§. 41. 2. And for Kneeling at the Sacrament, I doubt not at all, but the imposing it, and that on such rigorous terms, tying all to it, and casting all out of the communion of the Church, or from the participation of the Sacrament that durst not use it, was a very grievous sin, and tended to persecution, injustice, and Church-dividing. It is certainly in a doubtful case the safest way to do as Christ and his Apostles, and the universal Church did for many hundred years. That none should Kneel in public worship on the Lords day, no not in Prayer, much less in receiving the Eucharist, was a Custom so ancient and Universal in the Church, that it was everywhere observed before general Councils were made use of; and in the first general Council of Nice, it was made the last Canon; and other general Councils afterward renewed it; so that I know not how any Ceremony can possibly pretend to greater Ecclesiastical Authority then this had. And to cast out all from Church Communion in Sacraments that dare not go against the examples of Christ and his Apostles, and all the Primitive Church, (who long received the Eucharist in another gesture) and against the Canons of the first and most famous, and other succeeding general Councils, this is a most inhumane part. Either the gesture is indifferent in it self or not: If it be, how dare they thus divide the Church by it▪ and cast out Christians that scruple it, when they have these and many other reasons of their scruples (which for brevity I omit.) If they say that Kneeling is of it self Necessary, and not Indifferent, because it is Reverent &c. then 1. They make Christ an imperfect Lawgiver: ⟨p. 411⟩2. They make himself, or his Apostles, or both to have been sinners. 3. They condemn the Catholic Church of sin. 4. They condemn the Canons of the Chief general Councils. 5. And then if the Bishops themselves in Council should change the gesture, it were unlawful to obey them. All which are consequents that I suppose they will disown. What a perverse preposterous Reverence is this?
§. 41. 2. And for Kneeling at the Sacrament, I doubt not at all, but the imposing it, and that on such rigorous terms, tying all to it, and casting all out of the communion of the Church, or from the participation of the Sacrament that durst not use it, was a very grievous sin, and tended to persecution, injustice, and Church-dividing. It is certainly in a doubtful case the safest way to do as Christ and his Apostles, and the universal Church did for many hundred years. That none should Kneel in publick worship on the Lords day, no not in Prayer, much less in receiving the Eucharist, was a Custome so ancient and Universal in the Church, that it was everywhere observed before general Councils were made use of; and in the first general Council of Nice, it was made the last Canon; and other general Councils afterward renewed it; so that I know not how any Ceremony can possibly pretend to greater Ecclesiastical Authority then this had. And to cast out all from Church Communion in Sacraments that dare not go against the examples of Christ and his Apostles, and all the Primitive Church, (who long received the Eucharist in another gesture) and against the Canons of the first and most famous, and other succeeding general Councils, this is a most inhumane part. Either the gesture is indifferent in it self or not: If it be, how dare they thus divide the Church by it▪ and cast out Christians that scruple it, when they have these and many other reasons of their scruples (which for brevity I omit.) If they say that Kneeling is of it self Necessary, and not Indifferent, because it is Reverent &c. then 1. They make Christ an •mperfect Lawgiver: ⟨p. 411⟩2. They make himself, or his Apostles, or both to have been sinners. 3. They condemn the Catholick Church of sin. 4. They condemn the Canons of the Chief general Councils. 5. And then if the Bishops themselves in Council should change the gesture, it were unlawfull to obey them. All which are consequents that I suppose they will disown. What a perverse preposterous Reverence is this?
