanguinem Domini tunc Dominus sub tectum tuum ingreditur tuergo humilians teipsum imitare hunc Centurionem dicito Domine non sum dignus vt intres sub tectum meum vbi enim indignè ingreditur ibi ad iudicium ingreditur accipienti When thou receiuest that Sacrament and that vncorrupt banquet when thou enioyest that bread and cup of life and eatest and drinkest the Body and Blood of the Lord then the Lord entreth vnder thy roofe thou therefore humbling thy selfe imitate this Centurion and say Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter vnder my roofe for where the Lord entreth vnworthily there he entreth to iudgement to the receiuer This is most plaine humilians teipsum must be in bodie and soule else it were humilians partem tui humble thy selfe thy whole selfe not a part of thy selfe in body as well as in soule The Centurions humilitie appeares in soule in his words and in his sending by others as thinking himselfe vnworthy to come by himselfe And all the Ancient thinke that at his comming hee humbled himselfe in bodie as Basil of Seleucia sayd Vidi Centurionem ad pedes Domini prouolutum I beheld the Centurion fallen at our Lords feete Therefore in Origens time humble kneeling was in vse at the receiuing of the Eucharist The third is S. Cyprian in his booke De oratione Dom. he saith The word and prayers of them that doe pray let it bee with discipline euery man may not doe what hee list and pray in what fashion he lift Continens quietem pudorem expressing rest or peace and shamefastnesse or modestie that is not to stand vpon the prerogatiue of coheires and a table without all humilitie certainly shamefastnesse will cause humilitie or confusion Let vs thinke wee stand in the sight of God and then he addeth Placendum est diuinis oculis habitu corporis modo vocis We must please the eyes of God with the habite of our body that is not sitting and the tune of our voyce And in his booke of the Lords Supper he commeth neerer to the point Sacramento visibili ineffabilitèr diuinase infundit essentia vt esset religioni circa Sacramenta deuotio The diuine essence doeth ineffably infuse it selfe into the visible Sacrament though our Transubstātiators know the maner of it that Religiō might haue deuotion about the Sacrament Deuotion is sometimes the inward Adoration of the heart but in Gods solemne worship outward Adoration is required with it And againe hauing described the sighes Num. 13. and groanes and teares of those that come to this Sacrament he saith Gemitus illos pietas excitat it is pietie that sendeth forth those sighes and after Inter data cōdonata se diuidens affectiō diuiding it selfe between graces giuen and sins forgiuen Fletibus se abluit lachrimis se baptizat washeth it selfe with weeping and baptizeth it selfe with teares Is not this the very highest or rather the lowest of humilitie And why should not the body bee as humble in kneeling Num. 14. as the soule in teares And then he addeth Pauperes spiritu eligit diligit Spiritus sanctus eorum qui pompaticè gloriose sacris se Altaribus ingerunt obsequia detestatur The holy Ghost chooseth those that are humble in spirit to this mysterie he loatheth them and hee hateth their obsequiousnesse that thrust themselues to the sacred Altars pompously and gloriously What is this pompous and glorious comming to the Altar Is it not to come proudly without humilitie For I must leaue the schoole of diuinitie if I doe admit any medium betweene Theologicall contraries euery man either humbleth himselfe or exalteth himselfe euery man commeth to the Lords Table either pompously gloriously without humilitie as if hee were coheire and coequall
saith to me Adore his foot-stoole I questiō what is his foot stoole and the Scripture saith to me that the earth is his foot-stoole wauering I turne my selfe to Christ because I seeke him heare and I find how the earth may be worshipped without impietie and his foot-stoole may be adored without impietie For he tooke earth of earth for flesh is of the earth and he tooke flesh of the flesh of the Virgin And because hee walked here in the flesh and gaue that flesh to be eaten by vs to our saluation and no man eateth that flesh vnlesse he first haue adored it is found out how such a foot-stoole of the Lord may bee adored and wee shall not onely not sinne in adoring but sinne in not Adoring In these words S. Augustine speaketh of the receiuing of the Sacrament and he saith in effect that the custome and gesture was vniuersall ouer all the world Nemo manducat no man eateth that flesh but first hee Adoreth not the Sacrament but the flesh of the Sonne of God which without reason our Aduersaries wrest to the Adoration of the Sacrament But this must not be omitted that S. Augustine saith That it was so farre from sinne to Adore the flesh of Christ that it was sinne not to Adore it so the omission of this Adoration or kneeling is a sinne in S. Augustines iudgement And S. Augustine speaketh generally of all Adoration spirituall and corporall externall and internall for else we may deny spirituall Adoration as wel as externall in the receiuing of the Eucharist and that this Author doeth acknowledge and then I marueile he can deny corporall where he granteth spirituall For why May we worship and adore God at the receiuing of the Eucharist with our hearts and refuse to worship him with our bodies and our knees If we giue him our hearts and spirits shall wee deny him any thing that the heart and spirit doeth command Shall wee giue him the greater and better part of our selfe our Soule and deny him the lesse the bowing of the knee So S. Augustine speaking of Adoration in the solemne and compleate worship of God must bee vnderstood of inward and outward Adoration when both may be giuen Besides it is a friuolous exception that this man maketh that what S. Augustine speaketh of the flesh of Christ must be vnderstood spiritually Spiritualitèr intelligite quod loquutus sum vnderstand that spiritually which I haue spoken for hee particularly speaketh it of the flesh of Christ Non hoc corpus quod videtis manducaturi estis You shall not eate this body which you see nor drinke that Blood which the Crucifiers shall shed I haue commended vnto you a certaine Sacrament being spiritually vnderstood it shall quicken you or giue life and though it be necessary to celebrate it visibly yet notwithstanding it must be inuisibly vnderstood So S. Augustine saith that those words of the flesh of Christ must bee spiritually vnderstood the flesh that is the fleshly vnderstanding profiteth nothing but though the flesh be vnderstood spiritually yet there is no syllable that the Adoration should bee onely spirituall And because I will not trouble my selfe with this mans dotage it is his owne word that Adoration must not alwayes meane kneeling no more then the name Man doeth signifie Socrates Let him giue mee a reason why Adoration should not signifie both inward deuotion and outward bowing and kneeling alwayes except some circumstance or necessitie doe restraine it onely to inward worship when both inward and outward may and ought to be tendered But S. Augustines Text is plaine for externall bowing and kneeling Ideo ad terram quālibet cum te inclinas et prosternis Therfore when thou doest incline or bow downe or cast downe thy selfe to the earth behold it not as earth but as that holy one whose footestoole thou adorest for him thou adorest So S. Augustine speakes of such adoration wherin there is inclining bowing downe or kneeling and therfore this gesture of kneeling was the vniuersall custome of the Communicants in S. Augustines time I passe that ouer that S. Augustine doth cal this Sacrament honorandum honorable as you may see in his 118. Epistle ad Ianuarium c. 3. Only see wherein hee yea S. Paul in his iudgement placeth the abuse of the Sacrament Apostolus indignè dicit acceptum ab eis qui hoc non discernebant à caeteris cibis veneratione singulariter debitâ The Apostle saith that it was vnworthily receiued of them who distinguish't it not from other meates by yeelding it that worship which is especially due to it The tenth is Theodoret Dial. 2. Neque enim signa mystica post sanctificationem recedunt à natura sua manent enim in priori substantia figura forma videri tangi possunt sicut priùs intelliguntur autem ea esse quae facta sunt creduntur adorantur vt quae illa sunt quae creduntur The mysticall signes after sanctification doe not depart from their nature for they remaine in their former substance there the substance of bread and wine remaines in the Sacrament and figure and forme and may be seene and touched as before but they are vnderstood to be those things which they are made and are beleeued and adored as being those things which they are beleeued So in Theodorets time there was adoration at the receiuing of the Eucharist and that externall for creduntur they are beleeued implies the inward as this Author would make S. Augustine to speake and then Adorantur must extend to the outward which doth consist in the bowing prostration and kneeling of the bodie Againe Dialogo 3. answering how a bodie might procure our saluation he sayth Not the bodie of a man alone but of our Lord Iesus Christ the onely begotten Sonne of God And if that seeme small and vile to thee Quomodo eius typum ac figuram venerabilem ac salutarem existimas cuius autem typus est adorandus venerandus quemadmodum est ipsum exemplar archetypum vile aspernandum How doest thou esteeme the type and figure of him to be venerable salutiferous for how is the Archtypal examplar vile and to bee despised whose type is to be adored and worshipped Here it is cleere that there was veneration and adoration of Christ in the receiuing of the Sacrament the very elements are sacred and dreadfull after consecration then Adoration is not due to them beeing creatures but to Christ whose flesh is the type and couering or vaile of his Deitie The 11. is Eusebius Emissenus Homil. in 2. Dominica post Epiphan his words are Quando vero ad Christi Sacramentum accedimus fragilitatem nostram consideramus quid aliud dicit vnusquisque nostrum nisinon sum dignus vt intres sub tectum non sum dignus vt corpus sanguinem tuum suscipiam in ore meo when wee come vnto Christs Sacrament and consider our owne frailtie what else doth
maximè confitendum est cum illo sacro mysterio celebratur remissionis gratia indulgentiapeccatorum cum humilitate cordis contritione dicendum c. Although wee ought at all times to acknowledge from the heart our selues to bee sinners yet it must be most confessed when in that sacred mysterie the grace of remission and indulgence of sinnes is celebrated c. Lay these two places together and it will be most manifest that kneeling was vsed For in the former place he saith in all other our prayers wee kneele here he saith tunc quà m maximè then chiefly when wee pray for remission of sinnes that is in the Eucharist with humilitie and contrition therefore kneeling was then in vse both at all prayers and in this Sacrament and that in the very day of the Resurrection it selfe The 17. is Haimo in 1. Cor. 11. Cumtimore compunctione cordis omnique reuerentia debemus accedere recolentes quanto amore dilexit nos qui pro nobis seipsum obtulit vt nos redimeret as often as wee come to consecrate or receiue this Sacrament of his eternall gift which the Lord before his Passion left to be held by vs in his memorie we must come with feare and compunction of heart and all reuerence if all then of body as well as of soule and so of kneeling because that of all other is most reuerent meditating with how great loue he loued vs who gaue himselfe for vs to redeeme vs. And after Cum timore tremore debemus accedere ad illud Sacramentum terribile vt sciat mens reuerentiam se debere praestare ei ad cuius corpus sumendum accedit Wee ought to come with feare and trembling to that terrible Sacrament that the soule may know that she ought to performe reuerence to him whose body shee commeth to receiue The 18 is Ioannes Climacus who is said to liue in the sixe hundredth yeere he relateth a story of one that it seemeth was possessed and brought to the Communion there blasphemed whereupon he saith Nam si mea sunt turpia illa scelerata verba quid est quod donum caeleste suscipiens adoro quomodo possum vnà benedicere maledicere If those foule and wicked words are mine how is it that receiuing the heauenly gift I adore how can I at once both blesse and curse Lib. 1. cap. 117. The 19. is Honorius if hee be the Author of that Booke called Gemma animae extant in Bib. SS P. De diuinis officijs In Quadragessima ideò in Missa Flectamus genua dicimus quia corpus animam in paenitentia humiliare innuimus c. In Lent therefore we say in the Masse Let vs kneele because wee shew that wee humble our soules and bodies in repentance Whereof hee giueth three Reasons 1. because wee adore Christ in the flesh 2. because we call to mind that wee that stood in Paradise with the Angels doe now lye on the ground with the beasts 3. because he that standeth is equall to other men that stand in their righteousnesse as reasonable creatures but after our fall into fleshly desires welye in the dirt with the beasts as vnreasonable And hee deriueth this gesture from Abraham and the Prophets and the Apostle that said I bow my knees to the Lord. The 20. is Algerus hee liued about an hundred yeeres before Honorius De Sacramentis Lib. 2. cap. 3. Cassa enim videretur tot hominum assistentium vel adorantium vener and a sedulitas nisi ipsius Sacramenti longè maior crederetur quam videretur veritas vtilitas Cum ergo exteriùs nulla sint quibus tanta impenduntur obsequia aut insensati sumus aut ad intima mittimur magnae salutis mysteria The venerable sedulitie of so many men assisting or adoring might seeme vaine if the trueth and vtilitie of the Sacrament it selfe were not beleeued to bee much greater then is seene Seeing therefore outwardly they seeme nothing to which so great dueties of worship are giuen either we are insensible or els wee are sent to the secret mysteries of the great Saluation I will not descend any lower Authen Coll. 8. de Nauti vsur Nouel 109. nor trouble the Reader with any other testimonies onely I take it there is a Ciuill Constitution in the Authenticks against womens Dowries that shall not hold the Orthodox faith Nec percipientes sacrosanctam adorabilem Communionem nor receiue the holy and adorable Communion which penaltie of loosing of Dowries and portions if it were in force among vs we should peraduenture haue fewer stiffekneed sisters that are forcible Otors to draw many to the present irreuerence that is vsed in the worship of God and the celebration of the Sacraments By these it is manifest ynough that Kneeling at the Sacrament was in vse in the second hundred yeeres after Christ and so continued vnto Honorius Decree and that may be the reason that he made no mention of the receiuing of the Sacrament but onely of the eleuation of it And this I hope may satisfie any reasonable man that regardeth the practise of the Church militant and beleeueth the Fathers if not as Doctors that teach Quid faciendum what ought to bee done yet as Historians that truely relate Quid factum what was done in their times And if it were receiued as a custome in the Church in the second hundred yeeres why may wee not ascend to the first and so to the Apostolicall Church and say the second age learned it of the first and the first of the Apostles since no beginning can be found of the custome though we may perchance finde the first writer of it And then the rule is If it be a custome of the Primitiue Church the founder and Authour whereof is vnknowen referendum est ad Apostolos it must be ascribed to the Apostles that vsed it in their times And so it may well bee concluded that it was not a late Antichrist but the Spirit of Christ in the Apostles and Apostolicall men that first brought kneeling into the worship of God in the receiuing of the Eucharist For if the beginning and vse were good the abuse which is pretended for the abolishing of it because it was turned to Idolatrie must bee reformed and brought to the first institution as the Church of England hath done which kneeles to God and Christ at the taking of this Sacrament though wee vtterly detest the grosse superstition of those that doe adore the Elements and species themselues if any bee found so palpably blinde for the learned among them doe disclaime this point in their booke-learning whatsoeuer their practise be Now heare I pray you the force of this kneeling how able it is to appease wrath Petrus Blesensis saith of it Nihil faciliùs frangit iram quam genuflectio nothing more easily breaketh anger then kneeling for it prouoketh him that suffers the iniurie to pardon and him that doeth the iniurie
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
humilitie and come Pompaticè gloriosè Cyprian de Caena Domin pompously and gloriously as if we were haile-felow and equall with God No It was humilitie that prepared vs to come to the Lords Table and it must be humilitie that presenteth vs at the Lords Table And Eadem sunt principia constitutionis conseruationis Humilitie was the first principle of Constitution to make vs Christians and humilitie must bee the same principle of conseruation to keepe vs Christians and when we leaue humilitie we leaue to be Christians for humilitie is Proprium quarto modo no Christian without humilitie And therefore Christ saying indefinitely Learne of me for I am humble and meeke saith vniuersally because humilitie is necessary to Christianitie Learne of me to be humble in all actions of Christianitie Christ saith not Learne of me to be humble in the way and to be proud and presumptuous in the end of the way he saith not Learne of me to be humble in confession of sinne and then to be proud in confession of praise hee saith not Learne of me to be humble in your priuat prayers and bee proud at your prayers in the Temple and corners of the streets hee saith not Bee humble and come by weeping Crosse in your preparation to the Eucharist and then be proud and presumptuous at the Eucharist as if you were equall with Christ coheires with Christ and owed him no reuerence at his Table No the Lesson is Catholicke and vniuersall Bee humble in all actions and dueties of Christianitie And surely this Man neuer learned this Lesson of the Fathers but doeth indeed father his vntrueth vpon them For they neuer discerned kneeling the gesture of humilitie to be vnsuteable and repugnant with reioycing and cheerefulnesse their standing at Prayer was as full of humilitie as of Ioy and cheerefulnesse and they well knew that reioycing was ioyned with reuerence As it is in the 2. Psalme Exultate cum tremore so they reade it Reioyce to him with trembling They knew Abraham that feasted the Angels or the Sonne of God did adore them And yet his feast was not without Ioy. And had this man read and obserued the Fathers well hee should haue found that they neuer thought humilitie it selfe or the gesture of humilitie to bee vnsutable and repugnant to the Ioy of Communicants S. Cyprian saith that we must come Cum lachrymis nectareis suspirijs contemplationis with teares sweeter then Nectar and sighes of contemplation Fletibusse abluendo lachrymis se baptizando washing and baptizing our selues with teares Chrysostome saith we must come Cum timore tremore horrescendo with feare and trembling and a certaine horror Ambrose saith Cum cordis contritione lachrymarum fonte with contrition of heart and a fountaine of teares with a deuout heart with feare with reuerence and trembling with chastitie of body and puritie of soule S. Augustine saith Cum veneratione singularitèr debitâ with singular veneration with adoration and prostration and kneeling as Ambrose and Augustine and many others of the Fathers speake Wee must come confessing our selues to be sinners with feare and a pure conscience with feare and compunction of heart with humbled bodies and contrite soules with due reuerence and vigilancie and many the like phrases most common in their writings as the Reader may in part see in the fift Reason I hope all these phrases proue sufficiently that the Fathers no way thought the gesture of humilitie to be altogether vnsutable or repugnant to the Ioy and cheerefulnesse of the guests at the Lords Table They knew well ynough that this is a Sacrament of humbling our selues after the guise and maner of suppliants and penitentiaries though it were a spirituall Feast and reioycing For the more humble we are in soule and body when we come to this Feast the more Ioy we shall haue in our selues Ioy in the Feast of God and the participation of the Body and Blood of Christ and an encrease of Ioy because wee haue encreased our sorrow and contrition for our sinnes past and sent vp our sighes and teares to procure our pardon and acceptation of our selues our soules and bodies to be liuing Sacrifices holy and acceptable to him which is our reasonable seruice of him and the greater was our sorrow the greater is our Ioy for the treasure that is sought in sorrow is found with Ioy Matth. 13.44 and the blessed Virgin Ioseph that sought Iesus sorrowing found him with Ioy in the Temple Luke 2.48 But why doe I trouble my selfe and the Reader with this vn-Christian doctrine that excludeth all humilitie of soule and humiliation of body from the Feast of the Lords Supper Surely I make this one vse of it that I presume if the words of this Author were well obserued by all his absurd fauourers and followers they would renounce that prophane or ciuill gesture of sitting which dasheth out one of the most glorious and eminent vertues of Christianitie that is Humilitie out of the greatest and principall part of Gods worship that is the Eucharist which assuredly the more humble it is the more acceptable it is in the sight of God and bringeth in stead thereof that same Luciferian Pride that was so odious in Satan that presumed to say Esay 14.13 Sedebo in monte testamenti I will sit vpon the Mount of the Congregation O thou impudent Lucifer Bern. Serm. de S. Bened. when thousands of thousands and millions of millions stand and minister about him and fall downe and worship him Tusedebis wilt thou sit as if thou thoughtest thy selfe equall to God Cast downe thy selfe then O thou miserable soule at the feet of Iesus that thou mayest cease to be miserable and bow thy knees to him Phil. 2.10 to whom all knees are bowed of things in heauen in earth and vnder the earth and know that all Christian vertues without humilitie can neuer make vp the wedding garment without which thou shalt neuer be suffered to abide at the marriage Feast but be cast out into outward darkenes where is weeping and gnashing of teeth Now the first Reason is Ius cohaeredis Ratio 1 the right of a coheire wee are Sonnes not seruants and not yonger Brethren but heires and heires of God not of man and coheires or ioynt heires with Christ and heires must take their place and right vpon them and sit as coheires with Christ But this man had forgotten the Text Gal. 4.1.2 The heire so long as hee is a childe differeth nothing from a seruant but is sub Tutoribus vnder Tutors and gouernours vntill the time appointed of the Father Surely though wee haue put off the beggerly rudiments of the world and bee Sonnes of grace and no seruants of the world and haue put away disciplinam naturae legis the discipline of nature and Moses Law and the discipline of seruitude and feare yet wee haue not put away Disciplinam Euangelij charitatis
surely the Prince and Prelates of this Church proceeded to the reformation of superstitions and abuses crept into the worship of God by the corruptions of Poperie according to some rule or Canon and proposed to themselues to goe by an euen way that is so to reforme that they might withall restore the Church to her ancient puritie In which respect they endeuoured to take away the multitude of idle and superfluous Ceremonies that made the state of Christianitie more intollerable then the state of the Iewes was and to retaine such gestures and Ceremonies which they found truely ancient and reasonable Their meaning was not to make a new Church but to reforme according to the first and primitiue and Apostolicall institution for that which is first that is true Their purpose was not to take the crooked staffe and bow it so farre from one extreame to another that from superstition they would presently decline to prophanesse but thought it fit to make a stay in the golden meane neither retayning all Ceremonies lest Religion might seeme to be nothing else but externall pompe and gesticulation neither reiecting all lest Religion hauing lost all externall maiestie might appeare naked and soone decay at the heart Among those Ceremonies retained this Prostration and Kneeling is one as being ancienter then Popery and fetching his pedegree from the first Fathers and Martyrs in the Church and grounded vpon good and sufficient reason as being a duety to be performed by the body in that eminent part of diuine worship that is the Sacrament as Deuotion and Pietie is the duety which at that time is to be tendered by the soule Either of which two whosoeuer will leaue out in the celebration of this holy mysterie he must withall strike out all subiection and humilitie out of this seruice and come pompously glorioussy and Pharisaically as if hee were fellow and equall with our blessed Sauiour the eternall Sonne of God and the blessed Trinitie that is the Maker of this great Feast For if Christ be God why should hee not be adored in his Word in his Sacraments in his Worship and in all parts of Christian duetie And if the Iewes Synagogue had power to turne standing into sitting at the Passeouer as some thinke though I be not of their opinion they did after the captiuity why hath not the Church of Christ power to change sitting or lying and leaning into kneeling which is the fittest gesture to represent subiection and humilitie So the Church of England reforming by the rule of the Primitiue Church hath learned and practised by her example to prostrate and kneele at the receipt of those great and sacred Mysteries In which I dispute not whether it be a duetie of necessitie or a Ceremonie of indifferencie I conceiue vpon reason in mine owne Iudgement that it is a duety or part of Gods worship not to be omitted in publicke and solemne Adoration but in case of euident necessitie If any man take it to bee onely a Ceremony of in differencie I wil not be contentious sure I am if it be a duery there is sufficient power in the Church to declare it and punish the refractary and disobedient If it be a Ceremonie of indifferencie there is sufficient power in the Church vpon good reason of decencie and order to establish it and bring all her members in obedience to it If there be not a power in the Church to declare Articles of faith and dueties of Religion then will it be free for euery man without controule to beleeue and doe what he lift no man shall haue power to correct him for his erroneous conscience If there bee not a power in the Church to institute and restore Ceremonies of decencie and order and to remooue vndecent and disorderly gestures then will it bee free for euery man to worship God after his owne fashion and then so many men so many worshippers and euery priuate man shall haue more power then the whole Church hath to institute what Ceremonies he list and then to be Lord Paramount subiect to none no not to the whole Church S. 1. Cor. 11.34 Paul said Caetera cum venero disponam the rest I will dispose when I come Hee had deliuered the whole substance and essentiall parts of this Sacrament before to which no man may adde frō which no mā may detract any thing no not the whole Church though she haue power of declaration and interpretation in it And somewhat he deliuered about Ceremonies as of fasting and eating before they came to the Lords Table of the time before or after Supper and the place the Church not the priuate eating house There remained some other Ceremonies neuer deliuered by the Apostle concerning this Sacrament In this either the Church hath power to institute and establish as the Nicene Councell did for standing at Praier C. 20. or else all things shal not be done decently and in order much lesse in Vnitie and Vniformitie 1. Cor. 14.40 So then the Church that hath a power to institute and establish Ceremonies in matters of decencie and order hath appointed this gesture of kneeling that doth most fully expresse the subiection and humilitie of Communicants of Worshippers of Sacrificers of Penitents of Suppliants and of Praysers to bee fit and decent and orderly in the receiuing of this Sacrament and if the spirits of the Prophets were subiect to the Prophets among vs 1. Cor. 14.32 as in right they ought to bee euery priuate man should lay downe his owne selfe conceipt and submit himselfe to the more mature and ripe iudgement of the Church wherein he liueth If any man will still bee contentious hee is worthy to vndergoe the censures of the Church and if that discipline bee not strict ynough it is fitte hee should bee brought into order by the seuere castigation of the Ciuill Magistrate who euen in Church causes beareth not the sword in vaine Rom. 13.4 For the King as the keeper of Gods Law of the first Table of Religion as well as the second of Ciuilitie in those things which are commaunded by God and taught by our Sauiour Christ hee is Iudex vindex not Legislator Iam. 4.12 he is no Law-maker that is Gods Office but he is the Iudge not of the Law but according to the Law and the reuenger to execute wrath vpon them that doe euill and no man neither Priest nor people is exempt from his sword if he faile in the performance of his duetie In things indifferent the King with his Church is first Legislator then Iudex and then Vindex first a Law-maker to ordeine and institute and establish Ceremonies of decencie and order in the worship of God and the King onely hath power to giue life and strength to them by the mulcts and penalties of his Ciuill power Next he is the Iudge and reuenger ciuilly to punish all refractaries and sectaries that will not endure to bee enclosed within the bounds
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