The nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of their judgment in certain things…

2. Because they think this Kneeling violateth the reasons of the second Commandment, being used where, by whole Countries of Papists round about us, and many among us it signifieth Bread-Worship or Idolatry by the same Action at the same season used. For they suppose that the second Commandment forbiddeth Images, as being External, Corporal, Idolatry, and Symbolizing scandalously with Idolaters though the mind intend the worshipping of the true God alone. And such they think this kneeling is, and that it encourageth the Papists (as is instanced in a story in the Life of Bishop Hall.)

2. Because they think this Kneeling violateth the reasons of the second Commandment, being used where, by whole Countries of Papists round about us, and many among us it signifieth Bread-Worship or Idolatry by the same Action at the same season used. For they suppose that the second Commandment forbiddeth Images, as being External, Corporal, Idolatry, and Symbolizing scandalously with Idolators though the mind intend the worshiping of the true God alone. And such they think this kneeling is, and that it encourageth the Papists (as is instanced in a story in the Life of Bishop Hall.)

3. Because they think that the Tradition and Custom of the Catholic Church and the Canons of the greatest General Councils not repealed by any other (as Nic. 1. Can. 20. & Can. Trull. &c,) are of stronger obligation than ⟨p. 151⟩the Canons of our Convocation. And those Canons, Customs and tradition prohibit all Adoration by Genuflection on any Lords day in the year, and on any week day else between Easter and Whitsuntide; And this custom continued 1000 years as the Tradition of the Universal Church; and was never repealed but charged by degrees by contrary practice: They that think not that they are bound by these Canons or Customs at all, yet think that they are enough to nullify a contrary Canon of a lower power; or ad hominem may excu•e them. Yea the Constitutions called the Apostles, seem to Command all the people to receive the Sacrament standing and to go for it Lib. 2. Cap. 57. Having prescribed the order of worship (that after the old Scriptures read, they sing a Psalm and then read the Acts and Epistles and the Gospels, and then that the Presbyters one by one exhort the people first and the Bishop last (for in those time every Church that had an Altar had a Bishop) he concludeth [Postea vero fiat sacrificium, cuncto populo Stante & silento precant, & oblation facta, quisque ordo sco sim corpus Domini & preciosum sanguinem sumat, accedentes ordine cum pudore & reverentia ut ad corpus Regis. Iem mulieres operto capite, ut ordiaem earum decet, acc dant that is [After let the sacrifice be made, all the people standing and praying in silence: And the oblation being mad let every order apart take the body of Christ and his precious blood: Coming to it in order with modesty and reverence as to the body of the King. And let the women approach with covered heads as becometh their order.]