A defence of our arguments against kneeling in the act of receiving the sacramentall elements of bread and wine impugned by Mr. Michelsone

Defence of our ninth Argument. (Book 9)

VVEE say, that we should eschew all shew of conformitie with the Papists and idolators. But knee∣ling in the act of receiving the sacramentall elements, we are in shew conforme to the Papists. He telleth us; that we are conforme with them in many Articles of our faith; we and they agree in many points of doctrine•• but therein we are conforme to the truth, and true Apostolicall Church. They pos∣sesse some points of truth which we doe, as a theife doth a true mans purse; or a Pi∣••ate the ship of an honest Marchant. He ••aith they kneele for one end, and the Pa∣••ist for another. It is not the end, but the ••ite; not identitie, but likenesse, wherof we ••re now speaking. If Christians had deck∣ed their houses with Laurell, and greene ••oughes upon the festivall dayes, wheron the Pagans decked theirs, against the 73. Canon of the Councell of Bracara, how∣••eit there had bene no intention to honour the gods of the Pagans, yet they could not ••ave bene excused; because they decked their ••ouses after the same manner, and at the ••••ne time. We might bring in a multitude

of Iewish and Popish Rites, if the different intention might be a sufficient warrant for us. God made his people as unlike the ido∣latrous Nations as might be. And so should we be as remote from all Papisticall ceremo∣nies, as may be. P. Martyr in an Epistle to the Polonians sayth, x 1.1 that rite in the admi∣nistration of the Sacraments is to be embraced, which is most of all, and furthest removed from Papisticall toyes, and ceremonies, and commeth nee∣rest to that puritie, which Christ and his Apostles used. Further, we differ not in one generall end, to wit, adoration, but we misapply that which they do. For they are employ∣ed about their God, as they think, when they are taking, eating, and drinking. And the Formalist is employed about bread and wine consecrate to an holy use: which are meere creatures even in his own conceit. It is conformity with all the true worshippers o•• God to kneele in prayer: but not to kneele before the sacramentall elements.

Notes

• x 1.1

  Loc. com. p. 1111. In ri tu Sacramen∣torum admi∣nistrandorū i•• amplecten∣dus est, qui fuerit quam s••••p i••••s••∣mus, atque a Papist••••s nugis & ceremoniol•• maxime re∣mo••••s: & ad puritatem, qua Christus cum Aposto∣lis usus est, quam plu••i∣mum accesse∣rit.