A26853:505
An account of all the proceedings of the commissioners of both persuasions appointedAn accompt of all the proceedings of the commissioners of both persvvasions appointed
An account of all the proceedings of the commissioners of both persuasions appointed by His Sacred Majesty, according to letters patent, for the review of the Book of common prayer, &c.An accompt of all the proceedings of the commissioners of both persvvasions appointed by His Sacred Majesty, according to letters patent, for the review of the Book of common prayer, &c.
London : s.n., 1661
THE PAPERS That passed between the COMMISSIONERS Appointed by his M… › Preface › Section 15
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Sect. 15.
[The posture of kneeling, 1best suites at the Communion, as the most convenient, and so most decent for us, when we are to receive as it were from Gods hand, the greatest of seals of the Kingdom of Heaven; he that thinks he may do this sitting, let him remember the Prophet Mal. Offer this to the Prince, to receive his Seal, from his own hand sitting, see if he will accept of it; when the Church did stand at her Prayers, the manner of receiving was, more Adorantium, St. Aug. Psal. 98. Cyril. Catech. Mystag. 5. rather more than at Prayers, since standing at Prayer hath been left, and kneeling used instead of that, (as the Church may vary in such indifferent things) now to stand at Communion, when we kneel at Prayers, were not decent, much less to sit, which was never the use of the best times.]
- 1Ans.
Repl. To all this about kneeling,1 we say, 1. We have considered the Text in Mal. and what you say; and yet, 1. We find that our Betters, even Christs Apostles, and the universal Church, for many hundred years, thought not kneeling most decent; nor did the Church, in the first Age, think sitting unmeet in that Service, to the King of the Church: And we hope you reprehend them not. 2. You require not the Adult, that are baptized, to receive that Seal or Sacrament kneeling. 3. When kneeling at Prayers was in use, in the Apostles times, yet kneeling in the reception of the Sacrament was not. 4. Why can you so lightly put off, both the Practice and Canons of the Church in this, more than in other such things? However you cannot here deny de facto, but that kneeling on the Lords days in the receiving the Sacrament, was for many hundred years, of the purer times of the Church, disused and condemned: And why do you not tell us, what other General Council repealed this, that we may see whether it be such, as we are any way bound by? When you say [the Church may vary in such indifferent things] 1. If kneeling or standing at Prayer, be an indifferent thing, then so are they at this Sacrament. 2. Then you follow the Changers, and we the old Pattern. 3. Then the Canons of general Councils and Customs, pretended to be from Apostolical Tradition, may be changed. 4. What is it, that you call the Church that changeth, or may change these? A Council, or a popular Custom? Bring us not under a foreign Power. 5. The thing then being so indifferent