mption I
prove from the confession of Formalists. King Edward's book of Common
Prayer teacheth, that kneeling at the communion is enjoined for this
purpose, that the sacrament might not be profaned, but held in a reverent
and holy estimation. So doth Dr Mortoune tell us,(708) that the reason
wherefore the church of England hath institute kneeling in the act of
receiving the sacrament, is, that thereby we might testify our due
estimation of such holy rites. Paybody(709) makes one of the respects of
kneeling to be the reverent handling and using of the sacrament. The
Bishop of Winchester exclaimeth against such as do not kneel, for not
regarding the table of the Lord, which hath ever been thought of all
holies the most holy, and for denying reverence to the holy symbols and
precious memorials of our greatest delivery, even the reverence which is
given to prayer. Where, by the way, I observe, that when we kneel at
prayer it is not to give reverence to prayer, but to God, whom then most
immediately we adore, so that kneeling for reverence of the sacrament
receiveth no commendation from kneeling at prayer. The Act of Perth about
kneeling, when Bishop Lindsey had polished and refined it as well as he
could, ordained us to kneel at the sacrament in due regard of so divine a
mystery. And what think we is understood by this mystery, for reverence
whereof we are commanded to kneel? The Bishop(710) expoundeth this mystery
to be the receiving of the body and blood of Christ. But here he either
means the spiritual receiving of the body and blood of Christ, or the
sacramental. If the spiritual, why did not the Synod ordain us to kneel in
hearing the gospel? for therein we receive spiritually the body and blood
of Christ, and that as truly and really as in the sacrament. Whereupon the
Archbishop of Armagh showeth,(711) that the spiritual and inward feeding
upon the body and blood of Christ is to be found out of the sacrament, and
that divers of the fathers do apply the sixth of John to the hearing of
the word also, Clemens Alexandrinus, Origen, Eusebius, as Caesiriensis, and
others. Basilius Magnus likewise teacheth plainly, that we eat the flesh
of Christ in his word and doctrine. This, I am sure, no man dare deny. The
Bishop, then, must mean by this mystery the sacramental receiving of the
body and blood of Christ. Now, the sacramental receiving of the body and
blood of Christ, is the receiving of the sacramental signs of his body and