THE Church then being left to her Liberty what posture to use, thought fit to chufe that of Kneeling, for these three Reasons chiefly.

I. TO teftifie our belief of our Sa-' viour's Godhead. Had he been a meer Creature, as all other Men are, we might have had fome encouragement to prefent our felves at his Table, as his Fellows, and in a common Table-Gesture, as those are wont to do, who deny the Doctrine of his Divinity. But being the Eternal Son of God, and equal to the Father, he hath a Right and Claim to the humbleft Services we can think of, to express in some measure the sense we fhould have of his Infinite Greatness and Majefty; especially at an Ordinance which was inftituted in Honour to him.

2. AS a Pofture that is most suitable to the Nature of the Mystery it self. Here we Commemorate the Lord's Infinite Goodness and Love, his unexpreffible Sufferings for us, and his humbling of himself to Death, even the Death of the Crofs. Here we feed upon the Symbols of his Body and Blood for the Pardon of all our Sins. Here we Seal anew unto God our Covenant of Faith, Mortification, and Obedience; and God reneweth unto us his Covenant of Grace and Mer

cy. Here all that we do is Divine Worfhip; the Mystery is a moft Solemn Eucharift, or Thanksgiving; a real and lively Form of praifing God, as Pfalms and Hymns are at other times: And all this is attended with devout Prayer from the beginning to the end; the whole Congregation praying for all Estates and Conditions of Men; the Minifter praying for every particular Communicant; and each particular Communicant confenting to the Prayer, joyning his own fuffrage, and praying in his own perfon for the preservation of his Soul and Body. So that Adoration and Worship being our whole work at this time, it ought to be performed in an adoring pofture; not only with Eyes and Hands lifted up, but with tended Knees too, which all Nations have ever thought the most folemn and fuitable posture of Adoration.

3. THE Church hath chofen, it as a Pofture that is moft expreffive of our Gratitude to God for the astonishing Mercies which all Worthy Communicants receive at this Great Solemnity; Forgiveness of Sin, Peace with God, the Increase of the Holy Spirit, Divine Influences from above, from the Man Christ Jefus; with an Earneft and Pledge of a Happy Refurrection, and a Glorious Immortality. FROM

FROM all which Confiderations every Pious and Humble Soul may argue after Since this is the Symbol of

this manner.

the blood of God, which was fhed for me, and for many, for the Remission of all our Sins, fhall I not receive it upon my Knees? Since Heaven is his Throne, and the Earth his Footstool, what place can be too vile, or what gefture too lowly, for Sinful duft and afhes? Since we are now admitted to the presence of the Lamb, and to the Gate of Heaven O come let us Worship, and fall down, and kneel before the Lord our Maker, and Redeemer. If the Bleffed Jesus in his Agony fell down with his Knees placed on the bare ground, how can I now begrudge the bowing of mine? Since the Praises of God are now to be in my mouth, what better Example can I follow, than those Elders in Heaven, who *fell down before Him that fat on the Throne, and Worshipt Him that liveth for ever, and ever, faying-Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come? Since my Bleffed Redeemer was pleased to humble himself even to the Death of the Crofs, what humility can be great enough for Me, who am now to gather up my Life and Happiness at his feet? Since I am now to beg for a Blef

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fed Eternity, and to offer up my whole felf a Reasonable, Holy, and Living Sacri fice; what more reasonable for me, than to beg God's acceptance of my Prayers and Oblation upon my bended Knees? And fince my Eating and Drinking at the Lord's Table is a Pledge of fo many ftupendious Mercies to come, how can I chufe but kneel, when I take the Seals of his Promises at his hands?

THIS is enough to fhew what a be coming and fuitable posture Kneeling is at this Great Solemnity, and how Natural ly it follows, where People entertain right Notions of it, and come untobit with humble Minds. Nor can I fufficiently admire, that of all the Ufages' in the Chriftian Church, this fo Significant, fo Decent a Ceremony, fhould ever become a ftumbling-block, and matter of Dif pute. Certainly it must be an ill fign of very Lofty Imaginations, when there is fuch ftiffness in Mens Knees.

BUT it is high time for me to proceed.

CHA P. XII.

Of our Behaviour after Re

WH

ceiving

HEN we have thus devoutly employ'd this blessed hour, we must not imagine that our great Business is at an end that we may now drop thofe Religious Confiderations which hitherto took up our time and thoughts; that we may now go home, leaving our Vows and Refolutions behind us in the Church, much less may we think our felves free to fall afresh upon our former courfe of Life. I must tell you, the greatest part of our business is yet before us, and to ftop and reft here in the performance of thofe things which have hitherto employ'd our minds, is the ready way to unravel our whole work, and to defeat the defign of this Heavenly Ordinance. For this Rite of Eating and Drinking at the Lord's Table, though it be of admirable use, yet it is not naturally and intrinfecally good, as thofe Acts and Difpofitions of the Mind, are, wherein the Subftance and Excellence of Religion doth

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