A SERMON PREACHED before His Majesty 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 JOHN, Bishop of Rochester.  DAT MANUS SUPERESSE MINERVA  printer's device of John Bill 
LONDON Printed by JOHN 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 us worship, and fall down, and kneel, (or weep) before the Lord our Maker.   

Venite, etc.  
THe Author of the Psalm is David: 
Hebr. 4.7.  The Type is josua that gave the rest of body in the land of promise: And the truth is JESUS, that gives the rest of Soul in the Kingdom of Heaven; to whom David made this Psalm. It gins with rejoicing, Venite exultemus; O come let us sing unto the Lord, or exult: that is, show some part of that joy, which is so great, that well it may be testified with our voices, but it can never 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 Music to do with mourning? or a Song of Zion, 
Psal. 137.  with the day of captivity? or a Text of mirth, with a day of greatest sorrow, that is Passion Sunday? or a Theme of joy with this time of Lent, the seed time of Repentance, in which the seeds of contrition must be sowed with tears, that in the harvest of Heaven shallbe reaped in joy?  
But this Verse is Venite ad humiliationem, A call to humiliation, which must have Adoration, and Prostration, and kneeling, or, as the Ancient out of the Greek of the Septuagint read it, weeping before the Lord our Maker. Adoration to him that is the God of all power and Majesty. Prostration or falling down before him that came down from Heaven to raise us. Kneeling to him that bore our sins on the Cross, 
Luc. 15.5.  and us as lost sheep on his shoulders. And weeping before him that offered up supplications and prayers, 
Hebr. 5.7.  with strong cries, and tears to redeem us. And this is indeed a word in season. Adoration to our Maker. Prostration before our judge that is offended by us. And kneeling or weeping before him whom we would pacify by our tears and compunction.  
FIrst than here is David's call: The King that hath power to call all, both Priest and people, Venite, Come, let us go together to God's worship. 2. Here is Latria, divine Adoration: Adoremus, Let us worship with the inward devotion, and sacrifice of the heart. 3. Here's servitus, Service or outward worship of the body: Procidamus, Let us prostrate our bodies together with the inward intention of our Souls. 4. Here is Contritio, Contrition and sorrow: Genu flectamus, or ploremus, Let us kneel and weep for our sins, that have lifted up our heads and taken delight in the pleasures of our sins. And 5 Here is Maiestas, or maior status, The majesty or greatest state, to whom this worship and repentance is due; Coram Domino qui fecit nos, before the Lord our Maker, who so dearly loved this workmanship of his hands, that he gave the Son of his own substance for his redemption.  
None can be absent from God in place, though many be far from him in affection; therefore the Call is to all, present and far removed. Venite, Come, & draw near to God. The creature owes homage to his Creator, and the captive to his Redeemer; and therefore, Adoremus. Come, let us pay him the Rent of Sacrifice and adoration. Sin hath an elevation in itself, and the cure must be by the contrary, and therefore Procidamus, Let us have a dejection, and willingly fall down in humiliation, as we have wilfully cast down ourselves headlong by our pride. He that bends the knees of his soul, ought likewise to stoop, and bend the knees of his body; and he that beats his breast in the soul's contrition, ought also to resolve into tears to wash away his sins; and therefore Genu flectamus, or ploremus, let us kneel in humility, and weep in grief. And all these as undivided companions: Inward adoration in the devotion of the heart; Outward worship in the prostration & kneeling of the body, and sighs and tears in the compunction of the soul must ever be tendered at the Altar of the Lord our Maker, to whom all the rivers; and brooks of our duty, and service must run, as into the Sea of all goodness.  
The first thing is the Call of David the King, Part. 1 and therefore 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 between God and the King: 
Rom. 13.4.  For he is God's Minister, not man's: He is superior, and above all men, and inferior, and under God only. He hath no equal in earth, and no superior, 
Tertull. Apologet. cap. 30.  but in Heaven; greater than all men, and solo Deo minor, Lesser than God only, from whom he immediately receives his power over all men, and all sorts of men, Priest and people, in all causes Civil and Spiritual.  
For he is Custos & vindex utriusque tabulae, 
Deut. 17.19.  both the keeper and revenger of both Tables of the Law; as well the first, that concerns Religion and worship of God, as the second, that concerns justice and conversation among men. He only hath power of life and death, and he only puts men to death without the sin of murder, because he bears the sword, and executes vengeance in God's stead, that only can give and take away life: And this he doth as well upon the Atheist, and Heretic, and Idolater, and blasphemer, 
Num. 15.35, 36.  and Sabbath breaker, as Moses did, which are against the first Table; as upon 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 impunity must be granted to the Priest, 
Deut. 13.5.  and the false prophet, could not be 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 himself; who foreknew that all Kings should not be Prophets; and no Prophet ever took power of life and death upon him, no not jeremy, whose commission was largest, ut evellas, & destruas, 
jerem. 1.10.  to pluck up and destroy: who most certainly understood, and executed his office, but it was, Prophetando, not sententiando, by prophesying and preaching down Idolatry and sin, and planting Religion and virtue, but not by sentence or judicial power, either of Pope's Tribunal, or people's Consistory, to dispose any kingdom, or take away the life of any, were he King or Subject, as his life and practice declares.  
The Priest hath his call, venite ad nuptias, 
Matt. 22.4.  come to the marriage; but it is venite directiwm, non coactiwm, a call of direction, not of external coaction, as the Kings is. Saint Paul says, These things command and teach, 
1. Tim. 4.11.  command them that know; teach the ignorant. Imperamus & nos, 
In Oratione ad praesidem natum.  said S. Nazianzene, we in the Pulpit command also on God's behalf. 
Luc. 14.23.  And the Priest hath his compulsory also, Compelle intrare, Compel them to come in, but it is, verbi potentiâ, & censuris, by the power of the word, the sword of the spirit, not Caesar's word; and by the censures of the Church wherewith she is armed to revenge all disobedience; which are sanativae, 
2. Cor. 10.6.  and not eradicativae; healing, 
1. Cor. 5.5.  that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord, not eradicative, to take away life, as the censure of the Civil power doth.  
So then, as the Church calls by the word and censures thereof, so the King calls, first, verbo, by his word or law Civil: secondly, exemplo, by his practice and example. His word is not Ite, Go ye, and serve the Lord, but, venite, come, and go with me to serve God, 
josua 24.15.  I and my house will be first; He is first in place before all men, that he may be first among men in the service of God: and the greater his power and graces are, the greater is his obligation to adore God, that placed him above men, and near to himself. And thirdly, Gladio, He must call by his own civil sword, by temporal punishments, not spiritual, to which all Recusants of all sorts must be subject: He must compel all men to enter into God's house.  
Now there is a threefold venite; the first, Singular, particular or singular in every particular man; for man is a little World, or City, or Kingdom in himself. The spirit is to rule, and all the powers of soul and body must obey. Memory must record all God's blessings, and our own duties; Reason must apprehend and believe them; Will must choose, and love them; and affection must desire them. The senses must be shut up, that they wander not, but ascend and behold; The eyes must see God's beauties, not gad after vanities, and send tears as Ambassadors; The ears must attend truth, not leasings; The tongue must sound forth the Sacrifice of prayer, and praise; The hands must be lifted up as an evening Sacrifice, to entreat pardon, and bestow alms; And the knees must be bowed, that God who resisteth the proud, may behold the humble afar off; 
jam. 4.5. 1. Pet. 5.5.  and the whole man must be offered up as a living sacrifice to God, ut totus hic sit, & totus in Coelo offeratur, that the whole man being in the Temple, may at the same instant be presented to God in Heaven.  
The second is, Privatum; the private call of the master of the family; which is another little kingdom, and hath all the societies of man and wife, father and son, master and servant in it: as the Kingdom is the great family, consisting of many families, and the power of the King is no other but Patria potestas, that fatherly power that was placed by God immediately in Adam over all the families that issued from him. In which, as David said, 
Psal. 101.7.  No deceitful person shall dwell in my house: so every Master must say, No Recusant in God's worship shall rest within my doors. If he will not go to God's house, & adore his Maker, and receive his blessed body and blood, Non habitabit in domo mea, He shall not hide his head in my house, if he be ashamed to show his face in God's houses. Our most religious David, that sits upon the throne of this Kingdom, and suffers none to serve him, a King on earth, unless he will also with him serve the King of heaven, may be a singular light, a pattern to all Masters in this kind. And surely he can never be a true servant to a man in earth, that is not a devout and religious servant to God in heaven; If he be false to God, he will never be true to him that is but the Image, & represents the person of God on earth.  
The third is, Publicum, the public call, when he calls all, who hath authority to call all; that is the Kings call: to which every one that is a part or member of the great family, and receives protection and direction from him must be obedient; and not only one family, or one Kingdom, but as many families or kingdoms as are subject to his dominion. All his Kingdoms must be obedient to his venite, and join together, not only in unitate, in the unity and substance of Religion, and worship of God, but also in uniformitate, in uniformity of outward order and ceremony of God's service, if possibly it may be; especially in all the parts of my Text, of Adoration, and Prostration and kneeling, which are not ceremonies, 
Rom. 13.4.  but parts of Divine worship; and for disobedience must be subject to his coercion, who bears not the sword in vain.  
The King's word is not, venite adme, come to me, 
Matth. 11.28.  I will refresh you: his office is not Reficere, but Ducere; not to refresh us, but to lead us to refreshing; that is proper to God, and Christ, who is both Shepherd and food, Pastor and pasture of our souls. Neither is the King's word, venite per me, 
joan. 14.6.  Come by me, I am the way, and the truth; that is true only of Christ; For no man cometh to the Father, but by me: and the King is not via, but Dux in via, Not the way but the guide of the way. But the King's word is Venite mecum; Come with me, I am both a sheep of the flock, 
Psal. 78.71.  and a Shepherd as David was. Let us go together as one man to worship God.  
And therefore when God calls us to come to him, he is our end: And Christ calls us to come by him, he is the way; And the King calls us to go with him, he is our Chieftain; And the Prophets and Priests teach us to go in the way, they are our directors: And the Saints of God are our companions, and the Angels of God are our assistants in this way to go to God, Passibus & mentis & corporis, with the steps of our souls and bodies. Who will refuse to go by such a way as Christ is, under such guides as Kings and Prophets are, with such companions as Saints and Angels are, unto such an end as God is, who is life and blessedness itself?  
But strepitus est in anima; 
Part. 2, 3.4.  there's such a confused cry in the soul, that David's cry is not heard. The proud man calls none; for he cannot endure either superior or equal, but must be singular and alone. And the covetous man calls none; for he can abide no partner; and he denies that most to himself, that he gets from others: these in their silence, stop the cares against David's call.  
The voluptuous calls, Venite, perfruamur; 
Wisd. 2.6.  to fill himself voluptatibus, he might have said morbis, with pleasures, or rather with diseases of the body, and the worm of conscience in soul. For while he labours not to lose the flower of his youth, he spends his life, and ends in that, which he hates most, that is corruption and rottenness.  
The malicious calls for revenge, 
jere. 18.18.  Venite cogitemus, percutiamus, linguâ, and occidamus: Let us devise, there's their conspiracy: Let us wound with our tongues, there's their practice; let us wound or murder his good name: Let us kill him, there's their end; he is the heir, the inheritance shall be ours: But this is a cursed wrath that kills the enemy's body, and withal kills, and eternally condemns their own souls.  
The Ambitious man calls to his own faction, without which he cannot aspire, Venite aedificemus, 
Gene. 9.4.  Let us build a Tower to climb to heaven: but it is Babel, a Tower of confusion: and ambition that pleases all, torments all; and it lifts to the highest, that it may give the greater and more headlong downfall.  
In this confusion of calls, this Religious call, Venite adoremus, Come let us worship God, is scant heard or regarded.  
In which, give me leave to join these three, Adoration, Prostration and Kneeling together: because in truth they should never be separated.  
And first I observe. It is not said, Venite, audiamus, Come let us hear, as those do that turn Oratories into Auditories, and Temples into schools, and all adoration and worship into hearing of a Sermon: As if all, soul and body, were turned into an ear: or, as if all Religion and sacrifice that must be sent up to God, were only this, to know the message that God sends down by his Servants. 
Luke 10.42 Rom. 10.17.  Hearing, indeed, is a good part of Christianity, but it is but a part: And faith comes by hearing, but faith, hope, and charity, justice, and Religion, are not hearing, but the fruits of hearing: And therefore no man may think that he hath given God his due worship, if he have heard God speak by his Minister: as if a man had observed the Sabaoth well, if they have heard reverently, as some Catechisms teach: much less may they think, that they have done all their duty, that have slept or talked out a Sermon, or heard it, but not regarded it. For in this Psalm, there is a difference between hearing and worshipping, 
Verse 8.  hody si vocem eius audiveritis, To day if you will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. The jews heard God's voice in the Mount, their Audire was not obedire; Their hearing was not obeying. They heard, but they worshipped not God, but the golden Calf: And therefore David after hearing, calls for worshipping; so, hearing is not all.  
2. The Adoration here called for, is Publica & solennis, public and solemn: and so much the Call proves, for it is of all the whole multitude of the people. And likewise the place, for it is not Praeveniamus ipsum, Let us come before him, 
Verse 2.  for that may be done in every place; on the way, in the field, in the chamber, in the bed, in the closet, and every where, when we are most retired and alone; but it is Praeveniamus faciem eius, Let us come before his face, or his presence, with thanksgiving. His presence is his Tabernacle, or his Temple, the place which he hath chosen to dwell in; And then, as the adoration is complete and solemn, so it must have all the parts, and duties thereof performed to God.  
In solemn and complete Adoration, these two or three here mentioned, must be offered to God; First, internal Adoration, that is, the devotion of the heart, and inward worship: and next outward worship, that is, Prostration, falling down, or bending of the body, and kneeling, which is a kind of falling down, and may well be included in it. In all adoration, the inward devotion and sacrifice of the heart in prayer, and praise, is always required and accepted. In sacrificijs externis semper desiderantur interna, 
Aug.  In external sacrifices, God always calls for the inward; 
Prou. 23.26.  My son, give me thy heart: and God cares not for the outward, nay, he loathes it, if the inward be wanting. 
Matt. 6.  If the heart do not fast and pray, and give alms, the rest is no better, than the stage playing of a fast, 
Isay 29.19. Matth. 15.8. Marc. 7.8.  or a prayer, or a maundy: when our lips draw near to God, and our hearts draw far from him, God cries down the Sacrifices that himself did institute, with, 
Isa. 1.11, 12.  Quo mihi multitudinem? and quis requisivit? Why do you load me with these loathsome and abominable sacrifices? or who requires them? And of this outward Adoration, there is no doubt, but it is received and allowed by all, though not performed by all.  
But in public and solemn Adoration, not only the inward devotion and prostration of our souls, and the bending the knees of our hearts is to be tendered and offered up to God, but also the outward prostration and kneeling of our bodies is required at our hands.  
And this external worship of kneeling is opposed by those, that love their ease more than their duties, and therefore cannot endure to kneel, or stand, but must sit at their devotions, which is contrary to all discipline, and sit at the Lords Table, as if they were equal guests with him, else we shall be Idolaters. Good God Is it Idolatry to kneel at God's Table, or at our prayers, when as no man without the brand of irreverence, and ill manners, makes his suit, or asks a pardon, or receives a great benefit from a mortal King without this bowing or kneeling? And the universal custom of the purer Church was, that no man did receive the flesh of Christ, Nisi priùs adoret, but first he did adore; 
August. in Psal. 98.  I do not say, the Sacrament or element, but Christ himself, and it was the practice of all the Saints and holy men to adore with bowing and kneeling.  
For the patriarchs, we have Abraham, 
Gen. 17.3, & 17.  the father of the faithful in the law of nature, Cecidit pronus in terram, He fell on his face. For the judges, we have Moses, Procidi in faciem sicut priùs, 
Deut. 9.18.  mark that word, sicutpriùs, I fell on my face as at the first. It was Moses custom so to do. For the Kings, we have David a man after Gods own heart, and the Elders with him in sackcloth, Proni in facies ceciderunt, 
1. Paral. 21.17  they fell down on their faces, and prayed to stay the plague; and here David calls all to bowing and kneeling. And likewise Solomon that built and dedicated the Temple, Flexis genibus, and levatis manibus: 
2. Paral. 6.13.  He kneeled down, and lift up his hands at the dedication. The word is, stetit, in the 12. verse; and likewise 2. 
1. Reg. 8.21.  Reg. 8. He stood: and this verse by way of Parenthesis, is a declaration, or explication of the manner of his standing; so standing among jews is there expounded to be kneeling. For the Prophets, 
1. Reg. 18.42.  we have Elias and Daniel; Elias fell on the earth, and put his face inter genua, between his knees, lying double as a child in the womb. 
Dan. 6.10.  And Daniel prayed in his house; that was private adoration, genibus flexis, kneeling thrice in a day. All these in the old Testament witness, that prostration and kneeling are parts of divine worship.  
Come to the Gospel, and there we shall find like patterns, and examples. The wisemen from the East used prostration, by the light of nature; The Leper; The man that prayed for his dumb son; jairus; The woman with the bloody issue; The possessed with the Legion of devils; The Ruler; The young rich man; Saint Peter, when he was called to be a fisher of men; Marry Magdalene, and others. All these used this external adoration of falling down and kneeling unto our Saviour Christ, who accepted this honour, and never reproved it in any that offered it unto him. 
Matt. 8.18.  In which I observe, that of jairus, S. Matthew saith, 
Mar. 1.22. Luk. 8.41.  Adoravit, he worshipped him; S. Mark and S. Luke say, Cecidit adpedes, He fell down at jesus feet. So external worshipping or falling down is all one with kneeling in the Gospel.  
But some will say, these were novices in Christ's school. 
Act. 9.40.  Let us come to the Captains: S. 
Act. 20.36.  Peter kneeled and prayed when he raised Dorcas. S. Paul kneeled at his prayers at Ephesus, 
Acts. 21.5.  and on the shore at tire. S. 
Acts 7.60.  Steven the first Martyr, kneeled down and prayed for them that stoned him, and when he laid down his life, he would not lay down his external adoration. Sic pastors, sic ergo grex, the chief leaders and shepherds thus kneel, the whole flock must follow their example.  
But what do I insist in servants, when we have the example of the Master Christ that is above all Example? He fell on his face in the garden, saith S. Matthew, and S. Mark; 
Matth. 26.39. Mark. 14.35. Luke 22.41.  He kneeled down, & prayed, saith S. Luke: So falling down, and kneeling is all one. Sic Caput, sic medicus: sic ergo membra, sic aegrotus, The Head kneeled that was without sin, much more must the poor members kneel, that are nothing but sin. The sound Physician kneeled to cure us, and therefore the sick patients must kneel also when they receive Calicem salutaris, 
1. Cor. 10.16. Psal. 116.13.  the Cup of blessing, and the Cup of Salvation, the greatest benefit of soul and body, with the greatest humiliation of soul and body: for that is received with Invocation, which should have outward worship with it.  
I would be loath to grieve the Michalites of our time, and therefore I omit those mockers that clothed our Saviour in Kingly robes, 
Matth. 26.29.  and then bowed the knee to him, though they denied his Kingdom and Deity; and these confess him to be both King and God, 
Phil. 2.10.  and yet will not kneel to him, to whom all knees are bowed in Heaven, in earth, and under the earth. These profess to adore our Saviour, and will not kneel before him; 
Mark 3.11.  and yet the very devils did bow to him, whom they do not adore. But one thing I must needs say: there is no remission at God's hand, except we with the indebted servant, do fall at our Maker's feet, 
Matth. 18.26.  and pray for patience and pardon. For though I say not that God hath aures in pedibus suis, ears in his own feet; yet his eyes and his ears are in pedibus tuis, set upon our feet, to hear their prayers that offer up unto him humble souls, and humbled bodies.  
God swore it with an oath, 
Isai. 45.23.  Omne genu flectetur mihi, Every knee shall bow to me. And all Religion by God himself is called by the name of kneeling. 
1. Reg. 19.18.  I have left me 7000, Qui non curuaverant, which have not bowed their knees to Baal. I fear, these Elephanti, Elephants that have no joints in their knees, have sworn and vowed that they will not kneel to God, and his Christ, that they may make it known that they esteem their own fantasy more than they do the oath of God, who cannot repent.  
The ready way then, to incline the heavens to us, is to incline ourselves to the earth. Wilt thou say to God, 
Psal. 144.5.  Bow down the heavens and come down? Thou must first say to thyself Inclina ●eipsum & decende, Bow down thyself, soul and body, and descend; that the Lord that resisteth the proud, may behold thy humility. Dost thou seek an hill to pray on, 
Aug. in Psal. 94.   Deo sis proquinqui●r, that thou mayest be nearer to God? He that dwelleth in the highest, 
Psal. 113.6.  is nearest to the most lowly. Therefore Descend ut ascendas, descend in soul and body, that treading down thyself, thy prayer may the better ascend to heaven. And, if thou be bareheaded in sign of reverence, and kneel in sign of humility, the lifting up of thy hands shallbe unto thee a sign of hope, that thy devotions are acceptable to God.  
A Doration, as it is contra-divided against prostration and kneeling, is an act of inward reverence & sacrifice to God, which in the intention of the heart is called Devotion, and in the attention thereof is called Piety: which in the order of production, first is an act Fidei ostendentis, of faith that showeth both the object, God, who only is to be worshipped; and the manner how, that is, as himself hath prescribed. 2. It is an act Charitatis informantis, of Charity that animateth us to give divine worship to him, that is our greatest and last good. 3. It is an act justitiae reddentis, of justice that payeth that debt to God to whom only it is due. And 4. it is an act Latriae exhibentis, of divine and religious worship, that is exhibited in recognition of supreme dominion unto God; and so, as in man the heart is first framed, and then the outward parts; so grace first offereth the heart and soul in devotion to God, and then tendereth the body in bowing and kneeling in his service.  
THis Prostration and kneeling is not so much a ceremony, as a part or duty in divine worship, not to be omitted but in case of necessity; as our Saviour that kneeled in the garden, 
Luk. 22.41.  did not kneel at his prayers on the Cross, because he could not kneel. And I conceive I have good reason for it.  
For first it was used by Abraham and the Wise men, 
Gen. 17.3, 17. Matt. 2.11.  who only knew the Law of Nature. Secondly, it is commanded in the Moral Law to be given to God, and forbidden to be given to an Idol. 
Exod. 20.5.  In the negative, Thou shalt not bow down to them, there is the outward service, nor worship them, there is inward adoration, both forbidden to be bestowed on any false god. In the affirmative, 
Deut. 6.13.  Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God; there is the inward adoration of the heart by devotion, and him only shalt thou serve: and the body only can serve, the soul 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 duty.  
3. 
August. retract. lib. 2. cap. 37.  Ceremony is named à Carendo, of Want; because the soul that wants other means to express itself, doth it by signs and gestures. And in heaven where grace and glory are received immediately without any Sacrament or Ceremony at all, there can be no Ceremony: and yet the Elders in Heaven cast down their Crowns and fall down, 
Apoc. 4.10.  and worship him who sitteth on the Throne, and therefore kneeling or bowing is a duty which may not be omitted as an indifferent thing in the solemn worship of God.  
SO then in this service, soul and body must join together for many reasons. The first is, Naturae totius debitum, the debt or duty of the whole man; for God created soul and body by his divine power, and Christ redeemed our souls by the agony of his soul, and our bodies by the death of his body; and the holy Ghost sanctifieth our souls and bodies in such sort, that our bodies are members of Christ body, and our souls and bodies are Temples of the holy Ghost; 
1. Cor. 3.16. & 6.15, 19  and therefore soul and body must join in Adoration of him that made us, and restoreth us, and sanctifieth us for himself. The second is Excitatio mutua, mutual excitation: for the soul doth always excite the body, as the Musician strikes the instrument, and the body doth sometimes call home and awaken the soul that wandereth and is heavy in the service of God; and, as an instrument with a sweet melody, doth quicken the soul in this harmony of God's Religion. The third is offensio mutua, both soul and body are sharers in the offence to God by sin, and therefore both soul and body must concur in the pacification of God; our hearts must be broken and contrite by inward sorrow, and our bodies and knees bowed, to testify, that we are broken, poor and impotent, because we come before that Physician, who cureth none but them that confess their own sickness, and seek his help. So then, since we come to God's house to pacify him, let our carriage be such, that we stir him not to more anger: and let us ever hold this rule: Ingressus cum reverentia, progressus cum adoratione. Let our entry try be with reverence, and our progress with Adoring, and then Egressus cum benedictione, our departure shallbe with a blessing.  
Now, 
Ploremus.  where the Hebrew reads Genu flectactamus, let us kneel, the Septuagint, the Vulgar, and most of the ancient have Ploremus, let us weep: In which difference I resolve nothing, I only relate that which the Learned in those tongues observe, which is, that the little deflection of Niucha, which is, Genu flectamus, let us kneel, from Niurecha, Ploremus, let us weep, may be the occasion that the Hebrew and the Septuagint do differ: and likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, let us kneel, and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, let us weep, may be the cause of this variety. And the conjecture is not improbable; for David first saying Procidamus, let us fall down (which implies the prostration of the whole body) it is not likely that in the next words he would add Genu flectamus, let us kneel, which is but a part, and included in falling down. Howsoever, since Christ and the Apostles so often follow the Septuagint in some Texts that differ from the original, I hope I may pass without blame, who make use of both.  
And surely, 
Verse 1.  in this Psalm, as Exultemus and Adoremus are well joined, let us rejoice, and let us adore; sing for our deliverance, and adore our Deliverer; (for praise without adoration is to give God our tongues, but not our service and obedience; and adoration without exulting, is to do God service and not to give him thanks for his benefits.) 
Verse 6.  So Adoremus and Ploremus are as well joined, let us adore him for his dominion or Lordship, and let us weep before him to entreat pardon for our transgressions. For adoration without tears, is to look with the Pharisee so much on God's graces and our own virtues, that we forget our own sins. 
Luk. 18.11.  And tears without invocation is so much to look on our own sins, that we forget the mercies of God that forgiveth sin, and so are swallowed up in despair. So that as we must praise God for his goodness, and adore him for his greatness, so we must weep before him to wash away our sins, and deplore and prevent our present and future miseries.  
And surely, if we pluck away the vail of fig-leaves that covereth our shame, rather than cureth our wounds, we shall discern that all our state and being, is a lamentable and miserable being; For the natural man Plorandus quia non plorat, is most to be pitied, because he laments not his sin and misery, because he seethe it not; as the sick man is most desperate, whose wounds are past cure, because they are past sense; and the spiritual man, Non plorandus quia plorat, is therefore not so much to be lamented and pitied, because he doth in such sort lament and deplore his own sins and miseries, that his whole life is nothing else but a continual repentance and contrition for his sins: always sorrowing for his sin, and joying in nothing but only in this, that he is truly contrite for his sin. For why? The spiritual Pharaoh, Satan with all his army, will never be drowned, but in the red Sea of tears, which may well be called red, for they are Sanguis animae, the blood of the soul. The fire of concupiscence will never be quenched, but in this water of tears: and the spots, and deformities of the soul will never be washed away, but in the Soap or Lie of tears and compunction.  
Wilt thou then O wretched man, know the weight and greatness of sin? Look upon the Cross of Christ, which this 
* Passion Sunday.  day represents unto thee, and there thou shalt learn, that none could bear it, but the Son of God: there thou shalt read the depth of sin, that pierced not only his hands and feet, but his heart also; in which he offered up prayers and supplications with strong cries and tears that he might overcome the clamour of our crying sins: 
Heb. 5.7.  and Christ offered nothing for our redemption, but that which was necessary, and therefore tears must concur as a part of our ransom. And if our Saviour wept for us, the Redeemer for the redeemed; we have much more reason to weep for ourselves: and let none be found so profane amongst us, that when the Son of God wept and suffered for our redemption, we should laugh and make merry at our condemnation, as if we were senseless of our own confusion.  
First then hearken what Christ saith to us from his Cross, Vide quae pro te patior, Behold, O man, what sorrow Christ suffered for thee upon his Cross; and let his sighs and tears move thee to compunction. And if this will not prevail, then hear what he saith in heaven to all impenitent and wilful sinners, Vide quae à te patior, Behold thou obdurate sinner, how great reproaches Christ suffers at thy hands, who by thy wilful impieties dost crucify again to thyself the Lord of life; and then resolve that as Christ's hands and feet, and head, yea, and every little poor and passage of his body was a fountain of mercy that runs in his blood, so thy heart must be as a spring of sighs and groans, and thine eyes must be as fountains of tears to wash, with Magdalene, 
Luk. 7.38.  not so much Christ's feet as thine own soul.  
Now interest Cui, Pars 5 the question is of the Coram, to whom this internal devotion and outward prostration, and this contrition is to be tendered: And my Text sayeth, Coram Domino quifecit nos, before the Lord our maker: Adoration is due to Lordship or Majesty, and that by many rights. 1. Potestatis, quia principium creans, First, by reason of his power; He is the principle & author of our creation in whom we live, and move, and have our being; 
Act 17.28.  who made us not according to the image of Angels, 
Gen. 1.26.  or beasts, but according to his own Image; And therefore this worship must be given only to God, quifecit, & sic fecit, who made us, and made us by no other stamp or pattern, but his own Image.  
2 Bonitatis, quia principium conseruans, by reason of his goodness: he is the principle, and fountain of our preservation in being in nature, and restorer to our well being in grace, and that by no other means, than the Incarnation, and death of his only begotten Son. And therefore this worship must be exhibited only to God, Qui refecit, & sic refecit, who restored us, and so restored us by the blood of his own Son: as the Captive ever honoureth him that ransomed him, and the sick man his Physician, and the condemned man going to execution, ever reverenceth him that procureth his pardon.  
3. Felicitatis, quia principium beatificans; by reason of his felicity, he is the only principle of man's eternal blessedness: For all the perfection and fullness we look for at God's hands, is God himself. And the blessed Trinity hath thus divided; The Son gave himself in pretium, for our price and ransom; The holy Ghost gave himself in arrhabonem, as an earnest or pledge: And the Father reserveth himself in praemium, as our exceeding great reward; 
Gene. 15.1.  and therefore all service and worship is due to the Lord, qui beatificat & sic beatificat, who blesseth us, and so blesseth us, with no less than the fruition of himself. So that now, Nec aliud pro illo, nec aliud cum illo; we may neither adore another in stead of God, nor any other together with God; for he is sole and supreme Lord, to whom all divine and religious Adoration is due, Propter Dominum, for his Lordship.  
Natural, Moral and Civil reverence or adoration is due to them, to whom God hath communicated some parts or branches of his power: 
1. Reg. 1.16, 23.  as unto Kings, as Bathsheba and Nathan adored David: to parents, who as God's instruments bring us to a natural being: and to Priests, who are Gods tongues and hands in our spiritual being; and to others that have any eminency and excellency of God's graces.  
And this duty is derived from Religion & the worship of God, & is done only for God's cause; yet it is not properly religious in the strict sense, but Civil and human: For man's Lordship and dominion is not absolute and supreme in respect of Gods, but under God, and limited and coarct by his Law. It is, ab illa, sub illa, & in illam, from God's power, he is the author of it; under God's power, and subject to his coercion; He is judge of it; and for God's power, subordinate and directed to him; He is the end of it: And therefore all powers on earth must give this divine and religious service only to God, whose Lordship is only supreme and absolute in heaven and earth.  
Angels and Saints have no part in this divine worship: because, though they be in possession of the Country, and have more excellency of nature, grace and glory than men have, yet they have no dominion; they have Administrationem & custodiam, administration under God, for they are ministering spirits: 
Hebr. 1.14. Dan. 10.13. & 12.1.  and have custody of whole countries, and perchance of particular men; yet they have not dominium, Lordship or dominion over men, 
Apoc. 19.10. & 22.9.  but profess themselves to be fratres & conserui, brethren and fellow servants, and not Lords, and therefore forbidden men to adore them.  
And it is certain and clear, no man ever offered sacrifice to any but to him, 
Aug. de Civit. lib. 10. c. 4.  Quem Deum aut scivit, aut putavit, aut finxit, whom he knew, or thought, 
Tho. secunda secundae. q. 85. art. 2.  or feigned to be a god. And external sacrifice is due only to God, because it is a sign or testification of the inward sacrifice of the heart, in which none hath any part but God only. And yet these later times have placed much devotion in the worshipping of Angels and Saints, offering to them the inward and outward sacrifices of prayer and praise, and their goods, in vows and pilgrimages: and not only distinguishing temples, and Churches by their names (which is lawful) but also dedicated them unto them, together with God, at least in practice, whatsoever their booke-doctrine be. But, Qui Deum colunt, nolunt se coli pro Deo. Angels and Saints will not be worshipped as gods upon earth, because they do truly adore God in Heaven, and excite us to do the like with them. 
Quaest. in Gen. lib. 1. q. 111. Gen. 4.61.   
It is true, S. Augustine noteth upon those Words of Deuteron. 6. Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, Et illi soli seruies, and him only shalt thou serve: That the word Soli, is added to the latter, but not to the former, as if it were lawful to adore others besides God, but it were not lawful to serve any but God. But S. Augustine speaketh there of civil reverence and adoration, such as Abraham did to the children of Heth; 
Gene. 23.7.  but not of divine adoration, such as the Angel for bad S. john to give him: For, saith he, the Angel appeared such to S. john, that he might be taken for God himself, and therefore Corrigendus adorator, the adorer was to be reproved; And thus it comes to pass, that too much humility, or pestiferous flattery, doth communicate that to creatures, which is peculiar to the Creator, God blessed for ever.  
Now, some are called gods, quos fecit homo, whom man's superstition, and folly hath deified; and these are no more to be adored, than devils: and some are called gods, quos fecit Deus, whom God's power and grace hath made gods, and these will not endure to be adored with divine 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 truth, and being, and the maker of all things, who giveth being and blessing unto men. And it is no small assurance unto us in our invocation, and adoration, quiafecit, that he made us; for the Creator loves his creature, as the Artificer is in love with the child of his own brain: and he reaches out the right hand of power to create, and grace to sanctify, 
job 14.15.  and glory to crown the work of his own hands.  
We are the sheep of his hands; 
Ve●se 7.  man buys sheep he maketh them not; we are God's sheep, quas fecit, & quas emit, He maketh us by his power, and bought us with the blood of his Son. His blessings are finite to us, for we are not capable of infinity; but his nature is infinite in himself: as the light of the Sun is great, though the illumination in us be little. The action quam agit, which he performs for us, and in us, is created, and therefore finite; but the affection quâ agit, out of which he createth and blesseth us is infinite, that is his power and goodness.  
In which we must consider not quantum, how much it is that he doth for us (though that exceedeth all merit and capacity) but rather à quanto, how incomprehensibly great he is that doth all this for us. And because God hath no need of us (our adoration is no increase to him) and it is impossible to return to him quod aequale, 
Psal. 16.1.  that which shall equal his grace and goodness; much less come near to that immeasurable love wherewith he loveth us (for the creature can never requite his Creator, nor the child ever recompense his parents, either in nature or grace:) let us endeavour to do that which only remains 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 souls and bodies in Adoration, and Prostration, and Kneeling, and Contrition; Ex toto, with all our hearts, and minds, and power, 
Luk. 10.27.  and strength. And if we thus obey David's venite, Come, let us worship and fall down, and kneel, and weep before our Lord and maker, in this life; when this life shallbe ended, we shallbe partakers of Christ's Venite, Come ye blessed of my Father, 
Matt. 25.34.  receive the kingdom prepared for you. Which God grant, etc. Amen.   

A DISCOURSE CONCERNING KNEELING at the Communion.  
THis is the general doctrine concerning kneeling in the worship of God, as it is a transcendent, and to be used in all the parts thereof, to express the humiliation of our outward man, as well as the humility of the inward. And at that time when I spoke thereof, I proceeded no further. Since, being occasioned to descend to the particular of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, I have added this ensuing discourse; giving such reasons to others as most moved myself, and (as I conceive) the whole Church, to tender this duty of kneeling to God; to whom all duty and service of soul and body is always due, but most specially to be given when we are more nearly conjoined to God, and participate most of his graces. And the Sacraments are Canales gratiae, The channels and conduits, wherein God's mercies and graces do run, and are conveyed to us; Exhibent quod signant, They exhibit that to us, which they signify, and represent.  
For john Baptist saith, 
Mark 1.8.  I baptize you with water, but he (that is Christ) shall baptize you with the holy Ghost. The grace of the holy Ghost is there signified, and there exhibited. Else he would have said, ille dabit, not ille baptizabit, he will give you the holy Ghost, which may be given otherwise then by Baptism: not, he will baptise you with the holy Ghost; so the holy Ghost that is signified by Baptism, is given in baptism: and therefore Baptism exhibiteth that which it signifieth. 
Mark 16.16.  And he that believeth and is baptised shall be saved; and salvation is the consummation of grace; and Baptism by water and the holy Ghost, maketh a passage or entrance into the kingdom of Heaven; 
joan. 3.5.  
Acts. 2.38.  and obtaineth remission of sins, Repent and be baptised for remission of sins. By which Christ doth cleanse his Church in the laver of regeneration by the word. 
Ephes. 5.26.  Ephes. 5.26.  
The Milevitan Council said well, 
C. 2.  Paruuli, qui nihil peccatorum in semetipsis adhuc committere potuerunt, ideo in peccatorum remissionem veraciter baptizantur, ut in eyes regeneratione mundetur, quod generatione contraxerant. Little children, who as yet could not commit any sin in themselves, are there truly baptised for remission of sins: that, that may be cleansed in them by regeneration, which was contracted by generation: 
In Symbolo Niceno. 2. C. 25.  As the Counsels of Nice and Constantinople said, I believe one Baptism for the remission of sins. And Concilium Arausicanum said, Hoc etiam secundum fidem Catholicam credimus, quod accepta per baptismum gratia, omnes baptizati (Christo auxiliante & cooperant) quae ad salutem pertinent, possint & debeant (si fideliter laborare volverint) adimplere. We believe that by grace received in Baptism, all the baptised (Christ helping, and working with them) may and aught, (if they will labour faithfully) fulfil those things that pertain to salvation. Cyprian saith, Sacramenta quidem, etc. The Sacraments (as much as in them is) cannot be without their own virtue, neither doth the divine Majesty absent himself from the mysteries by any means. Cyprian de Coena Dom. 
Hom. 14. in Luc. 2.  And Origen saith, Sordes nativitatis, per baptismi Sacramentum deponuntur. The uncleanness or spots of our Nativity, are laid down by the Sacrament of Baptism. Caro abluitur, ut anima emaculetur; 
Tertul. de Baptismo.  Caro corpore Christi, & sanguine vescitur, ut anima de Deo saginetur. The flesh is washed or Baptized, that the soul may be made clean or without spot; the flesh is fed with the body and blood of Christ, that the soul 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 Baptism of Christians, given in the Name of the Trinity, conferreth grace; (mark that word) and, if it be iterated, it effects loss of life. It was S. 
Tract. 80. In joan.  Augustine's question, unde tanta virtus aquae, ut corpus tangat, & cor abluat? Whence cometh this force to the water, that it should touch the body and cleanse the soul?  
And surely if this Sacrament consist of two things, the sign, and the thing signified, it must necessarily follow, that grace, which is the thing signified, must be exhibited in, with, or by the sign, or else it will cease to be a Sacrament, for it shall have but one part. And therefore Caluin out of S. 
Lib. 4. Instit. C. 17. Sect. 35.  Augustine maketh this collection, where he saith, Sacramenta in solis electis efficere quod figurant, that, The Sacraments do effect that which they figure only in the elect. 
Ib. §. 10.  And his judgement is clear 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 truly confess, that the breaking of the bread is the symbol, and not the thing itself: but this being granted, we rightly gather from the exhibiting of the symbol, that the thing itself is exhibited. For unless a man will call God false or fallacious, he will never dare to say, that God proposeth unto us an empty sign or symbol. And thereupon he proposeth a rule to be held by all godly men, that so often as they see the signs or symbols instituted of God; Illic rei signatae veritatem adesse certò cogitent, ac sibipersuadeant: They should certainly think and persuade themselves, that the truth of the thing signified is there present. And again, 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 signs and symbols of bread and wine, Christ is truly exhibited unto us, his body and his blood. 
§. 5.  And again a little before, Vbi idipsum intùs complete, quod exteriùs designat. Where (that is in the Sacrament) he doth inwardly fulfil that which he doth outwardly design.  
Now the spring is on high, Grace is desursum, 
jacob. 1.17.  from above, from the Father of lights: the channels or conduits are deorsum, from below, and run in the valleys of humility, that is, in humble souls, and humbled bodies; so that the Sacrament must be received with reverence, adoration and kneeling.  
Again the Sacraments are, vasa consecrationis or dedicationis, the vessels or instruments of our consecration, in which we are offered up, and dedicated to God and his service. In Baptism we are offered up and dedicated to be Christians and members of Christ. In the Lord's Supper we are offered up and dedicated as living and holy Sacrifices to God; And things consecrated, dedicated, and sacrificed, must be offered up with all humility of soul and body, because in them both our souls and bodies are offered up to God.  
Now before I come to the reasons themselves, it shall be needful to clear one point, that much troubleth many weak consciences: who out of an affected tenderness, refuse to kneel in the worship of Christ, for fear they should commit Idolatry with the sanctified creatures. But we are so far from worshipping or adoring the bread and wine after consecration, as the Church of Rome doth, that we hold it to be no better than Artolatry and Idolatry.  
It is true, the hypostatical union of the deity and humanity in the person of Christ is such, that divine worship is due, and was ever tendered to the humanity 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 itself, but being set on fire, it cannot be touched; and the flesh is not to be adored for itself; but being the flesh of Christ, and joined in hypostatical union with the deity in one person, we adore not bare flesh ut 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 Christ's manhood, because it is inseparably assumed by his Deity into the unity of his person. But in the Sacrament there is no impanation, nor incorporation of his deity with the bread and wine, as the Godhead dwelleth bodily with the manhood in his incarnation: and therefore it is most easy to make a manifest separation between the adoration of Christ's humanity, as he is God and man, which is to be done every where; and the adoration of the Sacrament, where Christ's flesh and blood is exhibited and received by us; which may never be done to the Elements, though it must always be given to Christ himself: because there can be no such union of the Godhead with the Elements, that they should make one person, that is, God blessed for ever. Adoramus Deum in mysterijs, non mysteria; in Sacramentis, non Sacramenta. 
P. Mornay. de Miss. l. 4. c. 7.  So than though we do adore Christ when we receive the Sacrament, as antiquity did, yet we do not adore the species, or Elements, as our superstitious adversaries do; because there is no colour of proof that ever the ancient Fathers of the Primitive and purest Church, 
Vide Beza inter Epist. calvini Epist. 309.  did give any such adoration to the Sacraments, or external signs. The questions of curiosity de modo, of the manner of Christ's presence: of Con, and trans, and sub, and cum, or in, and the like, which now vex all Christendom, were not then hatched, and simple faith then believed that God performed his word, without doubting or disputing: whereas now Magnae scientiae est esse Christianum; It is a matter of great knowledge, to attain to all the subtleties and niceties that are imposed as articles of necessity.  
And surely in this point, those men must not only be accounted nescire, to be ignorant and know little in point of faith, that cannot distinguish between the worship of God and Christ; when we receive the Sacrament, and the worship of the Sacrament or elements; but rather, after so many & so clear resolutions and demonstrations, they must be concluded, Nolle scire, that it is a wilful and affected ignorance in them, that accuse our Church of Artolatry and Idolatry, which so fully and so plainly professeth that she giveth adoration & worship to God and Christ only, to whom it is due at all times and in all places, and dareth not give any worship to the bread and wine, to which it can never be lawfully given.  
For why? Do we not daily worship God in his holy Temple, and yet not worship the Temple itself? The high Priest in Sancto Sanctorum, in the holy place worshipped God before the mercy-seat & the Cherubims, but he did not worship either the mercy-seat or the Cherubims, or the holy place. And we worship Christ at his table or Altar, and at the receiving of the Sacraments, but we utterly renounce the worship, either of the Altar or Sacraments; We do not in imitation of the superstitions of Rome, use any elevation of the consecrated mysteries. We hold them, after they are blessed by the words of Christ, to be reverend and sacred mysteries, so consecrated for use, not for Adoration; to convey the flesh and blood of Christ to the believing soul, not to the carnal teeth or belly. We remember the words of our Master, Accipite, comedite, hoc est corpus meum: and we wonder and admire the order: First, accipite, and comedite, take and eat, and then, hoc est corpus meum, this is my body, and blood. And we worship Christ when we receive his Flesh and Blood: but we destroy not the nature of the Sacrament, to make a conversion of the substance of Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, or to annihilate the substances, the accidents still remaining and hanging in the air, without any subject: Neither do we give that rent and tribute of divine worship to the creature, which is proper only to the Creator: we deal not with the Sacrament, as they of Rome do with their Images; which they adore pierce, and propter se, by themselves, and for themselves: We worship God and Christ, when we receive the Sacrament, and we hold a most reverend opinion of the holy and reverend mysteries; but we worship them not, neither by themselves, nor for themselves.  
And we pray our Brethren, members of the Church of England (as we are) to conceive so charitably of their mother, that she will never give any the least approbation of the worship of the Elements of bread and wine: since the superstitious Papists, who brought in, not the adoration of God at the receiving of the Sacrament, (for that is much elder than the new doctrines of the Papacy) but the adoration of the Sacrament, are ashamed and disclaim this superstitious worship of the elements or species (as they call them). I produce one of the greatest and learnedst jesuits, Suares: his words are, In Eucharistiâ mente discernendus est Christus à visibili signo; & Christus quidem adorandus est, non tamen Sacramentum, quia species illae sunt resrceatae, & inanimes, & consequentèr incapaces adorationis: neque enim satis est ut Christus sub illis sit, quia etiam Deus est in animá tanquam in templosuo, & tamen adoratur Deus, & non anima. Tom. 3. Quest. 79. Art. 8. dist. 65. Sect. 1. In the Eucharist, Christ is to be discerned by the mind, from the visible sign, and Christ truly is to be adored, but not the Sacrament, because those Elements are things created, and without life, and consequently incapable of Adoration; for it is not enough that Christ is under them, for God also is in the soul, as in his Temple, and yet God is worshipped, and not the soul.  

Ratio prima, quod sit pars cultus divini.  
THe first Reason than is this: It is Pars cultus Dei, a part of divine worship; In which I understand not the worship of God in a large sense, for every act that concurreth in the worship of God: but in a more near and proper sense, as it doth exhibit and offer up somewhat to God. I know that all antiquity in their orderly Liturgies did intermingle many things which may not be properly called divine worship; in which respect they had both Sermons, and readings of Scriptures, which go as parts of divine service; and this also is still observed by them that have no Liturgy, nor order in the worship of God, but what every private man's fancy doth dedicated unto him.  
And therefore they that brought all ad nudum nomen, to the bare name of worship, and left nothing of reverend antiquity, but a Psalm, a Chapter, and a Sermon, admit somewhat, if not all, into the worship of God, that may not properly be called divine worship. For reading and preaching are Doctrina cultus, not cultus ipse, the doctrine that teacheth, and the way that leadeth to God's worship, but not properly the worship itself: For worship offereth and sendeth somewhat upward to God, & these do only bring somewhat downward from God to us, and serve to feed the understanding, and stir up the affection: but the offering of our hearts and souls in some one kind or other, that is indeed, the worship of God, Ascensus mentis ad Deum. When God speaks or sends to us, Colit, he doth till and dress us, as the husbandman doth his field, or vineyard; but when we speak & offer to God, than we do indeed Colere Deum, worship and adore God by our devotion and service; in which respect the wisdom of the Church hath so ordered that all the worship of God should not be prayer and praise only, lest too much intention should weary out the soul, as too much and too long bending the bow doth make it slagge, and grow weak; in which respect reading is mixed with praying: nor yet all the worship of God should be reading, lest the bow standing still unbent, should not shoot at all, and so send up no prayers, not so much as short ejaculations into heaven: In which respect, all the Liturgy is not spent in reading.  
And the reason is, that in God's worship, these three might ever be joined, Lectio, meditatio, oratio; reading, as the food of the soul; meditation, as the ruminating and digesting of it; and prayer, as the force and strength that presents it unto God. Lectio docet, meditatio praeparat, oratio adorat; reading teacheth the duty of worship; meditation apply and prepareth the heart to worship; and prayer offereth up and tendereth the worship itself unto God. Now the Sacrament is a part of God's worship: not as reading or meditation is: but as prayer, and the like, which properly offer divine adoration to God. For why? The Sacrament is a visible sign of an invisible grace; in which, as God offereth to us his Son in his death and passion, and the graces of the holy Spirit; so we offer to him ourselves.  
In Baptism the Sacrament of Spiritual generation, the water washeth the body; and the Blood of Christ washeth the soul: there God becometh our Father by adoption, and we offer up ourselves, and our children, to be sons of God by grace; 
Aug. Tract. 2. in loan.  Dedit unicum, ut non esset unicus, God giveth his only Son to us, that he might no longer be an only Son, but make many brethren unto himself, and sons and heirs to God. Christ giveth himself to us to be our head, and we consecrate and dedicate ourselves to Christ to be his members; God becometh our Lord, and we become his servants: we offer ourselves to fight as soldiers under his colours; and he receiveth us into his army and protection, and arms us by his grace to fight his battles; so that Baptism is as a mutual or reciprocal covenant, that he should be our God, and we should be his people, consecrated and sealed to his service.  
The like is done in the Eucharist, the Sacrament of increase; there the Flesh and Blood of Christ, the meat and drink of our souls is given to us for our growth, and we there give and offer up our whole selves a holy and living sacrifice acceptable to God, which is our reasonable service of him. The first, of regeneration, is done of us being children, when we are not able to promise for ourselves; in this of nourishment, we do contract by ourselves that he shall be our God, and we will be his holy Temple; that he shall be our head, and we will be his living members, that having received life from his life, and spirit from his Spirit, we will no more live to ourselves, but unto him; that so we may say with the Apostle Vivo ego, iam non ego, I live, yet not I, 
Gal. 2.27.  but Christ liveth in me: we cease to live the life of sin, that we may altogether live the life of grace. In which respect, the fathers call this Sacrament Latreiam, divine worship. 
Cyril. Epist. ad Nectar. Actor, Concil. Ephe. Tom. 1 c. 14 apud Biunium pag. 714.  Dum unigeniti filii Dei, hoc est, jesu Christi mortem, & ex mortuis resurrectionem annunciamus, eiusdemque in Coelum assumptionem, profitemur incruentum in Ecclesia Dei cultum nos obire, mysticasque benedictiones adire, eaque ratione sanctificari, utpote sacrae carnis, & pretiosi sanguinis Christi omnium salvatoris participes effecti: While we do show the death of the only begotten Son of God, that is jesus Christ, and his resurrection from the dead, and his assumption into heaven, we profess to perform the unbloody worship of God in the Church, and come to the mystical blessings, and by that means to be sanctified, as being made partakers of the sacred flesh and the precious blood of Christ the Saviour of us all: 
Aug. de Civit. Dei. lib. 10. c. 4.  so sayeth S. Cyrill. And S. Augustine saith, Hinc nos servitutem quae latria graecè dicitur sive in quibusdam Sacramentis, sive in nobis ipsis debemus, We do owe to God that service, which in Greek is called divine worship, either in certain Sacraments, or in ourselves. Again, the oblation of sacrifice pertaineth Ad cultum Latreiae to divine worship. 
August. contra Faust. man.. l. 20. cap. 21.  And again, Sacrifice is divine worship. 
Aug de Trinit. l. 3. c. 10.  And again, Infants non noverunt quod in altari ponitur, & peracta pietatis celebratione consumitur, Infants know not that which is set upon the Altar, and performed in the celebration of piety: where this Sacrament is called piety.  
But in my judgement calvin doth best express this point, for he defineth a sacrament thus: 
Instit. lib. 4. cap. 14. §. 1.  It is, Testimonium divinae in nos gratiae, externo signo confirmatum, cum mutua nostrae erga ipsum pietatis testificatione, A testimony of divine grace in us, confirmed by an external sign, with a mutual testification of our service or piety towards him. And that this piety is to Godward, it appeareth in the word erga ipsum; And again, when he saith, That as God doth seal the promises of his benevolence to our consciences, by these external symbols, so we in like sort do testify our piety to him, as well before him and his Angels, as in the sight of men. So the Sacrament is an action of our piety to God: and piety is the inward devotion, or adoration of the soul.  
And therefore Viguerius in his institutions, which are a brief of School divinity, 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. Sacramental grace is ordained for two ends, 1. to take away the defects of sins past, in as much as they be passed in act, and remain in the guilt. 2. to perfect the soul in those things that appertain 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 sign given to sanctify man, to the worship and honour of God. And after, In usu Sacramentorum duo possunt considerari, Cultus divinus, & sanctificatio hominis; In the use 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 seal the seed of Abraham to God; and the Passeover did prepare them to the sacrifice of God in the wilderness; Yea, and this Passeover is called Religio, Religion; What is this service? Exod. 12.26. and Victima transitus Domini, ver. 27. the sacrifice of the Lords Passeover. And Exod. 13.10. Custodies huiusmodi cultum, thou shalt observe this ordinance or form of worship: so in the Gospel, Baptism doth regenerate, and consecrate us to God; and the Eucharist doth offer us up in sacrifice to him. And this Sacrament may better be called an Act of Religion or piety, and the sacrifice of the Lords Passeover, since that was Typus agni paschalis, a type of the Paschal Lamb, and here are offered membra agni Paschalis, the members of the Paschal Lamb.  
And this offering up of ourselves to him, is indeed the true and daily sacrifice of the Christian Church, which being the mystical body of Christ, cannot offer Christ's natural body, which Christ offered once for all upon the Cross; but offereth his mystical body, that is herself, by Christ her high Priest and head, unto God, as S. Peter sayeth, 1. Pet. 2.5. of which I shall speak more in the next reason.  
To this I add the confession of the Adversaries 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 only, that would seem to have collected the force of all his fellows; one that wrote an answer to D. Spark, D. Covell, M. Hutton, & M. Rogers; whose arguments you shall find confuted in the end of this discourse) his fift argument is this, pag. 38.  
To perform private worship during the time and act of the public, is the doing of that which is unlawful.  
He that kneeleth at the instant of receiving the Sacrament, performeth private worship, during the time and act of the public.  
Therefore he that kneeleth at the instant of the receiving the Sacrament, doth that which is unlawful.  
Here it is assumed and confessed, that the receiving of the Sacrament is an act of public worship, and kneeling is a private worship in a public. So this first Proposition is clear and manifest, that this Sacrament is a principal part of God's worship: wherein we ourselves, and not others for us, with a full and free consent of understanding and will, do offer our greatest offering to God, that is our whole selves, and Qui scipsum dedit, nihil sibi reliquit.  
The second Proposition is; In public and solemn Adoration, the devotion of the soul, and the worship, bowing, and kneeling of the body; the bending of the knees of the soul, and the bending the knees of the body; humility of the soul, and humiliation of the body, are required. And this is proved out of the words of the Psalm, where David calleth to Adoration, 
Psal. 95.6.  and Prostration and kneeling; and by many examples of Scripture, and reason, that both soul and body must concur in the pacifying of God, as soul and body concurred in the offence of God: that soul and body must pay this rent and tribute to their Maker, especially in the Sacrament where they receive their Maker; and the soul must inform, and animate the body in grace, as well as in nature, and the body must mutually excite the soul in the actions of piety, as well as of civility: and to kneel to God with the body, and not to kneel and be humble in soul, is to play the hypocrite, and to dissemble with God; and to bow the knees of the soul in humility, and not to bow the knees of the body in public like and solemn Adoration, is to be ashamed of God, and to deny to profess him before men.  
The conclusion is necessary out of these premises; therefore, in the act and instant of receiving the Sacrament, in which we offer up ourselves to God, we must kneel in all humiliation.  
It is true that in our Liturgies we stand up at the saying of the Creed, and reading of the Gospel, and we sit at the reading of the Psalms and Chapters: For, beside that there must be some variety in so long an action for the ease of men, who would sometimes sit, and sometimes stand, and also an uniformity must be observed in that variety, the very gestures fit, and may seem to proceed Ex natura rei, out of the nature of the thing itself. For hearers do sit, as the Preachers have Cathedras Chairs, so the hearers have Subsellia pews or seats. And we stand at the Creed, for it is gestus Confessorum; the gesture of Confessors and soldiers that fight the good fight of faith, in token that in the strength of this faith only we shall stand in the presence of God, and tread all our spiritual enemies under our feet: 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 cheerfulness lift up the ears of our bodies, as well as our souls at the happy news of our salvation: 
Ephes. 6.14.  State, succincti lumbos. But when we pray, and offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by jesus Christ, than we kneel: for it is Gestus petentium & offerentium, the gesture of suitors and petitioners that desire to receive and of those that offer, and desire to be received and accepted at God's hand. And if in the receiving of this Sacrament we be petitioners for the greatest graces, and offerers of that Sacrifice that God will only accept, that is, Nos, 
2. Cor. 12.14.  not Nostra, nothing of ours but ourselves; and God will not accept any thing of ours, unless he first accept ourselves, though it might be tolerable in some part of our prayers and Petitions not to kneel, yet in this great and most weighty part of our devotion, and piety, it is a matter of great weight and moment to kneel most devoutly, and piously before the Table of our most bountiful and gracious Father, who in justice doth resist the proud, with all severity.   

Ratio secunda, Sacrificium est.  
THe second Reason, it is Sacrificium, or Congeries Sacrificiorum; a sacrifice, or rather a collection, and gathering together, a sum or Epitome of all the sacrifices of Christianity. And sacrifice was ever to be offered with all humility of soul, and body, and therefore with kneeling, the true gesture and representation of humility.  
I would not be mistaken, as if I spoke in favour of any external daily sacrifice of the Church, such as the jews had in time of the Law; for the one Sacrifice of Christ, once offered upon the Cross, 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 own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. He must not offer himself often, saith S. Paul, Heb. 9.25. For than he must have 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 he appeared, to put away sin, by the sacrifice of himself. And again, v. 28. Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many. Again, 
Hebr. 10.10.  By the which will we are sanctified, through the offering of the body of jesus Christ, once for all. And vers. 14. By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.  
The Church, according to Christ's commandment, keeps the memory of this offering in this Sacrament. Do this in remembrance of me: but she doth not reiterate the action, or take upon her to offer the body of Christ: for though it be, De meo, flesh of our flesh, and Meum, ours, given for us on the Cross, and to us in the Sacrament, yet it is not given to us ad sacrificandum, but ad recipiendum; not to sacrifice the natural body of Christ; for that is proper to Christ to be Hostia & Sacerdos, the Sacrifice and the Sacrificer; and no man may offer that in sacrifice that is not his own; 
2. Sam. 24.24.  As David would not offer sacrifice till he bought it, though Araunah offered to give it to the King freely, as a King. And the word of the Psalm applied by the Apostle is, Corpus dedisti mihi, 
Hebr. 10.5.  thou hast given me a body, which is only to be offered by him whose body it is. And the Apostle exhorteth, Offerte corpora vestra, Rom. 12.1. It is not Corpus Christi, offer up your own bodies, whereof you have power, not Christ's body whereof he only hath power. 
joan. 10.18.  Ego ponam animam meam & nemo tollit; I lay down my life and no man taketh it from me: but it is given to us to receive it, and therewith all the fruits and benefits of his death and passion. And the word, Hoc facite, is not properly Hoc sacrificate, do this, 
Luc. 22.19.  that is, sacrifice this: he must sacrifice it, and we must commemorate and represent it; for it is hoc facite, do this, not simply sacrifice, but do this that I have done, that is, Take bread & wine and bless and consecrate it, and receive it as my body and blood; and Christ did not sacrifice his body there, but on the Cross. The Evangelists say, Effunditur, my blood is shed; but it is Praesens pro futuro; the present tense for the future; a phrase most common and familiar in Scripture, because of the certainty of it: or else, Effunditur virtute, effundetur actu, it is shed in virtue, 
Hebr. 13.8.  Christ yesterday, to day, and the same for ever; but to be shed in act: else it must needs follow that Christ's blood was not in his body, but shed on the earth, before it was shed by the whips, and thorns, and nails, and spear, and so he suffered before he suffered, yea, he suffered when he suffered not.  
In which respect I cannot sufficiently marvel at Beauties' subtlety, 
Bellar. lib. 1. de Missa. C. 2.  that will have this Sacrament to be an external proper sacrifice, not only as the name sacrifice doth signify rem sacrificatam, the thing sacrificed, that is, Christ crucified, which is there truly given and received; but also as it doth signify actionem sacrificij, or sacrificandi, the action of sacrifice: so that the action of Christ's sacrifice on the Cross, and of the Priests in the Host, must be one and the same action. For if they be divers and many in number, than Christ must be offered, and so suffer often, which is directly against the Apostle. And Christ & the Priest must be one high Priest: and the same action must be bloody and unbloody; and have sufferings and no sufferings in it. For the number doth vary the action; and two divers agents, must produce two divers actions, and blood and no blood, passion and no passion must necessarily make many and divers actions in number, and so Christ must suffer, and offer often.  
And as absurd is his other conceit; 
Bellarm. ibid. C. 1.  That one and the same Action, should be Res and Repraesentatio rei, the thing, and the representation of the thing; As if he should say, that one and the same man is homo viws, and homo pictus, a living man, and the image and statue of a man; that the Picture and the thing pictured is all one; that a sound Logician, and a subtle Sophister is all one. Surely in this conceit Bellarmine is a plain Sophister, and no Logician; for he doth instance only in this particular of this Sacrament, that it is the representation of Christ's sacrifice upon the Cross, as Christ and all antiquity call it, and the very sacrifice itself or action of the sacrifice; and he cannot give an instance in any thing else in the whole world; in no creature, no not in the Creator. For the Son, 
Heb. 1.3.  that is the brightness and Image of his Father, though he be one in essence w●●h the Father, yet is not one person with the Father; so that, if the Sacrament be the representation of the true, proper, and external sacrifice of the Church, than it cannot be the sacrifice itself.  
And the truth is, that the Church hath ever offered true sacrifices, and that in this Sacrament; but, as Saint Peter speaketh, 
1. Petr. 2.5.  they be Hostiae spirituales, spiritual sacrifices, acceptable unto God, per jesum Christum, by jesus Christ; so the Church offereth her daily spiritual sacrifice, not jesum, but per jesum Christum, not jesus Christ, he only hath power to offer himself, but by jesus Christ her high Priest, by whom they are presented unto, and accepted of God. But although this Sacrament be not an external proper sacrifice, as our adversaries would make it, yet it hath in it spiritual sacrifices of divers sorts, all which require all humility of soul and body in the offerers. For to say nothing of the Elements, that were in all times and ages brought by the people in sportulis, in little baskets, and so in a sort offered up to be consecrated for the use of the congregation, which is now done by public charge; there are beside divers other spiritual Sacrifices in the whole action of the ministration of this Sacrament.  
First then, as the sacrifices of the Law had a double respect; first, as they were offered up to God; Secondly, as they were communicated and eaten by those men that offered them: so this Sacrament of the Lords supper, which contains a commemoration of Christ's one and only all-sufficient Sacrifice, consummated upon the Cross, and never more to be reiterated by any man, hath the same double respect in it; and therefore as it is represented to God by our consecration, so it may well be called Sacrificium repraesentatiwm, or commemoratiwm, a representative, or commemorative Sacrifice. And that is warranted in the words of our Saviour, Do this, in mei commemorationem, 
Luk. 22 19  in remembrance of me, or of my death; and so expounded by the Apostle, so often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, 
1. Cor. 11.26.  Annunciatis mortem Domini, ye show forth, or represent and commemorate the Lords death till he come. And as it is received by us, it may be called Sacrificium communicatiwm, a communicative sacrifice, or the communication or application of that sacrifice that was offered for us on the Cross: and that is most plain in the Apostle; 
1. Cor. 10.16.  The Cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? the bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? So that though there be not idem sacrificium, the same sacrifice, as it denoteth the action of sacrificing or offering, which is here done only by way of representation, yet it is Idem sacrificatum, the same thing sacrificed; Christ crucified, that is, represented to God, and communicated to us.  
And surely every one that doth desire to be heard, and therefore concludes his prayers with these words, Per jesum Christum Dominum nostrum, through jesus Christ our Lord, doth represent and offer Christ crucified to God, and entreats remission and grace, through his death, and passion. And Christ our high Priest that sitteth at the right hand of God, doth at that instant execute his office, and make intercession for us, by representing his wounds or scars to his Father. In Baptism, in like manner, when we do consecrate and dedicate ourselves to God's service, we do as it were offer up Christ crucified by way of representation, as if we did explicate and unfold the passion of Christ, at that time desiring to be accepted for his sake. And that made S. 
In exposit. incho. Epist ad Rom. Tom. 4.  Augustine to say, Quodeo tempore quisque prose offered, pro peccatis suis, quum eiusdem passionis fide dedicatur; at that time every one offereth the sacrifice of Christ's passion, for his sins, when he is dedicated in the faith of that passion: and the manner he explicateth with Quodammodo offered, he offers in a sort, not properly, but by way of representation, and application. And this is made good by the words of the Apostle; 
Rom. 6.3.  Know you not that as many of us as are baptised into Christ jesus, are baptised into his death? And again, 
v. 4.  Consepulti per baptismum in mortem, buried with him by baptism into death. And again, 
v. 5.  Complantati similitudini mortis, planted together in the likeness of his death; so our Baptism is a representation of Christ's death. But this Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, as a more ample and perfect image, doth more fully represent Christ's death, and by way of memorial offer it to God, as being instituted and commanded for a representation and commemoration thereof. And this is generally received of antiquity, and so allowed by the Romish Sacrificers, though they proceed further without ground or reason.  
For why? 
De Trinit. lib. 4. cap. 14.  S. Augustine said well, Ipse, cui offered, qui offered, quique offertur: these be proper to Christ, to be the Godhead to whom he offereth, to be the Priest that offereth, & the Sacrifice that is offered up to God. The true Sacrifice that is due only to the true God is that, 
Contra Faustum lib. 20. cap. 18.  Quo eius altare solus Christus implevit; with which Christ only filled his Altar. As for Christians, unde iam Christiani peracti eiusdem sacrificij memoriam celebrant sacrosancta oblatione, & participatione corporis & sanguinis Christi: They celebrate the memory of this sacrifice, performed on the Cross, by the sacred oblation and participation of the body and blood of Christ. So Christ's sacrifice is the truth, and ours the representation of that truth. 
Aug. Epist. 23.  And in his 23. Epistle, Nun semel immolatus est Christus in seipso, & tamen in Sacramento nonsolùm per omnes Paschae solennitates, sed omni die populis immolatur? He was once offered in himself, and yet in the Sacrament he is not only offered yearly at the solemnity of the Passeover, but also every day. And he gives a reason, Sienim Sacramenta quandam similitudinem earum rerum quarum Sacramenta sunt non haberent, omnino Sacramenta non essent. Ex hac autem similitudine plerunque etiam ipsarum rerum nomina accipiunt: Sacraments have a similitude of things whereof they are Sacraments, else they were not sacraments. And by this similitude they borrow the names of those things whereof they are Sacraments.  
Hoc sacrificium exemplum est illius; 
Chrisost. ad Heb. 10.  this sacrifice is an example or imitation of that sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. So Christ offered, and we offer, sed hoc quod nos agimus, recordatio est sacrificij; but that which we do, is a commemoration of a sacrifice.  
Again, S. Augustine saith, 
Aug. quest. 61. inter. 83.  Dominus noster jesus Christus, ostenditur Rex noster: ipse est etiam Sacerdos noster in aeternum, secundum ordinem Melchisedec, quiseipsum obtulit holocaustum pro peccatis nostris, & eius sacrificij similitudinem celebrandam in suae passionis memoriam commendavit: He is our King for ever after the order of Melchisedech, who offered himself a sacrifice for our sins, and he commended the similitude of this sacrifice in the remembrance of his passion.  
These and many other sentences of the Fathers, 
Lomb. lib. 4. Dist. 12. G.  made the Master of the sentences to rest in this; that this Sacrament is a representation, or memory of that Sacrifice performed on the Altar of the Cross; and further went not the divinity of his time. And Thomas, that lived long after him, knew no other doctrine. And he giveth only two Reasons why it is called Immolatio Christi, the sacrificing, 
3. qu. 83. art. 1.  or immolation of Christ. First, because it is Imago quaedam passionis Christi. It is a certain Image or representation of Christ's passion: as Images are called by the names of those things whereof they are images, as S. Augustine saith. And when we look on a painted wall or table, we use to say, this is Cicero, this is Sallust, and the like. So the celebration of this Sacrament, is a representative image of Christ passion, which is the true immolation of him, and therefore it is called the Immolation of Christ; and there he produceth Chrysostom's words cited before.  
The second Reason is, Quia participes efficimur fructus Dominicae passionis; Because by this Sacrament we are made partakers of the fruit and benefit of Christ's passion, therefore it is called, the sacrifice of Christ; so Thomas goeth no further than representation, and participation. I descend no further: for by this it is plain, who are Veteratores and Novatores, the corrupters of antiquity, that removed the ancient bounds, and the Authors of Novelty, that not only speak old Divinity, nouè in new words and forms, but also bring in nova, new and strange doctrines, and Articles never heard of. That this Sacrament is the only proper external daily sacrifice of the Church, without which the other two relatives cannot stand; viz. that there is no Religion without Priesthood, nor Priesthood without sacrifice; here it is manifest where the house began to run to decay, and where the enemy sowed tars: For as Thomas saith, The Altar is the representation of Christ's Cross, and the Priest bears the image of Christ our High Priest; and so his sacrifice is but a representation of Christ's sacrifice, exemplum illius, as before.  
Again, 
Th●. Qu. 73. Art. 4.  compare this Sacrament with three times, and it will have many names: Respectu praeteriti, concerning the time past, in as much as it is a commemoration of the Lords Passion, which was the true Sacrifice, Secundum hoc nominatur sacrificium, in this respect it is called a sacrifice. Respectu praesentis, in respect of the time present, that is the unity of the Church, because men are united and gathered together by this Sacrament, it it is called Communio or Synaxis, a Communion. Respectu futuri, in respect of the future time, because it figureth unto us that fruition of God that we hope for in another life, it is termed Viaticum, our spiritual food that giveth us strength to attain it.  
It is called Eucharistia the Eucharist, or good grace of God; because the grace of God is eternal life; or else because it really containeth Christ, that is full of grace: So it is called Metalepsis or assumptio, an assumption, because by this we assume or are made partakers of the Deity of the Son. Again, in his answer, It is called a Sacrifice, in as much as it representeth the Passion of Christ; And it is called Hostia an Host, because it containeth Christ, who is the oblation and sacrifice of a sweet smelling savour to God, Ephe. 5.  
This was the received doctrine of the fathers, and ancient School. And that this offering of Christ's death by way of representation, cannot be the proper external sacrifice of the Church, I prove by these Reasons.  
First, all external sacrifice is acceptable unto God, for the internal sacrifice of the heart, Externum propter internum; as God first looked upon Abel, 
Gen. 4 4.  and then upon his Sacrifice, not upon Abel for his Sacrifice, but on the Sacrifice for Abel's sake. First he offered himself a Lamb to God, and then he offered his Lamb, de adipibus, a well chosen Lamb of the best and fattest, none was too good for God. First God accepteth the man, than the gift, not as men do, that so accept the man as they like and feel his gift. If then Christ's Sacrifice be external and offered by us, it followeth that Christ's Sacrifice must be accepted, for the inward Sacrifice of our hearts, and so we are more acceptable to God then Christ is: which is an horrible blasphemy.  
Secondly, every Sacrifice is accepted for the sacrificers person, that is first accepted of God, Sacrificium propter sacrificantem: therefore if we offer Christ to God, Christ's Sacrifice is not acceptable for itself, but for our sakes that offer it.  
Thirdly, the outward visible sacrifice is a Sacrament or sacred sign of the inward invisible Sacrifice: 
Aug. de Civit. Dei. l. 10. c. 5.  therefore if Christ's Sacrifice be the outward visible Sacrifice, it is but a Sacrament, or sacred figure, a type or figure, the truth or substance is the inward sacrifice of our hearts: So Christ is turned to a figure or shadow, who is indeed the truth and substance of all figures, and shadows. So than it is manifest that this Sacrament is no proper external Sacrifice, but only commemorative, and communicative of the all-sufficient Sacrifice of Christ. In which I have been the larger, because Bellarmine is pleased to find fault with Kemnitius, who takes it Prosacrificio commemorativo, for a commemorative Sacrifice, though he findeth not that word in Scripture. But, saith he, Kemnitius admitteth that sense to elude the places of the Fathers, in which the Mass is called a Sacrifice, Caeterùm haec acceptio arbitraria est & conficta, this acception is arbitrary and feigned: for neither the Scriptures, nor Fathers call this a Sacrifice, which is only a figure or commemoration of a Sacrifice: which I must refer to the judgement of the judicious Reader, to resolve whether it be not most plain in the Fathers, and in Lombard, and in Thomas, that it is called a Sacrifice, because it is a memory or representation of Christ's Sacrifice on the Cross.  
This Sacrament is called a Sacrifice, because in it we offer up and present unto God, ourselves, 
Verba Litur.  our souls and bodies to be a living Sacrifice unto God, which is our reasonable service and worship of him, as the Apostle calleth it. 
Rom. 12.1.  And it is also warranted by S. james, 
jacob. 1.18.  Of his own will he begat us by the word of Truth, that we should be Primitiae, the first fruits of his creatures. In the Law they gave unto God Primitias agri, the first fruits of their cattle, and of their field. In the Gospel we offer not the corn of our ground, nor the first borne of our cattle, but Primitias aenimae, the first fruits of our Souls; ourselves to be first fruits and Sacrifices unto God. And this indeed is the daily Sacrifice of the Church; for Christ, the head, offered himself as the only propitiatory Sacrifice for sin; and the Church offer themselves as the members of such an head to be consecrated by Christ our High Priest, as living Sacrifices to God; In which as God gave Christ, and Christ gave himself for us, so we give ourselves too God.  
Our Saviour Christ in the form of God, 
August. lib. 10. De Civitate Dei. cap. 20.  receiveth Sacrifice with his Father, with whom he is one God; yet in the form of a servant he chose rather to be a Sacrifice, then receive Sacrifice, least by this occasion any should think that we might sacrifice to any creature. By this, he is the Priest, he is the offerer, and he is the oblation. Cuius rei Sacramentum, voluit esse quotidianum Ecclesiae Sacrificium, quae, cum ipsius capitis corpus sit, seipsamper ipsum discit offer. Of which (his Sacrifice) he would have the daily Sacrifice of the Church to be a Sacrament: which Church, being the body of the head himself, doth learn to offer herself, by him. Where I pray you observe these two things: First the daily Sacrifice of the Church, is but a Sacrament of Christ's Sacrifice: and therefore it is not Christ's Sacrifice itself. Secondly the body of Christ here spoken of, is not naturale, but mysticum, not the natural, but the mystical body of Christ; And the Church offereth not Christ's natural body, but the mystical body of Christ, that is herself, and this is the daily Sacrifice of the Church.  
Again, C. 19 visible Sacrifices are the signs of invisible Sacrifices; as sounding words are the signs of things. Wherefore, as we that pray, or praise, do direct signifying voices to him, to whom we do offer the things themselves in our hearts, which we signify: so sacrificing, we know visible sacrifice is to be offered to none other but to him; Cuius in cordibus nostris invisibile Sacrificium nos ipsi esse debemus: Whose invisible Sacrifice in our hearts we ourselves must be.  
But the clearest and fullest place is in the sixth Chapter. The true Sacrifice (saith S. Augustine) is every work done to adhere by a holy society to God, referred to that end of goodness, by which we may be truly blessed. Whereby it cometh to pass that mercy itself (that is preferred before Sacrifice) by which we relieve man, is not a Sacrifice, if it be not done for God's sake; and although it be done and offered by man, yet Sacrifice is a divine thing, whereby man himself consecrated to the Name of God, and devoted to God, in as much as he dieth to the world, and liveth to God, is a Sacrifice; for this belongeth to that mercy that man doth to himself. Our body, the servant, and instrument of the soul, is a Sacrifice, if we chastise it by temperance for God's sake, Rom. 12.1. much more our soul referred to God, inflamed with the fire of his love, etc. shall be a Sacrifice. Since then works of mercy towards ourselves, and towards our neighbours referred to God, are sacrifices, and works of mercy are done that we may be freed from misery, etc. it is certainly effected, ut tota redempta civitas, that the whole redeemed City (that is the Congregation & society of Saints) universal sacrificium offeratur Deo per sacerdotem magnum; may be offered up an universal sacrifice to God, by that great Priest, who also offered up himself in his Passion for us, that we might be the body of so great an head, in the form of a servant; for, this he offered, and in this he 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 us, to offer up our bodies, a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is our reasonable service of him: and that we should not be conformed to this world, but reform in the newness of our mind, to prove the will of God, which is good and well pleasing and perfect, Quodtotum Sacrificium nos ipsi sumus, all which Sacrifice we ourselves are; I say (saith he) by the grace of God which is given to me, to every one that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly or to be wise to sobriety, as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith; for as we have many members in one body, and all the members have not the same office, so we being many, are one body in Christ, and every one, members one of another; having divers gifts according to the grace that is given to us: Hoc est Sacrificium Christianorum, multi unum corpus sumus in Christo; Quod etiam Sacramento altaris fidelibus noto, frequentat Ecclesia; ubi ei demonstratur, quod in ea oblatione, quam offered, ipsa offertur; This is the Sacrifice of Christians, many are one body in Christ; which Sacrifice the Church doth frequent in the Sacrament of the Altar, known to the faithful; where it is demonstrated to her (the Church) that in that oblation which she offereth, herself (that is the Church) is offered. In which passage of S. Augustine, it is most plain, that in this Sacrament the Church offereth the proper Sacrifice of Christians, not the natural, but the mystical body of Christ, that is herself, or ourselves, our souls, & bodies in particular, and all the whole Church in general, by our great high Priest Christ jesus. And this is the universal Sacrifice of the Church. And this place of S. Augustine may serve as an interpretation of the Father's authorities, that speak of the offering of the body of Christ, which are to be understood of the offering of his natural body by way of representation, or commemoration, or else of his mystical body (the Church) which offereth herself as a daily sacrifice to God.  
Again, S. Augustine, 
Lib 22. cap. 10 De civitat. Dei.  giving a reason why we build not Temples to the Martyrs as unto gods, but rather memories to dead men, whose Spirits live with the Lord, saith, Nec ibierigimus altaria in quibus sacrificemus Martyribus, sed uni 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 invocantur: Deo quip non ipsis sacrificat, quamuis in memoria sacrificet eorum; quia Dei Sacerdos est, non illorum: Neither do 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 have overcome the world in the confession of God, but they are not invocated or called upon by the Priest that sacrificeth: for he Sacrificeth to God, and not to them, though he Sacrificeth in the memory of them. And then he addeth, For he 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 itself 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 upon the Cross, 
De natal. Dom. Serm. 3.  but his mystical body. Non elegit Deus, nec speciem tuam, nec oleum tuum, nec jeiunium tuum, sed hoc, quod te hody redemit, ipsum offer, id est animam tuam, saith S. Augustine; God regardeth neither thy beauty, nor thy oil, nor thy fasting, but this that he redeemed thee; offer thyself, that is thine own soul. And in his 45. Epistle to Armentarius, 
Tertul. de Idol.  Ei te restitue à quo institutus: Restore thyself to him, of whom thou hast thy being: Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, 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 thyself too God. 
Hierom. ad Luciu. Epist. 28.  To lay down our gold is the work 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 themselves to God, saith S. Hierome; And after; The first faithful offered or laid their money at the Apostles feet: Sed Dominus magis quaerit animas credentium, quam opes; but the Lord more seeketh the souls of believers, than their goods: Te, non Tua, God would have thee offer thyself, not thine. The Apostles left all for Christ: what was that, but their Nets, and Ships? yet by the testimony of him that is the future judge, they are crowned, Quia offerentesse, totum dimiserunt quod habebant, because offering themselves, they left all they had. chrysostom said, Non oves offerebat, 
Chrysost. lib. de laud. S. Paul.  aut boves, sed semetipsum immolabat, propter quod confitendo dicebat, ego enim iam immolor: neque verò his tantùm sacrificijs contentus fuit, sed quia seipsum consecraverat Deo, etiam orbem universum studuit offer: S. Paul offered not sheep and oxen, but himself: that made him say, jam immolor, I am now ready to be offered: and he was not contented with these Sacrifices, but because he had consecrated himself to God, he studied to offer up the whole world also.  
I have been too long in setting down these places of S. Augustine, who is the most doctrinal among the ancient Fathers; and therefore I content myself with him, and some few more: only I add Eusebius, who joineth both these; that is, the commemorative sacrifice, and the sacrifice of ourselves together, with other sacrifices, concurring in that action. Sacrificamus novo more secundùm nowm Testamentum, 
Euseb. de Demon. evang.  hostiam mundam; & sacrificium Deo spiritus contritus dictus est: we 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. jamque 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, alias nos ipsos totos illi consecrantes, eiusque Pontifici, ipsi utique Verbo, corpore, animoque dicantes: And now also we burn that prophetical sweet odour in every place, and we offer to him that sweet smelling fruit of divinity, abounding with all virtue, doing this with prayers directed to him; which another Prophet teacheth also, who saith, Let my prayer be as incense in thy sight, therefore we do but sacrifice and offer incense, alias celebrantes memoriam, sometime celebrating the memory of that great sacrifice, according to those things which are delivered by him, and giving thanks for our salvation, and offering to him religious hymns and sacred prayers, alias nos ipsos totos illi consecrantes, and sometimes consecrating out whole selves to him, dedicating ourselves in body and soul to his high Priest, even to the Word himself. Here is both the commemoratrue sacrifice, and the sacrifice, or offering of ourselves, our souls and bodies, beside the sacrifice of prayer, and praise, and contrition which I am now to speak of; all joined in this one sentence of Eusebius.  
To proceed 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 sin. And this is collected out of the words of the Apostle, Probet seipsum homo, 
●. Cor. 11.28.  Let a man examine himself, and so let him ear of that bread, and drink of that cup, for he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh his own damnation, not discerning the Lords body. And this probation is a judicial act, for so it follows, If we would judge ourselves, w● should not be judged. And these are the acts of Penitents; first to accuse and confess, or bear witness against themselves; next to judge & condemn themselves, and thirdly, to execute and do vengeance on themselves, by true sorrow & contrition for their own sins, that so God may spare them. And no man ought to approach the Lords Table, till he have first washed and cleansed his soul, by his repentance from all his sin, that so it may be a fit house for the Lord to enter under the roof 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 sin to come, is a necessary preparation before the receiving of the body and blood of Christ; lest we come to these holy mysteries with foul mouths and polluted hearts, and so eat and drink our own damnation. 
Luk. 15.18.  And so the prodigal son came: First, Peccavi in coelum, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and I am unworthy to be called thy son; make me one of thy hired servants: by which sacrifice of contrition he was not only received as a servant, or hireling, but as a son; and admitted to his father's kiss, and embracing, and adorned with a rob, and a ring; and then at last, tanquam convivae, as a guest at the Lords Table, he was fed with the fat calf that was slain for him. And so the adopted son of grace was fed with the flesh of the natural Son of God, the Son of his own essence and substance. And Saint Augustine said well, 
In Psal. 21.  Quotiens Pascha celebratur, nunquid totiens Christus moritur? Sed tamen anniversaria recordatio quasirepresentat, quod olim factum est, & sic nos facit moveri tanquam videamus in cruse pendentem Dominum: doth Christ die as often as the Passeover is celebrated? But yet, saith he, the anniversary recordation of it doth as it were represent that, which was long since done, and doth make us to be moved or affected, as if we now saw our Lord hanging on the Cross. And after he addeth, Tempus lugendi estcum 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 unquam patitur contriti cordis holocaustum repulsam: In his presence, saith S. Cyprian, tears do not beg pardon in vain, and the sacrifice of a contrite heart never receives 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 upon thee; so oft as I behold thee weeping, so oft I perceive God pardoning. And the holy Ghost chooseth the poor in spirit to this ministry, and loveth them, and he detesteth their worship that thrust themselves Pompaticè & gloriosè, pompously, and gloriously to the holy Altars; and who come more pompously, and gloriously, than they that will sit as coheirs and fellows, as if they were Christ's equals? And S. 
Moral. li. 2. c. 1.  Gregory upon these words, Let a man first examine himself: Quid est hoc locose probare? What is it, saith he, to examine himself, but first evacuating or purging the wickedness of his sins, to offer himself tried & pure at the Lords Table? And therefore let us daily run to the lamentation of repentance, who sin daily. And I hope these things should not be publicly and solemnly done, without kneeling. Although at all times we ought to acknowledge out selves to be sinners, yet then chief must we confess, 
Alcui●us ●e Divinus officijs.  cum illo sacro mysterio, etc. when by that sacred mystery the grace of remission, and the indulgence of sins is celebrated.  
I proceed to the fourth, for I shall have occasion to speak of this again; and that is Sacrificium orationis & laudis, the sacrifice of prayer and praise. And here I cannot sufficiently wonder at those, who would have this Sacrament administered and received without all manner of prayer or praise at all, according as it is barely delivered to be instituted by our Saviour Christ a little before his death. As if the Church should meet only to hear a Sermon, that is, an exposition of some Text, chosen by the Preacher (of which form of Preaching there is scant a pattern to be found in all the word of God: and why then should that be called Preaching that is without Example?) and that ended, without any prayer, or thanksgiving, or preparation, or premeditation to proceed to accipite, comedite, take and eat, this is my body, this is my blood, and so farewell; for more is not to be found in the institution. And yet in the very institution where we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Benedixit, he blessed or consecrated, many Greek Copies have, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, gratias egit, he gave thanks, which should work much with them that value not Consecration much; and both words of consecrating and thanksgiving being in the Text, I hope no man dates put thanksgiving out of the celebration of the Sacrament, when Christ used it in the Institution. And after the very Institution there is further Hymnodicto, when they had said Grace, or sung an Hymn or Psalm; surely that was thanks and praise to God for his graces and blessings. And it is worth observation, that this form of thanksgiving or Hymn, or Psalm of praise, is principally, if not only mentioned in the institution of this Sacrament, to show, that though it may, and aught ex naturae dictamine, by nature's rule and direction, be always used to repay God's goodness and bounty with the tribute of our thankfulness, yet it should never be omitted in this Sacrament, where if it be not instituted, surely it is most clearly recorded; and the greatness of the benefit requireth the greatest measure of thankfulness.  
As for prayer; 
1. Tim. 4.5.  if all creatures be to be sanctified by prayer, and the word of God; why should we think that this heavenly spiritual food of our souls should not first be sanctified with prayer, as well as consecrated by the word; since it is a greater work to sanctify the food of the soul, then of the body? I ever thought that our Saviour, before he offered his all, sufficient Sacrifice on the Cross, 
Heb. 5.7.  did offer up prayers & supplications with strong cries and tears, and he was heard for his reverence. And his action being out institution, we should follow his steps, & offer our prayers and supplications with strong cries and tears before we did presume to present Christ sacrificed to his Father, or receive him ourselves, or offer up the sacrifice of our souls and bodies, and the whole Church, which is the daily sacrifice of the Church. I ever took it, that the Apostles knew best how this Sacrament was to be received, 
2. Cor. 16.  and that they meeting on the Lord's day (which is out Sunday, or the first day of the week) to make collection for the poor, did continue in prayer and breaking of bread: which I think is more ordinarily understood of the Communion of the body and blood of Christ, then of the distribution of Alms. And in the 13. 
Act. 13.2.  of the Acts, the Church at Antioch, before they sent out Paul and Barnabas, they ministered, fasted, and prayed; here is fasting, and prayer, and it is likely it was not without the Lords Supper; for that which we read ministering, is translated by Erasmus to be sacrificing, Sacrificantibus illis, and sacrificing did surely imply the representation of Christ's sacrifice: and the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, offering of divine worship: And so there was then a Liturgy; and all Liturgies had this Sacrament in them: so Prayer went through with this Sacrament. And if the Apostles joined prayer and alms, with breaking of bread, I know no reason why our Church may not be bold to follow their example, and join prayer, and breaking of bread or the Sacrament together, under the protection of their practice; especially, since without all doubt the succeeding ages did follow their example: 
Apol. 2. ad Antoninum.  as is clear in justine Martyr and others, Surgimus & comprecamur, upon Sunday or the suns day, we arise, not we stand (it seems 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 chief in that action) doth power out prayers and praises, with all his might, and the people do joyfully cry, Amen, and distribution and communication is made to every one that is present, of these things that are blessed, or for which thanks were given: and all antiquity 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, utens eo cum sano proposito, We that study or endeavour to please the Creator of all things, do eat the offered bread with prayer and thanksgiving for the benefits that we have received, being made Corpus quoddam sanctum & sanctificans, a certain body (mark that word) holy (in itself) and sanctifying (others) by prayer, using it with a good intent, etc. Origen contra Celsum. lib. 8. In this sacrifice, saith S. Augustine, 
Aug. Epist. 120  there is thanksgiving and commemoration of the flesh of Christ, which he offered for us; And again, Hinc gratias agimus Domino Deo nostro, quodest magnum Sacramentum in sacrificio novi Testamenti. 
Chrysost. Hom. in Matth. 26.  And chrysostom, Gratiestote, optima quip beneficiorum custos est ipsa memoria beneficiorum, & perpetua gratiarum actio; propterea & reverenda ac salutaria illa mysteria, quae in omni certe Ecclesiae congregatione celebramus, Eucharistia (id est gratiarum actio) nuncupatur; Give thanks; for the memory of benefits, is the best keeper of benefifits, and a perpetual confession of thanks: and therefore the reverend and healthful mysteries which we celebrate in every Congregation, are called the Eucharist or giving of thanks.  
So in those times, prayer and praise were always joined with the Eucharist, though it be not expressly mentioned in the institution of Christ. And there is all reason for it. For why should any man think that the Eucharist should be without praise and thanksgiving, when as it is the Eucharist, or a Sacrifice of thanksgiving, for the greatest blessings that ever God gave to man? Or why should any hold it unfit to use contrition and prayer in the ministration of this Sacrament, when as for the preparation thereunto, nothing can be more needful than these two things? 1. That we should be fit and worthy for so great mysteries, which we can never obtain at God's hand, but by prayer, which is the means that draweth down all God's graces to us. 2 That God would give us Panem super-substantialem, the supersubstantial and heavenly bread of our souls, that is the Body & Blood of Christ, which we ask in the Lord's prayer, Give us this day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, our supersubstantial or heavenly bread, the bread of our soul, which is more needful, 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 be cause to ask Panem corporis, the bread of the body, there is far greater cause to ask of God Panem animae the bread of the soul, the Body and Blood of Christ.  
S. Gregory noteth that, Mox post precem, strait after prayer ended, we say the Lords prayer, Quia mos Apostolorum fuit, 
Greg. Mag. l. 7. Indict. 2. ep. 63  ut ad ipsam solummodo orationem oblationem hostiae consecrarent: For it was the custom of the Apostles, that they consecrated the Host of the oblation, with that prayer only. 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 all these, Supplications, Prayers, Intercessions, and giving of Thanks, mentioned, 1. Tim. 2. Supplications he calleth those which we make in the celebration of the Sacraments, before that which is set on the Lord's table is begun to be blessed: Prayers he calleth that, when it is blessed and sanctified, and broken for Communion, which whole petition, almost all the Churches conclude elude with the Lords prayer. And then disputing whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be votum or Oratio, he addeth, all things are vowed which are offered up to God; chief the oblation of the holy Altar: in which Sacrament another of our greatest vows is preached, Quo nos vovemus, in which we vow ourselves to be mild or meek in the band of Christ's body. Postulationes, Intercessions are made when the people are blessed. In which the Bishops or advocates do offer up 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, thanksgiving concludeth all: so in those times the sacrifice of prayer and praise, were joined with the Sacrament of the Lords Supper. 
August. de spirit. & lit. c. 11.  And in his book De spiritu & litera, he saith, Theosebeia porrò, si ad verbi originem Latinè expressam interpretaretur, Dei cultus dici poterat; qui in hoc maximè constitutus est, ut anima ei non sit ingrata. unde & in ipso verissimo & in singulari Sacrificio Domino Deo nostro agere gratias admonemur. Theosebia, that is piety to God, if it be interpreted according to the express derivation in Latin, may be called the worship of God, which doth chief consist in this, that the soul should not be unthankful to God; and therefore in the most true and singular Sacrifice, we are admonished to give thanks to our Lord God. As for the necessary use of prayer, hear Tertullian de Oratione, Neque enim propria tantum orationis officia complexa est, vel venerationem Dei aut hominis petitionem, sed omnempene sermonem Domini, omnem commemorationem disciplinae: ut revera in oratione breviarium totius evangelii comprehendatur: It doth not only contain the duties 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 truth, in this prayer there is contained a breviary of all the Gospel. So that out of this it may well be inferred, that there can be no act of divine worship and Religion, without prayer. And surely since the jews that had no form of God's worship prescribed for them, did frame to themselves a form of Liturgy, which they daily used; and among Christians there be many Liturgies or forms of divine worship, that bear the names, some of the Apostles, others of the ancient Fathers; which whether they be theirs, whose names they bear, I cannot say, but surely by all men's confession they are very ancient: It is a strange novelty, and indeed most monstrous in the Church of Christ, that there should be no prescribed forms of Prayer, and administration of Sacraments, but every man left to his liberty, or rather licence to worship God after his own fancy: and under 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 wills, and so set up Altar against Altar, and worship against worship, and make the Church that is acies ordinata, a well ordered Army, or house, or kingdom, to be no better than Babel, a Tower of confusion.  
And either the Church must have power to ordain and order Liturgies and Gods worship, or else I know not why any private man may be so bold as to frame a worship or Liturgy to himself. For if the whole Church have not this power, where was it committed to any private 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 only the mother prayer of all prayers, by which all prayers must be ruled and squared: and so it shall be lawful only to use the only prescribed prayer, that is the Lords prayer: when you pray, pray thus. And then I know there be other precise Brethren that stand at their elbows, and tell them that the Lords prayer was not made for that use, to be said publicly or privately: but only to be laid up, as a rule, an Idea, or exemplar to make other prayers by, and so it cometh to pass that we must admit aut omnes, aut nullos, either all prayers that every private spirit that will reject the Apostles rule, and not be subject to the spirit of the Prophets, that is the Church, shall frame: or else we must in effect admit no prayer at all, because there is but one prayer prescribed by Christ and the holy Ghost, and that is very short, that may be used. And if you will believe the purest reformers (or rather the formers) it must not be used, but laid by as a Pattern to fashion the like.  
I come to the fife Sacrifice that I find in the Lord's Supper, and that is Sacrificium Eleemosynarum, the Sacrifice of Alms: and that as it was chief appointed to be done on the Lord's day, or the first day of the week, 1. Cor. 6. so it is apparent that the Lords Supper being then celebrated, and the Apostles continuing in breaking of bread and prayer, this Sacrifice of Alms was ever a companion of the Lords Supper, of prayer, ministration or divine worship, and indeed a true Sacrifice in itself. For when David said, Psalm. 51. If thou wouldst have had Sacrifice. I would have given thee; but thou delightest not in  offerings: a troubled spirit is a Sacrifice to God: 
August. decivit. Dei lib. 10. cap. 4.  a broken and contrite heart God will not despise: Intueamur quemadmodum ubi Deum dixit, nolle Sacrificium, ibi Deum ostendit velle sacrificium: non vult ergo Sacrificium trucidatipecoris, sed vult sacrificium contriti cordis. Mark, saith S. Augustine, where David saith, God would not have Sacrifice; there he plainly showeth that God would have Sacrifice: God would not have the Sacrifice of slain beasts, but he would have the Sacrifice of broken and contrite hearts. And his reason is good. Illa enim Sacrificia nonrequirit Deus, quibus significantur haec Sacrificia, quae requirit Deus: God doth not require those Sacrifices (carnal and external) by which those Sacrifices (internal and spiritual) are signified, which God doth require. Christ saith, 
Matth. 9.13.  I will have mercy an not Sacrifice, in which words, nothing else is to be understood but this, Sacrificium sacrificio praelatum, that one Sacrifice is preferred before another, for that which of men is called Sacrifice, is a sign of the true Sacrifice; and then he apply all this to Alms: Porro autem misericordia verum est sacrificium, 
Heb. 13.16.  Mercy indeed is a true Sacrifice. And so it was called by the Apostle, To do good and to distribute forget not, for with such Sacrifices God is pleased, or pacified; and so it is true, which the same Father saith elsewhere of Prayer, and Praise, and mortification, and Alms, and the like, that they are Pro Sacrificijs, and Prae Sacrificijs, in place of Sacrifice, and to be preferred before all Sacrifices: for the outward Sacrifice receiveth life from the inward Sacrifice of the heart. So then, he that layeth his money or goods at God's Table, or at the Apostles feet, that they may be put into the bosoms of the poor, he doth indeed lend them to the Lord, and delivereth and sendeth them by their hands to be stored up with him, who is a most faithful keeper and bountiful rewarder, who will become a debtor to thee for them. And whereas thy goods were earthly and transitory, Dando, coelestes fiunt; by this giving, thou shalt make them heavenly, & purchase heavens kingdom with them. 
De oratione Dominica.  And that made S. Cyprian to say, Inefficax petitio est cum precatur Deum sterilis oratio; when a barren prayer beseecheth God, that Petition is unfruitful. The reason is, because the hand doth not pray as well as the tongue; and the hands voice is louder, and will be further heard than the tongue. 
Hom. 29. inter 50.  And S. Augustine saith, The Sacrifice of the Christian is Eleemosyna in pauperem, Alms to the poor: for than he offereth a charitable heart to God; as in prayer he offereth a devour heart; in praise he offereth a thankful heart; and in contrition, and mortification he offereth a broken heart. And these Sacrifices are all accepted of God in Christ, but in several degrees: the broken and contrite heart is accepted with non despicies, 
Psal. 51.17.  God will not despise it; 
Heb. 13.16.  The charitable heart is accepted with Placatur Deus, with such Sacrifices God is pleased, and pacified; 
Psal. 50.23.  and the grateful heart is accepted with honorificabis me, he that offereth me praise, he honoureth me.  
Monseiur du Plessis, 
De sacrificio Miss: l. 3.  a pillar of the French Church hath joined all these together, whom I principally allege, because he reciteth them all: Eccui mirum, quod Patres sacram coenam Sacrificium appellarunt, in quam unam tot sacrae actiones confluant? tot proinde sacrificijs conspicuum? ubisacrum officium, sacrificij in cruse peracti commemoratio, verbi divini propositio, expositio, oratio feruens, humilis simul & sublimis, tum peccati nostri, tum gratiae divinae meditatio: inde vero cordis contritio, corporis, animique Deo consecrandi votum, viscerum quasi suorum in fratres, Christi cohaeredes expansio, effusio? Quae omnes utique & singulae actiones cum scriptures & Patribus, oblationum, & sacrificiorum nomine insigniuntur; Can it seem strange to any man that the Fathers have called the sacred Supper a Sacrifice, in which one, so many sacred actions do meet together, and therefore is conspicuous with so many Sacrifices? where there is the sacred office (or Liturgy,) a commemoration of the Sacrifice finished on the Cross: a proposal of the word of God, and exposition thereof, fervent prayer, an humble, and withal an elevated meditation both of our own sin, and God's grace; also the contrition of the heart, and a vow of consecrating of soul and body to God; an enlarging and pouring out of our bowels in Alms towards our brethren, the coheirs of Christ, which all & singular actions, are called by the name of Sacrifices and oblations in the Scriptures and Fathers.  
Veteres, 
De unico Christ. sacrificio cap. 5. Resp. 5.  saith Sadeel, S. Domini Coenam sacrificium appellarunt: Primum, quia in hoc mysterio fit commemoratio unici illius sacrificij quod pro nobis in cruse factum est, atque haec commemoratio coniunctam habet gratiarum actionem, adeo ut sit sacrificium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, & gratiarum actionis, ac propterea inter spiritualia Christianorum Sacrificia recensendum. Deinde quia in sacro hoc mysterio, siquidem à nobis cum vera fide, sincerisque animis celebretur, nos ipsos totos Deo consecramus, quod est spirituale sacrificium nobis imprimis ab Apostolo commendatum. Denique, quia id fuit elim in more positum, ut cum S. Coena celebraretur, tum fideles offerrent Eleemosynas: The Fathers called this holy Supper of the Lord a Sacrifice: First, because in this mystery there is made a commemoration of that one only sacrifice, which was made for us upon the Cross, and this commemoration hath thanksgiving joined with it, that it may be an Eucharistical sacrifice of thanksgiving, and therefore it is to be reckoned among the spiritual sacrifices of Christians. Again, because in the sacred mystery, if it be celebrated by us with true faith, and sincere minds, we do consecrate our whole selves to God, which is the spiritual sacrifice, chief commended to us by the Apostle, Rom. 12. And to conclude, because it was the ancient custom, that when the sacred Supper was celebrated, than the faithful did offer Alms, which is a kind of spiritual sacrifice, Heb. 13. It is sufficiently manifest by the name of Eucharist (which signifieth thanksgiving) that the Fathers had a respect to this, 
Sadeel in Resp. ad fid. profess. a Burdegalen. Act. 14. P. 140  when they called the Eucharist a Sacrament. And again, Propterea veteres Patres Coenam Domini vocarunt Sacrificium, quod in ea fit commemoratio sacrificij jesu Christi: ac proinde est Sacrificium laudis: Add quod ibidem nos offerimus Deo ut 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 jesus Christ, and therefore it is a sacrifice of praise. Add to this, that there we offer ourselves 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, alms was bestowed on the poor: all which are called Sacrifices in holy writ. 
Calu. l. 4. c. 17. S. 43.   
Caluin mentioneth public prayers, and a Sermon, and then a Prayer again: afterward the Elements were set forth upon the Table, that God who had given us his aliment, would make us fit and worthy to receive it: then there should be Psalms 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 charity, and good life, beseeming Christians: And lastly, there should be thanksgiving and praise sung to God.  
This is then plain, that in the ministration and receiving of the Sacrament, there are these five kinds of sacrifices. 1. The Sacrifice commemorative to Godward, and communicative to us. 2. The Sacrifice of ourselves, our souls and bodies, in which the Church offers the mystical body of Christ, that is itself, 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 Alms. And in the offering of all these solemn Sacrifices, humility both of soul and body is necessarily required: and therefore this Sacrament ought to be received with kneeling.  
And this will appear the more plainly if we consider the meditation and behaviour of sacrificers. And that will be the more manifest if we do but remember, that which all ancient Liturgies have, and we retain, Leuate corda ad Dominum, Lift up your hearts, saith the Priest; the people answer, We lift them up unto the lord Videte quid, & ad quem, so S. Augustine observeth; Consider what you lift up, your hearts; and to whom you lift them up, unto God; and as God is pure, so be sure to lift up pure hearts, to him that is the God of all purity. And it may pass 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 up your hearts, though your bodies be humbled and cast down: and let not your souls be fixed on these sacred Elements here below, but lifted up to heaven.  
And surely if we remember, 1. the greatness of God before whom we stand: and 2 the greatness of the sin, which stands out against us, which we there confess; and 3. the vileness and baseness of us poor silly creatures, dust, and ashes, that there present ourselves, 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 above all; and so unworthy and contemptible creatures, worms, and no men, nay worse than worms, (for the poorest worm never sinned against God, and we never did any thing but sin in his sight;) and yet that so great a God should so infinitely love us, vile creatures, and foul polluted sinners, that he should give the Son of his Substance for us, the rebellious workmanship of his own hands: whom he loved so dearly, that he spared not his only, and dearly beloved Son, that he might spare us most disobedient and wicked servants: that is love above all loves, and measure without all measure. To which, when we reckon, that we are no way able to make any recompense or satisfaction, as having nothing to pay (for Plùs diligit & priùs, he loveth us first, and he loveth us most) how can it be, but we, which are the worst of all God's creatures, (for no creature below man is a sinner, but man) when we presume to sacrifice and offer up ourselves (most unworthy and unfit for so great grace,) to that God, who is holiness itself, and cannot endure nor admit any uncleanness, when we adventure to press into his presence, and not only approach to his Table as Communicants, but also exhibit ourselves as Sacrifices on his Altar, but we should then (I say) tender ourselves with all humility of soul, and humiliation of body; since both soul and body are there offered unto him, in mental and corporal adoration, and prayer, and praise, and alms, and the like; in which, the work of the hand and the tongue, is but an idle sound, without the word of the heart, and the soul; 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 himself a Sacrifice, require our humility of soul, and humiliation of body; this is the Sacrificers meditation, and other it ought not to be: for finiti ad infinitum nulla est comparatio: there is no comparison between God that is infinite, and man that is finite: because they differ, Plusquam genere, more than in kind; And therefore dust and ashes that appeareth before his Creator, must appear in his own kind, as dust and ashes, nearest to the earth: since sin hath placed man in this Earth, in the vale of misery. Now, what is the behaviour of Sacrifices? 
Gene. 22.9.  Isaak was a living and reasonable Sacrifice; and no doubt, holy; & therefore acceptable to God in Christ, as much as the state and condition of man would permit: and he was bound, and laid at the Altar to be Sacrificed; there was neither sitting, as if he were equal with that God that called for him to be Sacrificed: nor so much as standing, either in his innocency, or his hope, and expectation; And therefore being the type, both of Christ the propitiatory Sacrifice, and of the Christians Eucharistical Sacrifice, we, as bound by the chain of our own sin, and unworthiness, and laid, and nailed (as it were) on the Altar of Christ's Cross, with the nails of contrition, of devotion, of prayer, and praise, and of compassion, must present ourselves in the gesture and behaviour of those that are to be offered up as Sacrifices to God, in all dejection and humility of souls and bodies; kneeling with Solomon, 
1 Reg. 8.12. 2. Paralip. 6.13.  in the consecration and dedication of the spiritual Temple of our souls and bodies, as he did when he consecrated the material Temple unto God. Where, I pray you, let it never 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, than this, that he was Ia● iam Sacrificandus, & therefore moriturus, even now in an instant to be sacrificed and die. And he was then to die the natural death of the body, & we at the Lord's Table, die the spiritual death to sin in mortification and newness of life: and therefore there is no great likelihood that he then thought of the gesture and prerogatives of a guest, and a table, as if he were equal to that just and severe God, to whom he was to be sacrificed, and so presented himself to him without all fear, and reverence. S. Stephen the first Martyr, and therefore the first Sacrifice among Christians, 
Acts. 7.56.60.  prayed and kneeled: and though he were partaker of the vision of God, which is the Supper of the Lamb, and that without Sacrament (for he saw the heavens open, and the Son of man sitting at the right hand of God) yet Deposuit vitam, ne deponeret obedientiam, he never laid down his obedience, till he laid down his life, but persisted in kneeling, till he fell into his last sleep. And why should not the gesture of a Martyr be a fit gesture for a Communicant at the lambs Supper, since both are Sacrificers of themselves, the one in body, the other in soul and spirit?  
And this was in the time of Nature. Let us look on Moses Law, concerning Sacrifices. In Leviticus it is often repeated, 
Levit. 1.4, 4.24.  that the Priest, when he offered for himself, or the people, and every private man that offered his private Sacrifice, Imponet manum super caput, He shall lay his hand upon the head of the Sacrifice: 
How. 1. in Levit.  Origen expoundeth it allegorically of Christ, Imposuit peccata humani generis super caput suum: Christ laid his hand upon the head of the Sacrifice, that is, laid all our sins upon his own head: But in the letter, there are two reasons given of it. 1. 
Vide Tostat. in Leuit. cap. 3.   renuntiaret proprietati, sive iurisuo, That the private man might surrender up all his right and propriety that he had in the Sacrifice, when he delivered it up to the Priest, to be Sacrificed to God: 2.  poenas peccatorum in caput animalis transferret, quas inflicturus erat offerenti, That he might transfer the punishment of sins due to the offerer, upon the beast that was to be sacrificed; In which it is manifest, that every man that presenteth his Sacrifice at the Altar, standeth as a condemned man ready to be executed, that entreateth and beggeth of God, that the punishment due to him by his demerits may be laid on the Sacrifice, that is upon Christ that beareth our punishment and curse upon his Cross, and healeth us by his stripes: As the death prepared for Isaak, was transferred from him to the Ram, that was hanged in the bushes, that is Christ crowned with thorns, and nailed on the Cross. And he that feelingly considereth this state, will easily resolve of the humble thoughts, and humble gesture of such a Sacrificer as deserveth the death that the Sacrifice suffereth for him, and deprecateth pardon for his sake, whose Sacrifice maketh atonement for the sins of man. In this case when we thus condemn, and execute ourselves, can any thoughts be too lowly, or any gesture too humble to entreat pardon? So this carriage of the carnal sacrificer telleth us, what our carriage must be in the offering of the spiritual sacrifice of ourselves. Our prayers, that sue for grace and remission, must show humility in soul and body, because we seek indulgence to soul and body. And when we confess we are most worthy to die in ourselves, and for ourselves, both soul and body; and desire to receive grace, not for ourselves, but for Christ's sake; must we not testify this unworthiness with the dejection of both soul and body?  
Yea, our very praises and thanks for all God's mercies must be offered, with all outward and inward humility: since as it is in the second Psalm, 
Psal. 2.11.  it becometh us not only to serve the Lord infeare, but also to rejoice to him with reverence, cum tremore, (as the vulgar reads it) with tremor or trembling. For as the goodness of God causeth confidence and rejoicing, so the greatness and justice of God, and our own guiltiness and sin, cause trembling and humility. So our very sacrifice of praise and glory requires humility and kneeling: as the examples of those in heaven (who being freed from all wants, and therefore never needing to pray, but only to give praise for their overflowing and fullness of glory at the well head) doth show: 
Apoc. 4.10.  who cast down their Crowns, and fall down and worship him that sitteth on the Throne, and the Lamb.  
And surely the Gospel, in the offering of spiritual sacrifices, differs not in duties of Nature and Religion, and chief in humility, which is virtus Christiana & evangelica, the Christian and evangelical virtue, unknown and contemned by the heathen, and taught only in the School of Christ. And therefore our Saviour Christ might teach all sacrificers how to behave themselves, when he entered into his agony in the garden, which was the entry and beginning of his sacrifice, (for there he did sacrifice himself, voluntate, in will, as he finished it upon the Cross actu, in act) Positis genibus oravit, 
Luk. 22.41.  he prayed upon his knees, to teach all spiritual sacrificers to use the same kneeling in their devotions, and prayers, and sacrifices, which he began in the propitiatory, and all-sufficient sacrifice for sin. Wherein, because that wherewith God is worshipped doth profit man, and not God, (for no man doth good to the fountain, if he drink of it, nor to the light, if he see by it; and if man come to God, God is not increased by it, but man; and if he depart from God, God looseth not by it, but man:) it behoveth us in all God's worship so to carry ourselves, that our sacrifice, and ourselves, and our worship may be accepted of God. And nothing is more offensive to God, than pride, and presumptuous carriage, and nothing more pleasing, than our humility, and the plea of our unworthiness. For as Kemnicius saith, 
In Examine. Concil. Triden. part. 2. de ven●rat. Sacram.  Externa irreverentia signum est prophanae mentis, sicut Paulus dicit, Corinthios non dijudicare Corpus Domini, quia illud in Coena Dominica non maiori reverentia tractabant, quam vulgares concoenationes: external irreverence is a sign of a profane mind, as S. Paul said, that the Corinthians did not discern the Lords body, because in the Lord's Supper they handled it with no more reverence than 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 jewel said well: It is (without doubt) our duty to adore the body of Christ, in the word of God, in the Sacrament of Baptism, in the mysteries of the body and blood of Christ; and to conclude, wheresoever any footstep or sign of it appeareth: but chief in the holy mysteries, in which we have a living express image of all Christ's peregrination in the flesh: And I assure myself, this Reverend Bishop and defender of the Church and Liturgy of England, was no enemy of kneeling at the Sacrament, though he most stoutly denied all adoration to the Elements, or Species themselves, as we all do.  
In the worship of God, non sum dignus is the best argument: and surely there is no argument more forcible, or more worthy in God's sight, than the acknowledgement of our own unworthiness: nor no fit gesture to express this acknowledgement, 
Hom. 8. in Coena Dom. ad poenit.  than this kneeling or casting ourselves down to the earth. S. Eligius Episcopus Noviomensis saith, Let this sentence be pronounced by the soul, that a man judge himself unworthy of the participation of the body and blood of Christ. And again, 
Biblioth. S S. Pat. Tom. 2. p. 1506.  Lactuca quoque agrestis valde amara est, & in viris luxuriam reprimit: significat autem hoc, ut 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 repress lust in men: and it signifies this, that when we come to receive the body of Christ, who is the true Lamb, although we rejoice of our redemption, yet we should have bitterness in the remembrance of our sin. 
Idem hom. 14. de esu utriusque agni paschalus.  And again, Certè Redemptor noster consulens nostrae fragilitati, tradidit nobis hoc Sacramentum: ut quia ipse iam non potest mori, & nos quotidie peccamus, habeamus verum Sacrificium quo possimus expiari à peccatis nostris. Quocircà cum timore & compunctione mentis, omnique reverentiâ debemus accedere ad altar, & ad mensam corporis & sanguinis Domini, & dicere humiliter cum Centurion, Domine, non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum: Our Redeemer delivered to us this Sacrament, providing for our frailty, that since he can die no more, and we sin daily, we might have a true Sacrifice, by which we might be expiated from our sins: Therefore we must come with all fear and compunction of heart, and all reverence (I hope this is reverence of body as well as of soul) 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 under the roof of my house. And S. Basil of Seleucia saith, 
Orat. 19  Vidi Centurionem provolutum ad vestigia Domini, 
Eusebius Emissenu, Hom in Dom. 2. in Epiphas.  I saw the Centurion falling down, or kneeling at our Lords feet. Eusebius saith, Quando verò ad Christi Sacramentum accedimus, & fragilitatem nostram consideramus quid aliud dicat unusquisque nostrum, nisi non sum dignus, ut intres sub tectum meum; non sum dignus ut corpus & sanguinem suscipiam in ore meo: When we come to the Sacrament of Christ, and consider our own frailty; what should every one of us say but this? I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: I am not worthy to receive thy Body and Blood into my mouth.  
For why? 
Matth. 8.8. Luke 7.6.  this Centurion that thought not himself worthy, under whose roof Christ should enter, received a high favour for his lowly thought, that Christ, though he entered not under the roof of his house, yet entered under the roof of his heart. 
Matth. 3.11.  And john Baptist that professed himself unworthy to untie the latchet of Christ's shoe, was admitted to that high favour to baptise Christ's head. 
Luke 7.38.  And the woman that in the sense of her own unworthiness, began at Christ's feet with her tears, 
Mark 14.3.  proceeded to the anointing of his head with precious oil, 
john 20.16.  and was the first that saw him after his Resurrection. This is indeed the great Fisher S. Peter's art: He put Christ away from him with this word, 
Luke 5.8.  Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, that so he might draw nearer to him, and become a chief Fisher of men: and the first among the Apostles.  
After which examples, if we stand afar off with the Publican, and confess our own unworthiness, with the devotion of our souls, & dejection of our bodies, we shallbe sure to draw the nearer to God, & procure the more easy acceptation of the Sacrifices of ourselves, & our souls and bodies, and Prayers, and Praises, and Alms.  
So then this Sacrament hath many Sacrifices in it: and nothing maketh Sacrifice so acceptable to God, as the hearty acknowledgement of our own unworthiness, to offer to him any Sacrifice at all: This acknowledgement consisteth in the humble piety, and devotion of the heart, and the voluntary dejection, bowing or kneeling of the body: therefore this Sacrament must be received with a reverend kneeling. All which I conclude with the words of S. Bernard; 
S. Bernard. Serm. 3. de Purificat. B. Virgins.  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 utique nosmetipsi; Ille seipsum obtulit, tu quis es, qui teipsum offerre cuncteris? Quis mihi tribuat, ut oblationem meam dignetur maiestas tanta suscipere? Duo minuta habeo Domine, corpus & animam Dico, utinam haec tibi perfectè possim in Sacrificium laudis offer. Bonum enim mihi longeque gloriosius atque utilius est, ut tibi magis offerar, quàm deserar mihi ipsi. Nam ad meipsum anima mea conturbatur, in te vero exultabit spiritus meus, si tibi veraciter offeratur: What do we, O brethren? Do we offer? or what do we give to Christ, for all these things which he hath given to us? He offered for us the most precious Sacrifice that he had, than which none can be more precious: and let us do what we can, and offer to him the best that we have, which is ourselves: he offered himself for us, and who art thou, that delayest to offer thyself to him? who shall procure for me, that so great majesty shall vouchsafe to receive my oblation? (And then he tells what he hath to offer, not his soul only, but his body also.) Lord, I have two mites, a body, and a soul; Oh would I could perfectly offer them to thee, as a sacrifice of praise: for it is good, and far more glorious and profitable to me, that I should rather be offered to thee, then forsaken by myself; for in myself my soul is troubled, but if it be truly offered to thee, my spirit shall rejoice in thee.  
Thus have I been long in this second reason of Sacrifice, because it containeth at least five several sacrifices. I will be short in the rest, as occasion shall permit.   

Ratio 3. à Donorum magnitudine.  
THe third Reason is Donorum magnitudo, the greatness of God's gifts, and graces, which are heaped up in this Sacrament. And the greater the person is that gives (that is, God) the greater the gift is that is given, which is, Christ, and the holy Ghost: and the more vile and base the Receiver is, that is mortal and sinful man, the greater must be the humility of him, that receives so great gifts from so great a God: even the lowest humility of soul, and humiliation of body, 
De Purificat. B. virgins Serm. 3.  in prostration or kneeling. And even now out of S. Bernard we heard, Hostiam pretiosiorem, quam habuit: He offered to God the most precious sacrifice that he had: and what he offered to God for us on the Cross, that he offereth to us in this Sacrament; that which he gave for us, he gives to us. So God loved the world, 
joan. 3.16.  that he gave his only begotten Son that as many as believe in him should not perish but have life everlasting: And how gave he him? Animam in precium, carnem in cibum: 
joan. 6.55.45.51.  he gave his life for our price and ransom, and his flesh for our food: And his flesh is meat indeed; and his blood is drink indeed; and he is the bread of life; that living bread, 
Luc. 14.16.  that came down from Heaven. A certain man made a great supper, and bade many, saith our Saviour: A great supper; for, Magnus qui fecit: He is great that makes it, no less than a King: nay, 
Matt. 22.2.  no less than God himself. And that must needs be a great feast, which is made by the God of all greatness and Majesty, who in all other his works is great, but in this his grace, is greater than greatness itself, and his mercy appeareth above all his works and gifts. A great supper, quia servi magni, the servants and attendants are great, patriarchs, and Prophets, and Apostles, and Bishops who succeed the Apostles, pro patribus filii, 
Aug. in Psal. 44.  Sons in stead of Fathers, Bishops in stead of Apostles, who are Princes in all lands: yea, Christ the Son ministereth unto us. A great supper, quia coenaculum magnum; the marriage chamber is great, not judea, not a corner, or conventicle, but the world, or rather, the Church over all the world. Expulsus ab urbe, ab orb recipitur; Christ that was excluded out of the city Jerusalem, and crucified on Mount Caluarie, is received in the whole world. 
Leo de passione Hom. 1.  Merito foli non habent, quod omnibus perire volverunt, saith Leo, The jews only, have not Christ by their desert, whom they would have lost to all others: and the whole earth is become his inheritance: and there is a greater in expectation, the Kingdom of heaven, when that is consummate, which is now begun. And a great Supper, for Conuivae magni, the guests are great, Kings and righteous men, and learned, and noble, and wise, and rich, and poor, and ignorant, Piscator, Imperator, Orator: the ignorant fisher, the potent Emperor, and the learned Orator, all bow their necks under the yoke of Christ: And a great supper, Quia apparatus magnus, for the preparation is great: the book of Creatures, and the book of Scriptures: the volume of Nature, and the volume of Grace: the Dictates of earth, and the Oracles of Heaven: the Paschall Lamb, and the fat Calf: the Son of man, and the Son of God: the Word uncreat, and the word incarnate: Charity uncreated, that is the holy Ghost; and created Charity, that is the gifts of the holy Ghost, and all things else whatsoever God is pleased to give us with his Son, and for his Son.  
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 Country; and therefore it is here called, A Supper of glory, I shall be satisfied with thy glory. In the School, it is Coena doctrinae evangelicae, a Supper of evangelical doctrine, that teacheth faith. In the Church it is Coena Eucharistiae, the Supper of the Eucharist, that doth nourish and augment faith, and grace. And in heaven it is Coena gloriae, a Supper of everlasting glory, that crowneth God's own graces in us. He that maketh the Supper, is God the Father; he that is the meat of this Supper, is Christ the Son; and he that prepareth and provideth this Supper is the holy Ghost. Christus sponsus, spiritus Sanctus Pronubus, Pater Rex. The bridegroom at this marriage Feast is Christ, not the servant, nor the kinsman, but the Son of God: the chief Minister or Vicar that calleth and ordereth the Feast, & the guests, is the holy Ghost: and the man, for his humanity or mercy; and the King for his power, and riches, and severity, that maketh this Feast, is God the Father, that gathereth a Church to be a spouse to his own Son. Now (as it is said of God) Non tam habet, quam est causa amoris, God hath no cause of his love, but is indeed the cause of his own love, or rather is Love itself; so in this case, Nontam facit, quam est: Christ doth not so much make, as he is indeed, this Feast: For the Feast and fullness, that we look for at God's hands, is not aliquid Dei, but Deus; not somewhat of God, but God himself, to whom it is proper to be the Physician and the Physic, the food, and the Feeder of our souls.  
So then, although all God's gifts and graces be great, and like to himself, yet here in this Sacrament, he giveth not simile but idem, not somewhat like himself, of a like substance to himself, but he giveth himself, and the Son of his own Substance. And then, quantus Deus, qui dat Deum? How great, how good and gracious is God the Father to us, that giveth us no less, nor no other, than God himself; his only Son to be the meat of our souls, and the holy Spirit to be our Comforter, and refresher in this Sacrament?  
The Elements, or Signs, after the words of Consecration, are not bare accidents, or signs, and species, but true substances; and in that respect they are by Christ, and the Evangelists, and Apostles called Bread and Wine: but the thing signified is the Body and Blood of Christ. It is not figure a tantùm: though the Sacrament be a figure, it is not a figure only, but the truth & substance: and God doth not now feed us with shadows, because the truth and substance is there received: & this Sacrament doth exhibit this which it signifieth. Neither is it Efficacia tantùm, that is a very weak and short exposition. Hoc est corpus meum (1.) efficacia corporis mei, This is my body, that is, this is the efficacy and virtue of my Body: This is my blood: that is, this is the efficacy or effect of my Blood: for that were to divide the Body & Blood of Christ from the force and virtue thereof; But this is indeed the Body and Blood of Christ, not in any gross, or carnal, or corporal manner, but in a spiritual manner; a manner best and only known to him, that performeth that which he promiseth: 
Caluin. instit. l. 4. c. 17. §.  and as Caluin, and Sadeel, and others teach, a manner above our capacity and understanding; Experior magis, quam intelligo, which we prove rather than understand: and therein are happy, that we find it to be so, in deed and truth, though it surpass the capacity of man's wit, & be known only to God.  
In which we do imitate the blessed Apostles, who believed Christ's word, and received it with faith, 
Cyril. in joan. lib. 4. c. 13.  without once doubting or ask the jewish question full of infidelity, Quomodo? How can he give us his flesh? Chryfostome saith, 
Hom. 26. in matth. 8.  Etsi enim parvum 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, ut dici non mereatur exiguum: ut enim alia universa praeteream, quae multitudine suâ numerum exuperant arenarum, quidnam poterit ei, quae propter nos facta est dispensationi conferri? Quod enim erat apud eum omnibus pretiosius, unigenitum 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 given, yet it is made great by the honour of the giver; yea, nothing is little which is conferred, God giving it, not only because it is given of God, but that whatsoever he giveth, is such, that it deserveth not to be called little; for to pass all other things, which with their multitude exceed the number of the sands, what can be preferred before that dispensation that is made for us? For that which was more precious to him then all things, he gave his Son for us, and that truly when we were his enemies; neither did he give him only, but also he made him to be our Table.  
Nec Moses dedit nobis panem verum, 
Hieron. ad Heb. d. qu. 2.  sed Dominus jesus ipse conviva, & conuivium, 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, & nowm ex his vinum bibimus de regno Patris: Moses gave not us this true bread, but the Lord jesus, saith S. Hierom, he is the guest, and the banquet; the feeder, and the food; we drink his blood, and without him we cannot drink: daily in his sacrifices we tread those chosen, red, sweet wines, out of the fruit of the true vine, and vineyard, sorec: and out of those we drink the new wine of the kingdom of the Father. 
Cuiusdan Serm. d● Coena Domini inter opera Ber.  In coena illa munerans, & munus, Cibans, & cibus, conviva, & conuivium, offerens, & oblatio: He is the giver, and the gift, the feeder and the food, 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 vivendi, per jesum Christum in Deo, Catharticum expellens malum: It is the Physic of immortality; the antidote or preservative against death giving life in God by jesus Christ, the medicine purging of all vices, or driving away all evils, so Ignatius. It is Cibus inconsumptibilis, 
Epist. ad Ephes.  unconsumable meat, so Cyprian: 
De Coena Dom.  Pignus salutis aeternae, tutela fidei, & spes resurrectionis: It is the pledge of eternal salvation, the defence of faith, and the hope of resurrection, so Optatus.  
S. Cyrill goeth further: 
Lib. 10. in joan. 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, ut unum quid ex utrisque factum videatur, sic communicatione corporis & sanguinis Christi ipse in nobis est, & nos in ipso: Consider (saith he) that Christ is in us, not only by an habitude, which is understood by charity; but also by a natural participation: for as wax, if it be melted by the fire, is so mingled with other melted wax, that it makes one wax of both; so by the communication of the body and blood of Christ; he (that is, Christ) is in us, and we in him. And he proves it out of S. Paul; The bread that we break, 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 & divinitate, & quia communicamus, & unimur invicem per illam: nam quia ex vnopane partipamus omnes, unum corpus Christi, & unus sanguis, & invicem membra efficimur, concorporati Christo existentes: We communicate with Christ by the Eucharist, and participate his flesh and Deity; and because we communicate, we are united among ourselves by it: for because we all participate of one bread, we 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 said 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 meat of strong men, grow and thou shalt eat me, neither shalt thou change me into thee, as thou dost the meat of thy flesh, but thou shalt be changed into me. 
De passione Domini Serm. 14.  And S. Leo in like sort, Non aliud agit participatio corporis & sanguinis Christi, quàm ut in id quod sumimus transeamus: The participation of the body & blood of Christ, works nothing else but this, 
De Sacram. lib. c. 4.  that we shall become that which we receive. 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: He that hath a wound let him require physic; the wound is, that we are under sin, and the medicine is the heavenly and venerable Sacrament.  
But why do I trouble myself with many authorities? When as it is confessed by all, that in this Sacrament we receive the Body and Blood of Christ, 
Instit. l. 4. ca 17  as Caluin doth most fully prove; 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 cruse effusum pro nobis. In summâ, Christus ipsemet verus Deus & homo, nobis significatur per illa signa, ut attollamus corda nostra, ad illum contemplandum spiritualitèr fide, in coelis, ubi nunc est: atque ita communicamus cum omnibus ipsius bonis, & thesauris in vitam a●ernam; idquetam verè, tamque ceruò 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 Christ's passion only, but the same body that was nailed on the Cross, and the same blood that was shed on the Cross for us. In sum, Christ himself, true God, and man is signified unto us by those signs, that we may lift up our hearts, to contemplate him spiritually by faith, in the heavens, where now he is, and so we communicate with all his goods, and treasures unto eternal life; and that so truly and certainly, as it is true and certain, that we naturally see, and receive, and eat and drink those signs, which are seen of us, and are corporal. And after, 
Inter. Epist. Caluius.  he addeth the words of the Queen to the Cardinal: Audisne Domine Cardinalis, non aliam esse Sacramentariorum opinionem, quam eam ipsam, quam nunc ipse approbasti? Do you hear Sir Cardinal, that the opinion of the Sacramentaries, is but the same, which you have approved?  
Add to this, that Christ never cometh alone, but is ever attended with a train of graces: and as the Father sendeth the Son, God of God, and Light of light, to redeem us: so the Father and the Son send the holy Ghost, to sanctify us. 
Rom. 8.32.  If God hath given us his Son, how shall he not with him, freely give us all things, saith the Apostle? And that this Sacrament is a Communion or participation of Christ's Body and Blood, it is apparent in the Apostle, 1. Corinth. 10. And whereas we participate of Christ's Body, and Blood, in the preaching of the word, and in Baptism; yet this only Sacrament is called Communio, the communication of the Body & Blood of Christ, there must be some special reason of it, namely, a more lively and near conjunction of ourselves to Christ, that we should indeed be living members, incorporated into his mystical body, that live no longer by our own spirit, but by the Spirit of Christ, who is the spirit of our spirit, the soul of our souls, and the very life of our lives. He is the Sun, from whose beams we receive the light of grace; the Fountain, from whom we, as rivers receive the water of life; The Root from whom, we as branches, receive the sap of increase; and the Head, from whom, we as members receive being and life. By the force and effect of this Sacrament, we receive power against sin, and Satan, and ability to serve God in holiness and righteousness, and the neglect thereof, giveth advantage to our spiritual enemies, whereby we are entangled in many temptations, and fall into many sins.  
S. 
Donativitate Christi.  Cyprian saith, Sacramentorum communicatio per quam illius corporis sinceritati unimur, nos in tantum corroborat, ut de mundo, & de Diabolo, & de nobis ipsis victoriâ potiamur, & Sacramentali gustu, vivificis mysterijs inhaerentes, una caro, & unus spiritus simus, dicente Apostolo: Qui adhaeret Domino, unus spiritus est: The Communication of the Sacraments, by which we are united to the sincerity of his body, doth so far forth corroborate us, that we obtain victory over the world, the devil, and ourselves; And by this Sacramental taste, adhering to the life-giving mysteries, we are one flesh, and one spirit, as the Apostle saith, He that adhaereth to God, is one spirit with him. Again, 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 unleavened bread, the true and sincere meat by a show or Sacrament, sanctifieth by the touch, illuminateth by faith, and by truth conformeth to Christ: and as common bread, which we eat daily, is the life of the body, so this supersubstantial bread is the life of the soul, and the health of the mind.  
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: ut 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 cup with which the affections of the faithful inebriantur are drunken, that thou mayest put on joy of remission of sins, and put off the cares of this world.  
And chrysostom saith, 
Hom. 24. in 1. Cor.   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 coming to the Eucharist is dangerous, so no participation of this mystical Supper is a plague, and death itself: for this Table is the strength, and force of our soul, the sinews of the mind, the band of confidence, our hope, our health, our light, and our life. 
In joan. homil. 45.  Again, Hic mysticus sanguis Demones procul pellit, angelos & angelorum Dominum ad nos allicit: Demons enim cum Dominicum sanguinem in nobis vident, in fugam vertuntur, angeli autem concurrunt; his sanguis effusus universum abluit orbem terrarum: This mystical blood driveth the devils afar of, draweth the Angels, and the Lord of Angels to us: for the devils when they see the Lords blood in us, they are turned to flight, and the Angels come unto us; this Blood being powered out, doth wash the whole earth. And again, 
In Psal. 22.  Qui veniunt ad mensam potentis, considerantes ea quae apponuntur eyes, 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 mighty, considering to receive those things that are set before them with fear and trembling; (fear and trembling, is the gesture of Communicants, with S. chrysostom, not familiarity and equality of heirs that boast of the Prerogatives 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 powered in, and by this prepared Table they profit or prevail 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 devil, etc. And after: Parents 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 deliver their children to others to be nourished, or brought up: but I do not so, saith the Lord, but with mine own flesh I nourish them, and set myself before them, willing to have 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 viventibus communicatio â nobis danda est, ut quos excitamus & hortamur ad praelium, non inermes, & nudos relinquamus, sed protectione sanguinis & corporis Christi muniamus, etc. Peace is necessary, not only to the weak, but to the strong, the Communion is given by us, not to the dead, but to the living, that we may not leave them unarmed, whom we excite and exhort to the battle, but arm them with the protection of the Blood and Body of Christ. And, whereas the Eucharist is ordained for this end, that it may he a defence to the receivers; Let us arm them with the muniment of the Lords saturity, whom we desire to be safe against the adversary; For how do we teach, or provoke them to shed their blood in the confession of Christ's name, if we deny to them, going to fight, the Blood of Christ? Give them the Cup of Christ, that are to drink the cup of Martyrdom. 
Serm. de Bapt. in Coena Dom.  I conclude this point with S. Bernard; Duo illud Sacramentum operatur in nobis, ut videlicet, & sensum minuat in minimis, & in gravioribus peccatis tollat omnino consensum: si quis vestrum non tam saepe modò, nontam acerbos sentit iracundiae motus, invidiae, luxuriae, aut caeterorum huiusmodi, gratias agat corpori, & sanguini Domini, quoniam virtus Sacramenti operatur in eo: & gaudeat quod pessimum ulcus accedat ad sanitatem: This Sacrament (saith he) worketh two things in us, it diminisheth sense in small faults, and in great sins it altogether taketh away consent: if any of you feel not so often, nor so sharp motions of anger, or envy, of luxury, or the like, let him give the thanks to the Body and Blood of Christ, for the power of the Sacrament worketh in him: and let him rejoice, because the worst soar draweth near to health.  
Now, 
Luke 15.  what shall I say more? The Son of God, as the Shepherd, seeketh us, and carrieth us to the fold of the Church; The holy Ghost, as the woman, lighteth the candle of knowledge, and sweepeth the house by obedience, and sanctity; and there remaineth but one only greater gift, the vision and possession of God the Father, who is our exceeding great reward. The two first, of the Son, and the holy Ghost, pertain 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 give us, than those, that he hath given in this Sacrament, that is, not creatures, but the Creator, the second and third person in the Trinity, the Son and the holy Ghost? Quem horum contemnitis? which of these two can we despise? The Son, whose members we are? or the holy Ghost, whose Temples we are? If God had given us the best of his creatures, we ought with all reverence to have received them, & kneeling had been decent and necessary, Respectu doni & donantis, both in respect of the gift itself, which far surmounteth all proportion of desert in us: but much more of the giver, whose incomparable and infinite greatness, and love, more than infinite, requireth all reverence of body and soul, of us vile wretched sinners, who deserve punishment, and receive remission, and life everlasting. But when he giveth Creatorem, the Creator, the Son, and the eternal Word that made all things, and the holy Ghost, who is Charitas increata, uncreated and essential charity; and Donum, the gift, that is, both the gift of God, and God himself, can any devotion or adoration of the soul, and prostration, and bowing, or kneeling of the body be too humble, nay, humble enough when we come to the Table of the Lord, there to receive, not Panem Domini, the bread of the Lord alone, as judas did, but Panem Dominum, the Lord himself, the bread, and meat, and drink of our souls? The people of Israel who were a stiffnecked people, when Moses told them the law of the Passeover, 
Exod. 12.27.  Incuruatus adoravit, bowed themselves and worshipped or adored: and that was but Typus, the Type, and Lex, the Law of the Passeover, and not the true Passeover: But this Sacrament containeth Christ, the true Passeover: and shall we not much more bow down and kneel, when we receive this truth, and substance? If the King that is but a mortal man, whose breath is in his nostrils, give us a pardon, or some great gift and office, who is so proud but he will stoop and bow down his head, and kneel, nay kiss his feet? And the greater the King's grace is, the greater will be the receivers humiliation. And shall we deny that to God, which we every day tender to man?  
So then, as Religion taught men natural and civil duties, to Parents, to Kings, and to Priests, and benefactors, to kneel, and to bow the head in reverence, when we receive natural and civil gifts: so let nature and civility, as Rivers, return their streams to the Sea of God's goodness, whence they take their beginning, and teach men the duties of Religion and devotion; to bow the head, and the body and the knees with all reverence and humility to God, who giveth not only natural, but also supernatural and divine graces, and glory itself: nay, that giveth himself, and his Son, and his holy spirit for us, and to us, in this Sacrament. And let Fathers and Masters on earth learn, even of their children, and servants on Earth, to do their duty to their Father that is in Heaven. Thou bowest and kneelest to thy Father, thy Master, thy Prince, thy ghostly Father in earth, who are but instruments, and under-agents of thy being, and conservation in nature, and grace, and therein dost but thy duty: And wilt thou not much more kneel, and bow to thy Master, and King, and Father, and God in Heaven, who is the first, and supreme Author and cause of our natural and supernatural being, in grace and glory? If thou do it to God's Image, much more do it to God himself: for Gratiam, 
Psal. 84.12.  & gloriam dabit Dominus, grace, and glory are both the gifts of God: and because they be the greatest gifts, they must be received with greatest reverence and humiliation, and therefore with kneeling.   

Ratio 4. Tremenda mysteria.  
I Come to the fourth Reason, and that is, Mysteriorum dignitas, the dignity of the mysteries. And that surely is great, since they exhibit Christ unto us: for as it appeareth in the former Reasons, in this Sacrament God giveth his Son Christ; and Christ giveth himself to be our food. And therefore since we receive the bread of Heaven, and the food of Angels, we may well think the Church to be another heaven unto us, where God feedeth us with his Son, and the Angels assist and minister in this feast. And in that respect, all humility of soul and body, and consequently kneeling, is most fit for this holy action of consecration, and participation of this heavenly and Angelical food.  
Moses beheld a burning bush in the wilderness, 
Exod. 3.5.  and he might not come near it, until he had put off his shoes; the reason is, because, Locus in quo stas, terrasancta est: the place whereon thou standest is holy ground: and is not this sacred mystery as holy, if not more holy than this burning bush, since it hath vim Sanctificantem, a sanctifying power in all them that receive it with true contrition, and faith? When God appeared to jacob at Bethel, 
Gen. 28.16, 17  jacob said, Surely God is in this place, and I knew it not, and he was afraid, and said, Quam terribilis est hic locus? How dreadful is this place? This is none other but Domus Dei, 
Gen. 31.13.  and Porta Coeli; the house of God, and the gate of heaven; and God calleth himself the God of Bethel. But this mystery goes further; It is not Domus, but Mensa Dei, not the House only, but the Table of God; not Porta, but Cibus Celi; not the gate only, but the food of heaven; yea, Christ that is God and man, is here offered, and received; and therefore as that was Locus terribilis, a dreadful place, so this is, Actio terribilis, an action, not of familiarity, which breeds presumption, and presumption begets contempt, but of dread and reverence; and therefore to be undertaken with all devotion of soul, and humiliation and kneeling of body. And if holiness do become Domum Dei, 
Psal. 93.6.  the house of God for ever, much more doth holiness become Deum Bethel, the God of Bethel, the God of that house. If holiness become the material house, or Temple, much more doth it become the spiritual house, and table of the Lord, in which we offer our souls and bodies, to be spiritual Temples to the Lord.  
And this holiness must make a difference of the Lords body, from other meats: 
1. Cor. 11.29.  for some eat and drink their own damnation, because they discern not the Lord's body. And what is it to discern the Lords body? Doth he discern or make a difference of the Lords body, that cometh to this Sacrament with no more respect or reverence than he cometh to his ordinary supper? Doth he discern the Lords body, that adoreth and kneeleth to the Elements, and giveth the worship to the creature, which is due only to the Creator? Doth he discern the Lords body that cometh to this Sacrament, Pompaticè, & gloriosè, pompously, 
Cyprian de Coena Dom.  and gloriously, without all contrition and sorrow for guiltiness of sin, without all praise, and thanks for the great blessings he is to receive, without any prayer, that he may worthily receive those great mysteries? Doth he discern the Lords body that cometh to these mysteries rashly, and presumptuously, as if he were coequal, and hailefellow with Christ, when as we should indeed come cum timore & tremore, 
Chrysost.  with fear and trembling, in respect of God's greatness, and our own unworthiness, to receive these sacred mysteries: So than these holy mysteries by their dignity and greatness, should strike an awe and reverence in us, when we come to the Lords Table, and procure adoration and kneeling: not to them, for they are but creatures, consecrated to an holy use; but to the Creator, that feedeth us in such holy, yet fearful manner.  
In which respect the ancient Fathers spoke of these mysteries with great reverence; 
Hom. 24. in 1. Cor. 10.16.  chief S. Chrysostom, who expounding the words of S. Paul, The cup of blessing which we bless, etc. saith, Quid dicis O beat Paul? volens auditori pudorem suffundere, & reverendorum mentionem faciens mysteriorum: benedictionis Calicem vocas illum terribilem, & maximè formidandum calicem? certè, inquit, non est enim parvum quod dictum est. Nam quando dico benedictionem, explico omnem thesaurum beneficentiae Dei, & magna illa dona in memoriam revoco. Nam nos quoque ad calicem recensentes ineffabilia Dei beneficia, & quaecunque sumus adepti, it a ipsum offerimus, & communicamus gratias agentes, quod ab errore liberarit hominum genus: What sayest thou blessed Paul, when thou wilt confound the Auditor, mentioning the dreadful mysteries? thou callest that fearful cup horroris plenum, full of horror, the cup of blessing: It is true, for it is no small thing that is said: for when I call it blessing, I call it the Eucharist, and calling it the Eucharist, I open the treasure of all the benignity of God: for with this Cup we reckon the unspeakable benefits of God, and whatsoever we have obtained; So we come to him, and communicate with him, giving thanks to him that hath freed mankind from error. And mentioning elsewhere this Sacrifice, horrore & reverentia plenissimun, most full of horror and reverence he saith, Per id tempus, 
Lib. 6. the Sacord.  et angelisacerdoti assident, & coelestium potestatum universus ordo clamores excitat, & locus altari vicinus, in illius honorem, qui immolatur, angelorum choris plenus est, id quod credere abundè licet, velex tanto illo Sacrificio, quod tum peragitur: At that time (the time of the Consecration of the Sacrament) the Angels stand by the Priest, and the universal order of the heavenly powers do raise up cries; And the place near the Altar is filled with the quires of angels, in the honour of him that is immolated: which may abundantly be believed, by that great Sacrifice which is then performed. 
Lib. 3.  Again in the third book, Dum conspicis Dominum immolatum, Sacerdotem sacrificio incumbentem, ac preces fundentem, tum vero turbam circumfusam pretioso illo sanguine in tingi, ac rube fieri, etiamnè te inter mortales versari, atque in terrâ consistere censes? ac nonpotiusè vestigio in coelos transferri? While thou beholdest the Lord offered up, and the Priest sacrificing, and the present multitude to be dipped, and made red with that precious Blood, dost thou think that thou dost converse among mortal men on earth? Or rather that thou art suddenly translated into heaven? And after he inferreth, Hoc ergo mysterium, omnium maximè horrendum, verendumque, quis tandem qui sanus in idem minimè sit, quique è potestate non exierit, fastidire, ac despicere poterit? What man that is not mad and out of his wits, can despise or loathe this mystery, of all others most dreadful, and fearful? And S. Cyprian long before him said, 
Cyprian. de C●na Dom.  Sanguinem sugimus, & intra redemptoris nostri vulnera figimus linguam, quo interiùs, exteriúsque rubricati, à sapientibus huius seculi, iudicamur amentes: We suck his Blood, and put our tongues into the wounds of our Redeemer, with which being made red within, and without, we are judged to be mad by the wise men of this world. S. Augustine interpreting the words of the Lords prayer, Give us this day our daily bread, understandeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, supersubstantial bread to be the Eucharist, which is called daily bread; 
Augustinus de verbis Dom. serm. 28.  And then he addeth, Si quotidianus est panis, cur post annum, illum sumis? accipe quotidi●, quod quotidiè tibi prosit, sic vive ut quotidie merearis accipere: 
Idem habet Ambrose.  qui non meretur quotidie accipere, non meretur post annum accipere: quomodo sanctus job, quotidie pro filijs offerebat sacrificium, ne forte aliquid vel in cord, vel in sermone peccassent. Ergo tu audis, quod quotiescunque offertur sacrificium, mors Domini, resurrectio Domini, elevatio Domini significetur, & remissio peccatorum; & panem istum vitae nostrae quotidianum non assumis? Qui vulnus habet, medicinam requirit: vulnus est, quia sub peccato sumus, medicina est coeleste & venerabile Sacramentum: If it be daily bread, why dost thou receive it once in the year? receive it daily, that it may daily profit thee: Live so that thou mayest obtain to receive it daily; he that obtaineth not to receive it daily, obtaineth not to receive it after a year. As holy job offered Sacrifice daily for his sons, lest perchance they should offend in thought, or word: Dost thou hear that as often as the Sacrifice is offered, the death of the Lord, the resurrection of the Lord, and the ascension of the Lord is signified, and remission of sin? and dost thou not receive this daily bread of life? He that is wounded seeketh physic; Now thy wound is sin, and the medicine is the heavenly and venerable Sacrament. I cannot stand to reckon all the titles at large, that the Fathers give to this Sacrament: I add S. chrysostom, for he is most copious in these amplifications, 
Chrisostom. Homil. 24. in 1. Cor.  and exaggerations upon these words, Calix benedictionis, the Cup of blessing which we bless. Valde fideliter dixit, & terribilitèr, hoc est autem quod dicit: Id quod est in Calais, est id quod fluxit è latere, & illius sumus participes: Calicem autem benedictionis vocavit, quod eam habentes in manibus, sic eum hymnis, & laudibus prosequimur, admirantes: Caeleste donum stupentes, benedicentes, bonisque verbis prosequentes, quod eum ipsum effudit, ne maneremus in errore; & non solum effudit, sed etiam eum ipsum nobis impertijt: Quamobrem si sanguinem (inquit) cupis, non aram Idolorum, brutorum caede, sed meum altar, meo cruentum sanguine: quid est hoc horribilius? quid autem amabilius? He speaketh very faithfully, and terribly, and this is that which he saith: That which is in the Cup, is that which issued out of his side, and we are partakers of it. And he called it the Cup of blessing, because having it in our hands, we do, admiring, follow him with hymns, and praises, wondering at his ineffable gift, blessing, and setting forth with good words, that he hath powered it out, that we should not abide in error; and not only he hath powered it out, but also given the self-same to us: wherefore (saith he) if thou desire this Blood, not the altar of Idols, bloody with slain beasts, but my Altar bloody with mine own Blood: what is more horrible, and yet what more amiable than this? And again, 
Ad populum Antiochenum. Hom. 61.  Hic sanguis effusus est, & coelum facit accessibile, horrenda scilicet Ecclesiae mysteria, horrendum altar. This Blood is shed, and maketh heaven accessible, that is to say, the dreadful mysteries of the Church, and the dreadful Altar. And in the same place: Tu vero petens Sacrificium quod horrent Angeli: When thou goest to the Sacrifice which the Angels dread; and in the next words he calleth this Sacrament, Tribunal Christi, the Tribunal 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 provided: the Angels minister at the Table: the King himself is present, and standest thou gaping? thy garments are foul, 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 dividentem? os quod igne spirituali repletur: linguam quae tremendo nimis sanguine rubescit? What shall I say then, but that he must be clearer than the Sun beams, that distributes this flesh, and have a mouth filled with heavenly fire, and a tongue red with this fearful blood, that will duly receive this reverend Sacrament: for it is not man, but God that feedeth us, and it is not earthly, but heavenly food, wherewith we are refreshed.  
And therefore I marvel not, 
1. Cor. 11.10.  if the Apostle say, that women must be covered in the Church Propter Angelos, for the Angels: 
Gen. 28.12, 13  When God (as on jacobs' 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 receive these dreadful mysteries. For be it, that the Angels be there understood, Angels per naturam, by nature and creation, as the blessed Angels that are God's ministering spirits, or Angels per officium, by office, that have the power of consecrating these dreadful mysteries; All reverence is due to that sacred work whereof God is the giver, Christ the gift itself, the holy Ghost supreme agent, the Angel's assistants, and the Bishops and Priests, Angels by office, are instruments; and the mysteries themselves so dreadful & reverend, that the lowest of humility, is scant lowly enough, for so great graces: Since, 
Dial. lib. 4. c. 58.  as Gregory speaketh, Quis fidelium habere dubium possit, in ipsa immolationis hora, ad Sacerdotis vocem Coelos aperiri in illo jesu Christi mysterio, Angelorum choros adesse, summis ima sociari, terrena coelestibus iungi, unum quiddam ex visibilibus atque invisibilibus fieri? What faithful man can doubt, that in the hour of immolation, at the voice of the Priest, the heavens are open, the quires of Angels are present in those mysteries of jesus Christ, the highest are sociated to the lowest, earthly things are joined to heavenly things; and some one thing is made of things visible and invisible.  
And may this conjunction of heaven & earth, spirit and flesh, Christ & our flesh, be made without the greatest humility on our part? May we presume to eat the bread of heaven, & forget the duty of sinful and earthly men, that are but dust and ashes? No surely: Reverend & dreadful mysteries, must have receivers that come with reverence and dread, and such as our action is, such must be our affection; that is, to receive that, with fear and trembling, which is so fearful and dreadful in itself. And men in fear fall to the ground, in horror and confusion, and we out of humility, must prostrate ourselves, and bow and kneel on the ground, when we consider that we are but earth and ashes, in comparison of the reverend mysteries: of which we may well say, Quis ad haec idoneus? Lord who is fit for these things? So then, though we kneel not, nor adore those reverend mysteries, because they are but creatures; yet we ought to adore and kneel at the receipt of these mysteries, since we receive the body & blood of Christ, and Christ himself, God and man, to whom all adoration and prostration and kneeling is due.  
I conclude this Reason with Chrysostom's words; 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, & maxim honorandum vides in terra; neque solum vides, sed etiam tangis, sed etiam comedis, & eo accepto domum reverteris. 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 unigenitum Dei Filium, dic rogo non extimescis, et eorum quae ad hanc vitam pertinent, non omnem expellis amorem? This mystery makes the earth to be heaven unto thee; open then the gates of heaven, or rather of the heaven of heavens, and behold, and then thou shalt see that which is spoken: For that which is of all others, most precious, and most to be honoured, this will I show thee upon earth: as in the King's Court, that which of all others is most magnificent, is not the walls and golden ceiling, but the body of the King sitting in his Throne: And that thou mayest now see on earth: for I show thee not Angels, nor Archangels, nor the heaven, nor the heavens of heavens, but the Lord of them. Thou seest then that which is the best, and most honourable in earth, and thou dost not only see him, but touch him, and feed on him, and having received him thou returnest to thy house. If the King's son, and his rob, and his Diadem had been committed to be carried by thee, thou wouldst have cast away all other things on earth. But now thou hast received, not the King's son, that is a man, but the only begotten Son of God: tell me, I pray thee, dost thou not fear, and cast off all the love of the things that appertain to this life?  
The conclusion then, in short, is this; These dreadful and reverend mysteries may be as Tutors and Schoolmasters to imprint the same dread and reverence in the souls and bodies, of the receivers, which they carry in themselves: great and reverend dreadful mysteries, must be received with great and dreadful humility of soul, and humiliation of body, of which kneeling is a part, and therefore in the action of participating, and receiving, we must kneel, that it may appear in the sight of God, and his Angels, and men, that we do homage and reverence to him that feeds us, by these reverend mysteries, with the heavenly and divine food, whereon the blessed Angels and Saints ever feed, and ever desire to feed. Inhiantes semper edunt, & edentes inhiant: their eating doth not fill, but increase their appetites: and they ever say, 
joan. 6.  Lord evermore give us this bread.   

Ratio 5. Praxis Ecclesiae Militantis.  
THe fift Reason is, Praxis Ecclesiae militantis, the practice of the Church militant, which is the best interpreter of the Church's doctrine, in point of outward gesture & Ceremony: as in the old Testament, Praxis Prophetarum, was Interpres Prophetarum, the Prophet's practice, was the best expounder of the Prophets. In which, because it is not altogether clear, what Christ and his Apostles did in the first institution, we must be content to proceed à posteriori, and from the nearest succeeding ages, to collect what they learned from their predecessors, even from the time of the Apostles.  
And first, although it please them that are the favourers of sitting at the Receiving of the communion, to take it as granted, that Christ administered, & the Apostles received this Sacrament Discumbentes, sitting, or lying on one side, or leaning on one arm, as the custom of that time, and Country was; yet the grounds of that conceit are not so clear as they take them to be.  
First then, it must be observed, that in this night, in which this Sacrament was instituted, there was Triplex Coena, Paschalis, Vulgaris, Eucharistica, the Paschal supper according to the Law, Exod. 12. The vulgar supper, of common meats, if the Paschal did not suffice: and the Eucharistical, which is the very institution of this Sacrament. And of the Paschall, and Eucharistical there is no doubt; The figurative Paschall Lamb was to continue until the true Paschall Lamb Christ was to be offered, and then in presence of the Substance, the shadow was to cease, and in the presence of the Truth, the figure was to be removed: 
Leo de Passione Domini, Serm. 7   ovem figurativam vera ovis removeret; hostia in hostiam transit, sanguis sanguinem excludit, & legalis festivitas, dum mutatur, impletur: The true Lamb Christ that takes away the sins of the world, took away the figurative Lamb; one Sacrifice was translated into another Sacrifice, the blood of Christ excluded all other blood, and the legal festivity, while it is changed, is indeed fulfilled.  
And Christ was to make his Will and Testament before his death, that he might seal it with his Cross, & confirm it with his Blood; so Christ's death was the end of the figurative Passeover, and the beginning of the true Passeover, that was then offered for us. And that there were three Suppers, 
Euthim. in 26. Matt. cap. 63.  Euthimius showeth in these words; De modo autem manducandi, verisimile est quod stantes primùm manducaverunt Pascha, secundum legem, deinde discubuerunt & coenaverunt: For the manner of eating, it is very likely, that first they did eat the Passeover standing, according to the Law, than they sat down and did sup. And the same will further appear out of chrysostom and Theophylact.  
I observe this to this end, to show how uncertain this point of sitting at the celebration of the Eucharist is, when they that ground it upon the gesture of the Apostles, which they take to be an eternal law, or rule, to all their successors, are forced to make it up with verisimile est, or non constat, it is very likely or probable, that they sat, or there appeareth no other gesture but sitting, when they received this Sacrament; For why? 
Matth. 26.20.  S. Matthew saith, Now when the even was come, Discumbebat, he sat down with the twelve: but this is plain to be spoken of the Paschal Supper: for the disciples say to jesus, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the Passeover? Verse. 17. & 19 And the disciples did as jesus appointed them, and they made ready the Passeover; And then follow the words, When the Even was come, he sat down with the twelve: so this Discumbebat was in coena Paschali, this sitting was at the Paschal Supper; And the Eucharistical Supper was begun after the end of the Paschal Supper, 
Luke 22.20. 1. Cor. 11.25.  as it is plain in S. Luke, and S. Paul, Et postquam coenasset, and after Supper he took the Cup: And two several Suppers, might have two gestures. And it is a very poor argument to conclude thus, Christ sat with his Apostles at the Paschal Supper, and likewise at the vulgar supper, if there were any: therefore he sat also at the Eucharistical Supper. For though S. Matthew say, 
Matth. 26.26.  Coenantibus illis, while they did eat, 
Luke 22.20. 1. Cor. 11.25.  Christ took bread and blessed it, and broke it, etc. Yet S. Luke, and S. Paul expound his meaning to be postquam coenavit, after Supper, or in the end of Supper, between Supper, and rising to go to the Mount Olivet. 
Caluin. harmo. Euangel. in Matih. 26.  And Caluin saith, Finita coena, sacrum parem & vinum gustarunt, they tasted the sacred Bread and Wine, Supper being ended.  
S. Mark hath the same narration of the preparation of the Passeover, and then addeth, In the evening jesus came with the twelve, 
Mar. 14.17, 18.  and as they sat and did eat, our Saviour told them, that one that did eat with him, should betray him. And in the 22. verse, he saith as S. Matthew did, Manducantibus illis, as they did eat, jesus took bread, etc. But S. Luke maketh it most clear: for after the phrase of sitting down with the twelve, he describeth two Cups, one of the Paschal, or common Supper, of which he said, Dividite inter vos, Take this, and divide it among yourselves; the other of the evangelical Supper, 
Luke 22.14.17.19.  in the 19 Verse, He took bread: And in the 20. Verse: Likewise after Supper he took the Cup. And lest any, out of the former words should gather, that only the Clergy should taste of the Cup, and the people should be debarred of the Blood of Christ, because, of the Paschal Cup, he had said, Dividite inter vos, Divide it among you; Of the Eucharistical Cup he saith in S. Matthew, 
Matth. 26. ver. 27.  Bibite ex hoc omnes, Drink you all of this; all for whom my Blood is powered out.  
S. john omitteth this Eucharistical Supper, or the institution of this Sacrament, as being fully related by the other Evangelists: but he mentioneth his rising from Supper, and the washing of his Disciples feet; And then he addeth, So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again; He said unto them, etc. So it seemeth this sitting was, ad pradicandum, to teach them the use of washing their feet, and to discover the traitor judas: and then to fall into that excellent divine Sermon, equal to that in the Mount, continued in the 14.15.16. and 17. Chapters. So than it is clear, that they sat at the Paschal or common Supper: but of the Sacrament here is altum silentium, not one word in particular in all the Gospel.  
Secondly, it is not clear, that the word discumbebat in the Evangelists, doth necessarily enforce sitting: For why? Discumbere, in the strict letter of the Text, must be understood of the manner of the sitting, usual in that Country at their Feasts; which was partly lying on the ground, and partly leaning on one side, or arm, as the Poet said, Strato discumbitur ostro. And it is the more probable, because it is clear in the Text, that S. john leaned on our saviours breast, which he might easily do in this lying, or leaning, but hardly in sitting. And then, if the Apostles gesture in receiving this Sacrament, be a perpetual rule, and pattern for us, we must neither stand, nor kneel, nor sit, but lie on the ground, or on pilowes, or beds, and lean as the custom than was. So that it doth not necessarily enforce Gestum actionis, but actionem ipsam, not the gesture of the action, which is lying, or leaning, but the action itself: that is Discumbebat, (i) Coenabat, he sat down, that is, he went to Supper.  
Besides, there is yet a further difficulty, which is not easily removed, that ariseth our of the strict sense of this word: For if Christ's Discumbere, be sedere, if this supping be sitting, I would be glad to receive an answer, how our Saviour can be excused from the breach of the Law of the Passeover: For though it be not expressly said in the Text, Exod. 12. Comedetis stantes, you shall eat it standing; yet all the circumstances of the Text are strong, and pregnant, that they did stand at the Passeover. The manner is described thus, the word sic comedetis, you shall eat it thus, doth imply the manner to be kept inviolably, until Christ the true Passeover, should be offered up. For this is the Law of the Passeover, and an ordinance for ever, which they must teach their children: and therefore to be kept not only by them, that were at the first institution, but to continue to all posterity; and not to be changed nor altered by the jews at any time, no not by our Saviour Christ himself, who came not to dissolve one title of the Law, but to fulfil it, that therein he might fulfil all righteousness.  
First then, accingetis renes vestros, you shall eat it, with your loins girded; that was no way fit for sitters, or leaners: for why should they have their loins girded, that were to take their ease, and rest? As if it should be said, that he that goeth to his rest, should put on his armour: since lose garments are fittest for repose and rest, and girt garments are fittest for them that minister, or travail; that they may be light and nimble in the way, or in their service. So the girding of their loins is a preparation to setting out in a journey, for which we are most ready when we stand on our feet, as S. Peter when he was led out of prison, 
Act. 12.8.  was commanded by the Angel to gird himself.  
Next it is, calceamenta habebitis in pedibus; you shall eat it with your shoes on your feet: and the jews custom was to put off their shoes at their coming into the house, 
Luk. 7.44.  and wash their feet, and then to eat or repose themselves. 
Act. 12.8.  And S. Peter was bidden to bind on his Sandals when he was led out of the prison by the Angel: so that it seems they put not on their shoes until they were ready to set forward on their journey.  
Thirdly, it is Baculos tenentes in manibus, you shall eat the Passeover with your staves in your hands; and nothing is more cumbersome in a feast, than a staff in ones hand; there is more need of a knife, or a cup at a supper, than a staff.  
And lastly, comedetis festinantes; you shall eat it in haste, for it is the Lords Passeover. In haste? then there is no leisure to sit, nor is it fit to lose so much time as to arise from the bed, or ground; standing is fit for such haste, then lying or sitting: and what should upper garments, girt upon us, do in such hot Countries, at a feast? or foul shoes to pollute the beds? or staves in our hands, to trouble our eating? And when there is such haste that we are in doubt to be thrust out, if we go not of ourselves, standing in all reason is the fittest site, or position of such posters. And therefore though the word standing be not in the Text, yet all the circumstances do convince, that the jews stood at the Passeover.  
And it seems, the Apostle had a relation to this gesture of the Passeover, in the whole armour of God, 
Ephes. 6.14.  when he said, state succincti lumbos, stand therefore with your loins girded with the girdle of truth, and your feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of peace; standing is the fittest gesture for Soldiers and travailers: so long as they stand, they are on their way; so the reason of the Text speaks for standing at the Passeover, although the letter have it not. And then since the Evangelists use the word Discumbebat, he leaned, or lay down, as the propriety of the word imports, of the Paschall supper, this sitting, or leaning, or lying, must be standing, or else Christ must be a breaker of the law of the Passeover, which were great wrong once to think of him, that did many things that were not needful for him to do, that he might fulfil all righteousness.  
Again, 
De sacrificijs Abel & Cain.  Philo judaeus that knew best the practice of the jews, allegorizing those other circumstances of girt loins, and shoes on their feet, and staves in their hands, saith plainly, stentque recti firmatis pedibus, let them stand upright, their feet set or fixed: whereby it appears to be the custom of the jews to stand at the Passeover, 
Hom. 60. ad popul Antioch. habet, & verba eadem hom 83. in Mattheum.  by the testimony of a jew of great credit among Christians. S. chrysostom is of the same judgement. Nam si judaei stantes, & calceamenta manibus gestantes, & baculos, agnum cum festinatione comedebant te multò magis oportet esse solertem: If the jews standing, and carrying shoes and staves in their hands, did eat the Lamb in haste, it becometh thee to be much more diligent. 
Hom. 82. in Matth●u●.  And again he asketh this question, Quomodo autem si pascha comedebant, adversus legem recumbentes comedebant? If they did eat the Passeover, how is it that they did eat it sitting, or lying, or leaning, contrary to the Law? And he answers himself: Sed dicere possumus, quia postquam comederant Pascha, ad coenandum recubuerunt: We may say, that after they had eaten the Passeover, they sat, or lay, or leaned down to supper. So there was a vulgar supper, after the Paschall, besides the Eucharistical; and S. Chrysostom's judgement is clear, that the law commanded standing at the Passeover, and that sitting, lying, or leaning at the Passeover was against the Law of God.  
Theophylact is of the same judgement: 
In mat 26.  Ex hoc putant quidam, quod hoc anno, Pascha non comederit Dominus: Dicunt enim quod stantes comedebant agnum, Christus autem recumbens tradidit suum Sacramentum: Upon this occasion some think, that our Lord this year did not eat the Passeover, for they say that they did eat the Passeover standing, and Christ lying, or leaning, 
In Marc. 14.  did deliver his Sacrament. Again, Quomodo accumbebat, cum lex praeciperet à stantibus comedendum Pascha? Verisimile igitur primum est, post perfecta ea quae sunt legis, deinde recubuisse proprium Pascha traditurum: How did they sit or lie, when as the Law commanded the Passeover to be eaten by standers? It is likely that first, they did perfect those things which were legal, and then Christ sat, or lay down when he delivered his own Passeover. 
In Luc. 22.  Again, Pascha olim stantes comedebant: quomodo igitur Dominus recumbere dicitur? Dicunt itaque quod postquam comedit legal Pascha, recubuerunt more vulgari, comedentes alios quosdam cibos: In former times they did eat the Passeover standing, how then is our Lord said to sit, or lie? They say that after he had eaten the legal Passeover, they sat, or lay down, eating certain other meats, after the common fashion. In all which you see Theophylact is clear, that they did ever eat the Passeover standing, and that our Saviour and his Apostles did eat it standing, according to the Law. And though he saith, in S. Matthew and S. Mark that he delivered his own supper sitting or lying, yet here he saith, they sat at their vulgar, or common supper; and Euthimius saith, Quodque lex stantes edere iuberet? To these I may add two great learned men of this later age, although our adversaries, joannes Maldonatus, 
In Matt. c. 26.  and Lucas Brugensis upon the 26. of S. Matthew. So then this word, discumbebat, which without all doubt was spoken of the Paschall Supper, cannot signify the gesture of sitting, or lying, unless we will grant that Christ broke the Law of the Passeover; but only imports, Accessit ad mensam, or Coenavit, he came to the Table, or Supper, and then it remains, that it is altogether uncertain what gesture the Apostles used at the receiving of this Sacrament.  
To this I add one word more, The words of standing, and sitting, and the like in Scripture, do not always conclude a certain gesture. 
Luke 7.38.  It is said of Mary Magdalene, Stans retrò secùs pedes eius, she stood at his feet behind him: Behind, for there her sins placed her: and behind him, because if she, being a City sinner, that is a known and marked sinner over all the city, must appear before God her judge; she would be sure to put Christ between God, and her, that if God did see her, he might also see and behold the face of his Anointed Christ, and for his sake be reconciled to her. Now the word is stetit, she stood; but it must needs be Provoluta ad pedes jesu: she stood, that is, she fell down at jesus feet, groveling on the earth, else she could not wash Christ's feet with her tears, nor wipe them with the hairs of her head, nor kiss, nor anoint them. So standing in this place cannot express her gesture, or her site or position, but only her coming to Christ: she stood, that is, she came behind him to his feet, and washed them with her tears.  
In like sort it is said of the Pharisee and Publican, Luke 18. Pharisaeus stans, orabat apudse, 
Luke 18.11.13.  The Pharisee stood and prayed with himself, and Publicanus stans à longè The Publican standing afar off: but the Pharisees standing was rather in superbia cordis, then Erection corporis, in the pride of his heart, than the erection of his body: in which he said, Non sum sicut caeteri, I am not as other men, or as this Publican: Bonus sum, and solus bonus sum, I am a good man, and the only good man, no man is equal to me: But the Publican stood afar off, Long loco, quia longè dissimilitudine, far from God in place, further in dissimilitude, by reason of his sin. He stood afar off, not presuming to come near the Ark, but as he was lowest in the humility of his soul, so he took the lowest place in the Temple for his body; And he that would not, or durst nor, so much as lift up his eyes to heaven, it is more than probable, that he did cast down his body to the earth. And the rather, because the jews custom was to pray kneeling, not standing, as appeareth by Solomon, 
1. Paral. 6.13. Gen. 17.3. 1. Paral. 21.17. 1. Reg 18.42. Dan. 8.10. Luke 22.41. Acts. 7.60.  in whom standing, is interpreted to be kneeling: and by Abraham, and David, and Elias, and Daniel, and others; And by the practice of our Saviour, the Apostles, S. Stephen, and others in the Gospel, who in this point made no alteration from the practice of the jews. So standing doth not always express the gesture of the body, but the action itself: & therefore no sound argument can be grounded in every place of Scripture, from those words of standing, and sitting, or leaning, or lying, to enforce a necessary gesture at all times in the service. So it remaineth most doubtful, what gesture the Apostles used at the receiving this Sacrament: because there is the word discumbebat, he sat or lay down, used of the Paschall Supper, but of the Eucharistical there is nothing said at all. And this word discumbebat, doth not signify the gesture of the body in that place: for then our Saviour and his Apostles, cannot well be excused from the breach of the Law of the Passeover.  
I come to the third point, that is the gesture of the succeeding ages: which a posteriori may bring us to the Apostles gesture, which may be a rule unto us. And here I cannot conceal the objection, made by the adversaries of kneeling, which carrieth a great show of probability with it, but when it is well examined, it is not so much as verisimile, a resemblance of the truth; The objection is, that Diebus Dominicis, & à Paschate ad Pentecosten: All Sundays in the year, and likewise from Easter to Pentecost, the Christians did stand at their prayers, and not kneel, in memory and honour of the Resurrection of Christ. The 20. Canon of the Nicene Council is clear, Quoniam sunt in Dominica die, quidam ad orationem genua flectentes, & in diebus Pentecostes, propterea utique statutum est à sancta Synodo, quoniam consone, & conveniens per omnes Ecclesias custodienda est consuetudo, ut stantes ad orationem, vota Domino reddamus: Because there are some that kneel at prayers on the Lord's day, and the days of Pentecost, therefore it is decreed by this sacred Synod, because an uniform and convenient custom is to be kept in all Churches, that we shall pay our vows to God, standing at prayer.  
To the same purpose are cited some other later Counsels and Fathers, to prove that which no man denies, that the Primitive Church used to stand at prayers on the Lord's day, and from Easter to Pentecost, in remembrance of the resurrection of our blessed Saviour; of which I shall say somewhat in their proper place.  
In which allegations, I pray observe a plain repugnancy between the witnesses, and the author that produceth them: for they do directly cross and confound his purpose; for he maketh the gesture of the Apostles to be in a manner essential to this Sacrament, in divers respects. For why? ¹ the time, after supper; ² the element, unleavened bread; ³ the place, a private chamber; and ⁴ the preparation of the receivers, fasting, or full, may and are changed by the practice of the Church, upon good reason; but this gesture of sitting, may not be changed for any reason: so it must be of the essence of the Sacrament. And again, it is repugnant to the Law of nature to change this gesture of sitting, because it doth agree with a feast or banquet, & the prerogatives of a table, Ex natura rei, out of the nature of the thing, that is a feast, a banquet, and a table; and the behaviour of guests at such a feast. Now all the witnesses produced; Fathers, and Counsels, give evidence for standing, which is as repugnant to the Law of nature, as kneeling is: and so this learned Logician proveth standing to have been used in the Primitive Church, and concludeth, Ergo, we must sit at the Lords Table.  
Besides all the Fathers, and Counsels, that mention standing in time of Prayer, on Sundays, and from Easter, until Whitsuntide, do approve of this gesture of standing, as it were, Ex privilegio contra legem publicam, by the way of Privilege or private law, for a particular reason or cause, against the public law of Prayer, which by consent of all, should be made kneeling, in all humility. And all privileges are derogations to the common Law, and rule of right. And therefore it is a very poor kind of arguing, to dispute, out of a privilege, to overthrow the public rule of the gesture of prayer: For the Fathers decreed standing for Sundays, and from Easter to Pentecost, non ex natura orationis, not out of the nature of prayer, which ought not to be made standing; but rather in honorem resurrectionis Domini, in honour of the resurrection of Christ, which as that day, the first of the Creation, wherein light was severed from darkness, 
Apoc. 2.  as justine Martyr reasons, arose from the dead, and made that day to us, the first of our Recreation, & regeneration, or resurrection from sin; wherein all the darkness of sin, and death, and ignorance, and types, and figures, and shadows was dispelled, the power of Satan, the Prince of darkness was vanquished, and so discovered to be vanquished; and we were brought into the clear light of the Gospel, that hath not so much as a cloud of doubting, no, not of our resurrection, to obscure this glorious light: in as much as Christ, that died for our sins, arose again for our justification, 
1. Cor. 13.20.  and so became Primitiae mortuorum, the first fruits of the dead; and ubi primitiae, ibi alij fructus: where there are first fruits, there are other fruits; the first have relation to other, or second fruits that will follow. And Christ as he arose solus, alone, never to die more: others that were raised by Christ, did rise to die again, as Lazarus and others did: so he arose Totus, All Christ, that is, all the members of Christ; and all that have the same manhood with Christ shall arise after him: the faithful from the death of sin, in this life, which is the first resurrection: and all men from the death of nature, in the life to come.  
And in this respect, the day of rest, after creation in nature, was changed from the jews Sabbath, to the day of rest, of Recreation in grace, and honoured with the name of Lords day, because the work of Redemption, from which Christ rested at his resurrection, is a greater work, and much more beneficial to us, than the work of Creation: For Creation gives us being; but Redemption restores us to that being, which was lost by sin; to the well being of grace; and gives us a right by the free gift of God to the best and blessed being of glory.  
And here I cannot omit this one thing, that the Author of these reasons, cares not to make all the Fathers, and Counsels, and the greatest of all Counsels, next to the Apostles Council, the great Council of Nice of 318. Bishops, sinners against the law of Nature, so he may say somewhat against kneeling: though therein he said as much and more against himself, than indeed he doth against kneeling. For if sitting at the Lords Supper be essential to the Table and feast, and banquet of Christ, and the behaviour of guests and coheirs: the Fathers and Counsels are guilty of the violation of this Law of Nature, who used and decreed standing at prayer on Sundays: And therefore as this man most weakly would infer, at the Lords Supper also: which in those times it seemeth was seldom, or never omitted on the Lord's day; and so all his witnesses, as they testify against him that produceth them, so they are tainted with the breach of the Law of Nature, which is in effect the Law of God, and so no way to be credited. And if any credit be to be given to them, certainly they are good witnesses against him that produceth them, and therefore they do in effect argue thus against him.  Standing at Prayer, and the Lords Supper was in use in the Primitive Church, by the testimonies of Fathers, and the decrees of Counsels: Therefore, Sitting is not the gesture of the Commucants at the Lords Supper. 
To which if we add, that the Fathers of those times and Counsels best knew the practice of Christ and his Apostles, whose example they proposed to themselves, as their rule and institution, one of these things will follow, that either standing is the essential gesture, which Christ and his Apostles used, and not sitting; or else the Fathers and Counsels changed the gesture of sitting, used by Christ and his Apostles, into standing, upon particular reason of the resurrection of Christ, and then the present Church may upon as important reason of humility (which is indeed the lesson that Christ taught, verbo & exemplo, by word and example) change sitting, and standing, into kneeling; or that which is the truth, the Fathers, and Counsels, that upon the particular of Christ's resurrection decreed for standing prayer, might, and did (as it will appear) use kneeling at the Lords Table; according to the general rule of Prayer, at all other times and occasions: and according as they then used to do in the participation of those great and reverend mysteries of the Body and blood of Christ.  
Now among all these observations, this must not be omitted in general, before we come to the particular, that all those Fathers, who upon particular reason of Christ's resurrection, speak for standing prayer on Sundays, and from Easter to Pentecost, and at other times, according to the Common Law, or rule of prayer, require kneeling and humility with prayer; yet in the matter of this Sacrament, either they are silent, and say nothing; or if they speak of it, they reject both sitting, and standing, and speak only for adoration and kneeling. And so here be Testes, but not Testimonia, names of mute witnesses; whose depositions, or dictates, are nothing against kneeling, but rather plead for it, both by their silence, and their reason.  
For, concerning their silence, it is more than probable, that they, who for the resurrection of Christ, and our hope and expectation of our own Resurrection, did in a manner violate the Law of Prayer and humility, and ordain standing on the Lord's day; and from Easter to Pentecost, as a testimony of our joy and confidence, and expectation thereof, and dispense against the general Law of kneeling at Prayer; would also have added the like express declaration in a matter of so great consequence as the Lords Supper is, and said plainly, that for the same reason, we ought also to stand at the Lords Table, when we receive the Body and Blood of Christ: since these reverend mysteries require as reverend gesture and behaviour, as prayer doth: because in this Sacrament, we receive all that which our prayers can ask, and receive in this life, that is Christ with all the benefits of his death and Passion, and the holy Ghost, with all the whole train of his gifts and graces; and the greater Gods gifts are, the greater should be our humility and reverence in receiving them.  
And the Argument is good, Quod hominem, though it be defective in the Father's sense, which is this: The Fathers and Counsels decreed for standing at Prayer on Sundays, and from Easter to Pentecost: But in the celebration of the Eucharist, according to Christ's institution, there was not, neither should be now, any prayer at all, as these men suppose. Therefore the Fathers and Counsels that decreed for standing at Prayer on Sundays, and from Easter to Pentecost, spoke nothing of the Lords Supper, in which there ought to be no prayer at all.  
So then the silence of the Fathers in point of the Lords Supper, is an argument that they spoke only of standing at Prayer, and not at the Lords Supper.  
Come to the Reason, and it will appear more plainly: For besides that private Laws are stricti juris, and therefore to be restrained to the strict letter, and no further; And as the Lawyers say, Exceptio firmat regulam, the exception doth make the rule more strong, and firm: the exception of Sundays, and between Easter, and Pentecost, concerning standing at prayer, maketh the rule strong, that we should not stand at any other time, and the exception of Prayer on Sunday, maketh it strong, that at other parts of divine worship, whereof the Sacrament is a principal and most eminent part, we should not stand, but use the gesture that the nature of the action requireth, which is humility, and kneeling. The reason which the Fathers give, is the memory, and celebration of the resurrection of Christ, and the confidence that we have, of our part, in the first, and second Resurrection. Now what is this Reason to this Sacrament, which is Commemoratio, not Resurrectionis, but Mortis, a commemoration, not of the Resurrection, but of the death and Passion of Christ? 
1. Cor. 11.26.  The Apostle saith not, as often as you eat this bread and drink this Cup, Annunciabitis resurrectionem, you shall show forth the resurrection: but Annunciabitis mortem Domini, you shall show forth the death of the Lord: So than the reason of the Fathers is quite turned against this disputer.  
The Christians did stand at prayer on Sundays, and from the Passeover to Pentecost, upon a particular reason, that is, for the memory of Christ's Resurrection, and the joy and confidence of our Consurreximus, our rising with Christ, 
Phil. 3.10.  and the power of his Resurrection in us; We come to this Sacrament, not to celebrate the memory of Christ's resurrection, nor our confidence of rising together with him, but in remembrance of his death, and Passion; in which we must die to sin, as he died to nature: Therefore, though we stand at Prayer to celebrate Christ's resurrection, yet we ought to kneel in all humility, at the receiving of this Sacrament, in remembrance of his death, and Passion: for the Passion of Christ is as forcible to procure sorrow and humility for our sin, that delivered him to death, as the Resurrection of Christ, is able to procure joy and confidence for our redemption, and deliverance from sin, and death.  
And of the oxen and fatlings Christ said, 
Matth. 22.4.  Tauri mei, & altilia occisa sunt; mine oxen, and fatlings are killed: and Christ was slain, not only that he might be to Godward Pretium, the price of our ransom: but also that he might to usward be Cibus, our food; Wherein because man doth altogether abhor to eat living flesh, our blessed Saviour was put to death, that so he might be the food of our souls. So then the reason of the Fathers, which moved them to decree standing at Prayer on Sundays, and from Easter to Pentecost, doth prove a contrario, that when we celebrate the memory of Christ's Passion in the Eucharist, which moveth compunction and humility, we should then kneel, in token of our contrition, and humiliation, as they did stand in the joy, and confidence of Christ's, and their own resurrection. Whereby it appeareth, that the Fathers who join tears, and contrition, and confession, and prayer with this Sacrament, meant not to alter the humility in the receiving thereof, though they change the ordinary gesture of kneeling at Prayer, upon Sundays, and from Easter to Pentecost, for the joy and confidence they received of our saviours Resurrection.  
Thus have we passed the example of our Saviour and his Apostles, and have not yet found any solid proof for sitting at the Sacrament, but rather left it doubtful, what gesture they used, whether standing as at the Passeover, or kneeling, or lying, or sitting. Now after the time of Christ's Ascension, unto the time of justin Martyr and Tertullian, and Dionysius of Alexandria, there is no Author produced, that saith any thing concerning the gesture of Communicants: only there is a conjectural argument made to prove sitting. Christ and his Apostles sat at the institution, the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, import so much: In which assertion there is neither Grammar, nor reason: no Grammar; for the proper signification of these words is not to sit, but to lie down, as it is well known to all that are skilled in the original. Nor no reason: for if these words do signify sitting, this Discumbere was at the Passeover, as appears most clearly in the Gospels: and there might be great difference of gesture, at the Paschall and vulgar supper, and the institution of this Sacrament.  
It is confessed, that their sitting, was both a sitting, and a leaning: I rather take it to be lying and leaning, then sitting and leaning: But I make no controversy about words: I say resolutely, the word of sitting, or leaning, or lying is used of the Paschall Supper, or the vulgar supper, if they had any; but whether they continued the same gesture at the evangelical Supper, it doth not appear; and it is more probable, that they did not, if Christ, between these Suppers did arise, and wash his disciples feet.  
Now for the practice of the Apostles, after Christ's Ascension, there are two other conjectures used; first, it is probable that the Apostles departed from that gesture, used by themselves, at the institution: and this is not easily to be gainsaid; but it doth no where appear that they sat, either at the first institution, or at any time after the Ascension. And all that is said of sitting, is spoken of the Paschall Supper. So this conjecture cometh far short.  
Secondly, 
1. Cor. 10.21.  the Apostle compareth Christ's Table with the table of devils; You cannot partake of the Lords Table, and of the table of devils: and this cannot be denied; but withal, it doth not appear by the name of a Table, what gesture was used at Corinth, at the feasts of Idols: and I think it not unlikely, that their Tables were such as were in use at those times: and so it is likely to be lying on the ground, and leaning on pillows.  
As for the Lords Table, I conceive by S. Paul's words, that there was more reverence to be used, then at either the feasts of Idols, or other common feasts or eatings of Christians; such as their love-feasts were: for else why doth S. Paul say, that there must be an examination, and probation of ourselves, before we come to the Lords Table? Why doth he say, that they which eat this bread, and drink this Cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the Body and Blood of the Lord, and eat and drink damnation to themselves, not discerning the Lords Body? If this Supper may not be received without due probation, and worthiness, which was not required at the tables of Idols, nor at the ordinary feasts of Christians: why should any man presume to make a comparison between the Lord's Table, and the tables of ordinary Christian feasts? why should any be so profane, among Christians, to compare Christ's Table with the tables of devils? As if he would have us in our coming to this Sacrament, to use no more reverence than the Idolatrous heathen did at the feasts of their Idols. If Church gesture must be ruled and squared out by the Idolatrous worship of devils, why do we not send Christians to the Idolatrous Priests of the heathen to be tutored, and disciplinated by them? Nay, if we must be schooled in God's worship, to carry ourselves at the Lord's Table, as we do at our ordinary tables, why doth S. 
1. Cor. 11. vers. 21, 22.  Paul reprove the eating of Christians, out of order, in such sort, that one is hungry, and another is drunker? what? (saith he) have you not houses to eat and drink in? or despise you the Church of God, and shame them that have not? The Church was for the Lord's Table, the house was for ordinary tables; they that eat in the Church, in such irreverend fashion as they eat in their private houses, they despise the Church of God. Then surely there was more reverence to be used at the Lords Table, then at ordinary tables; there must be a discerning of the Lords Body, from common eatings: and how shall this discerning be discerned? by the inward affection and devotion of the heart, which is known only to God? This S. Paul could not reprove in the Corinthians, for he was not the searcher of the heart and reins: therefore he must discern their hearts by their hands, and their intentions by their actions, that is, by their gestures: and so it will necessarily follow, that whereas at common tables there was society and equality, and nothing but civil reverence, (which must not be denied at common eatings) between the Feaster and his guests; yet at the Lords Table there must be more than civil reverence, and that must necessarily be divine worship to God, who makes this Feast, with whom there can be no equality at all, as hereafter more at large shall be showed.  
Now I come to the authorities that are alleged in this cause.  
The first that is produced is Dionysius Alexandrinus, who lived about 250. years after Christ, not first in order of the time, but first in the order that this Author conceives, though erroneously; for he placeth him Anno 157. before justine Martyr and Tertullian: I think because he only cometh near to the purpose, he placed him first; for he only speaketh of the Lords Table, 
Enseb. l. 7. hist. c. 9  the rest of prayer. He writes to Xistus the Bishop of Rome, concerning one that desired rebaptisation, because he had been baptised, as he said, with a Baptism full of impiety, and blasphemy; whom he durst not rebaptize, although troubled in his mind about it, because his often communicating did suffice him, who had heard thanksgiving in the Church, and said Amen with others. Mensae astitisset, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, he stood at the Table, and reached out his hand to take that holy food: This phrase, He stood at the Table, in this man's conceit, proves standing to be the gesture of Communicants in that age. But if he had considered the propriety of the word that signifieth, Propè vel iuxtasistere, vel adesse, to be present, or near to the Table, he might have conceived, that Dionysius spoke nothing of the gesture of Communicants, but of his presence at the Communion: For Ruffinus reads it thus; Quod tamdiu in Sacramentis nobis iamparticeps fuerit: Because he had been partaker of the Sacraments so long with us. And again, Neque audet ultra ad mensam Dominican accedere, he dares not come any more to the Lords Table: so Ruffinus understandeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, of the action of receiving, not of the gesture. And the force of his answer is not placed in his standing, but in his presence, and partaking of the Communion: he need not to be rebaptized, and begin at regeneration; Why? because he had often received the Communion, the Sacrament of increase and perfection.  
This authority is grounded in Grammar, or rather Criticism, not in reason; which I the rather conceive, because I find the like words used by chrysostom in his 61. Homil. ad populum Antiochenum, and in his 3. Homil. ad Ephes. In vain is the daily offering, Frustra stamus ad altar: In vain stand we at the Altar; others read it, Frustra assistimus ad Altar: his reason is, Nullus qui communicetur, none cometh to the Communion: surely when there was no Communion, there was no kneeling, but standing, or being at the Altar, expecting Communicants. As for chrysostom, he is clear, that we should kneel at the Communion, as his following words add populum Antiochenum show; At pura sunt, igitur adora, & communica, but thy garments are pure, therefore adore, that is kneel, and communicate: as he elsewhere showeth, by the comparison of the Wise men, that kneeled to our Saviour in the manger, as I will show in his place.  
In like sort, saith this Author out of chrysostom, The Deacon slandeth up and speaketh to the people, Let us pray altogether; Had the Deacon stood up, and said, Stemus & communicemus, Let us stand up, and Communicate, it had been some what to the purpose: but the Deacon stood up, not to communicate himself, but to call on the people to pray; he stood up, that he might be the better heard of all the people. So this standing of the Deacon is no gesture of standing at Receiving, but of calling to prayer. And it is usual in those Churches that retain kneeling, that the Minister, or some other standeth up, and calleth to the people, Let us pray: and yet the people pray kneeling. And this Author might have remembered, that the Deacon in the time of Liturgy, stood up, and called to the people at Prayer and Receiving, Flectamus genua, Let us kneel, which is more to the purpose, than this standing up to call to Prayer. 
Centur 3. cap. 6. de ritibus circa Coenam.  And whereas he allegeth, that the writers of the Centuries collect, out of this Epistle of Dionysius, that the rite and custom of the Church in that age was, that the Communicants did stand at the Table, and reach out their hands to receive the holy meats: the century writers say, it is pervetustus mos, an ancient custom, used in many Churches, that they did reach out their hands to receive the Bread and Wine; and not expect to have it put into their mouths: which they prove out of Clemens Alexandrinus, Stromatum lib. 1. p. 2. But of standing, they bring no custom of any other Church, but only use Dionysius word in the plural, Mensae assisterent, not adstarent, which he speaketh only in the singular, Mensae adstitisset, which rather signifieth his presence, than his gesture: therefore this testimony is little to the purpose.  
The second is justin Martyr, though first in time, whose testimony in part is cited before. On Sunday, etc. the reader ceasing, 
Anno 150. Apo. 2.  Praesidens (which he readeth, the Pastor) with his Oration, instructeth the people, and exhorteth them to the imitation of so beautiful things, and then addeth, Sub haec surgimus communitèr omnes, & precationes profundimus, after this, we arise altogether and power out our prayers, and then proceed to the Eucharist. This witness had need of some help, for in himself he saith nothing for them, and nothing against us: and therefore he helpeth him with a false translation, & a false collection. First he readeth it, we arise and pray, and that is the truth of the letter, which implieth the leaving of their former gesture of sitting or reading, but no way designs a new gesture in particular that followed after sitting: and therefore to help him out, he after addeth; there it is plain, 
Pag. 76.  the people sat at the hearing of the word, and rose up to stand at prayer, but after he plainly perverteth the reading, and saith; After that they stood up and prayed: here rising is turned to standing. But the Collection is, they arose and prayed; therefore they received the Sacrament standing: which hath no coherence: for they might arise to kneel, as well as to stand, and they might stand at some of the Prayers, and yet kneel at the receiving of the Body and Blood of Christ. But, whatsoever may be judged of this Collection, sure I am, this doth necessarily follow out of this testimony: they arose and prayed, and after they received, therefore they did not receive sitting, which according to this new doctrine, is the essential gesture of Communicants.  
The third is Tertullian, De corona militis: who saith, 
Anno 203.  Of prayer on the Sunday, and from Easter to Pentecost, Die Dominicâ jeiunium nefas ducimus, vel de geniculis adorare: we hold it not lawful to fast on the Lord's day, or to pray on our knees. This is not to be denied; But no one of the Fathers is more resolute against sitting at prayer, 
De oratione.  than Tertullian is, Siquidem irreverens est assidere sub conspectu, contraque conspectum eius quem quàm maxime reverearis, ac venereris: quantò magis sub conspectu Dei vivi, Angelo adhuc orationis astante, factum istud irreligiosissimum est: nisi exprobramus Deo, quod nos oratio fatigauerit: It is irreverent to sit in the sight, and before the face of him whom thou dost most reverence and honour: how much more is that action most irreligious, (to sit) in the sight of the living God, the Angel of prayer being present, unless we exprobrate to God, that our prayers have wearied us. As for that Collection, that, as they prayed, so they Received standing, as if they had used the same gesture at the Sacrament, which they did at prayer; Hear what Tertullian saith, of the receiving the other Sacrament of Baptism: 
De Baptismo in fine.  Ingressuros Baptismum orationibus crebris, ieiunijs, & geniculationibus, & pervigilijs orare oportet: They that were to be baptised, aught to pray with often prayers, and fastings, & kneel, and watchings. Kneeling was joined with the Sacrament of Baptism, which was given on the Sunday aswell as the Eucharist. So the collection is not good, they stood at prayer, therefore they received the Eucharist standing, for at the same time they stood at prayer, and yet received Baptism kneeling.  
But in the word of station, he is egregiously deceived: For, saith he, Tertullian de oratione putteth the word statio, standing, for prayer; and calleth the Lords days, Dies stationum, the days of station, or standing; For it is clear in Tertullian, that Dies stationum, the days of station were never made on the Sundays; and his words are plain, 
De corona militis.  jam & stationes aut alij magis faciet quam Christo, aut die Dominico, quando nec Christo: He shall make his stations to another, rather than to Christ, or else on the Lord's day, and so not to Christ. So it is plain, that in Tertullia's time, there were no stations on the Lord's day: and so the Lords day is not called the day of station, because on that day they stood at prayer. And station properly is nothing else, but a diurnal watching in the time of solemn prayer: in which they did watch in prayer, 
1. Pet. 4.7.  as the Apostle said, Vigilate in orationibus: so this station was not so named for standing at prayer. And Tertullian saith, Their station shall be more solemn, Si steteris ad aram Dei, if thou standest at God's Altar. This is to be understood of the stationary prayer made at the Altar, which being made on the week days, was made keeling, and therefore stare here is genuflectere, standing is kneeling. And this sentence is full and complete in itself: and then he adds, Accepto corpore Domini, & reseruato, the body of the Lord being received, and reserved, both is saved, both the participation of the Sacrifice, and the execution of our office: And surely it is probable, that they received the Sacrament kneeling, as well as they prayed kneeling.  
S. Cyprian is the fourth; who affirmeth less than his Master Tertullian: 
Anno 250.  he only saith, Cum stamus ad orationem: when we stand at Prayer; and he saith nothing of the Lords day, and from Easter to Pentecost: whereby I conceive, he knowing that at all other times they prayed kneeling; and speaking in general of Prayer, his word stamus, must not so much express the gesture of Prayer, as the action of Prayer: which whether it were standing or kneeling, it must, as the next words are, be vigilant, vigilare, & incumbere toto cord ad preces debemus: we ought to watch, and intent our prayers with our whole heart: and then he adds that which is used in our Liturgy, sursum corda, lift up your hearts; to which the people answer, We lift them up unto the Lord: by which we are admonished to think of nothing but of God, and to shut our hearts against the adversary. As for S. Cyprian, I take it, his opinion is, that they did bow or kneel at the receiving of the Sacrament, as in his place it will appear.  
The fift is S. Basil; his words are, In primo Sabbati erecti perficimus deprecationes, 
Anno 370. De spiritu, & litera.  sed rationem omnes non novimus: upon the first day of the week we pray standing, but all know not the reason. He giveth two, 1. the Resurrection of Christ. 2. that day is Imago seculi futuri, the Image of the world to come, which shall never have end, that knows no evening, nor giveth place to a succeeding day. But speaking afterwards of kneeling, he saith: Insuper & quoties genua flectimus, & rursùs erigimur, ipso facto ostendimus, quod ob peccatum in terram delapsisumus; & per humilitatem eius qui creavit nos, in Coelum revocati sumus: As often as we kneel and stand up again, by this deed we show, that for sin we are fallen to the ground, and by his humility that created us, we are called back to heaven: In which it appears that confession of sins, which always goeth before the Communion, requires kneeling, that we may fall to the earth by humility, as we fell to the earth by sin.  
S. Hierome is the sixth; his words are, On the Lord's day, and throughout the Pentecost, 
Anno 390. Contra Lucifer.  (by the tradition and authority of the Church) we do not adore on our knees, nor fast: The word (we hold it not lawful) is not in Hierome, but it seems this Author added it, out of Tertullian: In which I mark one thing, which this Author might have observed in all his authorities; that the Church hath authority to change a gesture, from the natural and prescribed gesture, upon particular reason: And why then shall not the Church have power to prescribe a gesture at the Lords Table, most suring with the memory of Christ's death, and the carriage of humble & contrite Communicants? In which case I pray you hear what Hierome saith upon those words of the Apostle, Eph. 3. Flecto genua: Haec autem spiritualiter exponentes, non statim, juxta literam, orandi consuetudinem tollimus, qua Deum genu posito supplicitèr adoramus, & fixo in terram poplite, magis quod ab eo poscimus impetramus: legimus enim & Paulum in littore sic orasse, & geniculationes in oratione praeceptas: sed illud aedificat supplices, sicut veram geniculationem esse docemus in anima; quia multi corporale flectentes genu, animae nequaquam poplitem curuaverunt: & contra, alij erecto Deum corpore deprecantes, magis se animo curuaverunt: Expounding these things spiritually, we do not presently take away the custom of praying, in which we adore God, humbly upon our knees, and obtain that of him which we most desire, setting our knees to the earth: for we read that S. Paul prayed thus upon the shore, and kneeling was commanded in prayer. But this doth edify the simple, as we teach, the true kneeling to be in the soul: For many, bowing their corporal knees, do not bow the knees of their soul: and on the contrary, many praying to God standing upright, have more bowed themselves in soul. In which words I observe: 1. when we kneel, than we adore God supplicitèr, humbly in the fashion of supplicants. 2. By kneeling magis impetramus, we prevail more in our Petitions. 3. Kneeling is not only grounded upon imitation and example, but praecepta, It is commanded. So S. Hierome, though he permit standing at prayer upon a special reason, yet he holdeth kneeling to be sub praecepto, and of greater force in the sight of God.  
S. chrysostom is the seventh; his words are, 
Anno 398.  Frustra stamus ad Altar, in vain do we stand at the Altar, expecting Communicants; and none come: and that is common with us to stand until the people draw near, & then kneel; whose words I have answered before in Dionysius Alexandrinus.  
S. Augustinus is the eighth, who saith, Propter hoc & ievinia relaxantur, & stantes oramus, 
Anno 420. Epist. 119. cap. 15.  quod est signum resurrectionis, For this cause we remit our fasts, and stand at prayer, which is a sign of the Resurrection: which is no more than is granted. And yet in the end of the 17. chapter, he concludeth of it, Vtrum ubique servetur, ignoro, I know not whether it be observed every where. There is a reason added out of S. Augustine in the same 15. Chapter, which I accept of, though I find it not there; that kneeling is a gesture of a Penetentiary, and of such outward humiliation, as is wholly disagreeable with the solemnity of rejoicing, on the Lord's day. S. Augustine indeed mentioneth rest and rejoicing, and then addeth, Propter hoc: for this cause we fast not, but stand: wherein I see no reason but a man may have rest, and rejoicing for Christ's Resurrection, and yet have sorrow, and contrition, and humiliation for his sin, without which no man can be duly prepared for the Lords Table. And as standing at prayer may agree with rest and rejoicing, so compunction and humiliation is most suitable to a Penitentiary; and all Communicants must first be penitents, and examine themselves, and discern the Lords body, before they receive it. And therefore they that rejoice at Christ's Resurrection, and so stand, must be contrite, and humble, and so kneel when they participate of Christ's Body and Blood. And I presume it will be plain, that S. Augustine required kneeling at the receiving of the Body and Blood of Christ.  
And here I pray you observe, what a vast hiatus, gulf or space, this Author maketh; From S. Augustine, he descendeth per saltum or rather praecipitium, he leapeth, or rather casteth himself down headlong to Anselme, our Archbishop of Canterbury: a long leap from the beginning of the five hundredth year, unto eleven hundred years at one jump. It seemeth, in all that time of 700. years, he could not find one writer, except a Council or two, that spoke for standing at Prayer. And S. Augustine, though he allow the custom of the Church, in standing at prayers for certain days, yet he doubteth of the success of the decree of the Nicene Council in that case, 
Epist. 119. cap. 17.  in his last words, Quod utrùm ubique servetur ignoro: which, whether it be every where observed, I know not; and he would not have made the doubt, if he had not known, that it was not every where observed. And if it were doubted whether it were observed in S. Augustine's time, who lived about an hundred years after the Nicene decree, I should have thought it had been quite discustomed, long before Anselme, but that it was held in life by some after Counsels: yet from the last Council unto Anselme, there passed about 300. years, in which time there is not found one word in favour of standing at prayer.  
Now this Author from S. Augustine, cities no other, till he come to Anselme, who lived near 700. years after him: yet this gesture of standing is mentioned in Beda, and Alcuinus, and I find it in Hugo de sancto Victore, who lived near 60. years after Anselme. But in this I observe; That this standing was not, during all the Liturgy, but only at a part; not at the Eucharist.  
For Hugo de sancto Victore observeth, that they stood at prayer, until the Collect, Domine Deus Pater, qui nos ad principium: O Lord God, and heavenly Father, which hast safely brought us to the beginning of this day: which is the last Collect in our first Service, in the Liturgy of the Church of England. I say the first Service, for it is still in use in some Cathedral Churches in England: they have the first Service on the Sunday morning, and then go out for a time, and come in again, and begin at the Lords Prayer, ten Commandments, or second Service, and so go to the Communion: and the first Service is said in the ordinary place, but at the second the Priest goeth up to the Communion Table, or Altar, and there proceedeth to the Communion. And in some Churches, the Sermon is between the first and second Service. Yea in some Parish Churches, though they go not out, to come in again, yet they make a pause, and knoll a Bell, to give warning of the beginning of the second Service. 
De divinis Officijs.  And I find in Alcuinus, somewhat recorded to the same purpose: His finitis, omnes exeunt; this being ended (and in this there is no mention of the Eucharist,) all go out.  
And Hugo de Sancto Victore, speaks in the fame place of so much of the Liturgy, 
De Officijs Ecclesiast. lib. 2. cap. 2.  as he there reckons; Et haec omnia in Dominicis diebus, & caeteris festivis diebus, stando dicuntur, propter memoriam Dominicae resurrectionis; cum quo omnes sanctispe consurrexerunt: And all these prayers are said standing on Sundays, and other festivities, for the memory of the Lords Resurrection: with whom all the Saints are risen in hope. And hitherto he hath not one word of the Eucharist. After, Cap. 4 Hugo makes a difference, Inter preces, & orationem, which must be expounded by some that are better skilled in their Masses, and orders, than I am: His words I will relate, and leave them to the judicious Reader to be further scanned; Dum preces dicuntur, Sacerdos, qui peccator est, cum peccatoribus prostratus est: sed quia vicem tenet Christi, stando dicit orationem, ut resurrectionem recolat eius, cuius vicem tenet: While the prayers are said, the Priest, because he is a sinner, kneels, or prostrates himself with sinners, but because he bears the place of Christ, he saith the prayer standing, that he may remember his Resurrection, whose place he bears. Here be preces, prayers, many in number, which both Priest and people, all sinners, say prostrate or kneeling: and here is oratio, one prayer, in the singular, whether the Lords prayer, or some other singular prayer, made for the celebration of the Resurrection, I cannot resolve, but must leave it to the Readers more mature judgement. But the argument is very probable, because Hugo designeth some prayers that were said standing, which are no part of the Communion; therefore the special prayers, used at the receiving of the Eucharist, were not said standing, but kneeling; according as the Deacon called to the people; Flectamus genua, Let us kneel; and as we in our Liturgy still observe at the confession, before the Eucharist: Make your humble confession to Almighty God, meekly kneeling on your knees.  
And surely Anselme upon those words, 
Cap. 4. add Coloss.  Instate in oratione, saith little for it: for in the place cited, he only saith. It becomes all to be instant in prayer. And he doth well to command to watch in prayer, ut cum stamus ad orationem, that when we stand at prayer, all carnal and worldly thoughts may be banished: Cumstamus ad orationem, is no more, but cum oramus, when we stand at prayer, is no more, but when we pray: and so much his reason shows: for we must watch in prayer, be it on Sunday, or any other day: and drowsy and sleepy prayers are never acceptable unto God: and the word of the Text is, Instate in oratione, be instant in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving, and Instare in oratione, and astare ad orationem, to be instant in prayer, and to stand in prayer, are of one extent, to be used at all times, Sundays, and other days: and this watching in prayer, with thanksgiving, is as much required in kneeling, as in standing: and we must shut out all worldly and fleshly thoughts in all our prayers. Wherein, because Anselme doth not mention this private law of standing at prayers on Sundays, and from Easter until Pentecost, as the Fathers do, but spoke generally of Prayer; we must understand him to speak according unto the common law of prayer, of that position, which prayer in the nature thereof doth require, which is kneeling; of which Anselme elsewhere speaks very largely, lest we seem to make him contradict himself.  
Now the same Anselme, upon the words, Flecto genua, Ephes. 3. For this cause I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord jesus; Per flectionem genuum, intelligimus humilitatem supplicantis: nam ad hoc solent in oratione flecti genua, ut humilitas interior denotetur, & humiliori supplicatione affectus orationis commendetur: By the bowing of the knees, we understand the humility of a supplicant: for to this end knees are bowed in prayer, that inward humility may be declared, and the affection of prayer is commended by the more humble supplication. And then he varieth the words thus, I bow my knees, that is, I supplicate humbly in prayers; so that humble prayer, and kneeling at prayer, are equivalent with Anselme. And humble prayer is effectual prayer: and then, as it is true, humilis oratio penetrat coelos; humble prayer pierceth heaven; so kneeling prayer must have the same effect, that it entereth heaven, and is accepted of God.  
Now I come to the Counsels. And first, 
Cap. 20.  the Fathers of the Nicene Council decreed for standing at prayer on the Sundays, and the days of Pentecost, but give not their reason, as the Fathers before had done, but they labour for the uniformity of one custom in the external form of God's worship: which was not a form prescribed by the word of God, nor agreeable to the nature of prayer, but yet decreed by those Fathers, whose names are glorious in God's Church unto the world's end. And therefore they thought they had authority to ordain, establish, and confirm external worship, and ceremonies in God's service, and those repugnant to the nature of the thing they had in hand; which if they grant to be used in the Communion, as they affirm without proof, either these Patrons of standing, must confess the Church's power to be so great, to alter the gesture used by Christ and his Apostles, which is essential to the Sacrament itself, and upon private reason, to place another in the stead thereof, repugnant to the nature of prayer; or else, they must lay a foul aspersion upon that most reverend and venerable Synod, of greatest note and authority, that Christianity hath known, since the Apostles lived; that is, that they violated an essential part of this Sacrament, when they turned sitting into standing at prayer, and ministration of this great mystery.  
Now as concerning this custom: it was not begun by those Nicene Fathers, but reduced to unity and uniformity, (a thing which these sitters cannot endure, but desire to be left at liberty, every man to use what gesture and fashion he likes best) but it was, as all customs are, and should be, so ancient, that it was beyond all memory of man: (for how can that be called a custom, whose beginning is known by them that style it by the name of a custom?) and therefore no one witness, or Father produced for standing at prayer, speaks other of it, then as of a received custom, In moribus hominum, in the manners of men before his time. justin Martyr is the first: he saith, we rise up and pray, he saith only surgimus, we arise, it is factum, a thing not now begun, but done before; not decretum, not now decreed to be done. Tertullian saith, Nefas ducimus, we hold it unlawful to kneel at such times; this custom was grown old of great strength, not to be resisted, it was become natural unto them: and prescription was another law to them: to cross which custom he said, we hold it unlawful. So though this age testify of it, yet must it be much elder, and take beginning from the Apostles, or succeeding Apostolical men. And this custom is only confirmed and decreed in this Nicene Council, because as it seems, Christians liked not altogether the reason of it; for there may be joy in him that kneeleth, as well as sorrow in him that standeth: so though it were ancient, and had some colour of reason for it, yet it seemeth, because there was greater reason for kneeling then for standing, it began to grow out of use, and that was the cause of this decree.  
Now that this decree for standing reacheth only to Prayer, and not to the Sacrament, it may appear by another decree, not of the first twenty that Ruffinus hath: but those other set out by Gelasius Cyzicenus l. 3. wherein, because in those times it seemed they were too humble at the Sacrament, they thus decree, Ne humiliter intentisimus ad propositum panem & poculum, sed attollentes mentes, fide intelligamus situm in sacra illa mensa, agnum illum Dei, tollentem peccata mundi, incruentè à Sacerdotibus immolatum, & pretiosum ipsius corpus & sanguinem nos verè sumentes, credere haec esse resurrectionis nostrae Symbola: Let us not be humbly intentive to the Bread, and Cup set before us, but lifting up our minds, let us by faith understand, that the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world, and is slain unbloodily by the Priests, is set upon that holy Table, and that we truly receiving his precious Body and Blood, do believe those to be the Symbols of our Resurrection. It seemeth somewhat was amiss, that the Council by this Canon would redress; and it must be in the humble intending to the Elements; That must be either in the inward thought, and opinion of the Bread and Wine, and then the Council should not have said, humilitèr intenti, but reverentèr intenti, not humbly intentive, as if they thought too basely or humbly of them, but rather reverently intentive, as thinking too highly of the Elements or creatures; or else it must be in the outward carriage and behaviour, and then the Canon would redress the outward gesture, which might incline unto too much honour of the Elements, and so detract from the humble reverence that was due to God, whom we do worship and adore more specially in this Sacrament. And so it will appear, that they were too humble at the receipt of the Eucharist, and therefore received it with kneeling; for so much the Canon doth imply, à contrario sensu, Ne humilitèr intenti simus ad propositum panem & poculum, Let us not be humbly intentive to the Bread and Cup set upon the Table, Ergo humilitè intenti erga Deum qui corpore & sanguine agni nos pascit, Therefore let us be humbly intentive towards God, who feedeth us with the Body and Blood of the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the world.  
The next is the sixth Council of Carthage, Canon 20. which is no other than the former of the Nicene Council in effect; Quoniam sunt quidam qui die Dominico, & in diebus Pentecostes, flectunt genua, placuit de hoc sanctae & magnae Synodo, cunctos in omnibus locis consonantèr & consentientèr stantes, Deum orare debere; Because there be some that bow their knees upon the Lord's day, and the days of Pentecost, it hath pleased this sacred and great Synod in this point, that all, in all places ought to pray to God standing, consonantly, and with one consent. In which I observe nothing, but that the continuance of this gesture at this time began to decay; belike, because it declined from the natural gesture of prayer, which should be kneeling with all humility; and therefore they in Africa made this Canon to keep life in it. For, as it is said before in S. Augustine, there was some doubt of the observation of it, in all places; and in this Council it is last mentioned plainly, and affirmatively. And after S. Augustine, there is no author produced until Anselme. And after this Council, there is little mention of it in plain terms, until the Council of Turon, about Anno 800. except the Quinnisext Council of Constantinople; and these will appear to be but cold testimonies for it.  
To the third, which is the Roman Council, held under Hilarius the Pope, there needeth no answer, for they do only decree the observation of the Nicene Canons in general words; without any particular mention of standing at Prayer on the Lord's day, & in the days of Pentecost.  divinae legis praecepta, & Nicenorum Canonum constituta, that the precepts of the divine Law, and the constitutions of the Nicene Canons, be not violated. This is all, and it may be this 20. Canon about standing at Prayer, was not much thought of in particular, by those 48. Bishops in that Council.  
The Canons of the Council called Quini-sextum, which were made at Constantinople, mention and approve this standing at Prayer, and withal limit it, Canon 90. that Post vespertinum ingressum, After the evening ingress to the Altar on Saturday, to the next evening, no man should kneel, and after that evening they should kneel again. In which that appeareth which was before said, that this was but a dispensation, or a private Law, which doth derogate from the public, upon special reason, and therefore it did easily return to the prime institution.  
The fourth and last Council, is the Council of Turon, under Charles the great, and Leo the third: I will set it down at large. Sciendumest, quòd exceptis diebus Dominicis, & illis festivitatibus, quibus & universalis Ecclesia ob recordationem Dominicae resurrectionis, solet stando orare, fixis in terram genibus, supplicitèr Dei clementiam nobis profuturam, nostrorumque criminum indulgentiam deposcendum est: cuius rei in evangelio ipse Dominus nobis dedit exemplum: sed & Stephanum Martyrem, & Apostolum Paulum eadem fecisse, Liber Actorum Apost testis est. Ex quibus intelligi datur, oportere Christianum humilitèr ad terram prosterni, ne fortè illi dicatur, Quidsuperbis terra est cinis? We must know, that except the Lords days, and those festivities in which the Universal Church, for the remembrance of the Lords Resurrection, used to stand at Prayer, we ought to pray (not we may pray, as this Author renders it) or entreat God's mercy profitable to us, and pardon of our sins humbly, with our knees fixed on the ground: of which kneeling in prayer) our Lord himself gave us an example in the Gospel: and the Acts of the Apostles are witness, that S. Stephen the Martyr, and S. Paul did the like. By which it is given to understand, that Christians ought (not may) cast themselves humbly on the earth, lest it be said to them, Why art thou proud, that art but dust and ashes? The Canon doth not say, Nefas ducimus, as Tertullian did, we hold it unlawful to pray kneeling on Sundays, and in the days of Pentecost, but resolutely decreeth for kneeling in prayer, and by way of privilege only permitteth standing at prayer on the Lord's day, and other festivities, celebrated in the Church, by way of exception out of the general rule. Whereby it appeareth, that the general rule is, that we must kneel at prayer, and therefore prayer being joined with the celebration of the Sacrament, & not excepted, we must also kneel at the receiving of the Eucharist. So this Council is the last that speaks for standing at prayer, and that by way of exception: for Anselme saith nothing to the purpose: and therefore there passing 300. years from this Council to the decree of Honorius, it is very probable, that kneeling at Prayer was received long before Honorius, the third his time: And kneeling at the Communion is as old, as the eldest witness produced against it, as I presume shall appear in the testimonies that ensue.  
I come now to this man's Verbum grand, his great and grand, and loud word, that I say no more of it; that is, that until Honorius the third (about the year 1120.) made a decree for the adoration of the Sacrament, the Eucharist was ever received standing, and not kneeling: And kneeling is Antichristian, brought into the Church for the adoration of their Breaden god, in honour of Transubstantiation, and (as he calls it) Real presence: which opinion was first hatched by Damascen, and then fostered by Innocent 3. and now honoured by Honorius the third. I would this man had studied his Masters, Caluin and Beza a little better, he would peradventure have learned a great difference, between Transubstantiation, and the Real presence: and no less than Inter rem ipsam, & modum rei, between the thing itself, and the manner of doing of it. And surely Caluin and Beza do allow a true and Real presence, if I understand them; that is, that we in the Eucharist receive the true Body and Blood of Christ: which all antiquity do collect out of Christ's words; This is my Body, This is my Blood. But they renounce this new found manner, by way of Transubstantiation, found out against Berengarius: whereby they thought to quench the flame that was then kindled, but it was Igne maiori, they put out the lesser, with a greater fire, and not only filled their books with a number of curious, idle, and philosophical questions; and so corrupted divinity with philosophy, but also for this new fangle of Transubstantiation, and the maintenance of the Pope's vast and unlimited transcendent power, made the rent, and division of the Church uncurable, desperate, and past all hope: because the Popes will never renounce and disclaim their boundless ambition; and the School will never give over to adore this their Idol of Transubstantiation: which the more they labour to make plain, the further they involve themselves with a world of difficulties: Which no doubt is the occasion, that most of the wise and understanding Papists, who see how great evil hath fallen to the Church by it, and how much blood hath been shed in the cause, do wish in their hearts, though perchance they dare not profess it, that the decree had never been decreed.  
In which assertion, I take it, this man is palpably deceived, and would deceive others. For I take it to be plain, that kneeling and adoration, was not brought into use by Transubstantiation, but rather Transubstantiation was collected out of the Adoration and kneeling, that was used in the receiving of the Eucharist: as I shall show by and by out of Algerus, who inferreth Transubstantiation, out of kneeling and Adoration. As for Honorius decree, I do not find kneeling expressly named in it. Sacerdos frequentèr doceat plebem suam, ut cum in celebratione Missarum elevatur hostia salutaris, se reverentèr inclinet: Let the Priest often teach his people, that when in the celebration of the Mass, the healthful Host is elevated, they bow themselves reverently. The word is, reverent bowing, not kneeling; and it is to be done at the elevation, not at the receiving. I could wish that the whole decree were to be seen, for then somewhat would be manifest, that now is obscure. But the first words of the Chapter, Sane cum olim, do imply somewhat more ancient: and it is very probable, that Honorius did not make a new decree, and establish a new form of Adoration at the Sacrament, never used before, but explain and confirm an old, which was bowing or kneeling; and peradventure in particular, to design in special, when it should be done, namely at the elevation. And it is most certainly testified, that some hundred years before this Honorius was borne, the Deacon did call at the Mass, Flectamus genua, Let us kneel; so that kneeling, and bowing was generally in use before, but elevation was unknown to the Fathers: and after it had gained ground, and began to be in request, than this decree of Honorius did honour that particular action of elevation, with a reverent bowing, by those perchance which received it not: which doth no way prove, that kneeling was not used before Honorius time, but rather those three words, set before the decree, do lead us to apprehend that some reverence, and humility of bowing, or kneeling was anciently in use; out of which practice or pretence of antiquity, Honorius did ground his decree. And it is a gross non sequitur to infer thus: Honorius made a new decree, that at the elevation of the Host, men should reverently bow themselves: Therefore before this decree, men did not receive the Eucharist with reverent bowing or kneeling. For they might, and did kneel at receiving the Communion, in the times of the ancient fathers, and yet this elevation, and circumgestation of the Sacrament, be but a new devise, that made way to much superstition and Idolatry.  
Now, although it be hard to find out the beginning of every outward gesture, used in the worship of God, and the Administration of the Sacraments, yet as it falleth out with the shadow on the Dial, we discern it not moving, but we easily discern, that it hath moved; So we cannot easily discern and point out the first beginning of this gesture, of kneeling in the Eucharist, though after it hath passed some lines and degrees of time, we may easily discover by the later use and custom, that it fetcheth his pedigree from the Apostles, and Apostolical men.  
The Fathers of the first age, being in continual conflict with persecutors without, and heretics within, had little leisure to delineate and describe every gesture they used in the Liturgy: yet surely they that so strictly required an examination, and probation of ourselves, contrition and compunction, and prayer, and praise, and alms, and humility, and reverence in this part of the worship of God, in such sort, that they held none to come worthily, nor be admitted to the Lords Supper, but those that used this probation, and preparation of themselves, though their words speak not of kneeling, yet their reasons do enforce it. And the very discerning the Lords body, did require as well an outward, as an inward difference, between the Lord's Table, and other common tables: and therefore an outward gesture beseeming the presence of the Eternal God, which must be suitable to the greatest humility, and that must needs be kneeling. And therefore this Author that speaketh, and writeth so tediously against kneeling, is forced to dash out all humility, and reverence in his Communicants, lest if he had granted humility, he must also have been forced to admit kneeling, the most proper and significant gesture of humility.  
Now, as all the Fathers, cited by this Author, that speak for standing at prayer, are clear witnesses against sitting, which he maketh essential, as being used in the first institution; and most of their reasons are for kneeling: so many of them, as also many others, speak manifestly for adoration and kneeling.  
To omit then, that at the delivering of the Law of the Passeover, 
Exod. 12.  the people Incuruatus adoravit, bowed themselves and worshipped; and Christ the true Passeover, 
Luke. 22.  in his Agony before his Passion, fell on his face, and flexis genibus oravit, prayed on his knees: I come to the Authors.  
And, to say no more of justin Marten, it is clear that his words are against sitting: Post haec surgimus communitèr omnes, & preces profundimus; these things added, we all arise and pray. There it is manifest, they left sitting.  
I come to Tertullian, who is most resolute for standing at prayer: 
De oratione.  for he saith, Nefas ducimus, we hold it unlawful to kneel at prayer on Sundays, etc. it is irreverent to sit in the sight, and before the face of him whom thou dost reverence and honour, how much more is that action most irreligious (to sit) in the sight of the living God, the Angel of Prayer being present, unless we will exprobate to God that our prayers have wearied us? If Tertullian will have reverence and humility at prayer to God, whom we most reverence and honour, why should he not more require it at this Sacrament, which is the greatest and most eminent part of God's worship?  
Again, Tertullian that speaks so boldly for standing at prayer, doth require kneeling at Baptism: for speaking of the set days of Baptism, 
De Baptism. in fine.  as Easter day, he saith, Caeterùm omnis dies Domini est, omnis hora, omne tempus habile Baptismo: si de solennitate interest, de gratia nihil refert. Ingressuros Baptismum orationibus crebris, ieiunijs, & geniculationibus, & pervigilijs orare oportet, & cum confessione omnium retro delictorum, ut exponit etiam Baptismum joannis: tingebantur, inquiens, confitentes delicta sua: Every day is the Lords day, every hour, and every time is fit for Baptism, though there be difference of solemnity, there is no difference of grace: they that are to be baptised, must pray, with often prayers, and fastings, and kneel and watchings, and with confession of all their sins past, as john's baptism shows; they were baptised confessing their sins. So it is apparent by Tertullian, that they which stood at prayer on Easter day, the most solemn day, the day of Christ's Resurrection, they kneeled at Baptism. And if they came to baptism confessing their sins, they ought to come to the Eucharist with the like confession of their sins: for there is as great necessity of confession of sins in the Eucharist, as in Baptism; as confession auricular was more enjoined before the Eucharist, then before Baptism: And there was greater reason of kneeling at the Eucharist, then at Baptism, because we come nearer to Christ in this Sacrament of increase, then in the other of regeneration. And of confession of sins, which was never omitted before the Eucharist, 
De penitent.  Tertullian saith, Itaque Exhomologesis prosternendi, & humilificandi hominis disciplina est: Confession is the discipline of casting down, or prostration, and humbling man; So no Eucharist without confession of sins to God: no confession without casting down, and humbling by kneeling, therefore no Eucharist without prostration, and kneeling; so Tertullian, that speaks most confidently of standing at prayer on Sundays, for the memory of the resurrection of Christ, speaks very thoroughly for kneeling at Baptism, and by consequent, at the Eucharist.  
The 2. is Origen, about 220. years after Christ, upon 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 conversi orationem fundimus, non facilè cuiquam puto ratione compertùm: sed & Eucharistiae sive percipiendae, sive eo ritu quo geritur explicandae, vel eorum quae geruntur in Baptismo, verborum gestorumque, & ordinum, atque interrogationum, atque responsionum, quis facilè explicet rationem? In the Ecclesiastical observations, there are some such things, which it is needful all should do, yet the reason is not manifest unto all: For example sake, that we pray kneeling, and power out our prayers, from all parts of the world, towards the East, I think it is not easily known to every one by reason: And who can easily express the reason of receiving the Eucharist, and explicate the Rite with which it is performed, or of those things that are done in Baptism, the words, and gestures, and orders, and of the interrogations and answers? This witness is little favourable to these sitters, for he mentions interrogatories in Baptism, which they cannot well brook; and of kneeling, in prayer; and presently order the rites of the Eucharist, which, if they had been different, he had reason to have set down. And so the Argument is concludent: They kneeled at prayer; and therefore at the prayer in the Eucharist: so the Eucharist in origen's time was received with kneeling. But in his fift Hom. In diversos, he speaketh more fully; discoursing upon 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, ut intres sub tectum meum: ubi enim indignè ingreditur, ibi ad judicium ingreditur accipienti: When thou receivest that Sacrament, and that uncorrupt banquet, when thou enjoyest that bread and cup of life, and eatest and drinkest the Body and Blood of the Lord, than the Lord entereth under thy roof; thou therefore humbling thyself, imitate this Centurion, and say, Lord I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof: for where the Lord entereth unworthily, there he entereth to judgement to the receiver. This is most plain: humilians teipsum must be in body and soul, else it were humilians partem tui: humble thyself, thy whole self, not a part of thyself, in body as well as in soul: The Centurion's humility appears in soul, in his words, and in his sending by others, as thinking himself unworthy to come by himself. And all the Ancient think, that at his coming he humbled himself in body, as Basil of Seleucia said; Vidi Centurionem ad pedes Domini provolutum, I beheld the Centurion fallen at our Lords feet. Therefore in origen's time humble kneeling was in use, at the receiving of the Eucharist.  
The third is S. Cyprian, in his book De oratione Dom. he saith, The word and prayers of them that do pray, let it be with discipline (every man may not do what he list, and pray in what fashion he lift) Continens quietem & pudorem, expressing rest (or peace) and shamefastness or modesty; that is not to stand upon the prerogative of coheirs, and a table without all humility; certainly shamefastness will cause humility, or confusion: Let us think we stand in the sight of God: and then he addeth, Placendum est divinis oculis, & habitu corporis, & modo vocis, We must please the eyes of God with the habit of our body (that is not sitting) and the tune of our voice. And in his book of the Lords Supper, he cometh nearer to the point, Sacramento visibili, ineffabilitèr divinase infundit essentia, ut esset religioni circa Sacramenta devotio; The divine essence doth ineffably infuse itself into the visible Sacrament, (though our Transubstantiators know the manner of it) that Religion might have devotion about the Sacrament. Devotion is sometimes the inward Adoration of the heart, but in God's solemn worship, outward Adoration is required with it. And again, having described the sighs, 
Num. 13.  and groans, and tears of those that come to this Sacrament, he saith, Gemitus illos pietas excitat, it is piety that sendeth forth those sighs: and after, Inter data & condonata se dividens, affection dividing itself, between graces given, and sins forgiven, Fletibus se abluit, & lachrimis se baptizat, washeth itself with weeping, and baptizeth itself with tears. Is not this the very highest, or rather the lowest of humility? And why should not the body be as humble in kneeling, 
Num. 14.  as the soul in tears? 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 mystery, & he loatheth them, and he hateth their obsequiousness, that thrust themselves to the sacred Altars pompously, and gloriously. What is this pompous and glorious coming to the Altar? Is it not to come proudly without humility? For I must leave the school of divinity, if I do admit any medium, between Theological contraries: every man either humbleth himself, or exalteth himself: every man cometh to the Lords Table either pompously & gloriously without humility, as if he were coheir, and coequal with Christ, or else humbly in all humiliation of soul 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 we must judge them to come pompously, and braggingly that will not kneel, but will sit, as equal with the eternal God, without all outward humility, when they are but dust and ashes. Again, in the 17. Num. Ad haec intra sacra mysteria ad gratiarum actionem convertitur, & 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 soul turneth to thanksgiving, and bowing the head; the restored sinner having gotten pureness of heart, understandeth himself to be consummated, and restoreth his sanctified soul, as a thing committed and faithfully kept, unto God. Here we have almost all the Sacrifices spoken of before, Contrition, Prayer, Thanksgiving, and the offering of ourselves; and this is done with the exterior gesture, not only of the bowing of the knee, but the head also. So that in Cyprians time, humility of the body, and kneeling, was in use at the receiving of the Eucharist.  
The 4. is Cyrillus of Jerusalem, 
In catache●● mystagogica. 5.  who describeth the whole order of the Liturgy, in the celebration of the Eucharist, the water in which the Priests did wash, the kiss of reconciliation, the words of the Liturgy, Lift up your hearts, the thanksgiving, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabbath, the prayer at the consecration, the Lords prayer, and the like, which he there mentioneth: then first he describeth the ministering of the Bread, and Body of Christ, and the manner of the receiving of it; at last he cometh 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 manner of Adoration, and worship, say, Amen. I hope this testimony is so plain, that malice itself cannot invent a cavil to avoid it.  
The 5. is S. Gregory Nazianzen, 
370.  in the oration for his sister Gorgonia. He doth not indeed describe the celebration of the Eucharist, for it was in the night, when she was alone, and neither Priest, nor consecration: but only she carried with her, some of the consecrated mysteries, which she had reserved, as the fashion of those times was: and then in the stillness of the night, when her disease gave her a little truce, Ante altare procubuit: she kneeled, or fell down at the Altar, and called on him, whom she worshipped, with a loud voice, and all her endeavour; after, she leaned her head on the Altar, and with cries, and tears, like to the woman with the bloody issue, she touched herself with those mysteries: and the conclusion is, she was made whole. This, Gregory Nazianzen revealeth as a secret, and approveth and commendeth it. And I relate it only to this end, not to judge of the miracle, but to observe in this, the custom of Communicants: which was, Procubuit ad altar, to fall down and kneel at the Altar. For surely she did now in her sickness, as she and all others did in their health, when they come to the Lords Table, that is, fall down and kneel.  
The 6. is S. Ambrose, 
374. Cap. 12.  in his third book 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 footstool, for he is holy; He discourseth that God hath no body, and needs no footstool, that the earth is a creature, and may not be worshipped, and then remembering that Christ's flesh is earth, he saith, Perscabellum terra intelligitur, per terram caro Christi; quam hody quoque in mysterijs adoramus: & quam Apostoli in Domino jesu, ut supra diximus, adorarunt: By the footstool the earth is understood, & by the earth the flesh of Christ, which we also adore in the mysteries this day; and the same which the Apostles did adore in our Lord jesus, as I have said before. This testimony is plain, and cannot be eluded with that idle shift of adoring in soul, or by any other means then kneeling: for his comparison is plain of external adoration by kneeling, in the Apostles, who did adore Christ at his ascension with external, singular, and visible worship, Luk. 24.52. for with internal devotion they did always adore him. But this special worshipping must be understood both of soul and body; so we must adore in soul and body, and that must be with kneeling, at the receiving of the Sacrament. And in the Comment that goeth under his name, 1. Cor. 11. Devoto animo, & cum timore accedendum ad communionem docet: ut sciat mens reverentiam se debere ei, ad cuius corpus sumendum accedit: he teacheth, that he must come to the Communion with fear, that the soul may know that she oweth reverence to him, whose body she comes to receive: this reverence must be external, as the devotion is internal; and that appeareth in the words following, Quem cum disciplina nos accipimus: which blood we receive 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 equality in coheireship, and prerogatives of a Table.  
The seventh is Gaudentius Brixensis, who speaketh not of this Sacrament of the Eucharist in special, but of the other of Baptism, or of both; and there is much more reason to kneel at the Lords Table, 
De manducat. Agntpaschalis Sermone 9  then at Baptism. His words are, Lectiones divinas aure percipimus, ore Dominum confitemur, laudamus, benedicimus, obsecramus, manus supplices ad Coelum tendimus, pedibus ad Ecclesiam currimus, & unam Trinitatis Deitatem flexis ad terram genibus adoramus: We perceive the divine reading with our ears, we confess the Lord with our mouths, we praise him, we bless him, we beseech him, we stretch out our suppliant hands to heaven; and kneeling on our knees on the earth, we adore the one Deity of the Trinity. He speaks in this Sermon much of Baptism, but the Title is, De manducation Agnipaschalis, of the eating of the Paschall Lamb: so it may well be applied to both Sacraments.  
The eighth is S. chrysostom, Hom. 61. Adpopulum Antiochenum: Considera quaeso; mensa regalis est apposita, Angelimensae ministrantes: ipse Rex adest, & tuastas oscitans? Sordescunt tibi vestimenta, & nihil est tibi curae? at pura sunt: igitur adora & communica: Consider, I pray thee, The Royal table is set before thee, the Angels minister at the Table, the king himself is present, and dost thou stand gaping? Be thy garments foul, and thou takest no care? but thy garments are pure: then adore, and communicate. So adoration goeth with receiving; and that this is external adoration and kneeling, 
Hom. 24. in 1. Cor. c. 10.  he will show elsewhere; Hoc corpus etiam i●cens in praesepi reveritisunt Magi, & viri impij, & barbari, patria & domo relicta, & longam viam confecerunt, & cum venissent, cum multo metu, & tremore adorarunt: Imitemur ergo vel barbaros, nos Coelorum cives. Nam illi quidem cum & in praesepi vidissent, & in tagurio, neque tale quidpiam vidissent, quale tu nunc vides, cum magna accesserunt reverentia: tu autem non in praesepi vides, sed in altari: non foeminam eum tenentem, sed sacerdotem adstantem, & spiritum cum magnacopia, ea quae sunt proposita superuolantem. Non solummodo hoc ipsum corpus vides, sicut illi: sed nosli eius & virtutem, & dispensationem, & nihil ignoras ex ijs quae per ipsum facta sunt; ut qui in omnibus mysterijs sis exactè, & accuratè initiatus. Nos ergo ipsos excitemus, & formidemus, & longè maiorem, quàm illi barbari, ostendamus reverentiam: ne sitemere, & inconsideratè accesserimus, in nostrum caput ignem congeramus: The Wise men did reverence this body, lying also in the manger, and these wicked and barbarous men, leaving their houses and Country, finished a long journey, and when they came, they adored with great fear and trembling. Let us therefore, the citizens of heaven, imitate those Barbarians: for they truly when they saw him in the manger and in the Cottage, neither had they seen any such thing as thou now seest, they came with great reverence; But thou seest him not in the manger, but in the Altar; not a woman holding him, but the Priest present, or standing by, and the Spirit in great plenty, flying over those things that are set forth; neither dost thou only see his very body as they did, but thou knowest both his power and dispensation, and thou artignorant of nothing done by him, as being exactly and accurately initiated in all mysteries. Let us therefore excite ourselves, and fear, and show much more reverence than those Barbarians did; lest if perchance we should come rashly and inconsiderately, we should heap fire on our own heads. This testimony is most plain, the wise men adore Christ in the manger, falling to the ground, or kneeling; we must imitate them, we must show much more reverence than they did; therefore we must kneel when we receive this Sacrament. The like he hath in Matt. Hom. 7. Imitemur nos saltem devotionem Magorum, Let us at least imitate the devotion of the wise men. And after, Et sifortè Magussis, nihil te ad hunc regem introire prohibebit, modò ut adoraturus, & honoraturus Dei filium, & non quasiconculcaturus advenias, modò ut honorem ipsum cum gaudio, ac tremore offer as: possunt enim utraque haec paritèr convenire: sed cave ne Herodi efficiaris similis, & dicas, ut & ego veniens adorem eum, cumque veneris, interimere coneris: huius enim similes sunt, qui indignè abutuntur communione mysterij: And if thou be a wise man, nothing shall hinder thee to go in to this King, so as thou come to adore and honour the Son of God, and not to tread him under thy feet; so as thou offer this honour with joy and trembling, for those two may well stand together: But take heed thou prove not like Herod, and say, that I also may come and worship him; and when thou comest, thou endeavour to kill him; for such like are they that unworthily abuse the Communion of this mystery. And after, speaking of the tyranny of Satan, he addeth, Hic enim in homines tenere imperium gestit, suosque Cultores simulat, & mittit ad Christum, ut specie quadam adorare videantur, quantum vero inipsis est, interimunt eum, quem adorarese simulant: Timeamus igitur, ne quando speciemsupplicum, atque adorantium geramus, opere verò inimici existamus; Igitur adoraturi Christum, cuncta proijciamus è manibus: Satan doth desire to hold the Empire over men, and he maketh his worshippers counterfeits, and sendeth them to Christ, that they may seem to worship in show, and, as much as in them is, kill him, whom they sergeant to adore. Let us therefore fear, lest when we take upon us the show of suppliants, and adorers, in work we be found his enemies: therefore when we go about to worship Christ, let us cast all things out of our hands. And this word of Adoration is often used in this 7. Homily, which I must pass over, and refer the Reader to some other places, as the Homily De Proditione judae, and his Sermon De Eucharistia in Encaenijs; by all which it is most plain, that Adoration, and kneeling at the receiving of the Eucharist, was in use in chrysostom, and those other Father's time, some 700. years before Honorius, that is made the first Author thereof.  
The 9 is S. Augustine, 
In Psalm 98.  whose place is known to this Author, and he labours to elude it against the hair, as also he doth S. Ambrose, who useth the word of Adoration, as before you have heard. S. Augustine expounding the words of the Psalm, Adorate scabellum pedum eius, as the vulgar readeth it, worship at his footstool: or his footstool; and alleging the other Psalm, Heaven is his Throne, and the earth his footstool, and knowing that we must worship the Lord our God, and serve him only, he maketh a question how we may worship the earth without Idolatry, and saith: Anceps factus sum, timeo adorare terram, ne damnet me, qui fecit terram: Rursùs timeo non adorare scabellum pedum Domini mei, quia Psalmus mihi dicit, Adorate Scabellum pedum eius. Quaero quid sit Scabellum pedum eius, & dicit mihi Scriptura, Terra scabellum pedum meorum: fluctuans converto me ad Christum, quia ipsum quaero hic, & invenio, quomodò sine impietate adoretur terra; sine impietate adoretur scabellum pedum eius: Suscepit enim de terra terram; quia caro de terraest, & de carne Mariae carnem accepit: Et quia in ipsa carne hic ambulavit; & ipsam carnem nobis manducandam ad salutem dedit: nemo autem illam carnem manducat, nisi priùs adoraverit, inventum est, quemadmodum adoretur tale scabellum pedum Domini, & non solùm non peccamus adorando, sed peccamus non adorando: I become doubtful, I fear to adore the earth, lest he condemn me that made the earth: Again, I fear, not to adore the footstool of my Lord, because the Psalm saith to me, Adore his footstool. I question what is his foot stool; and the Scripture saith to me, that the earth is his footstool: wavering, I turn myself to Christ, because I seek him hear, and I find how the earth may be worshipped, without impiety, and his footstool may be adored without impiety: For he took earth of earth, for flesh is of the earth; and he took flesh of the flesh of the Virgin. And because he walked here in the flesh, and gave that flesh to be eaten by us to our salvation; and no man eateth that flesh, unless he first have adored, it is found out how such a footstool of the Lord may be adored, and we shall not only not sin in adoring, but sin in not Adoring.  
In these words S. Augustine speaketh of the receiving of the Sacrament; and he saith in effect, that the custom, and gesture was universal over all the world. Nemo manducat, no man eateth that flesh, but first he Adoreth: not the Sacrament, but the flesh of the Son of God, which without reason, our Adversaries wrest to the Adoration of the Sacrament. But this must not be omitted, that S. Augustine saith, That it was so far from sin to Adore the flesh of Christ, that it was sin not to Adore it: so the omission of this Adoration, or kneeling is a sin in S. Augustine's judgement. And S. Augustine speaketh generally of all Adoration, spiritual, and corporal, external, and internal, for else we may deny spiritual Adoration, as well as external in the receiving of the Eucharist: and that this Author doth acknowledge; and then I marvel he can deny corporal, where he granteth spiritual.  
For why? May we worship, and adore God at the receiving of the Eucharist, with our hearts, and refuse to worship him with our bodies, and our knees? If we give him our hearts and spirits, shall we deny him any thing that the heart, and spirit doth command? Shall we give him the greater, and better part of ourself, (our Soul) and deny him the less, the bowing of the knee? So, S. Augustine speaking of Adoration in the solemn, and complete worship of God, must be understood of inward, and outward Adoration, when both may be given. Besides, it is a frivolous exception that this man maketh; that what S. Augustine speaketh of the flesh of Christ, must be understood spiritually: Spiritualitèr intelligite quod locutus sum, understand that spiritually which I have spoken; for he particularly speaketh it of the flesh of Christ. Non hoc corpus quod videtis, manducaturi estis; You shall not eat this body which you see, nor drink that Blood which the Crucifiers shall shed; I have commended unto you a certain Sacrament, being spiritually understood, it shall quicken you, or give life; and though it be necessary to celebrate it visibly, yet notwithstanding it must be invisibly understood. So S. Augustine saith, that those words of the flesh of Christ, must be spiritually understood; the flesh, that is the fleshly understanding profiteth nothing: but though the flesh be understood spiritually, yet there is no syllable, that the Adoration should be only spiritual. And because I will not trouble myself with this man's dotage, it is his own word, that Adoration must not always mean kneeling, no more than the name Man, doth signify Socrates: Let him give me a reason, why Adoration should not signify both inward devotion and outward bowing, and kneeling, always, except some circumstance, or necessity do restrain it only to inward worship, when both inward and outward may, and aught to be tendered.  
But S. Augustine's Text is plain, for external bowing, and kneeling: Ideo & ad terram quamlibet cum te inclinas et prosternis: Therefore when thou dost incline, or bow down, or cast down thyself to the earth, behold it not as earth, but as that holy one, whose footstool thou adorest, for him thou adorest. So S. Augustine speaks of such adoration, wherein there is inclining, bowing down or kneeling: and therefore this gesture of kneeling was the universal custom of the Communicants in S. Augustine's time. I pass that over, that S. Augustine doth call this Sacrament, honorandum, honourable, as you may see in his 118. Epistle, ad januarium. c. 3. Only see wherein he (yea, S. Paul in his judgement) placeth the abuse of the Sacrament; Apostolus indignè dicit acceptum ab eyes, qui hoc non discernebant à caeteris cibis veneratione singulariter debitâ: The Apostle saith, that it was unworthily received of them, who distinguished it not from other meats, by yielding 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, ut quae illa sunt, quae creduntur: The mystical signs after sanctification, do not departed from their nature, for they remain in their former substance (there the substance of bread and wine remains in the Sacrament) and figure, and form, and may be seen and touched, as before; but they are understood to be those things, which they are made, and are believed, and adored, as being those things which they are believed. So in Theodoret's time there was adoration at the receiving of the Eucharist, and that external: for creduntur, they are believed, implies the inward (as this Author would make S. Augustine to speak) and then Adorantur, must extend to the outward, which doth consist in the bowing, prostration and kneeling of the body.  
Again, Dialogo 3. answering how a body might procure our salvation, he saith, Not the body of a man alone; but of our Lord jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God. And if that seem 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 dost thou esteem the type and figure of him to be venerable & salutiferous? for how is the Archtypal exemplar, vile, and to be despised, whose type is to be adored and worshipped? Here it is clear, that there was veneration, and adoration of Christ in the receiving of the Sacrament; the very elements are sacred, and dreadful after consecration; then Adoration is not due to them, being creatures; but to Christ, whose flesh is the type, and covering or vail of his Deity.  
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 unusquisque nostrum, nisinon sum dignus ut intres sub tectum; non sum dignus ut corpus & sanguinem tuum suscipiam in ore meo? when we come unto Christ's Sacrament, and consider our own frailty, what else doth every one of us say, but this; I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof, I am not worthy to receive thy body and blood in my mouth? He speaks not plainly for kneeling; but the opinion of the ancient is, that this Centurion, Provolutus adpedes Domini, fell down, or kneeled at Christ's feet, and then he meant this acknowledgement to be with kneeling. And, sure I am, this testimony confounds this man, that denies any humility to be used in receiving the Eucharist: for his confession of his unworthiness argues his humility, and his humility is the first link, or mover of kneeling: so he that requires inward humility of soul, may well be understood of outward humiliation of body, in the public, solemn and highest act of God's 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, usque quò or atio Dominica dicatur, & benedictio populo detur, humiliato corpore, & compuncto cord se debet in Ecclesia continere: He that will celebrate the whole Mass (or Liturgy) with the gain of his own soul, aught to contain himself in the Church, with an humbled body, (that's kneeling) and a contrite heart, until the Lords prayer be said, and the blessing be given to the people. And he spends almost an whole Homily, the 34. of this title, De genibus flectendis in oratione, vel de verbis otiosis: in which he persuades, that while they pray at the Altar, or the Deacon calls on them to pray, they should bend, not only their hearts, but also their bodies faithfully; and then he makes an observation, that when the Deacon calls, flectamus genua: let us kneel: he marked most of the people, erectos sicut columnas stare, to stand upright like pillars: and therefore those words, flectamus genua, are very ancient, since it is remembered by him as a thing received in use, & not newly brought into the Church: of which he saith, Obedientibus in remedium, inobedientibus in testimonium: it is a remedy to the obedient, and a testimony to the disobedient. After, he saith, The Publican by his humility, obtained mercy of God, that lifted not up his eyes to heaven, but hanging, or inclining down his head, smote his breast. Again, he doth not believe his sin to be heavy, who doth not prostrate, and kneeling, seek the cure of his soul. Again, he saith, I would know of them that will not kneel, nor incline their heads; if they should sue for any needful thing of the judge, or any potent person, whether they would supplicate stantes, standing, and holding their hands upright. We ask temporal things of earthly men, and we incline and bow ourselves humbly, even almost to the earth: and we ask remission of sins, and eternal rest of God, and vouchsafe not to bow and incline our heads.  
Again, did our Saviour want nothing for which he should supplicate in this sort? he wanted nothing, but he prepared for us, 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? Mercy prayed (kneeling,) and shall not misery? charity prayeth, and is not iniquity humbled? the Physician lay prostrate upon the earth, and doth not the sick man bow? innocency prayeth, and doth not guiltiness pray? He that sinned not, neither was there guile found in his mouth, prayeth; and doth not he cast himself on the earth, that is obnoxious to many sins? the judge prayeth, and desires to spare, and doth not the guilty person pray, that he may obtain pardon? Orat qui judicaturus, et orare dissimulat iudicandus? he that is to give judgement prayeth, & doth he that is to be judged dissemble to pray? And after, he compareth the Church to a living spiritual fountain of living water, and no man can drink of an earthly spring, unless he stoop or bow down; and no man can drink of Christ, the living fountain, and the River of the holy Ghost, unless he will incline in all humility. I omit many other things, which the Reader shall there find; and the Homily is worth the reading.  
The 13. is, Eligius Noviomensis: Homil. 15. Quocirca cum timore, & compunctione mentis omnique reverentia debemus accedere ad altar, & ad mensam corporis, & sanguinis Christi, & dicere humilitèr cum Centurion, Domine, non sum dignus ut intres sub tectum meum: Wherefore we ought to come to the Altar and Table of the Body and Blood of Christ, with fear and compunction of heart, and all reverence (than of body, and soul) and say humbly with the Centurion, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof.  
The 14. is venerable Beda: in 1. joan. 1. upon those words; And the Blood of Christ purgeth us from all sin. Humiliter quotidie nostros confitemur errores, cumsanguinis illius Sacrament a percipimus: We do humbly confess our errors to him daily, when we receive 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 us come with all fear, and a pure conscience, and faith without doubting, and altogether it shall be done to us as we believe, not doubting, and let us worship him with all pureness of mind and body. Here is express veneration, and worshipping in the receiving of the Sacrament, and worship of body, as well as soul, and therefore Kneeling.  
The 16. is Albinius Flaccus Alcuinus, de divinis officijs: He first showeth that it was received in the Liturgy, or the Mass, that the Priest saith, Oremus, Let us pray: and the Deacon calleth, Flectamus genua, Let us kneel. And a little before he saith, Pro periculis huius vitae, & pro haereticis, & per omnes alias orationes genua flectimus, ut per hunc habitum corporis, mentis humilitatem attendamus, excepto quando pro perfidis judaeis oramus: for the perils of this life, and for Heretics and Pagans; and in all other our Prayers we kneel, (and this was on Easter day) that by this habit of the body, we may attend the humility of the mind, except it be when we pray for the perfidious jews. And he giveth his reason: For they bowed their knee to our Saviour, doing a good work ill, because they did it mocking him: we, to demonstrate, that we ought to avoid those works that are done in dissimulation, avoid kneeling for the jews.  
And after, Licèt omni tempore peccatores nos esse ex cord cognoscere debeamus; tunc quàm maximè confitendum est, cum illo sacro mysterio celebratur remissionis gratia, & indulgentiapeccatorum, & cum humilitate, & cordis contritione dicendum, etc. Although we ought at all times to acknowledge from the heart, ourselves to be sinners; yet it must be most confessed, when in that sacred mystery the grace of remission, and indulgence of sins is celebrated, etc. Lay these two places together, and it will be most manifest, that kneeling was used. For in the former place he saith, in all other our prayers we kneel; here he saith, tunc quàm maximè, then chief, when we pray for remission of sins: that is in the Eucharist, with humility and contrition: therefore kneeling was then in use, both at all prayers, and in this Sacrament, and that in the very day of the Resurrection itself.  
The 17. is Haimo. in 1. Cor. 11. Cumtimore & compunctione cordis omnique reverentia debemus accedere, recolentes quanto amore dilexit nos, qui pro nobis seipsum obtulit, ut nos redimeret: as often as we come to consecrate or receive this Sacrament, of his eternal gift, which the Lord before his Passion, left to be held by us in his memory, we must come with fear and compunction of heart, and all reverence, (if all, then of body as well as of soul, and so of kneeling, because that, of all other, is most reverent,) meditating with how great love he loved us, who gave himself for us to redeem us. And after, Cum timore & tremore debemus accedere ad illud Sacramentum terribile; ut sciat mens reverentiam se debere praestare ei, ad cuius corpus sumendum accedit: We ought to come with fear, and trembling to that terrible Sacrament, that the soul may know, that she ought to perform reverence to him, whose body she cometh to receive.  
The 18 is joannes Climacus, who is said to live in the six hundredth year: 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 unà & benedicere & maledicere? If those foul, and wicked words are mine, how is it that receiving the heavenly gift, I adore? how can I at once both bless, and curse? 
Lib. 1. cap. 117.   
The 19 is Honorius; if he be the Author of that Book called Gemma animae, extant in Bib. SS. P. De divinis officijs: In Quadragessima ideò in Missa, (Flectamus genua) dicimus, quia corpus, & animam in paenitentia humiliare innuimus, etc. In Lent therefore we say in the Mass (Let us kneel,) because we show that we humble our souls and bodies in repentance. Whereof he giveth three Reasons; 1. because we adore Christ in the flesh; 2. because we call to mind that we, that stood in Paradise with the Angels, do now lie on the ground with the beasts; 3. because he that standeth, is equal to other men that stand in their righteousness, as reasonable creatures: but after our fall into fleshly desires, we lye in the dirt with the beasts, as unreasonable. And he deriveth this gesture from Abraham, and the Prophets, and the Apostle, that said, I bow my knees to the Lord.  
The 20. is Algerus: he lived about an hundred years 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, & utilitas: Cum ergo exteriùs nulla sint, quibus tanta impenduntur obsequia; aut insensati sumus, aut ad intima mittimur magnae salutis mysteria: The venerable sedulity of so many men assisting or adoring, might seem vain, if the truth, and utility of the Sacrament itself, were not believed to be much greater than is seen. Seeing therefore outwardly they seem nothing, to which so great duties of worship are given, either we are insensible, or else we are sent to the secret mysteries of the great Salvation.  
I will not descend any lower, 
Authen. Coll. 8. de Nauti. usur. Novel. 109.  nor trouble the Reader with any other testimonies: only I take it, there is a Civil Constitution in the authentics, against women's Dowries, that shall not hold the Orthodox faith, Nec percipientes sacrosanctam & adorabilem Communionem, nor receive the holy, and adorable Communion: which penalty of losing of Dowries, and portions, if it were in force among us, we should peradventure have fewer stiffekneed sisters, that are forcible Otors, to draw many to the present irreverence, that is used in the worship of God, and the celebration of the Sacraments.  
By these it is manifest enough, that Kneeling at the Sacrament, was in use in the second hundred years after Christ, and so continued unto Honorius Decree: and that may be the reason that he made no mention of the receiving of the Sacrament, but only of the elevation of it. And this I hope may satisfy any reasonable man, that regardeth the practice of the Church militant, and believeth the Fathers, if not as Doctors, that teach Quid faciendum, what ought to be done; yet as Historians, that truly relate Quid factum, what was done in their times.  
And if it were received as a custom in the Church, in the second hundred years; why may we not ascend to the first, and so to the Apostolical 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 custom, though we may perchance find the first writer of it? And then the rule is, If it be a custom of the Primitive Church, the founder and Author whereof is unknown; referendum est ad Apostolos, it must be ascribed to the Apostles that used it in their times: And so it may well be concluded, that it was not a late Antichrist, but the Spirit of Christ in the Apostles and Apostolical men, that first brought kneeling into the worship of God in the receiving of the Eucharist: For if the beginning and use were good; the abuse, which is pretended for the abolishing of it, because it was turned to Idolatry, must be reform and brought to the first institution: as the Church of England hath done, which kneels to God and Christ at the taking of this Sacrament, though we utterly detest the gross superstition of those, that do adore the Elements and species themselves, if any be found so palpably blind: for the learned among them do disclaim this point in their booke-learning, whatsoever their practice be.  
Now hear, 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 provoketh him that suffers the injury to pardon, and him that doth the injury it leadeth naturally to tears. For there is a certain Sympathy, inter oculos & genua, between the eyes, and knees: for, as they say that are skilful in the nature of things, the child in the mother's womb, oculos habet genibus superpositos: hath his eyes placed over his knees; and thence some think, that genua, the knees, are called, à genis, of the cheeks that are over them, therefore the eyes naturally break out into tears when we kneel, as answering by a natural affection tanquam collectaneis suis, as it were to those with whom they were nourished.  
But I will not say what it may be in man: sure I am, if the Emperor Marcus his narration be true, when he and his Army were in distress for want of water, and he had called the Christians in his Army, to pray to their God to supply their extreme necessity, the Christians presently Proijcientes see in terram, casting themselves on the earth, fell to their prayers: and as soon as they had fallen to the earth, and called on God by prayer, the Lord sent rain from heaven, that saved the Emperor and all his Army: there kneeling procured a most gracious rain: and so no doubt, but it is powerful to draw down all God's graces upon us.  
I conclude with S. Augustine, De cura pro mortuis, cap. 5. Name & orantes de membris sui corporis faciunt, quod supplicantibus congruit, cum genua figunt, cum extendunt manus, vel etiam prosternuntur Solo, & si quid aliud visibiliter faciunt, quamuis corum invisibilis voluntas, & cordis intentio Deo nota sit, nec ille indigeat his indicijs, ut humanus eipandatur animus, said his magis seipsum excitat homo, ad orandum gemendumque humiliùs atque ferrentiùs: & nescio quomodo, cum hi motus corporis fieri, nisi motu animi praecedente non possunt, eisdemque rursus exteriùs visibilitèr factis, ille interior invisibilis, qui eos fecit, augetur; ac per hoc, cordis affectus, qui ut fierent istapraecessit, quia facta sunt, crescit: For they that pray, of the members of their body do that which agreeth with suppliants, when they kneel, when they lift up their hands, or when they prostrate themselves on the earth, or if they do any other thing visible, although their invisible will, and intention of their heart be known to God, and he needeth not any of these signs, that man's mind may be laid open before him; but by these (gestures) man doth excite himself to pray, and sigh more humbly and more fervently. And I know not how (it cometh to pass) when these motions of the body cannot be performed, unless the motion of the mind go before them; yet again by these external gestures visibly done, the internal invisible intention which stirreth them, is increased, and by these the affection of the heart, which preceded, that these (gestures) might be performed, doth increase, because these are performed.   

Ratio 6. Praxis Ecclesiae Triumphantis.  
THe sixth Reason is, Praxis Ecclesiae Triumphantis: the practice of the Triumphant Church in heaven; and this admitteth no refusal: for heavenly things are the exemplars and patterns, to which earthly things must be conformed. Is there a Tabernacle to be made on earth? must not the model thereof be taken from heaven? Secundùm formam in monte; 
Exod. 25.40.26.30.  thou shalt make it according to the form showed thee in the Mount. Is there a form of life to be prescribed to men on earth? Is it not to be guided by the rule of heaven? 
Matth 6.10.  Thy will be done, Sicut in coelo, sic in terra, In earth as it is in heaven; the obedience of earth, must be squared by the line of heaven: and then, though our bodies be on earth, yet our conversation is in heaven. 
Phil. 3.20.  The earth is the prison, or place of man's banishment; the outhouse, and suburbs, in comparison of heaven, the City, and palace of the great King. The earth is the place of Pilgrimage, and the valley of misery; and heaven is the Country of rest, and eternal felicity. In earth all things are unperfect, and only inchoate: in heaven all things are consummate and in absolute perfection. Man's ambition by the subtlety of the Serpent, 
Gen 3.5.  was Eritis sicut Dij: you shall be as gods: but man's greatest exaltation after his fall is, Eritis sicut Angeli, you shall be as the Angels. And if it be true, that the Church-government, the nearer it cometh to the Hierarchy of heaven, the more perfect, and absolute it is; it will also be true, that the nearer the worship, and Adoration of the Church militant resembleth the exact, and absolute pattern of the Triumphant Church's worship in heaven; the more pleasing and acceptable to God it must needs be. For surely this Sicut in coelo, reacheth principally to the worship of God: So that this is an undeniable proposition which must necessarily be granted: 

Such, as is the Adoration and gesture of the Saints, in the worship of God, and of the Lamb, at the supper of the Lamb in Heaven: such must be the Adoration & gesture of the Saints in earth, in the worship of God, at the Supper of the Lamb on earth.  
But the Saints in the worship of God, and of the Lamb, do use the Adoration of falling down and kneeling, at the Supper of the Lamb in Heaven.  
Therefore the Saints must use the Adoration of falling down, or kneeling, in the worship of God, at the Supper of the Lamb on earth.    
For that there is a Supper in via, in the way, there can be no doubt to him, that readeth Christ's words, 
Luke 14.16.  A certain man made a great Supper, and bade many. And that there is a Supper in patria, in the Country and kingdom of Heaven; there can be no doubt, to him that believeth S. john, 
Apoc. 19.9.  that pronounceth them blessed, that are called to the Supper of the Lamb. The first Supper is sub Sacramentis, under Sacraments: for so long as we live here in this vale of misery, and our soul is clad about with sinful flesh, we have need of Elements, which God hath ordained to convey his graces to us; and because we cannot see, but as in a glass, or dark speaking, all veils are not taken from us. But when we shall see, as we are seen, face to face, we shall be admitted to that Supper, which is sine Sacramentis, without all Sacraments: and as we shall be sicut Angeli, as the Angels of God, so we shall be fed, sicut Angeli, as the Angels of God, without the means of any creature, or Element at all.  
Now, if they at the marriage Supper of the Lamb consummate in Heaven, do bow down and kneel, much more must we, that are only admitted to the marriage Supper, that is the contract and espousals, that is made by the holy Spirit, in the Church militant in earth, bow and kneel. And so much the rather, because the blessed Saints that bow and kneel in Heaven, do only make Confessionem Laudis, confession of praise, and give glory and honour to God, in sign of their joy, which is so absolute, that all tears are wiped from their eyes. And therefore the Saints on earth that make Confessionem peccatorum & miseriae, confession of their sins and miseries, in token of their sorrow and contrition, ought much more to bow down, and kneel, to pacify the anger of God.  
Now that the Saints in heaven do bow down, or fall on the ground and kneel, when they worship (in body if their bodies be there, or else in soul and spirit) and adore God, and sing praise to him tha● sitteth on the Throne; it is apparent in many places in the Revelation of S. joh. Cap. 4.10. The four and twenty Elders fall down before him that sat upon the Throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their Crowns before the Throne. And cap. 5, 8. the four and twenty Elders fell down before the Lamb: and ver. 14. the four and twenty Elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever. And C. 7. ver. 9 having put a certain number for an uncertain, twelve thousand of every one of the twelve Tribes: A great number clothed in white robes, and Palms in their hands, cried, Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the Angels stood round about the Throne, and about the Elders, and the four beasts; and fell before the Throne on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever, Amen. And that these are Saints in glory, appeareth after, ver. 14. These are they that come out of great tribulations, and have washed their Robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb: therefore are they before the Throne of God, and serve 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 Sun light on them, nor any heat; For the Lamb which is in the midst of them shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.  
Now these are the Endowments of another life; we are in great tribulation, as long as we are in this life; these came out of great tribulation: we do now wash ourselves in the blood of the Lamb, and while we live we cannot get out all the spots of sin and lust; these have washed their Robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. This life is, Esuries & sitis justitiae: the hunger and thirst of righteousness; the life to come, hath no hunger nor thirst, because they live at the well head, and sea of all goodness; and their cup doth always overflow. I omit other circumstances: for these prove sufficiently, that the Saints which the Apostle describeth, are Possessors in the Kingdom of glory, not travelers in the way of grace. And the Text saith, 
Verse 17.  The Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne, shall feed 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 give to God, it is said, that the Angels, and the Elders, 
Cap. 7.7.11.  and the beasts did fall down before the Throne on their faces, and worship God: So in heaven there is no worship without prostration and kneeling.  
In like sort, the twenty four Elders, which sat 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 judged, the four and twenty Elders, & the four beasts fell down and worshipped God, that sat 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 Lamb. So at the marriage Supper of the Lamb, there is falling down, or prostration and kneeling.  
If all this worship be given to God, that sitteth on the Throne, and to the Lamb, by the Angels, and Elders, and Beasts, and Saints, when they worship God, and are feasted at the Supper of the Lamb, in glory in heaven; why should not their practice be a warrant to the Saints in earth, to use like falling down, or kneeling, in the worship of God, at the feast of the Lamb in grace, on earth? since the practice of the Church Triumphant may well be received as a pattern, and guide by the Church militant, whose example so long as she followeth, she can never err; whose imitation is her readiest way to perfection?  
If any shall reply, that this is not the practice of the Church Triumphant, which S. john describeth in the Revel. but rather, that under the name of the Church Triumphant in heaven, 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 be understood of the Church Militant in earth, but only of the Triumphant Church in heaven; as in part appeareth before; yet I will not greatly contend with him, that shall gainsay in this point.  
For suppose St. john, under the name of the Throne, and the Angels, and beasts, and Elders, and heaven, do only understand the Kingdom of heaven, and the Throne of Christ in the Kingdom 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 Lamb, be the feeding by the Sacrament of the Eucharist, which is the supper of the Lamb 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 receiving of this supper there must be prostration, falling down, and kneeling. And if Saint john saw this; then in Saint john's time kneeling was the received gesture of Communicants at the Supper of the Lamb. So whether Saint john spoke 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 necessity of our imitation: if it be done in heaven, it must be imitated on earth; if it be done in confession of glory, it must much more be done in confession of sin: if it be done in the sacrifice of praise, it must much more be done in the sacrifice of contrition, and prayer: if they that have no want, nor no imperfection, do thus fall down and kneel, how much more must they cast down themselves in all humility, that abound in nothing, but only in wants and imperfections, whose greatest perfection is Agnitio imperfectionis, the acknowledgement of their imperfections: and whose greatest glory is the ingenuous confession of their own unworthiness.  
And surely Saint john, 
Apoc. 9.10.22.8.  that wrote this Revelation, is twice reproved by the Angel, because he would have given divine worship to the Angel: but the faul● 〈◊〉 in obiecto, not in modo adorationis: in the object of his adoration: For he would have given that to the Angel, which was peculiar only to God; but it was not in the manner of his adoration: he fell at his feet and worshipped him: divine worship must have falling down, or prostration, or kneeling, but divine worship may not be given to any Angel or Saint, or Sacred, or consecrated Creature; but only to God, to whom only it is due.  
The sum therefore of this reason is short, and punctual: The Church Triumphant worshippeth and feasteth at the lambs Supper, with prostration or kneeling: Therefore the Church Militant, that must learn of the Church Triumphant, must worship with prostration or kneeling, at the feast of the Supper of the Lamb. For the earth must learn of heaven: and he that refuseth such guides, as the Saints in heaven, in the worship of God; it is to be feared that he is turned over to worse Tutors on earth: and unless he repent, and return to the right way, and follow their footsteps that are gone to heaven before him; he will hardly attain to the great City, whereof they are admitted as Citizens and Saints: And sure I am, the very Habendum and Tenendum: the having, and holding, the right, and possession of our inheritance, is, as Christ said: Vade & fac similiter; 
Luc. 10.37.  go, and do thou likewise. They kneeled, and prostrated themselves, when they adored God; and were admitted to the feast of the Lamb on earth; they do so, as S. john saith, now in heaven; and they that rest from all their labours, rest not from this labour, of Adoration, and prostration; and we must follow them in the way, that we may be crowned with them at the end of the way, in the Kingdom of glory.  
I Come now to the reasons for sitting, for the Authorities are for standing. Now before I come to handle them in particular, give me leave to strike at the root of them all in general; and that is in short, Pride, and Presumption. You will marvel much, that I should say, the Foundation of all these Reasons is, Presumption, and Pride: and I cannot but marvel at it myself; but I must much more marvel at the Author of these Reasons; that bearing the name of a Christian, and perchance a Minister, he should give me cause to say as I do: For I know no mean or medium in Theological contraries: when we come to the Lords Table, either we must be humble, or else we must be presumptuous, and proud: 
Luk. 11.23.  He that is not with me is against me, saith our Saviour, and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth. Either a good man, or a bad man; either faithful, or unfaithful; either a good servant, or a bad servant; either borne of God, and the child of God, or borne of the devil, and the child of the devil: either we do righteousness, or we do unrighteousness; either we love the Brethren, or we love not the Brethren; either a good tree, and good fruit; or a bad tree, and bad fruit. And although a good tree cannot but bear good fruit, and a bad tree cannot but bear bad fruit; yet, Mala arbour fieri potest bona; a bad tree may be made a good tree: and the change must be first in radice, and then in fructu: first in the Root, we must be grafted into Christ; and than it will follow in the fruit. Yet in all these there is no mean; there is none to be found, but either he is good or bad: so there is none that comes to the Lords Table, but either he is humble, and comes in humility with the Publican, or else he is presumptuous, 
Luk. 18.10.  and comes in pride with the Pharisee.  
Now, that I may not be accused to mistake this Author, I will relate his words: Kneeling is not only disagreeable with the joyful 
Pag. 85.  carriage, which in the judgement of the said Fathers, the solemnizing of the Lords day requireth throughout every part of Divine Service, but also repugnant in particular, to the person sustained by each Communicant, and to the nature, and intendment of the Lords Supper. The Lord's Supper being a Sacrament; not of humbling ourselves after the manner and guise of suppliants, and penitentiaries; but of spiritual feasting and rejoicing on our parts, not only for the Lords Resurrection, and our own, in his person, but for all other favours and dignities, purchased for us by his death. And Pag. 84. Kneeling, which is a gesture of humiliation, and of him that bewrayeth his sins, and submissively sueth for the pardon of them, is altogether unsuitable, and repugnant to rejoicing and cheerfulness, etc.  
Good God, Is there any action of a Christian, that may be done without humility? May man, that is but dust and ashes, present himself at any time, in God's sight, without humility? That is, with Pride: for these admit no mean; either humble, or proud. May we have the affection of humility, and not have the gesture of humility? Did not the Fathers that stood at their Prayers in honour of Christ's Resurrection, stand in all humility? surely they stood in confidence of God's grace, and in hope of their own Resurrection; but they stood in all humility, because they could not forget their own frailty, confident in God, but humble in themselves.  
So the Fathers that laid down the gesture of humility, for a particular Reason, did never lay down the affection of humility; because that is against all reason, to cease to be humble, when Christ said, Discite ex me, quia humilis, Learn of me, to be humble, and meek: learn of me, not to create the world, not to redeem the world: not to feed five thousand with five loaves, nor to feed the whole world with a few seeds; not to raise from the dead, nor to keep men that they die not, by curing all diseases: but learn of me to be humble, and meek.  
And may it suffice to be humble in confession of sin, and supplicating for pardon? or will it suffice to be humble in ask petitions, for supply of wants, and not be humble in giving of thanks? will it suffice to be humble in the Examination of ourselves, and preparing ourselves before we come to the Lords Table: and at the very coming, & receiving, to cease to be humble, and take state upon us? Did we by our humility attain to be in a measure fit, and worthy for those great mysteries, that so we may lay down humility, and come Pompaticè, & gloriosè, 
Cyprian. de Caena Domin.  pompously, and gloriously, as if we were haile-felow, and equal with God? No: It was humility that prepared us to come to the Lords Table; and it must be humility that presenteth us at the Lords Table. And, Eadem sunt principia constitutionis, & conseruationis; Humility was the first principle of Constitution, to make us Christians: and humility must be the same principle of conservation, to keep us Christians: and when we leave humility, we leave to be Christians: for humility is Proprium quarto modo: no Christian without humility: And therefore Christ saying indefinitely, Learn of me, for I am humble and meek, saith universally, because humility is necessary to Christianity; Learn of me to be humble in all actions of Christianity.  
Christ saith not, Learn of me to be humble in the way, and to be proud, and presumptuous in the end of the way: he saith not, Learn of me to be humble in confession of sin, and then to be proud in confession of praise: he saith not, Learn of me to be humble in your private prayers, and be proud at your prayers in the Temple, and corners of the streets: he saith not, Be humble, and come by weeping Cross in your preparation to the Eucharist, and then be proud, and presumptuous at the Eucharist, as if you were equal with Christ, coheirs with Christ, and owed him no reverence at his Table: No, the Lesson is Catholic and universal: Be humble in all actions, and duties of Christianity.  
And surely this Man never learned this Lesson of the Fathers, but doth indeed father his untruth upon them: For they never discerned kneeling, the gesture of humility, to be unsuitable, and repugnant with rejoicing and cheerfulness: their standing at Prayer was as full of humility, as of joy, and cheerfulness; and they well knew, that rejoicing was joined with reverence, As it is in the 2. Psalm, Exultate cum tremore, so they read it, Rejoice to him with trembling. They knew, Abraham that feasted the Angels, or the Son of God, did adore them; And yet his feast was not without joy.. And had this man read, and observed the Fathers well, he should have found, that they never thought humility itself, or the gesture of humility, to be unsuitable, and repugnant to the joy of Communicants.  
S. Cyprian saith, that we must come, Cum lachrymis nectareis, & suspirijs contemplationis; with tears, sweeter than Nectar, and sighs of contemplation: Fletibusse abluendo, lachrymis se baptizando, washing and baptizing ourselves with tears. chrysostom saith, we must come, Cum timore & tremore, & horrescendo, with fear, and trembling, and a certain horror. Ambrose saith, Cum cordis contritione & lachrymarum font, with contrition of heart, and a fountain of tears: with a devout heart, with fear, with reverence and trembling, with chastity of body, and purity of soul. 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 speak. We must come confessing ourselves to be sinners, with fear, and a pure conscience, with fear and compunction of heart, with humbled bodies, and contrite souls, with due reverence and vigilancy; 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 prove sufficiently, that the Fathers no way thought the gesture of humility, to be altogether unsuitable or repugnant, to the joy and cheerfulness of the guests at the Lords Table. They knew well enough, that this is a Sacrament of humbling ourselves, after the guise and manner of suppliants, and penitentiaries, though it were a spiritual Feast, and rejoicing. For the more humble we are in soul and body, when we come to this Feast, the more joy we shall have in ourselves: joy in the Feast of God, and the participation of the Body, and Blood of Christ, and an increase of joy, because we have increased our sorrow, and contrition for our sins past, and sent up our sighs, and tears to procure our pardon, and acceptation of ourselves, our souls, and bodies, to be living Sacrifices, holy, and acceptable to him, which is our reasonable service of him; and the greater was our sorrow, the greater is our joy, for the treasure that is sought in sorrow, is found with joy: 
Matth. 13.44.  and the blessed Virgin, & joseph that sought jesus, sorrowing, found him with joy in the Temple. 
Luke 2.48.   
But why do I trouble myself, and the Reader, with this un-christian doctrine, that excludeth all humility of soul, and humiliation of body, from the Feast of the Lords Supper? Surely I make this one use of it; that I presume, if the words of this Author were well observed, by all his absurd favourers, and followers, they would renounce that profane or civil gesture of sitting, which dasheth out one of the most glorious and eminent virtues of Christianity, that is Humility, out of the greatest, and principal part of God's 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 upon 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 down and worship him; Tusedebis? wilt thou sit, as if thou thoughtest thyself equal to God? Cast down thyself then, O thou miserable soul, at the feet of jesus, 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 heaven, in earth, and under the earth; and know, that all Christian virtues without humility, can never make up the wedding garment, without which thou shalt never be suffered to abide at the marriage Feast, but be cast out into outward darkness, where is weeping and gnashing of teeth.  
Now the first Reason is Ius cohaeredis, Ratio 1 the right of a coheir: we are Sons, not servants: and not younger Brethren, but heirs; and heirs of God, not of man; and coheirs, or joint heirs with Christ: and heirs must take their place, and right upon them, and sit as coheirs with Christ. But this man had forgotten the Text: 
Gal. 4.1.2.  The heir so long as he is a child differeth nothing from a servant, but is sub Tutoribus, under Tutors and governors, until the time appointed of the Father. Surely, though we have put off the beggarly rudiments of the world, and be Sons of grace, and no servants of the world; and have put away disciplinam naturae & legis, the discipline of nature, and Moses Law, and the discipline of servitude and fear: yet we have not put away Disciplinam evangelii & charitatis, the discipline of the Gospel of charity. Christians are under the discipline of charity, as well as jews were under the discipline of the Law: and we have Tutors and governors in the Gospel, as well as they had in Nature, & in the Law: And so, as we are the sons of God, so also we are the servants of God: not servi timoris, but servi charitatis, 
Rom. 6.18.  & servi justitiae, not servants by fear, but servants by love, and servants of righteousness, and bound to the Laws of Love, and the Laws of Children; And then, as children, when they ask a blessing of their fathers, they kneel; so we, when we ask pardon, or grace, and chief when we ask the greatest grace, that is Christ, in the Eucharist, we must kneel.  
And suppose we be Cohaeredes, coheirs, joint-heires, or heirs annexed with Christ, yet we are not aquales, equals to Christ, that we should sit with him: for our part cometh far short of Christ's part. Doth this Author think, that we are equal to Christ in grace, when he received the Spirit without measure, 
Psalm. 45 8.  Praeconsortibus, and Pro consortibus: above, and for his fellows; and we in a scant measure? or shall we be equal to him in glory, who sitteth at the right hand of God?  
Besides, Christ, Quà homo, is Cibus: as man, he is the meat of this Feast; and Quà Deus, as God, he is the maker of the Feast: and though there may be some colour of equality, Quà homo, as he is a man; yet, as God, there can be no equality, nor proportion at all. So, though we may be equal to the meat we receive, the flesh of Christ, yet we can never be equal to the Master of the Feast, that is, the Deity of Christ, and God himself. And therefore though our Coheireship may give us some boldness, in respect of Christ's humanity, yet our vileness, in respect of his Deity, should cast us down as low as the earth, when we think that dust and ashes, is admitted to the Lords Table.  
And the coheirs that we now speak of, are but coheirs inspe, in hope: but the coheirs in re, in deed, and in possession, the Saints and Angels in Heaven, that feed at the Supper of the Lamb without all Sacraments, they do fall down or kneel, and worship him, that sitteth upon the Throne, and the Lamb, & cast down their Crowns before the Throne. We have only Ius adrem, a right to our inheritance, but are out of possession; the Saints have Ius inre, right in the inheritance, that is right and possession also: and yet they kneel. So the Saints in glory are humble, and fall down or kneel, and worship: and the Saints in hope are proud, and sit; as if they were equal with God, to whose Table they are admitted.  
Besides, this Argument is drawn from the common place of all sects; that is Pride. Now consider whither it tends; for it trenches deep, and reaches almost to Arianism, to deny all worship to Christ. For the Proposition being general, will bear many Conclusions: 

We come to the Lords Table as coheirs with Christ.  
Ergo, we must not kneel nor humble ourselves to Christ.    
In like manner.  

We come to God's worship as coheirs with Christ.  
Ergo, We may not worship, or pray to Christ, he is but our Coheir.   
For if we may pray to him, and worship at all times, and in all places; then we may kneel to him at all times, and in all places; and so at the Lords Table. And if we give him inward devotion and worship, we cannot deny him outward Adoration, prostration, and kneeling: So the Argument either denieth all worship to Christ; or else granteth kneeling at the Eucharist.  
The second Reason is not worthy to be called a Reason; Ratio 2 for it is but a branch of the former. It is Certitudo Cohaeredum, the assurance of our Coheireship.  
Kneeling at the Eucharist crosseth our assurance of our Coheireship with Christ.  
Therefore we may not kneel at the Eucharist.  
And why doth Kneeling cross our assurance of our Coheireship with Christ? For my part I know nothing, that more crosseth the assurance of Coheireship with Christ, than Pride and an assurance without ground: And nothing doth more assure the soul of a Christian, in his inheritance in heaven, than this humility. For presumption and pride overthrows all Theological and Christian moral virtues, as appeareth in the Pharisee: and humility is Basis & fundamentum, the base, or foundation of all Christian virtues: and the deeper the foundation of humility is, (so it be joined with hope, and not with despair) the more strong and assured is the building, that reacheth up to heaven: so that this proposition is utterly false, That Kneeling, which is an Act of humility, doth weaken, or shake, or cross our assurance of Coheireship with Christ. For nothing doth more strengthen this assurance, than this inward humility, and devotion of the heart, testified by the outward gesture of the Kneeling, and prostration of the body.  
And no man can have any assurance of his Coheireship that cometh not duly prepared by repentance, and contrition, by prayer, and praise, all which are odious in the sight of God, if they be not joined with humility. For God hateth and abhorreth the prayer, and the thanks of the proud, and presumptuous, their sacrifices are abominable in his sight: 
1. Pet. 5.5.  he respecteth the humble, and resisteth the proud.  
Suppose judas did sit at the Lords supper, at the first institution: what assurance of Coheireship had he? The Fathers and Christians in the Primitive Church, as appeareth by the testimonies cited in the fift Reason; did adore, and kneel at the receiving of the Eucharist, what did their kneeling cross their assurance of Coheireship with Christ? Nay, did not their humility and kneeling increase their assurance? this false principle than must necessarily produce a false conclusion, like unto itself: For kneeling doth direct us, not to an apprehension of disfellowship, but rather of fellowship (if that be not too familiar) and unity with Christ.  
As for that profane word, 
Pag. 22.  that kneeling doth import subjection and disfellowship with Christ, and the person of a guest and Coheir doth import equaelitie and society with him; and therefore it is not to be used in the receiving of the Eucharist; it is a most odious speech, becoming a Pharisee, better than a Christian: for though we have fellowship with Christ, yet we shall never have equality with him, neither in this life, nor in the life to come: there may be equality in nature, as he is a man; but there can never be equality in the endowments, either of nature, grace, or glory. And if the words of the Prophet be true; 
Psal. 8.6.  Omnia subiecisti sub pedibus eius: 
1. Cor. 15.27.  thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet, how is it that they which profess themselves to be the Saints, 
Heb. 2.8.  the holy Brethren, and the kingdom of Christ, should deny subjection to him in any action of Christianity? 
Luc. 19.14.  Is not this to say, Nolumus hunc regnare super nos: we will not have this man to reign over us: we will do no act that shall import subjection, and disfellowship with him, to whom it is performed.  
He is our Brother and Coheir: and that is in effect to say; He is no more but our Brother and Coheir; that is, he is a man, and no more but a man: For if they did acknowledge him to be God, they would yield humility and subjection to his Deity, though they claimed Coheireship, and Fellowship with his humanity.  
So then the Reason is turned thus against them:  

It is the Son of God that feedeth us in the Eucharist with his flesh and blood.  
All worship and Adoration, and Kneeling is due unto the Son of God in sign of humility and subjection to him.  
Therefore all worship, Adoration, and kneeling, is due to him that feedeth us in the Eucharist with his flesh and blood in sign of humility and subjection to him.   
If any shall say, Because they have society with the Son of man, therefore they will not be subject to the Son of God; they are fit to be chastised with Lucifer, then confuted with Reason: and so I pass to the third Reason, which is as reasonless as the two former are.  
The third Reason is Prerogativa mensae & convivarum: Ratio 3 the Prerogatives, and liberties of a Table and a guest: his reason is this:  

Not to partake with Christ in the Liberties, and Prerogatives of a Table in the Eucharist is a sin. Kneeling in the Eucharist doth debar us from partaking with Christ in the Liberties and prerogatives of a Table.  
Therefore to kneel in the Eucharist is unlawful, and may not be performed without sin.   
All this Reason is drawn from the rules of Tables, and Feasts amongst men: wherein this man is as gross and carnal, as in the two former Reasons he was absurd, and smelled of Arianisme. A civil Symposiarch admits all his guests to sit with him at his Table; therefore all must sit with Christ at his Table. This is the force of this Argument; as if he should say: Christ is tied to the rule of ordinary Feast-makers, and must do as they do. It is a Table, and a Feast, and they are guests; and therefore all liberties, and prerogatives of a Table, and a Feast, and guests; and so sitting, equality, and society, without humility and subjection, is due unto them, as their liberty and prerogative.  
The word of the Apostle was never truer than in this case: 
1. Cor. 1.14.  Animalis homo non percipit ea quaesunt Dei: this carnal man understands not the things of God: For what greater ignorance can there be, than out of the fashion of Tables, and gestures of guests at Feasts amongst men, to gather a necessary Conclusion, That because the Lord hath a Table, and admits guests to that Table; therefore men may demean themselves with like gesture at God's Table, as they do at the feasts of men.  
But this man might have remembered that the Eucharist is as well called Sacrificium, and Cultus Dei, as Caena; a Sacrifice, and the worship of God, aswell as a Supper: and then Kneeling, and Prostration, and Adoration, are more fit gestures for sacrificers, and worshippers, then sitting is for guests at the Table of the Lord of all power and Majesty.  
And therefore as in S. 
1. Cor. 10.21. Heb. 13.10.  Paul there is Mensa Domini; the Table of the Lord. So there is, Habemus altar: we have an Altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the Tabernacle. And the word Altar in the Fathers, is more common than the word Table: so that as the name of Table may plead for sitting; so the name of Altar enforceth worship, and Sacrifice, and that implieth Adoration and Kneeling.  
But his grand error is, that he inferreth, that the gesture, used by guests at the feast, or table of a man, is, and must be essential at the Lords Table. For why? Suppose the greatest Monarch or King, should feast the meanest of his Subjects, and admit him to sit at his Table, is it an Argument à pari; to conclude therefore, We must sit at the Table of the Lord? why then will it not follow thus? The King suffers his subject to sit at his Table with him covered, or his Hat on, (for this is one of the liberties & prerogatives of a table, and used ordinarily at all great feasts) therefore we must come, and sit covered, or our Hats on our heads, at the Table of the Lord. But the true difference is this; The King and the Subject, though different instatu, in state; the one is to govern, as God's Viceroy; the other to be governed: and the King hath power of life and death over his Subject, according to justice and Law; yet they are equal in nature and condition; both men, created according to one stamp or Image, the Image of God; both borne by one way of generation; both living, and dying after one fashion; and the grave knows no difference between the ashes of the King, and his meanest vassal. And they are equal in grace, both bought with one price, the blood of Christ; both regenerate in one Laver of Baptism; both sanctified by one holy Spirit; both fed with one and the same bread, the Word of God, and the flesh and blood of Christ; both equal in hope of eternal glory: so there is inequality in one thing, that is, in state; but there is equality in three for it, that is, in Nature, Grace, and Glory.  
But between God, ever blessed, and ever to be adored; and man, whose greatest blessing is to be admitted, ever to bless, and adore God, there is no equality at all: For it is proper only to the eternal Son of Gods own substance, to be aequalis Deo sine rapina; equal to God without robbery. Men are called Gods, but they are Gods only in name, 
Psal. 82.6.  Dixi Dijestis; I have said, ye are Gods; 
job 10.34, 35.  because the word of God was sent to them; and can never be equal to God; and it is gross saeriledge, that any man who is a God by grace, or name only, should account himself Gods equal, or fellow, as this man doth account himself, & all his coheirs to be equal to Christ: For God and man do differ infinitely, because God is infinite, and man is finite; and between eternity & mortality, the Creator and the creature there can be no comparison, at all.  
And in this Sacrament, Christ as man is our food, and Christ as God, and the whole Trinity, do give this food: yea Christ, not only Qua homo, but also Qua homo mortuus, not only as he is a man, but also as he is dead for us, is our food: and therefore this Sacrament doth represent, not vitam, but mortem Christi, not the life, but the death of Christ; So Christ as man, doth not make this Feast, but Christ as God maketh this feast, and Christ as man is the meat of this Feast. And though there were equality between Christ and us, as he is man, and our elder Brother: yet between Christ, and us, as he is God, there is no equality, but all subjection on our parts; and therefore all submission of soul, and body is to be tendered to him by us, when we come to receive his Flesh and Blood. And it is a plain fallacy, and no good reason to infer, We sit at the King's Table, therefore we must sit at the Lords Table. And therefore we may not claim that liberty, and prerogative at God's Table, that we take at the tables of men, unless we will flatter ourselves, that no more reverence, and worship, and Adoration, and kneeling is due to God, then unto man.  
The fourth Reason is, Ratio 4 it is, contra Ius naturae, contrary to the Law of nature; Kneeling at a feast or banquet, is against the Law of nature: therefore it is unlawful to kneel at the Feast or Supper of the Lord.  
Here I would be glad to know where this Law of nature is written, or to be found. If by the Law of nature he understand the Moral Law, I find bowing down, or kneeling, commanded there in the worship of God. 
Exod. 20.5.  Thou shalt not bow down to them, (that is to Idols) therefore thou shalt bow down, or kneel to God. For where the one contrary is forbidden, there the other contrary is commanded. And this Sacrament is a principal part of God's worship; If he meaneth the natural Law, found out by the light of natural Reason, 
Gen. 17.3.  than Abraham, and the Wisemen, 
Matt 2.11.  worshipped God with prostration or kneeling. If he mean the law of Nature, that is, the nature of the thing or action,  naturarei, sit Lex naturae: that the nature of the thing, should be the Law of Nature, then kneeling is most agreeable to the nature of the action, or thing done, that is the Eucharist: For it is altogether an action of subjection, and humility, and therefore kneeling is most suitable to it. It is Cultus Dei, the worship of God, and a most eminent and principal part of it. It is a Sacrifice commemorative: It is a Sacrifice of ourselves, our souls and bodies: It is a Sacrifice of contrition offered by penitentiaries, a Sacrifice of Prayer, offered by suppliants; and kneeling is most fit for Sacrificers: It is the Eucharist or Sacrifice of praise: and in the Revelation, where it is often said, That the Elders did fall down & worship, there is seldom or never any prayer made for want, but honour, and glory, and praise for that which was received. So kneeling is most suitable to Thanksgiving. And in this Sacrament we receive the greatest blessings at God's hand, that this life is capable of; and the greater Gods graces be, the humbler should we be at the receipt of them: as men use to receive the greatest goodness of Princes, upon their knees.  
So that, besides the practice of the Church in Heaven, and earth; all reason pleadeth for kneeling, and all Reason pleadeth against sitting. For what is more repugnant to the nature of worshippers, of Sacrificers, of penitentiaries, of suppliants, of thankesgivers, than society, and fellowship, and equality, and sitting? so this Reason is well retorted.  
Sitting is repugnant to the nature of Communicants, that worship, that sacrifice, that are contrite, that are suppliants, and receivers: therefore sitting is not to be used by the Communicants at the Eucharist, as being repugnant to the law of Nature, or natural reason, or the nature of the thing, or action that is in hand.  
The fift Reason is, Ratio 5 It is Cultus privatus in publico: Kneeling at the receipt of the Eucharist, is a private worship, in the time and act of public worship: therefore kneeling is unlawful.  
This Reason I understand not, or else it is false and frivolous: false; for it is utterly untrue, That it is unlawful to perform private worship, during the time, and act of God's public Service. As if he should say, It is unlawful for a Christian to make his private prayers, in the time of public prayers, for his own wants and necessities; then, which nothing is more absurd. For why? 
1. Sam. 1.10.  was it unlawful for samuel's mother to ask a son of God in the Temple, in the time of divine, and public worship? Or was it unlawful for Naaman the Syrian, 
2. Reg. 5.18.  in the time of the public idolatrous worship in the house of Rimmon, to make his petitions to the God of heaven? Was it unlawful for the Apostles, 
Acts. 3.1.  S. Peter, and S. john, to ascend to the Temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour, and there worship and make their private petitions after the manner of Christians, for their own wants and necessities, in the time of the public worship of the jews? Is it unlawful for the Preacher, in the time of divine and public worship, to make his private prayer, for God's assistance, in the discharge of his duty in that work?  
But the secret of this proposition is; This man meant to make some show or colour for the profane fashion of some of his Brethren, who in time of Divine Service, come into their seats, and there squatt down, and never vouchsafe once to kneel, or make any prayer to God; under pretence that they must join in public worship and so neglect their own private occasions and duties.  
It is frivolous: For how can any worship be called public, unless it be also the private worship of the particular men there present? as the universal doth consist of many particulars: Now this worship hath the name of public, because it is performed by the particular men there present, though peradventure successively, as the capacity of the place will permit: As first the Minister kneels, and receives; then he stands up, and goeth, and delivereth the Sacrament to the Communicants kneeling in order. It may be they do not all kneel together, because they do not all come together, but yet every man's private kneeling, by succession, maketh the public worship and adoration. And so, that this worship may be public and general, it is necessary that every man, by his own private worship, do make the whole Service, to be the public worship of God. And if by the private, there be any disturbance, or difference in the public worship of God: the fault is in those refractory spirits, that out of the humour of contradiction, rather than reason, refuse to kneel with the rest of the congregation; that so there may, neither be unity in heart, nor uniformity in gesture in the Service of God.  
The 6. Reason is Sessio, prior & potior genuslectione: 
Ratio 6.  sitting is more ancient, for it is the practice of Christ and his Apostles; and it is better than Kneeling; therefore we must sit at the Eucharist and not kneel.  
It is true, Prior tempore, potior iure, he that is first in time, hath the better right: This Reason stands on two grounds, Antiquity, and goodness. The first is doubtful, and was never proved, but only assumed. The second I take to be plainly false: For the Antiquity, I see little reason, for why? there is no record of Antiquity for sitting, produced since Christ's time; & therefore though it may have a writ of right, yet I am sure it hath been out of possession, ever since the Apostles times: and this Author cannot deny it, nor lay the fault upon the reformed Church of England, for making an entry, and dispossessing this sitting at the Sacrament: For he proveth standing at prayer, and thereupon presumes, standing also at the Sacrament to have been a received custom in Tertullia's time. And I have proved kneeling to be in use in the Sacraments, in Tertullia's time. So it was the Primitive Church, that changed the old, and first, and best gesture at the institution, into a newer, and a worse, if this man say true. Besides, at the Paschall supper Discumbebat, Christ sat, or lay, and leaned with the twelve: but what he did at the evangelical supper, it is not known: so the practice of Christ, and his Apostles is most imitable if it were known what it were. And Discumbebat, is not, he sat, in the propriety of the word and gesture, for then Christ and his Apostles did break the Law of standing at the Passeover: so the first part of purity is doubtful.  
The second, of goodness, is false: Sitting is not so decent, and comely a gesture for Communicants, that are worshippers, and sacrificers, and penitentiaries and suppliants, and praisers, as Kneeling is. For kneeling is a gesture of humility and subjection, and best suiteth with Christian piety and devotion: and sitting is an action of society, and equality, which can never be granted between the eternal God, and man that is mortal. Kneeling agrees well with Saints in heaven, and therefore best suits with Saints on earth: Therefore kneeling is the better gesture. So this Argument is partly doubtful, and partly false.  
The 7. Reason is, Idololatria est: 
Ratio 7.  Kneeling before a consecrated creature in the act of Divine service, with a religious respect of it, is Idolatry.  
Here I observe a fine trick, that is; that with this man, it is all one, to bow down before a consecrated creature, and to bow down to a consecrated creature. The first may be done, and was ever done, the second may never be done lawfully: For example, He that kneeleth at the Lords Table, at his prayers, or in a Temple, he boweth down, Coram, before a consecreated creature. The Priests in salomon's Temple, bowed down before the Altar, and both Temple and Altar were consecrated. The high Priest once every year entered into the Holiest, and bowed before the Altar, the mercyseat, and the Cherubins: And the Tabernacle, and the Altar, and the mercy-seat, and the Cherubins were consecrated: yet none of these committed Idolatry therein; because, though they bowed before consecrated creatures, yet they bowed not to the consecrated creatures; but to that God that ordained such consecrated places, and such consecrated creatures for the better performing of his own worship and service.  
And if these jewish Priests, and the high Priest, were not Idolaters, though they bowed before these consecrated creatures; no more shall it be Idolatry in us, to bow down and worship God, before the consecrated Bread and Wine, so long as we give no part of God's worship to those consecrated creatures.  
Philip Mornay could easily distinguish between the worship of God, 
De Sacr. Miss. 1.4. Pag. 7 32.  before consecrated creatures; and the worship of consecrated creatures themselves, upon S. Ambrose his words, Adoramus in mysterijs, non mysteria; in Sacramentis, non Sacramenta; Creatorem in creatura sanctificata, non ipsam creaturam: We adore in the mysteries, not the mysteries themselves; in the Sacraments, not the Sacraments themselves; the Creator in the sanctified creature, not the creature itself.  
And the truth is, that God doth so far forth value consecrated Temples, and Churches, and Tables, and Altars, that he doth the better approve, and receive the Sacrifices, and Prayers, and praises of his people, only in this respect; that they are offered in Templo, or versus Templum; in the Temple, or towards the Temple: As no doubt God doth receive our Petitions more readily, because they are made in the style of heaven, in the words that Christ himself taught, When you pray, pray thus.  
So it is one thing to worship God in a consecrated place, or before consecrated creatures; & it is another thing to worship, or give any part of divine worship unto the consecrated creature. And he is a plain Sophister, that shall argue thus: We may, or do worship God in a consecreated place, or before, or in the presence of consecrated creatures; therefore we may, or do worship the consecrated place, or consecrated creatures themselves: So this Author, in this Reason, doth make an adversary to himself, and then shoots his arrows at him, but never comes near the practice of the Church of England, that as resolutely denies all Adoration of any consecrated creature, as she readily offers all divine worship and adoration to God, to whom only it is due.  
The 8. Reason is, Praxis Ecclesiae, 
Ratio 8.  the practice of the Church: Christ and his Apostles sat, and the Church, for eleven hundred years, prayers on Sundays, and from Easter to Pentecost, and on those days they administered the Eucharist: therefore they stood at the Eucharist; so sitting or standing is preferred before kneeling; which came in with Honorius 3. decree inhonour of their Breaden god.  
This is answered before in my first Reason, and there largely confuted: In which let these things never be forgotten: First, he takes the Paschall Supper for the Eucharistical Supper; they sat at the one, ergo, at the other. 2. Christ did not break the Law of the Passeover, which was to be eaten standing; and therefore Discumbebat, doth not infer the gesture of sitting, but only the action of supping. 3. The Fathers, that speak for standing at prayers on Sundays, and from Easter to Pentecost, say nothing of standing at the Sacrament: and many of the same Fathers, with many others, prove kneeling to be in use at the receiving of the Eucharist, as standing was at prayer. And there is kneeling used in divine worship in heaven, by them that are admitted to the Supper of the Lamb. So the practice of the Church is for kneeling at the Eucharist, and never for sitting.   

CONCLUSIO.  
THus have I, at large set down the Reasons for Kneeling at the Eucharist, and briefly refuted the Reasons that are urged for sitting, passing over many slight passages in them, that are of small or no moment. Now it remaineth I say somewhat of the Authority by which this gesture of Kneeling is established, and required in the Church of England. And 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 Popery, according to some rule, or Canon: and proposed to themselves, to go by an even way: that is, so to reform, that they might withal restore the Church to her ancient purity. In which respect they endeavoured to take away the multitude of idle, and superfluous Ceremonies, that made the state of Christianity more intolerable, than the state of the jews was; and to retain such gestures, and Ceremonies, which they found truly ancient and reasonable.  
Their meaning was not to make a new Church; but to reform according to the first, and primitive, and Apostolical institution: for that which is first, that is true. Their purpose was not to take the crooked staff, and bow it so far from one extreme to another, that from superstition, they would presently decline to profaneness: but thought it fit to make a stay in the golden mean, neither retaining all Ceremonies, lest Religion might seem to be nothing else but external pomp, and gesticulation; neither rejecting all, lest Religion having lost all external majesty, might appear naked, and soon decay at the heart.  
Among those Ceremonies retained, this Prostration, and Kneeling is one: as being ancienter than Popery, and fetching his pedigree from the first Fathers, and Martyrs in the Church, and grounded upon good and sufficient reason, as being a duty to be performed by the body, in that eminent part of divine worship, that is the Sacrament, as Devotion and Piety is the duty, which at that time is to be tendered by the soul. Either of which two, whosoever will leave out in the celebration of this holy mystery, he must withal, strike out all subjection, and humility out of this service; and come pompously, glorioussy, and Pharisaically, as if he were fellow, and equal with our blessed Saviour, the eternal Son of God, and the blessed Trinity, that is the Maker of this great Feast.  
For if Christ be God, why should he not be adored in his Word, in his Sacraments, in his Worship, and in all parts of Christian duty? And if the jews Synagogue had power to turn standing, into sitting at the Passeover, as some think, (though I be not of their opinion) they did after the captivity: why hath not the Church of Christ power to change sitting, or lying, and leaning into kneeling, which is the fittest gesture to represent subjection and humility?  
So the Church of England, reforming by the rule of the Primitive Church, hath learned, and practised by her example, to prostrate and kneel at the receipt of those great and sacred Mysteries. In which I dispute not, whether it be a duty of necessity, or a Ceremony of indifferency; I conceive upon reason, in mine own judgement, that it is a duty, or part of God's worship, not to be omitted in public and solemn Adoration, but in case of evident necessity. If any man take it to be only a Ceremony of in difference, I will not be contentious: sure I am, if it be a duery, there is sufficient power in the Church to declare it; and punish the refractory, and disobedient. If it be a Ceremony of indifferency, there is sufficient power in the Church, upon good reason of decency 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 duties of Religion, then will it be free for every man, without control, to believe, and do what he lift, no man shall have power to correct him for his erroneous conscience. If there be not a power in the Church to institute and restore Ceremonies of decency and order, and to remove undecent, and disorderly gestures, then will it be free for every man to worship God after his own fashion; and then, so many men, so many worshippers: and every private man shall have more power, than the whole Church hath, to institute what Ceremonies he list, and then to be Lord Paramount, subject 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. He had delivered the whole substance and essential parts of this Sacrament before, to which no man may add, from which no man may detract any thing, no not the whole Church, though she have power of declaration, and interpretation in it. And somewhat he delivered 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 private eating house. There remained some other Ceremonies, never delivered by the Apostle, concerning this Sacrament. In this, either the Church hath power to institute, and establish, as the Nicene Council did for standing at Prayer; 
C. 20.  or else all things shall not be done decently and in order, much less in Unity and Uniformity. 
1. Cor. 14.40.   
So then, the Church that hath a power to institute and establish Ceremonies in matters of decency and order, hath appointed this gesture of kneeling; that doth most fully express the subjection and humility of Communicants, of Worshippers, of Sacrificers, of Penitents, of Suppliants, and of Praisers, to be fit and decent, and orderly, in the receiving of this Sacrament; and if the spirits of the Prophets were subject to the Prophets, among us, 
1. Cor. 14.32.  as in right they ought to be, every private man should lay down his own self conceit, and submit himself to the more mature, and ripe judgement of the Church, wherein he liveth. If any man will still be contentious, he is worthy to undergo the censures of the Church; and if that discipline be not strict enough, it is fit he should be brought into order by the severe castigation of the Civil Magistrate; who even in Church causes beareth not the sword in vain. 
Rom. 13.4.   
For the King, as the keeper of God's Law, of the first Table of Religion, as well as the second of Civility, in those things which are commanded by God, and taught by our Saviour Christ, he is judex & vindex, not Legislator, 
jam. 4.12.  he is no Lawmaker, (that is God's Office) but he is the judge, not of the Law, but according to the Law: and the revenger to execute wrath upon them that do evil: and no man neither Priest nor people, is exempt from his sword, if he fail in the performance of his duty.  
In things indifferent, the King with his Church, is first Legislator, than judex, and then Vindex: first a Lawmaker to ordain, and institute, and establish Ceremonies of decency, and order in the worship of God, and the King only hath power to give life and strength to them by the mulcts, and penalties of his Civil power. Next, he is the judge and revenger, civilly to punish all refractories and sectaries, that will not endure to be enclosed within the bounds of decency and order. Who, though he be forced sometimes with much grief, and sorrow, to cut off, or cast out, or shut up some rebellious Absalon's, and headstrong Sectaries, and Separatists, yet Luget filium, 
August. Epist. 50.  laet atur de pace, he lamenteth the loss of a Son, and a Subject, but he joyeth in the peace of the Church and Kingdom.  
And although they that suffer in this case, not for righteousness, but for faction; flatter themselves that they are the persecuted Church, yet let them remember, that Sara, who corrected her saucy proud handmaid Agar, was the Type of the true Church, and Agar that was corrected, the type of all proud Heretics and sectaries: yea let them know, Agar magis persequitur Saram superbiendo, quam illam Sara coercendo, Sectaries, and Separatists, and refractories do more persecute the true Church, and the governors thereof, by their pride, and contempt, and mocking, than the governors of the Church can persecute, or punish such refractories, by correction and justice.  
S. Augustine compareth the Laws of Emperors against the Donatists, unto the Lions, that devoured daniel's accusers, In illos Leones, in hos Leges; they were cast to the Lions, the Laws were made against these. And severe Laws are like to good Physicians, they burn, and cauterize, and lance, and the like; but all for love to save the sick, and to reduce the disobedient: and though the patiented cry, burn not, lance not, correct not, punish not, persecute not; yet Clamat vulnus, ure, seca; the wound cries, burn, and cut, and punish, and correct, and cease not, till health be recovered.  
But what need I to speak of severity of Laws, 
Num. 12.13.  in the days of him that is another Moses, meek or mild above all the men that are upon the face of the earth; whose greatest care is to draw all men by love and patience, to Unity, and Uniformity: Ducit, non cogit; he had rather lead all his children, and subjects by the cords of Love, then compel them by the severity of justice. The better part will be led by Love, and Goodness; but the greater part must know that there is Law and power. And he teacheth them by his Pen, as a great and learned Bishop, or overseer, among and over his Bishops; so Constantine said, Vos intra Ecclesiam, 
Euseb. de vit. Constant. Lib. 4 c. 24.  Ego extra Ecclesiam à Deo Episcopus constitutus sum? and he goes before them by his practice, as a General, and Leader, before his Army, first submitting himself to those Orders, and Ceremonies, which he imposeth upon others, equal to many Kings of his own rank, for his practice; but singular above all of his order, for the maturity of his judgement, and dexterity of his Pen. The way by precept is long, and somewhat about; the way by example is short, more effectual, and more easy: In our gracious Sovereign, that you may know, that he is a true Disciple of the great Saviour of the world, who begun first to do, and then to teach; these two, Precept, and Example are both joined: he teacheth, and commandeth subjection, humility, and kneeling to Christ, Nemo doctiùs, no man more learnedly, no man more admirably by his Pen; he goes before, or leads us by his own example, Nemo devotiùs, no man more religiously, no man more devoutly.  
Hunc non sequi pudor summus, assequi gloria summa: Not to follow his religious steps it is most shameful, and dishonourable; eternal confusion attendeth the disobedient: to follow, and attain to his perfection, it is the greatest glory that any subject may hope for in this life. And because our great Master and heavenly Doctor, taught and went that way of humility and kneeling, in his Agony in the garden, it is the readiest way to glory and immortality in the life to come, to follow the footsteps of the eternal King of Heaven, and our gracious King in earth: which God of his goodness grant to all that are humble, and meek in heart, for jesus Christ's sake.   
AMEN.   

Pag. Lin. Errata. Corrige. 12 23 outward inward 20 10 Niucha genuflectamus Niurecha genuflectamus ibid. 11 Niurecha ploremus Niucha ploremus 147 20 It is probable It is not probable 157 3. in mark. De spir. & lit. De Spir, Sancto 176 25 justin Marten justin Martyr ibid. 28 added ended 178 25. in mark addatur  Homil. 5. 202 22 Otors Orators 204 4. in mark, addatur  Serm. 11. in Quadrages. ibid. 19 Collectaneis ●ellactane is 205 11 serrentius seruentius 237 29 consecreated consecrated 237 2 purity priority 240 5 first fift 244 1 worshippers worships   

LONDON Printed by JOHN BILL, M.DC.XVIII.