Pharisee the other a Publican the Pharisee maketh a long prayer justifying himself laying open and censuring the faults and sins of others and condemning the poor Publican ☉ God I thank thee that I am not as other men Extortioners Unjust Adulterers or as this Publican I fast twice in the week I give tithe of all that ever I possesse Here you see how he doth inlarge and commend himself but the Publican stood a far off and would not lift so much as his eyes up to Heaven as being ashamed of his sins confounded in himself and afraid of Gods judgments but smote his breast to shew the true contrition of his heart his prayer is short only this O God be merciful to me a sinner yet this man went home to his house justified saith our Saviour rather then the other God accepted of the short prayer of the humble Publican proceeding from faith and rejected the long prayer of the proud Pharisee The sacrifices of God saith David Psal 51. 17. are a contrite spirit A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Hoc negotium plerunque plus gemitibus quam Sermonibus agitur plus Fletu quam afflatu saith Bernard God regardeth the Groans Sighs and Tears of an humble soul more then words We read that when Monica the Mother of St. Augustine a good Religious Woman did often complain weep and devoutly pray to God for her Son Augustine being then a wild and unruly youth that the Lord would be pleased to convert him and make him a new man St. Ambrose comforted her saying It is impossible that a Son of so many tears should perish so may we say it is impossible that the prayers groans and tears of an humble soul and contrite heart should be in vain Mark the prayer of Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 13. when she prayed in Gods House for a Son the Text saith she spake in her heart her lips did only move her voice was not heard so that Eli the Priest took her to be drunk but she answered ver 15. 16. Nay my Lord but I am a woman troubled in spirit I have drunk neither wine nor strong drink but have poured out my soul before God for of the abundance of my complaint and of my grief have I spoken hitherto God heard in Heaven the very groans and desire of her heart and gave her a Son according to her desire The Form of prayer commanded by God for the Priests to bless the people Numb 6. 23 the prayer of Moses at the setting forward and resting of the Ark Numb 10. 35. the prayer prescribed in case of an uncertain murther Deut. 21 7 8. in paying their third years tithe Deut. 26. 13 14 15. the very Form of prayer which Christ himself gave to his Disciples Luke 11. 1. to be a pattern to them and us all are very short pithy substantial and comprehensive long prayer is a dulling of the edge of our spirit and of the earnestness and fervency of the heart which is required in prayer Now our prayers are Common-prayer fitted for the capacity of our plain common and ordinary peope whose hearts cannot be long bent fully to one thing but are apt to stray therefore our prayers are short to keep up the Attention of the heart and spirit and many because they consist of many several Petitions and Requests If we look upon Antiquity St. Augustine Ep. 121. tells us that the Brethren in Egypt are reported to have many prayers but every one of them very short as if they were darts thrown out with a kind of sudain quickness least the vigilant and erect attention of the mind which in prayer is very necessary should be wasted and dulled if their prayers were few and long And Luther saith that prayer is Christianorum Bombarda the Christians Gun-shot as then a Bullet out of a Gun so prayers out of our mouth can go no farther then the spirit doth carry them Therefore it is humble and fervent Devotion the strong bent of the heart mind and spirit that doth pierce the gates of Heaven and pleaseth God as you may see by Hannah 1 Sam. 1. 13. and the short Ejaculations of an earnest and devout soul are a loud cry in the ears of God as you may perceive by Gods words to Moses Exod. 14. 15. Why dost thou cry unto me so that if our prayers be short and many as consisting of many several Petitions as long as our hearts and the fervency of the Spirit are joyned with them there is no doubt but they may and shall find acceptance with God Obj. That the several Gestures prescribed in the Service of God the standing up at the Creed the bowing at the name Jesus and kneeling at the receiving of the Lords Supper are Offensive to many Answ There is an old saying Faelix qui potuit rerum cognâ—scere causas if moderate and wise men were so happy as to know the true grounds and reasons of these things they would not so soon take offence nor be offended at all we all acknowledge the Gesture and Posture of the Body in the Service of God to be counted among things indifferent as a thing indifferent in it self neither necessary nor sinful Morally neither Good nor Evil neither Commanded nor Forbidden in Scripture God regardeth not so much the outward Gesture or Posture of the Body as the inward frame of the Soul and true Devotion of the heart yet it is the Apostles charge 1 Cor. 14. 40. That all things in the Church should be done decently and in order Indeed Order is the Beauty of Nature the Perfection of all things Government the preserver of Order Laws the Soul of Government and Execution the life of all without which no Society State or Kingdom nor the Life of Man or Service of God can well subsist Now if in time of Divine Service and in the performance of one and the same Office and at the same time one will stand another kneel and another sit what order shall there be in the Church or what decency And who shall settle this decency and order in the Church but the Governours of the Church Then if we owe obedience to our Governours according to Gods command Rom. 13 1. we should submit to their judgment in those things which we count indifferent and though in themselves considered they be indifferent yet all circumstances being considered when they are commanded by our lawful Governours and in a lawful way and for a lawful end only for order and decency they are not indifferent to us but we are tied to obedience to submit to their judgment and lawful commands And as for the several Gestures which are required and injoyned by our Governours in their several places to be observed in the performance of the Service and Worship of God though we know not nor understand presently the grounds of them yet we may have so much charity as to think and conceive they do not
Conscience sake That is in respect of the Ordinance of God which commandeth us to Obey those Laws of the Magistrate which are not Repugnant to the Laws of God This Liberty also the Apostle giveth to the Church to make such Orders as tend to Edification 1 Cor. 14. 26. Let all things be 〈◊〉 to Edifying And again 1 Cor. 14 40. Let all things be 〈…〉 and in Order Those Actions Things and Rites which in their own nature are Indifferent neither precisely Commanded nor expressely Forbidden in the Word of God As to Eate such a day Flesh and such a day Fish to keep such a kind of diet at one time and such a kind at another To wear at such a time such and such Vestures and Garments especially upon a Politick and Civil Account being Commanded and Required by the Magistrate are then not to be accounted indifferent to us because they are Injoyned to be observed of us and required by the Magistrate to whom we owe Subjection by the Law of God Thus you see this Christian Liberty whereon we stand is not a Liberty of Licentiousness to do what we list neither is it a Civil or Corporal Liberty of our Bodies from all kind of Service and Servitude under others Neither is it such a Liberty as doth Exempt us from Obedience to our Lawful Magistrates and to the Just Laws of our Land requiring nothing of us which is contrary to the Word of God You will say now What kind of Liberty then is it which the Apostle doth here perswade us to stand fast in wherewith Christ hath made us Free We answer it is a Spiritual Liberty of the Soul and Spirit whereby we serve the Lord Christ willingly and cheerfully in Spirit and Truth being freed from the Bondage of the old Law If you look upon the Words there going before and following after you will plainly find and all Interpreters do agree upon it that the Apostle St. Paul speaketh there of that Liberty whereby we are freed by Christ from the Observation of the Law which he calleth there the Yoke of Bondage Thus St. Peter also speaketh of them Acts 15. 10. Why tempt ye God to lay a Yoke on the Disciples Neckes which neither we nor our Fathers were able to bear For presently after St. Paul insisteth upon Circumcision because Circumcision was the Ground of all the Service of the Law and that which was chiefly urged by the false Apostles Thus he speaketh there v. 2. Behold I Paul say unto you If you be Circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing that is If you be Circumcised with that mind and meaning which the false Apostles pretend as that you look and Believe to be Justified by Circumcision and by keeping of the Law then shall Christ profit you nothing Christ profiteth onely them which Renounce their own Righteousness the Righteousness of the Law and fly to the Promise of Grace made in Christ by Believing and by Faith applying to themselves the Merits of the Death of Christ and resting upon him alone and upon that Promise of mercy made in him for the Forgiveness of their Sins and for the Salvation of their Souls For no man can keep the Law therefore no man can expect to be Saved by the Law But the Curse of the Law must needs lie upon him without Christ This is that Liberty which the Apostle there doth insist upon If you desire to be farther satisfied in this Point of Christian Liberty Be pleased to take it in these Particulars Our Christian Liberty Consisteth 1. In a Liberty or Freedom from the Power or Dominion of Sin as the Apostle speaketh Rom. 6. 14. For sin shall not have the Dominion over you for you are not under the Law but under Grace From the Tyranny and Bondage of Satan Hebr. 2. 14 15. Christ took part with us that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death which is the Devil and that he might deliver them which for fear of death were all their life time subject unto Bondage And from the Torments of the Second Death Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus So that true Believers though they have sin still dwelling and abiding in them yet are delivered from the Power Raign Rule and Dominion of sin are not Slaves and in Bondage under Satan nor in danger of Eternal Death 2. In a Liberty and Freedome from the Moral Law but not in respect of Obedience but in respect of the Rigour Curse and Condemnation of the Law The Obligation to punishment For whereas the Law requireth of us perfect Righteousness we do not look to be Justified by the Righteousness of the Law but by the Righteousness of Christ according to that Galath 3. 13. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree 3. In the Liberty of the Spirit The gift of the Holy Ghost which doth inwardly Seal unto us the former Mercies Rom. 8 15 16. For we have not Received the Spirit of Bondage to fear again but we have Received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father This Spirit of God taketh away the vail of Ignorance Darkness and Blindness from our Hearts Inlightneth us by the Preaching of the Gospel in the true saving knowledge of Christ Converting us to God and Quickning us with the life of Grace willingly and cheerfully to obey God according to that 2 Cor. 3. 17. Now the Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty 4. In a Freedom from the Ceremonial Law of Moses from the Sacraments Sacrifices and Services of the Old Law which were Imposed on the people of God and were Types and Shadowes of things to come and ended in Christ The Apostle tells us Galat. 2. 4. of false Brethren which were craftily sent in and crept in privily saith he of those times to spâ—e out our Liberty which we have in Christ Jesus that they might bring us into Bondage To whom we gave not place by Subjection for an hour that the Truth of the Gospel might continue with you And from the necessity of observing those Legal Rites Orders and Ordinances which concerned things Indifferent The choice of certain Meats thé Observations of daies and the like As also from all the Traditions of Men Instituted in the worship of God as necessary to Salvation or putting Religion in them Christ hath delivered us from all these Yet notwithstanding all this Christian Liberty doth not at all Exempt us from our Obedience to our Lawful Magistrates or to the Laws of our Land Commanding and requiring that which is Lawful and not contrary to the Word of God and Instituting and Injoyning those things without any opinion of placing any Religion Worship or Necessity in them but in a Civil and Politick manner onely for the Edification of the Church onely
the Service and Worship of God There is an addition of Corruption and an addition of Preservation We may not adde any thing to Corrupt the Doctrine and Worship of God thereby to wrong it weaken it or adulterate it but these circumstantial Additions are onely the better to preserve the True Doctrine and the Pure Worship and Reverent Service of God And that the Church hath taken Liberty in these things that are such may easily appear by many instances in the Old and New Testament We find many Ceremonies by Man Instituted in the Service of God not prescribed by the Word of God Solomons Altar which he made occasionally 1 Reg. 8. 64. had no particular Warrant from the Word of God The Feast of Purim ordained by the Jews Estth 9. 27. and commanded to be kept throughout their Generations and the Feast of the Dedication of the Altar Instituted by the Macchabees and the people 1 Machab. 2. 59. which Christ himself did honour with his presence John 10. 22. were not prescribed by the Law of God And the Jews had Synagogues for the Reading and Preaching of the Word of God yet we find no command in the Old Testament for the Building of them Again in the time of the New Testament In the Apostles time there were their Feasts of Charity as appeareth by that in the Epistle of Jude v. 12. and they had their Osculum Pacis their Holy Kisse Rom. 16. 16. 1 Cor. 16. 20. which was Signaculum Reconciliationis 1 Thess 5. 26. 1 Pet. 5. 14. yet neither of these prescribed by God If any man say these were Apostolical Institutions yet they were not Divine but in them the Apostles Acted as Governours of the Church For we count that Divine Institutions are such as were Ordained for Perpetual use in the Church Apostolical such as were Ordained by the Apostles with a power to alter them as they saw good and those were altered Ecclesiastical such which the Church after the Apostles did anywhere Ordain which are likewise subject to alteration All know that it was the Universal Custome in all Christian Churches throughout the world That in the Primitive times they used standing in time of Publick Prayers upon all the Lords daies between Easter and Whitsontide which was Appointed by the Church in those times to signifie their Faith of Christs Resurrection And the Feasts of Easter and Whitsontide or Pentecost Instituted by the Church were alwaies observed and kept to this day To all these I may Adjoyn the Ancient Practice of the Jews who unto the Institution of that great Feast of the Passeover prescribed to them by Moses had as the Rabbines witness added both Signs and Words adding their Sawce called Charaseth thick like Mustard to be a Memorial of the Clape wherein they wrought in Aegypt therein dipping the bitter Hearbs and drinking Wine with these Words to Both Take and Eate these in Remembrance c. Drink this in Remembrance c. Upon which Addition and Tradition of theirs our Saviour as some say Instituted â—he Sacrament of His Last Supper in Celebrating it with the same Words and after the same Manner Thereby approving the Fact of theirs in Particular and generally That a Church may Institute some Ceremonies â—ignificant God commandeth us in his Law to Worship and to Serve him But Times Places and some Particular Gestures in his Service are counted among things Indifferent and matters of Circumstance and so left to the Prudence of the Governours of the Church to order them and dispose of them as they shâ—â—l judge most fit for Edification And if in these there should be no set Order What disturbance and confusion would there be The Christian Magistrate may drive the negligent to hear the Word of God Preached may also punish wicked Dispisers Blasphemers Hereticks Schismacicks Idolaters and the like And how can this be done but by Laws Made and Established by the Church Then some Laws may be added about Particular Circumstances which are variable Yet we do not take the power of making Laws out of Gods hand or any ways adde to the Laws of God we do onely Inforce the keeping of Gods Laws for Order Decency and Discipline that all may be done Decently and Orderly in the Church of God We acknowledge that the Kingdome of Christ is Spiritual All the Kings of the Earth and Men of this world cannot Convert one Soul to Christ That is done by the Holy Ghost by the lively Word of Faith But the Civil Power is an outward mean to drive Men to hear the Word and Gospel Preached and to keep Order and obey Discipline Christs Subjects again are willing Subjects so far as his Word and Spirit hath wrought upon them to subdue them But before Men be Converted Compulsions even with Penalties are often and ordinarily a way and means to bring them to that whereby this work of Conversion is wrought It is said of that good King Josias 2 Chron. 34. 33. That he took away all the abominations out of all the Countries that pertained to the Children of Israel and compelled all that were found in Israel to serve the Lord their God And of Asa King of Judah 2 Chron. 14. 4. That he commanded Judah to seek the Lord God of their Fathers c. But in 2 Chron. 15. 12. That they made a Covenant to seek the Lord God of their Fathers and v. 13. That they laid a Penalty That whosoever would not seek the Lord God of their Fathers he should be slain Object 2. That the Laws of Men do not bind the Conscience and that there is no Guilt before God but for violating and breaking the Laws of God Answ We acknowledge that the Authority which doth Immediately and Directly bind the Conscience of Man so as to make his transgression damnable before God This Authority must proceed from God alone who in his Law doth forbid it and threatneth to punish it But the Laws of men may be said to bind the Consciences of men by way of Consequence not Immediately but reflectively and indirectly by vertue of Gods Command Injoyning Obedience to the Just Laws of men Rom. 13. 1. and v. 5. For Conscience sake and 1 Pet. 2. 13. For the Lords sake Not Immediately but Mediately as it is the Ordinance of God we must not confound Forum Caeli and Forum Soli we must wisely distinguish between the Court of Heaven and the Court on Earth Between the Laws of Men and the Laws of God Gods Laws properly bind the Conscience Mans Laws in respect of that Obedience which God by his Law commandeth to be given to them for Order Government and Discipline among men Object 3. We know not the minds of our Governours in these Laws for ought we know they may Impose and require these Ceremonies which we Scruple at upon some such Superstitious Grounds as is rehearsed Either upon an Opinion of Merit or upon an Opinion of putting Holyness in them or laying a Necessity
his name before his Birth yea a full and significant name expressing all his goodness to us as you find Math. 20. 21. where the Angel tells Joseph Thou shalt call his name Jesus and giveth the reason For he shall save his people from their sins A name so sweet that it containeth in it all the treasures of comfort it is Mel in Ore Melos in â—uâ—e Jubilus in corde as Bernard speaketh as sweet as honey to the mouth melody to the ear and joy unto the heart in delight whereof St. Paul useth it as Genebrard observeth five hundred times in his Epiples and Mr. Fox writeth of that zealous and Learned Martyr Johannes Mollius that he never spake of the name of Jesus but instantly tears dropt from his eyes Seeing then it is a name above every name and that name alone whereby we must be saved as St. Peter speaketh Act. 4. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other for among men there is given no other name whereby we can be saved How can we then deny this honour and reverence to this name to bend not only the knees of our bodies but the knees of our hearts yea all the powers and faculties of Soul and Body at the reverent and religious Name of the Lord Jesus 5. Kneeling at the receiving of the Lords Supper this hath been an ancient custom in our Church neither can I conceive how any moderate-minded man can judge it any way unlawful or unfitting at that time to humble our selves to the very dust and to kneel upon our knees at such a time when we come to acknowledge our unworthiness to confess our sins and bewail them with hearty sorrow whereby we have offended God to beg pardon of him and reconcilement by the merits of the Lord Jesus to gain again the favour and mercy of God held out unto us by his golden Scepter in the merits and mediation of his Son and our Saviour Jesus Christ at the receiving of this blessed Sacrament the remembrance whereof we do there celebrate and receive those blessed mysteries To confirm our faith and to give us an assurance of the performance of all the promises of mercy made unto us in the Lord Jesus our alone Saviour we cannot but judge him unworthy of pardon who having offended his Prince and justly deserved punishment shall be so high or unthankful that he refuseth to receive his pardon upon his knees There have indeed formerly been differences raised in the Church about this gesture yet those who were against kneeling could never agree what gesture to have Some would have it to be taken standing some would have this Sacrament to be taken sitting some again leaning with their body these be poor Punctilio's to stand upon for a wise man to make difference in the Church a Schism and a Rent upon so small an occasion The most men who are moderate count the gesture and posture of our bodies at and in the receiving of this holy Sacrament to be a thing meerly indifferent so we come with true faith and repentance and our hearts be every way rightly affected with reverence to this Service as we ought to be prepared whether we sit stand lean or kneel but it must needs be acknowledged that kneeling is the most reverent and most humble posture of them all and humility is a great ornament in a Christian But the most in these late times of liberty have pleaded for and used sitting at the receiving of this holy Sacrament pretending that it is a Communion whereby we have a fellowship with our Saviour Christ a fellowship among our selves And that it cometh nearest to that gesture which was used by our Saviour Christ himself at the first institution of it we cannot deny but it is a Communion whereby we have a fellowship with Christ our Saviour and a fellowship among our selves but we cannot think that it is such a fellowship as to sit as we say Cheek by Jole with Christ at his Table to keep no distance and that he expecteth no honour or reverence at our hands And for the gesture of our Saviour at the first institution of it we grant that the Evangelist St. Matthew speaking of it as our English Translation in our Bible is saith Math. 26. 20. When Even was come he sate down with the Twelve But the Greek word there for it which in the original is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Tremellius translateth Discumbebat Beza discubuit the word there you see is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the proper English whereof is He lay down the same word is used again by St. Mark Mark 14. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the English is still And as they sate at table and did eat c. Quumque discubuissent saith Beza Quumque discumberent saith Tremellius the proper English being And they lying down or when they lay down But St. Luke maketh use of another word for speaking how by Christs command his Disciples had prepared the Passeover he saith Luke 22. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And when the hour was come he sate down and the Twelve Apostles with him The Greek word there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Tremellius interpreteth by the word Accubuit Beza Recubuit the English for it being properly He fell down lay down or lay all along All these words sound as if our Saviour did rather lean or lie down upon a bed at the eating of the Passeover and institution of this Sacrament of the Lords Supper This will better appear if we search what was the ancient posture of their bodies at their Meals and their fashion of eating Meat in those times by all likelihood it appeareth that the gesture of our Saviour at the Table was such as the Romans used and at that time as it seemeth was in use among the Jews which as our ancient records tell us was thus Their Table was placed in the midst round about the Table were certain Beds sometimes two sometimes three sometime more according to the number of their Guests upon these Beds they lay down in manner as followeth each Bed contained three persons sometimes four seldom or never more if one lay upon the Bed then he rested the upper part of his body on his leâ—â— Elbow the lower part lying at length upon the Bed but if many lay upon the Bed then the uppermost did lie at the Beds head laying his feet behind behind the seconds back in like manner the third or fourth did lie each resting his head in the others bosom accordingly we find it expressed by the Evangelist John 13. 23. That John the beloved Disciple of Christ leaned aâ— Supper on Jesus bosom and John 21. 20. it is said of that Disciple whom Jesus loved That he leaned on his breast at Supper Their Tables were perfectly round whence their manner of sitting was termed Mesibah a sitting round and their phrase of inviting
their Guests to sit down was Sit round This was in use as it seemeth in Ezekiels time as may appear by that Speech of God by his Prophet to Samaria and Jerusalem under the names of Aholah and Aholibah Ezek. 23. 41. Thou satest upon a stately Bed and a Table prepared before it so that if we may believe either the Original tongue or our Ancient records our Saviour Christ did rather lean or lie down upon a Bed then sit at the institution of this holy Sacrament You may reply now why doth the Scripture say then in the Bible He sate down c. if our Saviour Christ did not sit but leaned or lay down upon a Bed at Supper To this we may answer thus 1. Because that kind of posture of their Bodies at their Meals was their Table gesture and answerable to our sitting at our Tables and at our Meals 2. It was thought good thus to translate it to fit the Capacity and Understanding of the common people to make it suitable to them who would wonder to hear that he leaned or lay down upon a Bed at Supper and think strangely of it That which seemeth decent to one according to the custom of times and places many times seemeth uncomely to another 3. Because it might be sometimes when he raised up himself to take any thing upon the Table for the time he might be in a sitting posture though he did presently lie down again But if it be granted that our Saviour Christ did ordain it sitting and gave it to his Disciples sitting yet we think there is no more necessity to tie us to follow the example of our Saviour Christ in this more then there is required in any of the other circumstances of his Institution It is certain that our Saviour Christ washed his Disciples feet before his last Supper that he did institute it after Supper in unleavened bread that he did administer it in the Night or in the Evening to Men alone and no Women to Twelve only in number if Judas did receive and no more Yet because there is no precept in the Gospel for these things no Christian Church at this day precisely observeth all these Circumstances but every Church taketh liberty to it self for Decency Order and Edification to appoint and use what gesture she pleaseth The Reformed Churches of France receive this Sacrament standing the Netherlands generally receive this Sacrament sitting we here in England are to receive it kneeling But some do object to kneel at the receiving of the Lords Supper is Arto-Latrie a worshipping of the Bread yea Idolatry and Superstition We answer Many Ignorant Rash and Self conceited people are too forward to exclaim against the ancient Rites and Customs of our Church because they do not understand the Grounds and Reasons of them as Popish Idolatrous and Superstitious yea some though themselves know not rightly what Popery Idolatry or Superstition is yet if they can blast and but stigmatize any ancient Custom with any of these terms though never so unjustly they think they have done enough they have won the field The old Proverb is true in these if in any Scientia non habet inimicum nisi ignorantem there is not a greater enemy to Knowledge then an ignorant man If these men had Learning and Knowledge and read Antiquity and did rightly examine the Grounds of old Customs they would be wiser then they are and not so rash in Judging Censuring and Condemning that which they do not understand But to the Point and Matter 1. For Arto-Latrie the worshipping of the Bread I suppose there is none among us so senseless and void of understanding that doth or can think that in kneeling at the receiving of the Lords Supper we kneel to the Bread or worship the Bread They may as well think and say that when in our prayers we kneel down before our seats that we kneel to our seats and worship our seats And for Transubstantiation it is well known that our Church doth utterly disclaim it in her Doctrine and openly as contrary to Sense Reason Religion contrary to the Principles of all these therefore doth not nor cannot acknowledg their Breaden God We profess to the world That the bread of Sacraments is to help our weakness to strengthen our faith to confirm it in the Promises of God For God needeth them not to confer his Graces on us but in Mercy he doth ordain them to help our understanding by our Senses to lead us by the Light and to raise our minds from the consideration of the Natural earthly and sensible things which we see with our eyes to the understanding and conceiving of spiritual and heavenly Graces For in every Sacrament there is the outward sign which is visible and the Inward Grace which being spiritual and Invisible is by that Sign represented to us and as it were laid before our eyes To shew what Christ our Saviour hath done and suffered for us and what he hath promised to do for all that by faith do lay hold upon him Neither are they bare Signes Signifying But Seals Pledges and Assurances of the Promises of God to be received by Faith and of that Communion which we have with Christ Signa non mere Significativa sed Exhibitiva as Musculus speaketh on Mat. 26. Instruments also by Gods appointment and Blessing on them to conveigh Grace unto our Souls Not as if of themselves they did Sanctifie and Save Ex Opere Operato by the bare work done without faith But by the vertue of Gods word and our applying the Promises to our selves according to the Ordinance of God For Non dant Sacramenta quod datur per Sacramenta The Sacraments of themselves do not give that which God is pleased to give by the Sacraments Fideles Salutem ex istis Elementis non quaerunt etsi in Istis quaerunt Non enim Ista tribuunt quod per Ista Tribuitur as Hugo saith The faithful do not look for seek or expect Grace or Salvation from those elements though they do expect it by and in the use of them They of themselves do not give that which God is pleased by the Power of his word and for his promise sake to give by them to those which receive them by faith as he hath Ordained They are not Physical Instruments of our Salvation as having in themselves any vital efficacie but only Moral Instruments of Gods Grace The use whereof is in our hands the effect in Gods as that learned Hooker speaketh 2. For Idolatry We conceive that Idolatry is the worshipping of a Strange God instead of the true God The setting up of a false God in our hearts or the worshipping of the true God in a false and wrong manner Now we worship the true God according to that Rule and way which he hath prescribed to us in the Scriptures which we take to be his revealed word to direct us how to worship him according to his