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Finally, If any be curious to know what gesture the ancient church did use in the receiving of the eucharist, to such I say, first of all, that Didoclavius maintaineth that which none of our opposites are able to infringe, namely, that no testimony can be produced which may evince that ever kneeling was used before the time of Honorius III., neither is it less truly observed by the author of the History of the Waldenses, that bowing of the knees before the host was then only enjoined when the opinion of transubstantiation got place.
And wheresoever the act doth thus remain in the power of the whole presbytery, the conferring of the outward sign or rite by one in the name of the rest, none of us condemneth, as may be seen in Beza, Didoclavius, and Gersom Bucer. He speaketh not of the act of ordination, which remained in the power of the presbytery, but of the outward sign or rite, which synedochically he calls ordination. 2.
But say some, whoever ought to be esteemed weak, or not capable of reason, ministers must not be so thought of. Whereunto I answer with Didoclavius: Infirmitatem in doctiores cadere posse, neminem negaturum puto, et superiorum temporum historia de dimicatione inter doctores ecclesiæ, ob ceremonias, idipsum probat.
There is not so great a difference betwixt our form of sitting and that which the Jews used as our opposites allege. For as Didoclavius showeth out of Casaubon; their sitting at banquets was only with a leaning upon the left arm, and so not lying, but sitting with a certain inclination.
Sect. 7. 7th. I will now apply this argument, taken from superstition, particularly to holidays. Superstitiosum esse docemus, saith Beza, arbitrari unum aliquem diem altero sanctiorem. This is but falsely pretended, for as Didoclavius observeth, aliud est deputare, aliud dedicare, aliud sanctificare.
For, 1, What can human testimony avail against such a clear truth? 2. We have more testimonies of divines against kneeling than he hath for it. Testimonies against kneeling are gathered out of those very same divines whom the Bishop allegeth for it; for Didoclavius hath clear testimonies against it out of Calvin, Beza, and Martyr, whom yet the Bishop taketh to be for it. Sect. 26.
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