A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded upon the Church of Scotland Wherein not…A dispute against the English-popish ceremonies, obtruded vpon the Church of Scotland Wherein not…

But the comparing of kneeling to the Brazen Serpent, is very Sect. 15 unsavoury to the B. And wherefore? The Brazen Serpent saith he, in ⟨p. 29⟩the time it was abolished, had no use: that ceased with the virtue of the cure, that the Israelites received by looking upon it; the act of kneeling continueth always in a necessary use, for the better expressing of our thankfulness to God. Ans. 1. Both kneeling, and all the rest of the Popish Ceremonies, may well be compared to the Brazen Serpent. And Divines do commonly allege this example, as most pregnant, to prove that things or rites polluted with I dolls, and abused to Idolatry, may not be retained, if they have no necessary use, and I have cited before the B. of Winchester, acknowledging that this argument holdeth good against all things which are taken up, not at Gods prescription, but at mens injunction. ^eI. Rainoldes argumenteth, from Hezekiah his breaking down of the Brazen Serpent, to the plucking down of the sign of the Cross. 2. Why saith he, that the Brazen Serpent in the time it was abolished had no use? the use of it ceased not with the cure, but it was still kept for a most pious and profitable use, even to be a monument of that mercy, which the Israelites received in the wilderness, and it served for the better expressing of their thankfulness to God, which the B. here calleth a necessary use. 3. When he saith that kneeling continueth always in a necessary use, we must understand him to speak of kneeling in the act of receiving the Communion, else he runs at random, for it is not kneeling in the general, but kneeling in this particular case which is compared to the Brazen Serpent. Now to say, that this gesture in this action is necessary, for our better expressing of our thankfulness to God, importeth that the Church of Scotland, and many famous Churches in Europe, for so many years, have omitted that which was necessary, for the better expressing of their thankfulness to God, and that they have not well enough expressed it. And moreover, if kneeling be necessary in the Lords Supper, for our better expressing of our thankfulness to God, then is it also necessary at our own common tables. Though we be bound to be more thankful at the Lords Table, and that because we receive a benefit of infinite more worth.

But the comparing of kneeling to the Brazen Serpent, is very Sect. 15 unsavory to the B. And wherefore? The Brazen Serpent saith he, in