cited by Porchetus pag. 87. are worth the transcribing The rod of Aron against the universall lawes of Nature did fitly or conveniently bring forth Almonds which neither came from seed nor roote Shall a sticke or rod contrary to nature bring forth fruit and may not an holy Virgin against nature at the command of God bring forth a Sonne Let the incredulous Iew shew mee how a dry and withered rod did flourish beare leaves and fruit ripe fruit and I will shew him how a Virgin may bring forth the Sonne of God Let them thinke of Sarah their mother who was old and well stricken in age Gen. 18.11 and it ceased to be with her after the manner of women for she was 90. yeares old ere a Sonne was promised Gen. 17.17 But is any thing too hard for the Lord Gen. 18 14. The Iewes beleeve saith Porchetus that Eve was created of the body of Adam but they say this was miraculous according to the disposition of the Divine will We say the same concerning the Naâ—ivitie of Christ by a Virgin The course of Nature is not to be enquired after in the Divine will For Moses his rod against the course of Nature by the will of God did with a touch divide the Sea What Moses saw in a bush burning and not consuming what was shewed to Aaron in a dry rod flourishing what to Gedoen in his wooll and the dew Salomon saw plainly in the strong woman Ieremy moreÌ„ plainly fore-tels of a woman and a man compassed I say as most apparently speakes of a Virgin and God till Gabriel presented it really at the Salutation So farre Porchetus and so he endeth that chapter But I will end with Simon de Cassia 1.2 Quibus anthoribus quibus ministris fuit incarnatio Who was Author who were ministers at Christs Incarnation The Father sent the Holy Ghost overshadowed the Sonne descended an Angel fore-told Mary agreed So in the Virgins wombe the increated Word the Eternall Word the Word with the Father the Word in the Father the Word from the Father and with the Father ineffable incomprehensible incircumscriptible was made flesh flesh of flesh in the flesh among flesh below flesh besides flesh against the flesh hee might well have added above the flesh in that instant when Mary said Be it unto mee according to thy Word Luk 1.37 Nature changed her course There was but one a Mother and a Virgin a God and a Man Temporall and Eternall meâ— in one Old and New kissed one another In the same instant wherein Christs soule was created there was a three fold Union saith the same Simon The Union of the Deity to the Soule of the flesh to the Soule and of the Deity to the flesh There was a Divine substance distinct in three persons a spirituall substance created with three powers or faculties and a bodily substance of the foure Elements which made one person as the three persons have one essence or substance so these three fore-named substances made one person of Christ More I will not say wonder will I more and more abhorring ever the Jewes malignant reasonings whil'st they swallow downe other things above reason precontrary to it PAR. 12. SEcondly I reade not that ever our holy Lord made above one meale in one day Hee did O'meale himselfe perpetually so farre as is likely but when he fasted he fasted wholly His Disciples were gone to buy meate Iohn 4.8 Sure it was he was weary wearinesse may come by fasting Fasting breedeth thirst because the naturall heat by fasting feedeth strongly on the radicall humour Nor did Iudian the Apostata who was a man of a spare diet accuse our Saviour as a Gurmandizer so farre as my memory carrieth it Vidi monstrum in natura saith Plato hominem uno die bis saturum I have seene a monstrous thing in Nature namely that a man should make two meales in one day None but such as sinne against the Holy Ghost will accuse Christ of such a sinne for hee did not glut himselfe at any time As for their foule aspersion who said Behold a gluttonous man and a wine-bibber it is no more to be esteemed than other their words who said Ioh. 8.48 Hee was a Samaritan and had a Devill Or the Scribes scandall who sayd he had Beelzebub and by the Prince of Devils did cast out Devills Mark 3.22 It is good to be evill spoken of by evill men Ab iis laudari vituperari est saith Seneca and it is discommendation by such to be commended But Wisdome is justified of her children Matt. 11.19 And with this faire sweete answer or appeale from malitious false wise men Christ wipeth off the false imputation of gluttony and wine-bibbing that it should not fasten on him I must boldly tell you my beleese concerning my most blessed Saviour Jesus Christ Saturivit uunquam sitivit saepe esurivit saepe usque ad miraculum When Christ did cast out the deafe and the dumbe spirit and the Apostles could not because that kinde could come forth by nothing but by prayer and fasting Mark 9.29 Do not the words evince that Christ did fast yea fast much when the Apostles did not fast Belike our Saviour had fasted much before for in the morning as he returned into the city He hungred Matt. 21.18 and came to a fig-tree and looked for figges on it but found none And though Christs words were onely Let no fruit grow on thee from henceforth for ever So that it might have growne many yeares and bore boughes and leaves and afforded shadow notwithstanding the letter and words of the curse yet the earth denyed sap and juyce and sustenance to the roots the rootes to the branches and both heaven and earth conjoyned to hasten it's destruction so that presently the fig-tree withered away yea the fig-tree in the morning was dryed up from the rootes Mark 11.20 If Calvin writ that Christ knew not the tree afarre off or thought it to be another tree or was ignorant that fruit was not on it Calvin much forgot himselfe and it derogateth too much from our Saviours perfection Even the day of judgement though he knew it not by any naturall knowledge discourse or understanding no more then the Angels did yet he knew it perfectly as he was taught of God which point the Angels knew not by any infused knowledge for Hee knew the Father which is a farre greater knowledge And he was the wisedome of God and all the treasures of divine knowledge were hid in him Moreover he made all things and was ever workman ignorant of his owne woâ—ke Quomodo rem aliquam ignor at ipsa sapientia saith Gregory Nazienzen Ille saeculorum factor ille rerum quae geruntur finis ille ea quae Dei sunt non minus cognoscens quam spiritus hominis ea quae in ipso sunt How can wisdome it selfe be ignorant of any thing That maker of the world that end of all things which are done here
the first Generall MY propounded method leadeth mee now to examine in the second place what severall Evangelasts wrote concerning the severall Suppers Which beeing cleered much confusion will be chased away and the greatest dubious matters will distinctly appeare S. Matthew Chapter 26. speaketh of the Passeover from v. 17. to the 25. inclusivê Saint Marke Chapter 14. doth the like from vers 12. to vers 21. inclusivê also Saint Luke Chapter 22.7 beginneth a large narrative from the beginning of the preparation to the Supper it selfe and at the 14. verse the continuance of that Supper till the 19. vers exclusivè The Passeover which the three Evangelists had described so fully Saint Iohn omitteth and toucheth onely at the heele or end of that Supper Iohn 13.2 Supper being ended viz. the Supper of the Paschall lambe For neither was the sacred supper then instituted or begunne much lesse ended No nor yet was the Common supper during which so many matters of moment were acted of which hereafter and therefore the words must be understood of the ending of Paschall Concerning the second Supper the common or ordinary Supper Saint Matthew said nothing and Saint Marke nothing And Lucas usus est praeoccupatione Saint Luke recordeth the last supper before the second saith Barradius Tom. 4. pag. 64. concerning the history of the Supper adding that hee learned it of Saint Augustine Yet Saint Luke admirably declareth things done and words spoken from the 21. vers to the 30. inclusivè which in fairest probability were done and spoken at the second supper rather than in the first or in the third supper Saint Iohn writing last and seeing memorable passages omitted in the second supper hee onely points at the passeover making the end of it to be the beginning of the second supper Nor doth hee mention or so much as point at the third supper at all because it was throughly discribed by all the other three Evangelists but applyeth himselfe wholy to a large and full explanation of things done and words spoken at the second supper Iohn 13. from vers 2. to the 30. vers inclusively PAR. 2. COncerning the Supper of the Lord it is apparent that it was not be begunne till after the second supper 1 Cor. 11.25 In the same manner hee tooke the Cup when hee had supped Likewise also hee tooke the cup After Supper Luk. 22.20 So the first supper was ended and then began the second And after the second supper was ended that is when Iudas was gone forth of which hereafter when it was night Iohn 13.20 and after some little discourse from verse 31. to verse 38. inclusivè Christ instituted his last best holiest Supper of the Eucharist So the first supper that is the Passeover was ended where Saint Iohn began his discourse of the second supper And the blessed Eucharist was also instituted after supper which must be understood of the ending of the second supper after their being washed The third supper is described from Matthew 26.26 to part of the 30. verse inclusively from Marke 22. to part of the 26. verse inclusively also And from Luk. 22.19 20. verses And this third supper they ended with an Hymne PAR. 3. The second Supper The third particular of the first Generall ANd now two of those points which I thought fit to be premised being done I come to handle the third and last puncto or praelibandum And it consisteth in the answers to this question Why there is no expresse mention of a second supper I am bold to say expresse mention is not necessary A thousand matters of weight and moment have beene passed over without expresse mention yet really have beene performed and are most true of their owne nature Moses passed over the creation of Angels and Archangels and the innumerable glorious hosts of heavenly incorporeall spirits and doth not so much as once name them whence the Sadduces belike did gather that there are neither Angels nor Spirits No expresse mention is there of baptizing of infants or many other matters Consequentiall and inferentiall Divinity if truly and unforcedly collected cannot be disapproved Quae colliguntur ex Scripturis perinde habenda sunt ac si in illis scripta essent Greg. Nazianzenus Theologiae lib. 5. You are to esteeme such things as are gathered out of the Scriptures as those that are written in them Quae in divinis Scripturis non sunt scripta tractare debemus per ea quae scripta sunt sayth Origen in Matth. cap. 23. Those things which are not written in sacred Scriptures must be handled or explained by those things that are there written Augustinus contra Mendacium ad Consentium cap. 10. In divinis Scripturis vera aliquando tacentur non mentiendo sed tacendo Many true things are concealed in Scripture not by lying but by omission or silence From those things that are written we must saith the Divine Saint Augustine gather such things that are not written In the whole booke of Hester there is not the name of the Father Sonne or Holy Spirit No nor so much as the name of God yet manifest effects are there of the divine providence justice and mercy of God In the whole Scriptures there is not in expressis terminis a mention of the Unity in Trinity or Trinity in Unity yet the deductions naturally flowing are most evident for it Thus though there be no expresse mention of Angels in the History of the Creation yet by resultance the hidden truth is inlightned the concealed doctrine is revealed Some of the Fathers because no such is named in the story of the Creation have held that the Angels were created before the world as Hieron in his Commentary on the Epistle to Titus 1.2 from the words God promised eternall life before the wold began If any who besides the Angels Therefore the Angels were before the world beganne I answer 1 In that place is no mention of Angels nor intention towards Angels or any promise to them or for them of eternal life The Apostle speaketh concerning the hope of mens salvation 2 Augustine de Civitate 12.16 truely observeth Promittere eo loco nihil aliud esse quam statuere vel praedestinare promised in that place signifieth nothing else but ordeined or predestinated 3 Why may I not say if the words were taken litterally for promise it is an holy trialogisme of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost before the foundations of the world sweetly concording and promising eternall life to mankinde though man was not as yet created Ambrose Hexameron cap. 5. saith Angels were before the creation So Hilarius de Trinitate 12. So among the Greekes Basill Homil 1. c. 2. Origen Homil. 4. in Esaiam Chrysostom Nazianzen Ludovicus Vives on Augustine de Civitate Dei 11.9 saith The Greeke Divines for the most part hold that Spirituall things were made before corporall and that God did use those as instruments to produce these Others ran into another extreme that the
uneaten or unconsumed even in the second supper yea till toward the morning and which Paschall was commonly the last bit of that nights festivitie as some Rabbines affirme Christ set before his Disciples cibum inconsumptibilem everlasting food saith hee Nor are the people now invited to elaborate costly and artificiall feasts as was usuall in the second supper but immortall food is given differing from common meats saith Cyprian PAR. 3. LOe here the common supper for both the Paschall and the Eucharist were Sacramentall not common meates And this ordinary supper was tanquam fibula legis Evangelii The button as it were of the Law and of the Gospell as one of old said of the Baptist So long saith hee as those meats which were provided for the feast were eaten by the Apostles the Passeover was remembred The most learned Father alludeth not to the Paschall Lambe it selfe in his words of meates provided for the feast but to other victuals allowed yea commanded to be used in the second supper Besides bread wine and sauce they were to eate no meates but onely the Lambe one single meat PAR. 4. VVHat if I should furtheÌ„r say that theÌ„ word Inter or betweeÌ„ne evinceÌ„th a triplicity The Sonne in Divinis is in account betweÌ„ene theÌ„ Father and the Holy Ghost which establisheth our beliefe in a Trinity of persons That vertue is a middesse meane or middle betweene two extreames argueÌ„th three things argueth two opposite vices and the golden mediocrity to be betweene two evinceth not onely a duality but plurality A thing done a sentence spoken betweene dinner and supper is passed over in a third parcell of time A supper betweene two banquets sheweth the Antipast the maine refection at supper and the postpast Nothing can be placed betweene fewer than two other preexistent things Vnio est rerum praeexistentium unio Inter praesupponit duo entia Union is the union or coupling together of things which formerly had a beeing The word betweene presupposeth two things at the least A Mediator is not a Mediator of one Gal. 3.20 To be a Mediator betweene two necessarily introduceth a third some way distinct from the other and hee officiateth his Mediatorship None can judge betweene two men or two causes if they be not before in rerum natura or in the world A Supper inter Sacramentales Mensas between the sacramentall banquets of which hereafter distinguisheth it selfe from the two banquets and them from it evidencing at the least numerum ternarium the number of three Saint Augustine lib. 5. Quaestionum super Deuteronom cap. 24. Why did hee adde oxen Deuteron 16.2 When the Passeover was to be taken ex ovibus hoediâ— aâ—t capris of sheepe kids or goates why is mention made of Oxen Hee answereth his owne question by another Is it for other sacrifices which were to be slaine on the very dayes of unleavened bread Whence I may truly collect that on the daies of unleavened bread they had other offerings And therefore on the first day of unleavened bread which was when the passeover was eating they had other provision to be eaten also when the Paschall rites and ceremonies were ended Theophylact on Luk. 22. Pascha stantes comedebant quomodo igitur Dominus recumbere dicitur Dicunt itaque quod postquam comedit legale Pascha recubuerant more vulgari commedentes alios quosdam cibos They ate the passeover standing How then is the Lord said to lye downe They say therefore that after hee had eaten the legall Passeover they lay downe after the common fashion eating certaine other meates Damascen de fide orthodoxa 4. 14. In coenaculo sanctae gloriosae Sion Christus antiquum pascha cum Discipulis suis manducans implens antiquum Testamentum lavit discipulorum pedes Christ having eaten the old passeover with his Disciples in the supping chamber of holy and glorious Sion and having fulfilled the Old Testament washed his Disciples feete When besides the passeover the second supper appointed by the Old Testament may very well be understood Suarez citeth Damascen thus Expletis mysteriis ad communem coenam ventum est having fulfilled the mysteries they went to the common supper But there are no such words in the cited place nor in Iodocus Clychtonaeus the Commentary on Damascen The Prayer O Heavenly Father thou hast created all things for man and blessed them for man adde these further testimonies of thy favour holy Father to sanctifie them unto us and us unto thy selfe for Jesus Christs sake Amen CHAP. IX 1 Proofes from the Protestants for a second Supper Kemnitius Beza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza awry Scaliger commended 2 Diverse kindes of sauces at the second supper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what it signifieth 3 Bellaria expounded Bacchus his Bellaria Rich wines Scaliger and Beza censured 4 A description of the Ceremony of the Passeover Poculum Hymneseos Things in the description of the Paschall Supper Redundant Deficient Embamma what it was At what time of supper Christ wash't his Disciples feete Benediction at what time of supper used What kinde of herbs were eaten at the Passeover The second supper when it began PARAGRAPH 1. YOu heard before the opinion of the incomparable Ioseph Scaliger of Kemnitius of Beza and yet Beza hath more to say Beza on Matth. 26.26 on the words Edentibus illis c. As they were eating c. Hoc est factum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was done after supper hee proveth it by Luk. 22.20 and the 1 Cor. 11.25 Thence hee concludeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this word supper in this History is called the Legall supper which Christ abrogating afterwards substituted his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 supper of the Lord for ever The same Beza in Mat. 26.20 speaketh of the Jewish custome thus Coena Agni peracta consurgentes altera pedum ablutione facta rursum discumbentes ad secundas mensas sese comparabant In has secundas mensas pro bellariis inferebatur in tribulo acetarium ex intybis lactucis agrestibus The supper of the Lambe being ended they arose and having washed their feete the second time they sate downe againe and addressed themselves to the second supper At this second supper instead of junkets there was brought in in a platter a sallet of Succory Endive and wild Lettice Here Beza is awry making the sowre hearbes or sauces to be excluded from the first supper Agno illo solidocum paucis azymis vescentes Eating that whole Lambe with a little unleavened bread not mentioning the sowre sauce Hee might as well exclude unleavened bread Wiser Scaliger de Emendatione temporum 6. pag. 567. They erre who thinke that Christ did eate the Passeover with unleavened bread for how was it then the Passeover Therefore with unleavened bread and sowre herbes did Christ celebrate the Passeover saith he And indeed sowre herbes were a necessary ceremony lasting and fixed at the eating of this Paschall as I proved
those very especiall Twelve or rather Eleven Judas being gon forth which were an exempt out from the rest employed above the rest more inwardly and familiarly conversing with Christ than the rest of the Disciples So since they are so often called Disciples we may think it teacheth us probably That the Apostles represented at this Eucharist in this regard viz. as Christ was the Administrant the rest of the Priesthood only not the Body of Christs Church not the whole and intire company of all the Faithfull Disciples that then were or were to bee unto the Worlds end Lay and others but the Clergy Presbyters and Ministers who are here called Disciples though the word Disciples be also often of a larger extent And this may be a reason hereof No man can imagine that Christ gave power to the Laity and Common Disciples Men and Women to consecrate his Sacred Body and Blood If they should offer to do such an Act they should be more guilty than rash Vzzah who for but touching the Arke was stroken dead by God 2 Sam. 6.7 Than foolish Saul who for offering a burnt Offering lost his Kingdome 1 Sam. 13.13 Than presumptuous Nadab and Abihu who offered strange fire before the Lord Lev. 10.1 and were consumed with fire from Heaven Than wicked Jeroboam who by raising up two Calves made Israel the greatest Calfe to sin and made of the lowest of the People Priest of the High places now the Calfe was growne to to an Oxe Any one that would or whosoever would Jeroboam consecrated him 1 King 13.33 which thing became sin to the house of Jeroboam even to cut it off and to destroy it from off the face of the Earth vers 34. It were an horrid intrusion on Sacred offices and a Nullity in the fact it selfe Not Angels or Archangels nor any of that Heavenly spirituall Host Not Kings nor Princes unlesse in Orders not any under Heaven except the Clergy have power to Consecrate the most holy Eucharist To whom he said Hoc facite which he said not to others Indeed it is true as is in my Miscellanies that Saint Peter represented sometimes all the Apostles sometimes the Apostles represented all the Clergy But in this place toward his death Christ gave his Apostles representing the whole body of the Priesthood a power to consecrate the Sacred Eucharist and gave it to them only So after his Resurrection when he had overcome actually Death and Sin Hell and Satan when he had fully satisfied to the utmost farthing for all our offences and had an over-merit left even before his Ascention he gave again when he had most and properest power for to give to the Apostles representing the Church for ever that are in holy Orders another power and authority distinct from the former yet conducing some way to it in these words John 20.21 c. As my Father sent me so send I you Then hee breathed on them and said Receive ye the holy Ghost Whosesoever sins ye remit they are remitted unto them Whosesoever sins ye retain they are retained Let the ill-bred ignorant Clown jeere at the power of the Keyes he shall never find Heaven gates open but by these Keyes And to the Clergy only were thy given maugre all the enemies of the Clergy In one respect it hath been maintained that the Apostles did at the Eucharist represent the body of the Priesthood viz. as the Sacrament wholly and only was to be Instituted and Consecrated by them by whom the Bread must bee Taken Blessed Broken Distributed and Hallowed with the right forme of consecration But in another regard the Apostles even Then may be said to represent the whole company of the Disciples in the largest signification namely as All and Every Christian was to Receive it for so were Themselves Then Recipients and as Recipients as well as in other regards Administrants were these words said to them Do this in remembrance of me and All of you drinke of this which last words cannot be restrained to the Ministers only but involve within their circumference the whole round World of devout Christians Else none might Communicate but Priests only which to say is accursed Perhaps I may say inoffensively Christ represented the Apostles and stood for them and the body of the Clergy Idealiter when he consecrated the blessed Eucharist and gave it to them But as Christ himselfe Received it and in both kindes he may be called their Symposiarchon and I am sure I may say truly and therefore boldly Our most blessed Saviour represented the whole body of his universall Church both Clergy and Lay-people if so he did Receive it as is most probable In imitation of him I say likewise that the Apostles quà Apostoli Sacerdotes did celebrate the Divine Mysteries and Administer them So representing the Clergy but as they received the Divine Food they were Participants quà Discipuli and so stood in the room of the whole Christian Laity PAR. 5. THe words of Saint Matthew and Marke and S. Paul do follow after He gave it to them And said S. Luke varieth it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saying It is all one in sense Here let me tell you These words Hee said or Saying were not spoken by Christ nor part of his Consecration But they are the words of the Evangelists and Apostles recording and coupling Deeds and Words at Christs Institution Christs Consecration consisted of Actions and Words His Actions were Hee Tooke Bread Blessed it Brake it and Gave it to his Disciples His words were not these Saying or He said They are the Historicall copulative narrative of the Heavenly Penmen but his words were only these This is my Body and so forth Aquinas tertiâ parte Quaestione 78. Aritic 1. ad primum relateth That Innocencius the third opined Christ first perfected the Eucharist by Divine power and Afterwards expressed the forme which others should follow But this is expresse against the Evangelists who say Christ did blesse it which was not without some forme of words yet in favour of Innocentius he saith The words were spoken Opinativè magis quà m determinativè Rather by way of Opinion than of determination Others quoth he say the Benediction was made with certaine other words to us unknown but he replyeth wisely This cannot hold because our Benediction of Consecration is now perfected by reciting what was then done Let me adde and Said also And if it were not done by those words Then it would not be done by these words Now. A third sort say Christ spake the words of Consecration twice Once secretly the second time openly to instruct others how to do so But this cannot stand because the Priest doth consecrate uttering these words as publikely spoken by Christ not in a secret Benediction Whereupon since the words have no force but as Recited by Christ it seemeth Christ consecrated the Eucharist by manifest uttering of them More he may reade at large in him who so
Doctrine The ancient fathers both Latine and Greeke call the third Supper the Supper of our Lord. Fol. 523 Par. 3 A discourse concerning the Agapae or Feasts of Charitie They succeeded in the place of the Chagigah or second Supper When Eaten The Eucharists before Tertullians dayes eaten in the Morning The Agapae in the Evening The Eucharist and Agapae in the Primitive Church were kept neare about the same time Christians falsly accused for eating Infants at their Agapae The Agapae kept on the Lords day What scandals were taken by the Gentiles against the Christians Agapae Fol. 526 Par. 4 The second Eucharist and not the Agapae as the Papists thinke is meant by the Supper of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.20 The Agapae never practised before Christs Ascension The Agapae at first were used holily and religiously sometimes Severally from Jointly with the Lords Supper The Corinthians did eate them before the Lords Supper They were celebrated by the Corinthians in the Church Each Schisme of the Corinthians supped a part by themselves The poore neglected by the Corinthians in their Agapae The primary end of the Agapae the releefe of the poore Fol. 229 Par. 5 Charity modestly covereth a multitude of sinnes The ill fashions of the Corinthians in receiving the Lords Supper reproved Casaubone censured in two points First that the Corinthians received the Eucharist in the Morning Secondly that the Eucharist ought to be called a Dinner or a break-fast rather than a supper The Churches both Westerne and Easterne did receive the supper of the Lord fasting in the fourth Age. On good-Friday the Church used to receive it thrice That use broken by Pope Honorius and the Counsell of Tarracon Pope Eutichianus his Decretall against such as received the Sacrament not-fasting Some Churches of Africa and some Aegyptians received it about Eventide not-fasting In the second age of the Church in Tertullians time they received it some at Night some as Mealetime and some ere Breake of day We receive the holy Communion in the Morning in remembrance of Christs Resurrection Fol. 530 Par. 6 In the Primitive Church they did lye on beds when they did eate their Love-Feasts Love-Feasts forbidden to be kept in the Church by the Laodicean Councell ancient Fathers and later Divines Kneeling in the time of solemne Prayers and administration of the Supper commended by Calvin Fol. 533 Par. 7 In S. Cyprians and S. Augustines dayes some received the Eucharist every day others at certaine times onely S. Augustines Rule Let every one follow the custome of the Church wherein he liveth Eudemon Johannis by Casaubone reproved A Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or holy complying to avoid Schisme and for concords sake was practised by the ancient Fathers by other Christians and by Calvin himselfe and commended by Causabone Rigaltius and others Calvins good advise to Farellus His divine temper against Luther Fol. 534 Par. 8 The holy Kisse usually at the blessed Sacrament Forborne on Good-Friday The Kisse of Charitie why so called 'T is called holy to discriminate it from false amorous and civill kisses Why the holy Kisse was omitted on Good-Fry-day Divers kindes of kissing Some of salvation some of Adoration Divers manners of Kissing Some kisse the lippes or mouth former parts and hinder parts of the shoulder cheeks bands backe of the hands the feete and the toe The reason of Kissing the Popes toe The Penitents in Tertullians dayes did kisse the very foot-steps of other Christians Kissing of a Tablet or holy Board The reason thereof Holden by the eares in kissing used among Heathen and among Christians The reason thereof Joah held Amasa by the beard and kissed him The custome of kissing one another at the receiving of the Sacrament continued till S. Augustines dayes The manner of kissing in Prester Johns Countrey and among the Persians Fol. 536 Par. 9 When the Agapae began and ended uncertaine Not to be eaten in the Church and in the Chancell The use and abuse of them even in the Apostles times The abusers of them termed spots and blemishes in the abstract The words breaking of bread and breaking of bread from house to house Act. 2. verse 44 45 46. interpreted The degrees by which abuses crept into the Agapae Fol. 538 The Contents of the second Chapter 1 DIvers ends why the third holy Supper was instituted 1 Reason To substantiate the preceding type The diference betweene fulfilling of a Law and realizing or consummating of a type Tertullian censured Hierome applaeuded The Passeover was a figure of the Eucharist and of Christs Passion All figures are not Antytipes 541 2 2. Reason To conferre more grace upon it than was given unto the Jewes The figure must come short in exellencie to the thing figured The veritie and effect of the Lords Supper in us 542 3 3. Reason To prefigure Christs death and going out of the world All Sacraments of the old Law were figures of the Eucharist and did typifie Christs death 543 4 4. Reason To be a Remembrance to us of Christs death till his comming againe Tholy Eucharist not onely sealeth and fignifieth Grace but also conferreth and exhibiteth it by it selfe in the true use thereof How farre forth this effect is to be understood Why Christ received the blessed Sacrament before he went into the Garden Christ had degrees of devotion Not to faint in Prayer The blessed Virgin Mary not so full of Grace but that she was capable of more latitude 544 5 5. Reasons To unite us to Christ ib. 6. Reason To breede brotherly love and to unite us one to another Hence the Communion of Saints the Eucharist called Communion 7. Reason To be an Antidote against daily sinnes The Eucharist called Panis supersubstantialis and by S. Ambrose Panis quotidianus 8. Reason To further our spirituall Life 9. Reason Because it is the Sacrament of spirituall charity and filiation The Contents of the third Chapter Par. 1 VVHat course Christ tooke in the perfiting of this third or last Supper First he removed Judas The ceremonies of the Grecians at their Sacrifices S. Augustines error who thought Judas did eate the bread of the Lord Sacramentally A more probable opinion that Christ did not institute the blessed Eucharist till Judas was gone forth After what words Christ began his third Supper The word When doth not alwayes note the immediation of times or things consequent Fol. 547 Par. 2 A discourse by way of digression The first part thereof Concerning the division of the Bible into Chapters and Verses Neither the Evangelists nor the Apostles divided their writings into Chapters and Verses Neither Christ nor his Apostles in the new Testament cited Chapter or Verse of the old Testament Probable that the Bookes of the old Testament were from the beginning distinguished and named as now they are And began and ended as now they doe The Jewes of old devided the Pentateuch into 54. Sections Readings or Lectures The Iewish Section is either Incompleate termed Parashuh or
old time divided not themselves from the Catholique Church in this respect as S. Augustine witnesseth Nor Novatus as Ruffinus recordeth The Christians in ancient time reserved the Sacrament Some reject things really tendred unto them Fol. 623 Par. 6 The second word Eate It is probable that Judas did receive the Sop into his Hand Mouth Many of the Fathers did thinke so Sinnes revealed grow more sinfull Carolostadius his fancy by most Divines disliked disploded The Future tense is never used for the Present tense but the Present tense is often used for the Future in Scripture Fol. 627 Par. 7 The third word This is my body which is given for you c. Transubstantiation roved at The farther Disquisition thereof wittingly and willingly forborne The Authors Apologie for the same His Valediction to the remainder of his Miscellanies Resolves to spend the remainder of his dayes in holy Devotion and continuall Praying The Moores of Morocco Pray sixe times every twenty foure houres The Lords Prayer highly commended and preferred before all other Prayers It ought to be used by every Christian at least seven times a day The Church of England commended Vnto which the Author submits himselfe and all his Writings Bishop Iewell Bishop Andrewes Bishop Morton Bishop White and incomparable Master Hooker have written Polemically the controversies of the Lords Supper unto whose unanswerable Writtings the Author referreth all scrupulous Christians for their better satisfaction The Contents of the seventh Chapter Par. 1 THe Word of God hath omitted to set it downe in particular 'T is probable they did kisse their right hand and so received it An evill custome of false complementing by kissing the hand in Iobs dayes In adoration our hands must be lifted up Our voyce lowly and submisse In great Agonies it is lawfull to cry aloud and roare Probable it is the Apostles received the heavenly Sacrament humbly kneeling on both their knees Tertullian is punctuall against Sitting even after prayer The Heathen after their prayers and some even at their prayers did use to sit upon their Altars Their servants had three Sanctuaries to flie unto from their angry Masters Numa's Law to sit at the time of adoring their false gods A reason why no passage eyther in the Evangelists nor Apostles commandelh Adoration at the Sacrament How the ancient Fathers are to be understood when they say The holy Eucharist is to be adored Fol. 635 Par. 2 Reasons proving that the Apostles received the blessed Eucharist kneeling Par. 1 Reason Most sacred reverence is to be exhibited to most sacred things Par. 2 Reason The Fathers of the Primitive Church received it kneeling Par. 3 Kneeling doth edifie the simple Par. 4 It is an Ecclesiasticall custome The manner of Reverence used both by Priests and Lay people in S. Chrysostomes dayes God will be worshipped as well in our body as in our Spirit The Penitents in Tertullians time did kneele downe at the receiving of Absolution And it was the common practise of all other Christians in his dayes to worship God kneeling Except from Easter to Whitsontide and on the Lords day Divers of holier times had knees as hard as horne by their continuall kneeling at Gods Worship An admonition to stiffe-kneed Pure-trants Fol. 637 Par. 3 Reasons why the devouter sort did forbeare kneeling betwixt Easter and Whitsontide 1 The Church did so appoint it 2 Hereby the people did shew themselves thankefull Whitsunday whence it hath its denomination Kneeling imports Repentance and sorow for sinne Standing implyes thanksgiving for the pardon of our sinnes The divers usances of divers Churches in the Primitive times concerning Fasting and Feasting on the Lords day Kneeling and Standing at the time of Prayer and the reasons thereof In the Primitive Church they baptized not any except the sicke but at Easter and Whitsontide The newly baptized stood to expresse their thankefulnesse to God for their baptisme The people in some Churches stood praying at the Altar on every Sunday betweene Easter and Whitsontide in remembrance of Christs Resurrection The Christians in the Primitive Church prayed Recto vultu ad Dominum to confront the Heathen who fell downe flat on their faces when they adored their false Gods Fol. 638 Par. 4 The great variations of the Primitive Churches concerning the eating or not eating of flesh offered to Idols A just discourse to that purpose A good Rule for the peace of the Church Why our Church hath commanded Kneeling at the receiving of the blessed Sacrament when the Primitive Church hath commanded Standing Churches have great power committed unto them The Church upon just motives may change her Orders The meaner sort of all people Ecclesiasticall and Civill are bound to obedience are not to Order Peter Moulin found fault with the precise Ministers of our Church of England The day of Christs Resurrection the first day of his Ioy after his Dolorus passions Why the Fathers made Sunday their Holy-day Why they forbade Kneeling and Fasting upon that day What indifferency is according to S. Hierome A thing indifferent in it selfe being commanded by the Supreame Magistrate or Church is no longer indifferent to thee Varietie of Ceremonies not hurtfull but beneficiall to the Church of Christ The Bishop of Rome taxed by Cardinall Palaeotus excused Rome Christian in too many things imitateth Rome Heathen in publique prayer commeth short of it Heathen Rome began all their businesse in the world with this Prayer Quod foelix faustumque sit c. The greater power the Pope and his Cardinals have the more neede they have to pray to God before their publique meetings in their Consistory Kneeling at receiving the holy Eucharist never disliked as a thing of its owne nature evill or unlawfull In the Primitive Church after Whitsontide they used to kneele Kneeling at the blessed Sacrament not prescribed by Scripture but authorized by tradition confirmed by custome observed by Faith In the Primitive Church when they received the Sacrament Standing Kneeling they prayed Standing Kneeling Our Factionists would follow the Primitive Church in one thing but leave her in another Fol. 639 Par. 5. A third Reason At the first Institution of things Sacred Profane the solemnitie is greater than in the sequell Every new thing hath a golden taile Proverbe Popular Lecturers have sunke even below scorne All sinnes of former times have descended downe upon our dayes An Epiphonema or Exclamation against the profane pretenders of Devotion now adayes The lowest humiliation is too little for the house of God They cryed Abrech or how the knee before Ioseph Hee that boweth himselfe most before man is most right in the sight of God Divers examples of Prostration and Geniculation both out of the old and new Testament A Vice-Roy of Ireland devoutly fell on his knees and asked an Archiepiscopall Benediction The Heathen kneeled downe to worship their very Idols S. Hieromes saying By Kneeling wee sooner obtaine what wee aske at the hands of God Not lawfull for any to sit
in the porch of the Temple but onely the Kings of Davids loynes The humble gesture of the Iewes when they came in went out of the Temples The Primitive Church kneeled to the Altars Altars the seats of the body and blood of Christ The Crosse in Chrysostomes dayes did alwayes use to remaine upon the Altar An Angel an assistant when Christ is offered up Ambrose To this day we worship the flesh of Christ in the Sacrament Idem No man eateth the blessed Sacrament before be have worshipped Christ in the Sacrament Augustine Constantine the Emperour in his Soliloquies with God pitched on his knees with eyes cast downe to the ground K. Charles partaketh of the body and blood of Christ with as much Humilitie as the meanest penitent amongst his subjects His holy and devout gestures at the participation of the Lords Supper turned the heart of a Romanist to embrace the truth on our side In Origens Arnobius and Tertullians dayes the Saints never met in holy places about holy things without decent reverence The Papists in kneeling adore the very materials of the Sacrament Yet the abuse of a thing taketh not away the right use Proved by divers curious instances Christians may lawfully use many artificiall things though invented by Heathenish Gods and Goddesses To argue from the Abuse of things to the whole removing of the use is rediculous Illustrated by some particulars Veneration of the Sacrament is accorded on all sides In the very Act of receiving it it is lawfull to kneele downe and worship Christ in it Calvin himselfe holdeth that adoration to be lawfull The Lutherans are divided in this point Illyricus denieth Christ to be worshipped in the Eucharist Brentius and Bucer hold That then we must worship Christs body Luther himselfe stileth the Eucharist Sacramentum venerabile Adorabile Chemnitius saith None but Sacramentaries deny Christ to be adored in the Sacrament Chemnitius acknowledgeth these Theses 1. Christ God Man is to be adored Arrians deny this 2. Christs humane nature for the hypostaticall union with the Divinitie is to be adored None but Nestorians will deny this The Apostles worshipped the Humane Nature of Christ Adoration precedeth Communication by the judgement of S. Chrysostome and S. Augustine Christs flesh as made of earth may be said to be Gods footestoole So is the Arke All the Angels of God doe Worship Christ Christ is to be adored alwayes and every where Augustine Ambrose Nazianzene and Eusebius Emissenus are Chemnitius Co-opinionists Not the materiall Elements but Christ onely in them is to be adored If wee must adore Christ when we celebrate the divine Sacrament much more did the Apostles Habituall not alwayes Actuall Adoration of Christ 〈…〉 â—â—â—â—ired of the Apostles The Apostles worshipped Christ 1 When he had newly performed any Super-humane worke 2 When they begged great matters of him 3 When he did heale some who were vehemently afflicted 4 When he conferred any extraordinary blessing on their soules As hee did when he instituted the new Sacrament Master Hooker tearmeth Kneeling an Adorative gesture No kinde of Worship accepted that is not sometimes conjoyned with Kneeling Gregory Nazianzens Story of his sister Gorgonia Eusebius Emissenus and Origen say Christ is worshipped in the Sacrament Kneeling at the Communion commanded by the Booke of Advertisments set down set forth by Queene Elizabeth by the Lawes of the Realme and the Queenes Majestie Injunctions They defraud the Knees of their chiefest office and honour who refuse to bend them at the receiving of the blessed Sacrament Fol. 645 The Contents of the eight Chapter Par. 1 WHat gesture we are to use at the Administration of it to others Receiving of it our selves Both handled promiscuously The English Liturgie our best guide At the Repeating of the Law the people must kneele Receiving of the same the Israelites did no lesse Never Patriarch Prophet Evangelist Apostle nor holy Man nor Christ himselfe prayed sitting when there Was oportunity of kneeling The Monkes of Egypt did pray sitting The rule of Saint Benedict mentioneth Sitting at the Reading of three Lessons Rising up at Gloria Patri c. Severall gestures are to be used both by Priests and People upon severall occasions The Priests never kneeles while the people stand but he may stand when they kneele Great reason why they should kneele at the receiving of the Body and Blood of Christ No superstition nor idolatry then to kneele but obstinate irreverence if not blaspemy not to kneele Prayer most an end used with bending of the knees The Pharisee stood Christ kneeled when he prayed The Rubricke of the Communion Booke is to be followed by all obediently Fol. 652 Par. 2 The Minister is to deliver the Communion to the people kneeling in both kindes into their Hands Maximus would have Men to wash their hands Women to bring clean linnen that will communicate The nicetie of former times questioned The sixth Synod Canon 3. against it The consecrated bread must be carefully delivered and received To let any crumme or particle thereof fall to the ground accounted a great sinne by Tertullian and Origen Pope Pius the first punished those who let any of the Lords blood fall upon the ground or Altar S. Cyrill of Hierusalem gives a caveat to this purpose Little tables set before the Communicants in former times as now we hold linnen clothes saith Baronius The usuall fashion of receiving the Consecrated bread between the thumb and a finger or two disliked Receiving the holy bread in the Palme of the hand a safer way In Tertullians dayes the Christians did stretch abroad their hands like Christ upon the Craffe in their prayers Damascene would have us receive the body of Christ crucified with our hands framed like to a Crosse The right hand being upward open and hollow to receive the bread This accounted the safer Way Saint Cyril commanded the same kinde of usance Other manner of taking it not sinfull In things indifferent wee must not love singular irregularity All unseemly motions and gestures are so many profanations of the Lords Supper Seven generall rules to be observed against the profanation of the Lords Supper The word Amen explaned and kneeling at receiving the blessed Sacrament pressed Fol. 653 Par. 3 Tenth Generall What Names are given to the blessed Sacrament by the Scriptures and Fathers the Latine and Greeke Church The hallowed bread is called in the Scriptures 1 The Lords body broken for us 2 The Communion of the Body of Christ And the reasons thereof Breaking of bread from house to house 4 Holy bread Blessed bread Eucharisticall bread Heavenly bread Joh. 6. In the Fathers 1 Taking of the Lords body Tertullian 2 Earthly bread sanctified by prayer consisting of Earthly and Heavenly things IreÌ„naeus A Medicine of immortality an antidote against death procuring life purging sinne driving away all evills idem 3 Christs Dole to his Church Tertullian The plenty abundance and fatnesse of the Lords Body The Wine is called in
more eminent Passeovers recorded in Scripture from the first Mosaicall Passeover which hee kept through faith k Heb. 11.28 Heb. 11.28 to this of Ezra The Prayer O Lord God thou onely art pure and none of us can be pure enough sanctifie us I beseech thee unto thy selfe and teach and helpe us to co-operate thereunto with thee informe us inwardly and outwardly square us according to thy Canon make us strive for perfection pleasing to thee but from the wild reformations of the ignorant people good Lord deliver us Amen O Amen CHAP. V. The Contents of the fift Chapter 1. The registred Passeovers of the New Testament Passeovers were duly kept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the custome of the Feast and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yearely The just Ioseph and his spouse the thrice sacred virgin observed the Passeovers thrice every yeare all males were to appeare before the Lord. 2. Maimonides his opinion who might stay at home 3. Maimonides in divers points erreth 4. Calvin misopineth It is unexpressed whether Christ were carryed to the Passeover till he were twelve yeares old Some Children forwarder then others At twelve yeares of age Christ ascended 5. Divers reasons that Christ at twelve yeares of age tooke the passeover he was a strict observer of the Law They came to the Passeover principally for devotion None was ever so well prepared to receive as our Saviour 6. The second Passeover which the new Testament recordeth Christ to have honored with his Passeover was eighteene yeares after Then Christ cast out buyers and sellers out of the Temple and did many miracles which Nicodemus beleeved and the Galileans Christ then received the Passeover though so much be not expressed the confession of the Iewes that Christ strictly observed their Passeovers 7. The next yeares Passeover is pointed at Ioh. 5.1 after this there was a Feast of the Iewes Melchior Canus reproved Zeppers distinction of Feasts amended 8. Holy dayes appointed by the Church are sanctified by God to God the Feast of Purim from Hamons magicall Lots allowed Queene Hesters decree confirming the ordinance of the Iewes the Feast of the dedication was of mans appointment our most heavenly Saviour honoured it with his presence words and workes What and of what this Dedication was Zepper doth ill confound encaenia with Renovalia 9. He is too strict against encaenia or Feasts of Dedication All dancing is not forbidden encaeniare knowne to be all one with novam vestem induere Revells or Feasts for the Dedication of our Churches lawfull and ancient The royall praescriptions for this point wise and holy 10. Maldonat his insolency taxed Canus and Cajetan confuted by Pererius 11. The Feast of the Iewes mentioned Ioh. 5.1 was not the Pentecost nor the Feast of Tabernacles but the Passeover 12. Pererius is too vehement and confuted 13. The next Passeover Christ went not to Hierusalem The lawfull reason thereof The Iewes come to him because he came not to them 14. Sacraments upon exigents may be deferred PAR. 1. THe Passeovers in the new Testament honoured by divine remembrance are these the first Passeover was when Christ was about twelve yeares of age unto which I make these my approaches That there were yearely passeovers both before and after the birth of our Saviour I doubt not that Ioseph the foster father and the most holy Virgin yearely and duly at the set time received the passeover unlesse there were just and legall impediments I willingly grant certaine it is they went up to Hierusalem after the custome of the Feast a Luke 2.42 which custome was Annuall on the foureteenth day of the first moneth yea it is not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the custome of the Feast but more distinctly and plainely v. 41. they went unto Hierusalem unto the Feast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yearely per annum annuatim the vulgar of Hentenius and Saâ—tandrâ—anus hath it per omnes annos whether our Saviour was yearely carryed when he could not goe or went himselfe so soone as he was able to goe is not expressed some thinke yes because they imagine his gratious mother who loved him so tenderly would not goe to the Feast without him others thinke she left him sometimes behind her with some especiall friends which caused the good old man and the sacred Virgin to seeke him among their kinsefolkes and acquaintance b Luk. 2.44 Luke 2.44 rather then among others when he was wanting cleare it is c Exod. 23.17 Exod. 23.17 Tribus vicibus in anno conspicietur omnis masculus tuus ad facies dominatoris domini three times in the yeare all the males shall appeare before the Lord God which is repeated d Exod. 34.23 Exod. 34.23 all this seemes to make for Christs often and yearely ascent PAR. 2. YEt if we may beleeve Maimonides in Chagigah cap. 2. little children might stay at home though every Child which could hold his father by the hand and goe up from the entrance of the Citie unto the high place of the Temple which was a steepe ascent not to be performed by very young children must appeare before the Lord also besides little children and women the deafe dumbe blind lame the foole the defiled the uncircumcised the old and the sicke the Hermaphrodite and the servant were excused if they ascended not to this effect saith the Iewish professour PAR. 3. BUt he is awry in divers points first the women neare to Hierusalem were not exempted from comming nor they in Hierusalem from partaking of the Feast secondly their sonne daughter man servant and maid servant the Itenerant Levite and stranger the fatherlesse and widdow were to ascend and rejoyce at the Feast of weekes e Deut. 16.11 Deut. 16.11 and so at the great passeover in all likelihood Thirdly their Hebrew servants certainly every one that could did celebrate the passeover for if they were circumcised they were bound to keepe the whole Law as Saint Paul divinely expoundeth it f Gal. 5.3 Gal. 5.3 though their bought and uncircumcised servants might not come PAR. 4. CAlvin and his numerous Soldurii or devoted men unto him thinke none ascended to Ierusalem under twentie yeares old viz. onely those qui transibant sub censum who payed tribute or were taxed yet Christ went up at twelve yeares of age and the Iewish professour who knew better then Calvin what the Jewes practised vary from him Tostatus thinkes that the males when they came to yeares of discretion then they all ascended though it cannot be defined what yeare punctually children come to the yeares of discretion because some are both riper witted then others and better bred and of stronger complexions and so forwarder by farre then others Caesaribus virtus contigit ante diem yet I hold more probable that as soone as children had strength to goe so farre and were instructed and knew what belonged to those Solemnities then commonly they did first celebrate those Typicall Festivities
Gentile stocke or stone who seeing a most reverend holy and learned Bishop at his entrance into the Church decently to bend stoope and doe reverence to God alone toward the East where the memoriall is of the holiest of holies and where Christ is really spiritually most ineffably present at and in our Sacrament I say let him who sayd in a mocke that he could finde in his heart to goe to leape-frogge over that devout Prelate know his abominable pride confesse his blasphemie and repent for his Atheisticall in devotions likewise that idle busie-body that irreformable reformer who not onely pryeth too boldly into the Arke but hath sucked in most venemous hatred and mightily laboured to spread his poyson against our Church and Church-Prelates the upholders under our gracious King of our Arke yea and against his Sacred Majestie I say Naviget Anticyres let him take Hellebore and purge himselfe throughly first and recant his wicked errours his greasie and unmannerly comparison that the standing of our holy Table close to the inside of the East of our Chancell is like a Butchers boord or a dreffer in the Kitchin Jeasting and jeering at the best is but the froth and some of a scurrilous wit of an irreligious shallow braine which never was acquainted with the true inward comfort and joy of the holy Ghost and therefore breakes out like scabs from a corrupt body into outward uncomely and scandalous making of sport whilst the mocker is mocked at many times most bitterly and fiercely Lastly let those super-nice people who because we are cōmanded to stand at the north-side of Table do take exception at the placing of the East-side of the Lords Table close to the East-wall within the Chancell I say let them goe to schoole and be better catechized and know what reverence in the most holy dayes next to the times Apostolicall was used toward the East oh consider say they by the Rubricke of our Liturgie established by Act of Parliament we are appointed to stand on the North side but as our late directions runne we cannot stand on the North side but on the North end of the boord if the East-side of it doe touch the East-wall of the Chancell such is their opposition I answere to the point thus 1. We the Obedient sonnes of the Church of England doe no wayes infringe that Divine Liturgie which our Church-men did frame and they our Martyrs sealed with their blood which Royall authority directed and established which Parliaments yeelded unto and confirmed 2. In how many other points the giddy-seeming-precise ones doe little esteeme of Princes Parliaments or Church let their omission of prayers appointed their jeering contempt at the holy Liturgie and their writing against it declare 3. The Churchmen in appointing and the civill Authority in ratifying these words The Priest standing on the Northside of the Table shall say c. cannot so much as probably be evinced to have intended either that the Priest might not bend sometimes toward the East or that they meant onely a long Table excluding a square Table or that a Table a little more long than broad may not be sayd to have foure sides a decent Table is indeede appointed but is not a square Table a decent Table yea most decent in a very small square Chancell If Ecclesiasticall Authority had commanded the use of a square Table as nothing hindreth it all their frivolous exception and distinction betweene the sides and the ends of the Table had vanished But irregular curiosity will now speake by rule and measure though otherwise it abhor both reason rule and measure a Cōmunion Table not fully square must be sayd to have not foure sides but two sides and two ends grant we it so in a long table much longer than broad confesse we that properly enough one may be sayd to sit or stand at one end and another at the other end and others to be on both sides of the table yet are we not bound to such strictnesse of termes in tables almost as broad as long a trencher is called Quadra whether the trencher be perfect square or somewhat more uneven be equilaterall or different Mensa also doth signifie a square table as well as a long one Mensae primi saeculi the tables of the first age were first quadratae foure-square then orbiculatae round saith Alexamder ab Alexandro genial dier 5.21 yea even in round tables as wee now call them the fayrer they are the more squares they have and these small squares are and well may be called sides If one of these curious ones had before his house a court as long againe as it is broad he would call the two longer spaces the sides of his Court and the two narrower the two ends he would be loath to say the court had foure sides yet in Scripture phrase Exod. 27.9 c. The holy Court is sayd to be placed or made on divers sides the South-side and North-side each an hundred cubits the West-side and the East-side each fifty cubits they are called sides not ends though two sides were shorter by halfe than the other two sides briefely that may be called square which approacheth to squareneffe and those things to be Quadrangular which have not foure equall Angles exactly and none but refractary spirits would finde a knot in a Bul-rush by falsely imagining that to place the Lords Table at the East-side of the Chancell doth contradict the Rubricke in our Liturgie established by Religion though it call the two ends sides If it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 truely observed out of our 82. Canon that at the time of celebration the Communion Table is appointed to be placed in Church or Chancell where may be most convenient for the Minister and the people I answere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 boldly yet humbly that now with us it is judged by our Ordinary that the decent Communion Table shall bee placed at the East-end of the Chancell and being so is held to bee placed in so good sort as thereby the Minister may be more conveniently heard of the Communicants in his prayer and administration and the Communicants also more conveniently and more in number may Communicate with the sayd Minister as I have found lately by experience and it may be better judged whether people do sit or leane or kneele Secondly I for my part doe abhorre singularity as well as those who would break or cloy the Canon let me live and dye an obedient sonne of the Church of England my holy Mother and I shall be sure to finde God my Father Fourthly I doubt not but all the Altars erected by holy men in Scripture were foure-square I am sure there were but two standing lasting Altars allowed either in the time of the Tabernacle or of the Temple and both of them were to be and were exactly foure-square The Altar of the burnt-offering shall be five Cubits long and five Cubits broad the Altar shall be foure-square
before The Prayer MOst infinite and incomprehensible Lord God the first Fathers and Patriarchs of the Church knew thee by thy many glorious names and Epithetes and by thy frequent apparitions and revelations unto them wee know them by thy holy Scriptures in them are both milke and strong meate there may the Leviathan sport himselfe and the Lambe may wade and drinke most things thy wisdome hath concealed all things needfull for mortall men hast thou written some in more darke termes and some in more cleere patefactions Thy glorious selfe being most free art not tyed to any other expressions than what please thee Good Lord let thy divine writ teach mee guide mee in all goodnesse till death deliver mee over to a more blessed estate Grant this O Father for Jesus Christ his sake Amen CHAP. VII The second Generall The Contents of the seaventh Chapter 1 That there was a second Supper at the Jewish Paschall Proofes from the Old Testament Vnto the Paschall was annexed the Chagigah 2 Difference betweene the first and second Supper Maimonides Scaliger Beza and Baronius erred in this point 3 The first Supper when it began 4 The different meates a◠the First Second Supper Jewes Gentiles at their great feasts did eate two suppers 5 Christs gesture at the Paschall Supper Coena Domini Tricoenium Christi-Christ in his last Passeover kept the Ceremonies of the Jewes Coena Dimissoria what it was PARAGRAPH I. IT now followeth that what I have averred and avouched I should confirme by proofes First then I must evince That there was a second Supper at the Iewish Paschall Secondly that Christ was as it Thirdly more particularly let us weigh 1 When this second supper began 2 What was said in it and what was done in it 3 When it ended 4 Whether Iudas partaked of it In the first point I will prove That there was a second Supper at the Iewish Paschall From the Old Testament From the New Testament From the Fathers From Protestants From Papists 1 Proofes from the Old Testament Towards the end of the Paschall Supper or at the end of it the Jewes usually had a larger Supper called a common supper as Maimonides and the Jewish Doctors confesse which supper though it was not injoyned at the Aegyptian Passeover when they were in so perplexed an estate and in such hurly-burly that it was hard to say whether the Iewes or the Aegyptians most bestirred themselves to hasten the Israelites abrupt departure yet you shall finde it expresly precepted Deuteronomy 16.2 Thou shalt sacrifize the Passeover unto the Lord thy God of the flocke and of the herd The Lambe of the flocke was the proper Passeover The beast of the herd were for the festivall refreshments of the second supper some of them even the same night as well as for the succeeding seven daies Yea it is most observable that both the flocke and the herd are commanded and the order expressed First they must sacrifice the Passeover of the flocke Secondly of the herd Thirdly is mentioned the bread verse 3. Thou shalt eate no leavened bread with it Vaine are they then that thinke that they might eate none of the herd that night With the Passeover indeed they might eate none but so soone as the Rites of the Passeover were performed they did eate of the herd of which hereafter Nor might they eate unleavened bread at either of those suppers or feasts For the Sacramentall supper was not ordeined meerly as naturall food at civill Feasts Every one present had some of it but they made not their full meales on it every one had a little and with feare and reverence did they approach to the beginning of it Sacred things were sparely and warily taken and used in respect of their eating of ordinary food As with us the taking of the blessed body and blood of our Lord precedeth our usuall refections at dinners and is first eaten propter honorem corporis Dominici for the honour of the Lords body as S. Augustine excellently phraseth it So the sacred partaking of the Paschall Lambe with unleavened bread and sowre hearbes was the antipast to their second succeeding supper Apparent then it is that unto the sacred offering of thanksgiving in the proper Paschall sacrifice which was their first and devouter part of the night there were to be added Peace-offrings or Feast offerings at the same time Unto the Pascha was annexed the Chagigab The herd did minister meat-offrings of more joy and comfort as it were at the second course as the flocke had done before of dovout thankesgiving mingled partly of joy partly of soure sorrow For it is expressely said Deuteron 16.4 Neither shall there any thing of the flesh which thou sacrificest the first day at even remaine all night untill the morning Where observe they also sacrificed the very first day at even both of the flocke and of the herd as appeareth by the second verse and they rosted the Passeover some of the herd they did also boyle the same night Deuteron 16.7 as it is in the Bishops Bibles Thou shalt seeth and eate it Coques as the Interlineary hath it and Hentenius and Santandreanus The Margent of the Interlineary hath Assabis and Vatablus Assabis Vebishaltah is the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the 70. rendred by Vatablus coques Tremellius hath it coques Our last translation and Vatablus did interpret the word according to the use of the proper Passeover which was to be rosted but both the originall it selfe and the 70 and Vulgat and other interpreters understood it truly of the other Sacrifices which might be sodden yea some of them were precepted hereby to be boyled PAR. 2. THe great Maimonides utterly maketh this to be a difference betweenē the first and second supper betweene the more sacred and common meate Thē flesh of the Chagigah might be served and kept a day or two after but the flesh of the Pascha must be eaten or burnt before morning Both Scaliger Beza Baronius and the adherents of them though they plainly and punctually confesse a second supper yet they ascribe too much to the Jewish rituall First was brought in In posteriori mensa at the second course saith Baronius from the rituall Embamma ex intybis a sallet of sowre hearbes That they had more sallets more sauce and no other fresh meat of the herd seems strange to mee No other Bellaria junkets were brought in saith hee and Beza If by bellariae they exclude all other flesh of the herd or what was offered in Peace-offerings they are confuted by the place in Deuteronomie Let reason trye it If the Jewes at their second suppers had no junkers nor flesh of any other beasts but onely acetarium ex intybis lactucis agrestibus bitter sharpe sallets it deserveth not the name of a supper But whosoever exactly looketh into it will find great part of that which followeth in Beza belonging not to the first supper as hee would
caeterum But Apparet omninò ex aliis Evangelistis it is very plaine by the other Evanglists that the words But behold c. were spoken in Secundis mensis coenae Legalis at the second course of the Paschall Supper which being taken away and Supper being ended as S. Luke saith in the precedent verse Christ administred the sacred Supper Let this authority be noted for upon the mistaking of those words as spoken after the holy Supper grew the erronious opinion of S. Augustine and many other famous men That Judas received the Eucharist PAR. 2. REasons proving Judas to have eaten the holiest Mysteries are these First after the blessed Sacrament Christ saith Ecce manus tradentis me est in mensa Behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is on the table Luke 22.21 Therefore Judas was present also after the institution and so received it for none present at it were excluded This was the great stumbling-blocke at which the Divine S. Augustine and many others both stumbled and fell Barradius answereth that S. Luke used a recapitulation So Innocentius expoundeth it S. Luke diverse times tyed not himselfe to the order of things done Apparebit saith Maldonate on Matth. 12.43 non Lucam sed Matthaeum rerum gestarum ordinem tenuisse It is apparent that not S. Luke but S. Matthew followed the order of things as they were done so is it also in this place I say S. Matthew and S. Marke have the words in effect before the Consecration Secondly take the words as they lye in terminis and in the History according to the letter there followeth this notable inconvenience that after the third Supper the most blessed Eucharist or Lords Supper Judas was eating with Christ still at the same Table which upon mature consideration no Christian will admit PAR. 3. IVdas sate downe with the twelve and did eate of the Cup it is sayd Biberunt ex eo omnes Mark 14.23 And it was the Eucharisticall Cup as is apparent If none be excepted and if we must not limit things where Scripture doth not then Judas received the Divine Eucharist I answere S. John relateth that Judas went out immediately after after the sop But that sop was not the Sacrament but given before the Sacrament as followeth ex ordine gestorum verhorum Christi according to the order and deedes of Christ saith Barradius Againe the word Omnes All must necessarily be restrained ad omnes qui aderant to all that were present For shall we thinke the absent did receive Then must the 70. Disciples and all in the house be included and sayd to receive it which is false Therefore Omnes All involveth onely Omnes praesentes All present PAR. 4. THirdly Psal 109.8 Let another take his office charge or Bishopricke But hee was made Priest and Bishop at this Supper therefore was he present therefore he received it I answere this Prophecie was fulfilled in due time when Iudas was dead and not before Againe Iudas was made an Apostle long before this Matthew 10.4 He is reckoned as one though the last of the Apostles And the Apostle-ship comprized within it selfe as being the chiefest and greatest power all inferiour authority And S. Matthias was not chosen in his roome as he was Priest onely or Bishop onely the Apostleship being set aside But hee was chosen the twelfth Apostle with all its Rites priviledges and authorities PAR. 5. FOurthly none of the Disciples knew the secret sinne of Iudas so he was not deprived of the sacred Eucharist for this cause I answere when the sop was given and taken all the Disciples knew him to be the Traytor If not yet Christ knew him to be uncleane Ioh. 13.10 and 11. vers and knew him to be a Devill Ioh. 6.70 and 71. vers Therefore though Christ admitted Iudas into his company and to the dying transient Passeover and to the second Supper though he washed and wiped his feete yet it standeth with no likelihood that our holy Saviour would admit so sinfull a soule to so heavenly a banquet If in defence of the Prime part of this objection it be sayd that no man at the table knew for what intent Christ sayd unto him That thou doest doe quickely Iohn 13.28 Till I come purposely to handle the point let this answere serve All the Apostles might both know the traytour expresly and yet be ignorant what was the meaning of those words of Christ for they little imagined that Iudas would have betrayed Christ so soone even that night and they did then little imagine that then Christ gave the Devill full power over him PAR. 6. FIfthly Christ admitted Iudas to the Paschall and to the Common Supper then why was he not admitted to the Holy Eucharist I answere favour hath its latitude even among us we admit some and not others into our companie and among them some into our friendship others into familiarity to some wee shew curresies ina meane degree to other in an higher degree Iudas was chosen as well as the rest to be an Apostle I know whom I have chosen saith Christ Iohn 13.18 But he is named in the last place Matth. 10.4 And though he carried the bagge and kept the money Iohn 13.29 I account that was no favour unto him It was not in it selfe but to his courtuous soule as a snare and stumbling-block Nor doe you ever finde any steps of extraordinary favour of Christ unto him He singled out sometimes two and sometimes three unto especiall Services and to bee personall beholders of his more secret and Divine affaires Peter and Iohn were sent by Christ to prepare the Passeover Luke 22.8 Peter and Iohn waited on him John 21.20 He tooke Peter Iames and Iohn as witnesses of his transfiguration Mat. 17.1 He suffered no man to follow him save Peter Iames and Iohn Mat. 5.37 When they came to Gethsemani Christ sayd to his Disciples sit ye here while I shall pray and he taketh with him Peter Iames and John Mark 14.32 and 33. verses He never shewed Iudas any such token of familiarity so farre as Scripture recordeth but kept him at a distance Yet I confesse I have reade in S. Augustine Serm. 28. Tom. 10. folio 276. strange curtesies if truely undoubted of Christ to Judas he delivered him often from death for Iudas his sake he healed his father of Leprosie his Mother with whom Judas had beene incestuous of the Palsie hee found him often stealing and alwayes pardoned him he most an end honoured Iudas next to Peter he gave him his holy body he kneeled before him he washed his feete he kissed him From whence S. Augustine had all this he revealeth not nor is it de fide any Article of our Christian faith I come to my old businesse S. Bemaâ—d in Serm. 1. de Coenâ Domini pag. 1347. saith Judas was borne in a Village called Marmotis sive malamors Evill death Besides the partaking of the Common Supper yea and of the
Church were kept neare about the same time Christians falsly accused for eating Infants at their Agapae The Agapae kept on the Lords daye What scandals were taken by the Gentiles against the Christians Agapae 4. The sacred Eucharist and not the Agapae as the Papists think is meant by the Supper of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.20 The Agapâ—e never practised before Christs Ascension The Agapâ—e at first were used holily and religiously sometimes Severally from Jointly with the Lords Supper The Corinthians did eate them before the Lords Supper They were celebrated by the Corinthians in the Church Each Schisme of the Corinthians supped a part by themselves The poore neglected by the Corinthians in their Agape The primary end of the Agapâ—e the releife of the poore 5. Charity modestly covereth a multitude of Sinners The ill fashions of the Corinthians in receiving the Lords Supper reproved Casaubone censured in two points First that the Corinthians received the Eucharist in the Morning Secondly that the Eucharist ought to be called a Dinner or a Break-fast rather than a Supper The Churches both Westerne and Easterne did receive the Supper of the Lord Fasting in the fourth Age. On good-Friday the Church used to receive it Thrice That use broken by Pope Honorius and the Councell of Tarracon Pope Eutichianus his Decretall against such as received the Sacrament Not-Fasting Some Churches of Africa and some Egyptians received it about Eventide Not-Fasting In the second Age of the Church in Tertullians time they received it some at Night some at Mealetime and some ere Breake of day We receive the Holy Communion in the Morning in remembrance of Christs Resurrection 6. In the Primitive Church they did lye on beds when they did eate their Love-Feasts Love-Feasts forbidden to be kept in the Church by the Laodicean Councell ancient Fathers and later Divines Kneeling in the time of solemne Prayers and administration of the Lords Supper commended by Calvin 7. In S. Cyprians and S. Augustines dayes some received the Eucharist every day others at certaine times only S. Augustines Rule Let every one follow the Customes of the Church wherein he liveth Eudemon Johannes by Casaubone reproved A Christian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or holy complying to avoyd Schisme and for concords sake was practised by the ancient Fathers by other Christians and by Calvin himselfe And commended by Casaubone Rigaltius and others Calvins good advise to Farellus His divine temper against Luther 8. The holy Kisse usuall at the blessed Sacrament Forborne on Good-Friday The Kisse of Charity why so called 'T is called Holy to discriminate it from false amorous and civill Kisses Why the holy Kisse was omitted on Good-Friday Diverse kinds of Kissing Some of Salutation some of Adoration Diverse manners of Kissing Some kisse the lips or mouth former parts and hinder parts of the shoulders cheeks hands back of the hands the feet and the toe The reason of Kissing the Popes toe The Penitents in Tertullians dayes did kisse the very foot-steps of other Christians Kissing of a Tablet or holy Board The reason thereof Holding by the eares in kissing used among Heathen and among Christians The reason thereof Joah held Amasa by the beard and kissed him The custome of kissing one another at the receiving of the Sacrament continued till S Augustines dayes The manner of kissing in Prester Johns Countrey and among the Persians 9. When the Agapae began and ended uncertaine Not to bee eaten in the Church and in the Chancell The Vse and Abuse of them even in the Apostles times The Abusers of them termed Spots and Blemishes in the Abstract The words Breaking of bread and breaking of bread from house to house Act. 2. verse 44 45 46. interpreted The degrees by which Abuses crept into the Agapae PARAGRAPH 1. IN things unrevealed in circumstances omitted a wide window yea a doore is open for diversities of opinions and variety of opinions proveth there is obscurity in those things about which they differ In this obscurity we are left to doubts and doubts are determinable by the fairest proofes Knowledge is not so common a matter as is esteemed many may light on a good beleefe who have not any divine knowledge Cognitio fieri non potest nisi cognoscenda praecedant Augustine de Genest ad litteram Cap. 32. De non intelligibilibus non est intellectio Doubting it selfe is not wholly voyd of all knowledge nor doth any man know any thing truly of which he never made any doubt before saith Petrus Pomponatius de Incantationibus cap. 9. Plato his young youth was to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inquisitive Name qui nil dubitat nil capit inde boni For he that reading makes no doubt Doth little profit get thereout A signe to a nimble wit is as persuasive as a sentence to a dull braine The institution of the venerable Eucharist is for the substantiall part thereof set down at large by three Evangelists and by S. Paul But for the time place and manner of administring what preparatives were used by word or deed with what gestures Christ did celebrate and the Apostles receive that blessed Sacrament what Reverence was shewed what Prayers Precedent Concomitant or Subsequent were made is not directly expressed in holy Scripture Scarce ever was there an holy subject more subject to various constructions For we are forced to seek for the light without any shine of it the ashes must bee blown away and hidden corners searched Fire is produced by a strong applying of the flint to the steele and we must be as tinder dryed and apt to entertaine the least flying spark points unwritten must be extracted and distilled out of things written Wherefore good Christian people whosoever you be that are unlearned and can talke only of our English originall forbeare censure in these dubious points be willinger to follow than to lead to learne than to determine But come you hither O ye inquisitive and learned Conjecturers Here is work for you and in this work let me intreat you rather to build than to destroy to cut of rather than multiply perplexities And you dainty Criticks the sweet Children of the Arts and Muses you mines and minters of Invention come with your nimble fancies and pricking apprehensions towring beyond sight fetch light out of darknesse adde improvement to learning and truth and strength of reason to conjecture And you especially most Reverend and Holy divines the true Epoptae Stewards of the mysteries of God and beholders of his secrets who daily converse with God and his blessed Angels who spend not your thoughts on the stincking trash of this filthy world whose death to the world is life to Godward and who are Finita divitiarum cupiditate divites rich in that you covet not riches Whilest an earthworme or muckworme is Medias inter opes inops poore like Tantalus in the middest of his riches You who bury your selves among your books and joy more to illuminate obscurities than to find
Corinthinans cap. 11. By Isidore de Divinis Officiis By Bede on Luke 22. By Paschasius de corpore Domini cap 19. and most amply handled by Walafridus Strabo de rebus Ecclesiae cap. 19. So far Pamelius on Cyprian That ill Custome is condemned by Calvin Institut 4.10 But the kneeling in prayers with our hats off he there commendeth and the administration of the Lords Supper not fordidly and unmanerly but sollemnly and reverently More particularly concerning Kneeling in the time of solemne prayers he saith ibid. Parag. 30. That it is so an Humane tradition that it is also a Divine tradition And it proceedeth from God as it is part of the Decency which the Apostle commendeth to us but of this more hereafter PAR. 7. I Now proceed to the twelfth point In the Epistle of Cyprian and of the African Synod to Cornelius as it is in the first volume of the Generall Councels printed at Venice pag. 381. Nos Sacerdotes sacrificia Des quotidiè celebramus we Priests doe daily celebrate the service of God And Augustine in the fore-cited Epistle to Januarius thus Alii quotidiè cōmunicant corpori sanguini Dominico alii certis diebus accipiunt c. Some every day receive the Eucharist some at certaine times only In one place they receive it on the Sabbath and on the Lords day in another they take it only on the Lords day Neither doth Saint Augustine condemne those who take it daily nor them who choose Set-daies nor them who receiue After Supper or Sup After their receiving Faciat ergo quisque quod in eâ Ecclesia in quam venit invenerit Let every one saith he follow the Custome of that Church in which he liveth Which is an holy advice in it selfe but thrusteth through the loynes of all selfe-conceited Singularists who know not or use not that holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that pliable condescent that humble yeelding that charitable peaceable and candid exposition of things either unknowne or doubtfull which the Fathers of the first Christian times both practised and taught Casaubone commendeth the Fathers for it and wished to find it among the Jesuits and I for my part rather preferre a supple accordance a reconciling and uniting of differences before the drawing and stretching of the rope of Contention by both ends and before the multiplying of alienations or divisions which S. Basil calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Over-earnest desire to draw all things to the contrary part Eudemon Johannes that fierce fiery Divell holds That healing vertue that balme for scissures or ruptures that milde and moderate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be little lesse than the betraying of Truth than the abjuration of all Christian Religion Casaubone justly reproveth the eager and fiery Jesuit Exercitatione 16. cap. 32. And not Casaubone only but the great and learned Rigaltius in his Observations on Tertullian de Oratione commendeth in the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Tertullian aswell as of other Fathers Tanta fuit patribus charitatis cura ut plerosque ritus ratione non bona receptos tolerarent potius quà m rigidâ censurâ vel minimam scissurae occasionem praberent pag. 40. The Fathers saith Rigaltius had so great a regard unto or care of Charity that they did rather beare with diverse Rites though instituted and received upon no good ground than they would by rigid censure administer the least occasion of scissure or division Yet there were ever some who whereas they ought to esteeme or labour to make indifferent things good and good things Better do yet indevour to make good things but Indifferent Indifferent matters to be bad and bad to be worse But as Rigaltius truly observeth Hac erat illo aevo Christianoruni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In those dayes not only the Fathers but other Christians also used that modest holy complying and condescent Neither God bee blessed hath this latter age had all and only rigid and inflexible Lutherans Jesuits and Puritanes but God hath given unto the Church moderate men of softer metall Calvin himselfe gives good advice to Farellus Though saith he we be free in all things yet let us be servants to peace and concord I cannot but add that most divine temper of Calvin if the same flowed from his heart which flowed from his pen that though Luther called him a Divell a thousand times yet he would never say otherwise of Luther but that he was a chiefe servant of God And I hope the best because in another case where he was much abused yet his complaints were moderate and modest To establish his new-found Presbyterie which was falling to the ground he became the busiest Polypragmon that ever was in the world of his meanes He cryeth downe Tithes giveth all power almost to the Lay-Magistrates of Geneva upholdeth usury culium obsequio petens by flattery and beggery seeking to be reverenced accepteth a slipend of forty pounds annually And when the fixed honorary of Tithes was taken away the unfixed humours of the Laicks appeared They cared not to pay him his ten pound quarterly and if the silly man had starved for his pretty new invention they had not much esteemed Yet doth not he play the Boutefeau he animateth none to rebellion he seeketh not the change of estate though the penurious man in his Commentaries on Gen. 47. and Gal. 6. could not but complaine how slowly and ill he was paid When they received the blessed Sacrament on Good-friday they did forbeare to kisse one another as it was usuall at other times For the Apostle commands it Romans 16.16 1 Cor. 16.20 and 2 Cor. 13.12 in all three places not a Lustfull but a Peacefull An Holy kisse is appointed Greet ye one another with an Holy kisse as it is in all three places But 1 Thes 5.26 it is varied Greet ye All the brethren with an Holy kisse Lastly the Apostle Saint Peter sheweth what manner of Kisse this ought to be Greet ye one another with a kisse of charity peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus 1 Pet. 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kisse of Charity perhaps because it was given and received when they went to their Agapae or Feasts of Charity a Kisse to manifest true Charity a Kisse to settle peace a Kisse to seale up the prayers of Christians one to another and practised duly and reverently it was as appeareth both by the Greek and Latine Liturgies Origen saith this Custome is delivered to the Churches that After prayers fratres suscipiant se invicem osculo the Christian brethren kissed one another Saint Augustine thus divinely and alwayes like himselfe After the Lords prayer they say Pax vobiscum peace bee with you and then the Christians kisse one another with an Holy Kisse which is the signe of peace As thy lips approach to the lips of thy brother so let thy heart come nigh his heart Sermone 83. de diversis So this kisse is called Holy
to discriminate it from False Amorous Civill Kisses A False Kisse Joah gave to Amasa with a deadly stab 2 Sam. 20.9 A more False Kisse Judas gave to Christ Betrayest thou the Son of Man with a Kisse saith Christ to the Traytor Luke 22.48 Amorous Kisses some of them are wholy unlawfull such as are obscene and incite to swelling Lust Oscula qui sumpsit si non c. As it is in that voluptuous prophane and Epicurean Poët I forbeare to English Et quae sentiri non esse Sororia possent saith the same experienced Leacher Such as lewd wantons not deare Sisters give For the Kisses of Sisters ought to be modest cold and civill The Kisses also of kinred and of friends ought to be civill and shamefac'd Someu sed them dimidio labro with a touch of the lip only Martial 2.10 Persians Jews Graecians and Romans kissed their friends when they met them And Polydor Virgil de Jnvent rerum lib. 4. cap. 1 3. saith Consuetudo nunc ubique gentium servatur praesertim apud Anglos quorum mulieres non cognatos modo sed quoscunque generatim osculo tantum salutant resalutantque illud quidem primoribus uti dicitur labris tam decentissimè quà m honestissimè faciunt It is a common fashion now adayes almost through the whole world but especially among the English whose women do use to salute and to resalute by way of Kissing not their kinred alone but generally all others as occasion serves and that they do in a most comely and civill manner onely with their former lips as the proverbe speaketh Plato his verses ascribed to him by Laertius cited by Aulus Gellius Noctium Atticarum 19.11 smell too much of paedaristia unfit for so great Divine and ancient a Philosopher Socrates was not void of fault in Kissing faire youths which Agesilaus is noted to have avoyded Virgil was set on fire by his beautifull Alexis Even the friendly civill kissing grew through too much use troublesome and was forbid by Tiberius Yet wonderfully both practised and complained of long after even by Martial lib. 7. Epig. 94. against Linus See the insatiable Martial 11.9 of his over-valewing the salacious kisses of his lewd boy and the generall abuse of the City in their Kissing at meetings Martial 11.99 It was wont to be In foro inter omnes amicos In the market between All acquaintance when they met Et levi basio by a touch only when it was used at the best S. Augustine in questionibus super Genesim quaest 87. upon these words Jacob kissed Rachel Genesis 29.11 thus Consuetudinis fuit maximè in illa simplicitate antiquorum ut propinqui propinquos oscularentur hoc hodie fit in multis locis It was a custome of old especially in those dayes of simplicity of the ancients for Kinsmen to kisse Kinsmen and this is practised yet in many places Saint Augustine had come neerer to the point if he had said It was the fashion for Kinsmen to kisse Kinswomen for so did Jacob here kisse his Cousin Rachel Yet I deny not but it was the fashion then to salute men also Gen. 29.13 Laban kissed Jacob. Joseph kissed All his Brethren Gen. 45.15 yea even his dead Father Gen. 50.1 Samuel the Prophet kissed Saul 1 Sam. 10.1 Ionathan and David kissed one another 1 Sam. 20.41 Let me be bold to say The kisses of Samuel Ionathan and David were not only Civill and Reverend kisses as the former were but Holy kisses figures perhaps of what was to be in the law of Grace For the Christians kisses were terminated in Honesty and modest Civility in peace and joy in the Holy Ghost and their greetings were with Holy kisses as I said before different from the best and câ—vilest kisses of other Nations and much more holy The omission of the Holy kisse on Good-friday may be thought to be grounded on this because Christ was betrayed by the Kisse of Iudas See Tertullian de oratione cap. ultimo Die Paschae quo communis quasi publica jejunii religio est meritò deponimus osculum we doe for very good reason forbeare the Holy kisse on the Paschall day because we doe then religiously observe and keep the Common and Publick Fast Let no man understand it of Easter day for then they might not Fast but of Good-friday For Paschae passio Domini est and elegit Dominus diem Paschae quo pateretur saith Tertullian otherwhere as Heraldus Cerda and Pamelius have judiciously observed The Pasch or Passeover is the Passion of the Lord and the Lord hath chosen the day of the Passeover to suffer on Ignatius in his Epistles to those of Antiochia and Tarsus hath these words toward the end of both of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Salutate invicem in osculo Sancto salute one another with an Holy Kisse non subdolè vel fictè quale Judas tradidit Salvatori saith Hierom. on Romans 16.16 not a Trayterous or False Kisse such an one as Judas gave to our Saviour And still remember there is a great distance and difference between Kisses of Salutation and Kisses of Adoration of which hereafter Nor did they kisse only the Lips and Mouths but both the Fore-parts and Hinder-parts of the Shoulders the Cheeks the Hand the Back of the Hand even the very Feet See Ritterhushius on Salvianus pag. 379. Baronius ad annum Domini 294.8 Relateth of one Praepedigna that she fell at the feet of Caius the Pope and according to the custome of those times Kissed them as it is in the Acts saith Baronius Numero 10. Claudius kissed the feet of Gabinius the Priest with joy Maximus also kissed Caius his feet Numero 12. Who so desires to see more concerning this point or to know the reason and originall of Kissing the Popes Toe Let him read Polydor Virgil. de invent rerum lib. 4. cap. 13. E're since our blessed Saviour was betrayd With a Lip-Kisse his Vicar is afrayd From whence perchance this common use did grow To kisse his t'other end I meane his Toe Quarles Divine Fancies lib. 3.22 Tertullian de pudicitiâ cap. 13. is playne that the poenitents did lambere omnium vestigia did omnium genua detinere Kisse the knees yea the very foot-steps of other Christians and were wont to fall down in the congregation conciliciati concinerati in sack-cloth and ashes which is better than conciliati as I suppose Yea the very precept of Kissing one another was used more warily afterward For the women were kept apart from the men in the Church and so did not promiscuously kisse and yet for all this caution saith Baronius ad annum Christi 45. Numero 26. because by the Divels cunning deceipt crept in among the mutuall kisses of them whether men or women It was a laudable fashion in some Churches to kisse a Tablet or sacred Board And indeed by that meanes many sins might be prevented whilst by kissing as Plato speakes hyperbolically the soule
blood dwelleth in me and I in him 7. To be an antidote against dayly sins Panem nostrum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Give us this day our daily bread Here the Eucharist is called Panis supersubstantialis our supersubstantiall or Heavenly bread yea saith Ambrose it is called Panis quotidianus our daily bread because it is a medicine and a remedy against daily sins de Sacramentis 5.4 8. To further our spirituall Life And therefore it is not only set down negatively John 6.53 Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood ye have no life in you but it is further positively averred I am that bread of Life ver 48. and ver 50. This is that bread which commeth downe from Heaven that a man may eat thereof and not dye And ver 51. I am the living bread The bread that I will give is my flesh which I will give for the Life of the World And most apparently in the 54. ver who so eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath aeternall Life For my flesh is meat indeed and my blood is drink indeed ver 55. and ver 57. as the Living Father hath sent me and I live by the Father so he that eateth me even he shall live by me Lastly Cardinall Cusanus Exercitationum 7. Eucharistia est supremae charitatis Sacramentum The blessed Eucharist is the Sacrament of the most heavenly gift of charity When Christ had loved his unto the end because all the rest did not suffice to perfect Charity unlesse he gave himselfe for all of which the Eucharist was the wonderfull mystery Recipit se in manus suas in Sacramento fregit distribuit He taketh himselfe into his own hands and in the Sacrament brake and distributed himselfe Like as if bread were alive and should break and distribute it selfe that they might live to whom it was distributed and it selfe should dye by being distributed So Christ gave himselfe to us as if he did so distribute himselfe to us by dying Nota. that he might give life unto us In the same place he calleth it the Sacrament of Filiation all doubt being taken away concerning the Filiation of God For if Bread can passe over into the Son of God therefore Man may who is the end of bread Vide Dionysi Carthus in Luc. 22. fol. 258. Much more may be said but other points draw me to them THE PRAYER I Am not worthy O Lord holy Father of the least of thy benefits yea I have deserved that the full vyals of thy heaviest wrath should be powred down upon mee for I have many wayes offended thee and after manifold both vows and endevours to repent after teares sighs groanes and my contrite heart hath been offered on thy Altar yet I arknowledge my relapses and recidivations Good God let thy goodnesses strive against my wickednesse and fully overcome it Cleanse mee though thou slay mee and though thou shouldest condemne mee who wholly trust in thee yet Sanctify me thy Servant for Iesus Christ his sake my blessed Redeemer Amen CHAP. III. and fist Generall Which is divided into 5. Sections or particulars The first whereof is contained in this Chapter And therein is shewed 1. After what words Christ began this Third or Last Supper 2. A Digression 1. Concerning the division of the Bible into Chapters and Verses 2. Against filthy prophaners of Churches and Church-yards 3. Against Conventicles 1. What course Christ tooke in the perfecting of this Third or Last Supper First he removed Judas The ceremonies of the Grecians at their Sacrifices S. Augustines error who thought Judas did eat the bread of the Lord Sacramentally A more probable opinion that Christ did not institute the blessed Eucharist till Judas was gone forth After what words Christ began his Third Supper The word When doth not always note the immediation of times or things consequent 2. A discourse by way of digression The first part thereof Concerning the division of the Bible into Chapters and Verses Neither the Evangelists nor the Apostles divided their writings into Chapters and Verses Neither Christ nor his Apostles in the New Testament cited Chapter or Verse of the Old Testament Probable that the Books of the Old Testament were from the beginning distinguished and named as now they are And began and ended as now they do The Iewes of old divided the Pentateuch into 54. Sections Readings or Lectures The Iewish Section is either Incompleate termed Parashuh or Distinction signed with three P. P. P. Compleate stiled Sedar an Order marked with three S. S. S. All the Jewish Lectures read over Once a yeare The first Lecture what time of the yeare it began At what place of Scripture every every one of the 54 Lectures begins and ends Six books of Psalmes according to the Iewish division Every Lecture of the Law consisted of 136 verses Antiochus rent the Law in pieces God more regardeth every Letter of the Law than the Starres of Heave 3. Puritans taxed who taxour Church for mangling the Word of God and patching up a Lesson The bookes of the Bible were not at the first divided by Chapters nor the Chapters by Verses as now they are The Iews had by heart all the Old Testament 4. Traskites censured The Iews shall be converted to Christians not Christians to Iewes Secondly the second part of the Digression Against â—lthy prophaners of Churches and Church-yards more especially against them of the City of Exeter Nero bepissed Venus tombe The Heathens very zealous against such prophanation Caecilius his opinion concerning it Vespasian forbade it The Authors Apology His petition both to the Clergie and Laity of Exeter Gods Law Deut. 23.12 against filthinesse The Cats and the Birds cleanlinesse God and his holy Angels walke in the midst of our Temples That Law of God not Ceremoniall or Judiciall but Morall The Esseni diligent observers of it Cleanlinesse a kind of Holinesse Vncleannesse in the Camp was an uncleannesse in the Jews themselves God commandeth Cleanlinesse and Sweetnesse for mans sake not for his own Vncleanlinesse makes God turne away from us God a lover of internall and externall Cleannesse The Abrahemium the first Church-yard in the world Jacobs reverence to the place where he slept Some places more holy than other The Authors exhortation in this respect to the Magistrates of Exeter 5 Campanella the Friar examined and censured He learned Art magicke of the Divell Every one hath his Tutelary Angell as Saint Hierome and Campanella are of opinion Campanella healed of the spleene as hee saith by Charmes The name of a Friar more scandilous than of a Priest Proverbs and Taunts against Friars and Monks A Friar A Lyar. Friars railed against both by Ancient and Moderne Writers Priests and Jesuits at debate who shall be the chiefest in authoritie Friars Deifie the Pope Friars lashed by Pope Pius the second â—ampanella a prisoner for twenty yeeres together The Jesuits nipped by the Sorbonists banished by the
and subject our selves and are ready to do any thing inward or outward in testimoniall of its Excellency and our submissive subjection Thirdly Adoration riseth not only in a pronenesse and obsequious intentions but produceth the bodily Acts of Bending Kneeling Prostration or any other honorary and holy gesture I stand not on strictnesse of tearmes but use them promiscuously I conclude thus as most agreeable with conveniency reason and devotion When our blessed Saviour prayed at any time whilst this holy work was in hand as I doubt not but he prayed he may be thought to kneele yea on both his knees as he was wont Sure I am S. Paul 1 Timoth. 4.4 5. verses saith Every creature is good if it be received with Thankesgiving For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer If at ordinary meales Prayer and Thankesgiving were usually conjoyned to sanctifie their meate we may not imagine that in so sacred a banquer Christ did give Thankes without Prayer Though Christs prayer or praying be not expressed And yet Quod subanditur subintelligitur non omittitur That which is understood is not omitted The great connexion and conjunction of Prayer with Thankesgiving and Thankesgiving with Prayer sheweth that they are almost all one What the Apostle called Thankesgiving 1 Timoth. 4.3 4. verses he calleth Prayer verse 5. Qui unum norit ambo norit Know one know both When we pray there are Two Motives though in some degree contrary yet alwayes conjoyned Feare and Hope The fruits of Feare are the humiliation both of soule and body with casting downe of our Eyes with Smiting of the Breast like the Publican Luk. 18.13 With teares confessing out sinnes and humble petition Lord be mercifull to me a sinner When our prayers are ended and we reconciled the gestures of Hope are these or the like Arising from the ground Lifting up both of hearts eyes and hands to heaven Christ himselfe Joh. 11.41 Lift up his Eyes to his Father Without some kinde of Feare we need not pray and without some Hope to obtaine none would pray PAR. 7. BEfore I examine what particular Posture Gesture or Behaviour Christ used when he Received and Administred the holy Eucharist I must needs say somewhat more of Adoration in Generall The farthest way about is sometimes the nighest way home The Heroes and Semidei the Heröicall Ones and Half-gods were sometimes Men with great and vast bodies saith Arnobius adversus Gentes lib. 2. toward the end pag. 119. Trithemius mentioneth Secundeos which successively rule the world May not famous Men and Princes be meant thereby Certainly the Pagan Gods were very Men both the same Arnobius and Minutius Foelix in Octavio doe declare it mentioning their places of Birth Countryes Parents Dwellings Deaths and Burialls Alexander wrote to his Mother that the Priests of Hammon for feare of his power had revealed this secret De Diis hominibus That their Gods were but men More particularly Tertullian in Apologetico and the said Minutius Foelix write of Saturne from Neros and Cassias his History from Thallus and Diodorus that Saturne was a man that fled from Crete for feare of his Sonne and came to Italy and was hosted by Janus and being Graeculus politus a neat Greeke did teach them many fine new devices Homo igitur utique qui fugit Homo utique qui latuit pater Hominis natus ex Homine Therefore he who fled was a man he who lay hid was a man and both Father of a man and Sonne of a man So of the rest Manifestum est Homines illos fuisse quos natos legimus mortuos scimus It is manifest they were men whom wee have read to be borne and know to be dead But of this more hereafter That they did preserve the memory of these dead men by making Statues Images and Resemblances of them is most evident and beyond deniall The same Minutius Foelix divinely reproveth their manner of deifying men And it seemes he tooke it from Esay 44.10 c. His discourse is thus When is a God borne Behold he is cast and powred out in metall he is framed and fashioned he is scraped and polished but is not yet a God Behold he is sodred with lead he is wholly and fully wrought and is set upright nor is he as yet a God Behold he is adorned dressed and trimmed up consecrated and prayed unto Now at last he is a God When Man would and when he did Dedicate him Man had a power to make or unmake a God The Romans went farther Vetus decretum erat saith Tertullian in Apologetico ne qui deus ab Imperatore consecraretur nisi à Senatu probatus It was an ancient decree that the Emperour might not Consecrate a God without the consent of the Senate Absurd Absurd Unlesse God please Man he shall not be God Man must be propitious and favourable to God The very people did one day deifie a God and the next day undeifie him hodie tu Jupiter esto Cras mihi truncus eris ficulnus inutile lignum Thou shalt a God be unto me to day To morrow a stock a worthlesse Cast-away I was about to say Tiberius hearing from Pontius Pilate his Procurator and Rationalis for Judea and from divers others such records and monuments as proved Christ to be a God referred it to the Senate with the prerogative of his Own voyce first But because the Senate had not before-hand approved Christ to be God they now reject him Yet Caesar continued constant to his own sentence and decree menacing the accusers of Christians PAR. 8. WHen their Gods were now borne and acknowledged as consecrated they fell unto severall kindes of worshipping them That they did Lift up their Eyes to their Idols is proved Ezechiel 18.10 c. And they blessed their Idols Esay 66.3 Though indeed both the Idols and themselves were the more Accursed by that Blessing They did Sacrifice to their Idols Psal 106.38 And served their Idols verse 36. They did offer sweet savour to all their Idols Ezech. 6.13 2 Kings 23. They did set their Idols upon their Beasts and Cattle Esay 46.1 The Image of Isis was on an Asses backe the people kneeled and fell downe to it the Asse grew proud as if the Honour had been done to him The people which was a greater Asse spake to his brother Asse Non tibi sed Religioni We worship not thee but Isis And yet it stood with more reason to worship the Asse which had sense rather than the Image which had no sence They made Caroches Carts and divers other such moveable Instruments to carry their Images upon especially upon Holydaies they made beds in the Temple in honour of their Gods Tacitus Annal. 14.3 They carried tidings to their Idols 1 Chron. 10.9 though the Gods could neither lie downe nor rise up They were madd upon their Idols Jerem. 50.38 and under the word Maddnesse all their frantick Idolatry
duty and God would the more love us and sooner and higher lift us up Whosoever desireth proofes from the ancient Fathers that the holy Eucharist is to be adored let him reade Bellarm de Sacramento Eucharistiae 4.29 toward the end but expound them so as if Christ were to be worshipped in the Sacrament and not the meere Elementary part When they lifted up their hands in adoration they were wont also to spread them abroad PAR. 2. COngruentiall reasons hereof doe follow First To most sacred things most sacred reverence is to be exhibited But the blessed Eucharist was and is a most divine gift and kneeling is a sacred reverence Therefore was it received with kneeling The greatest care is to be had of heavenly matters This is confirmed by Tertullian in lib. 1. ad uxorem Saecularibus satis agentes sumus utrique nostrum consultum volumus si talibus tabulas as Rigaltius well readeth it ordinamus cur non magis de divinis atque coelestibus posteritati nostrae prospicere debeamus We are wise enough in worldly businesses and will looke well enough to our selves and make our Wills and Testaments concerning these lower and meaner affairs why then ought we not rather to provide for posterity in things divine and heavenly Secondly The Fathers of the Primitive Church received the holy mysteries with kneeling And though the true Geniculation be of the mind so that one were better to have an humbled minde and stand upright than to kneele often and be proud withall yet if we worship God in our hearts our hearts will command the humble Bowing of the knees Besides Geniculatio corporis aedificat simplices the bodily kneeling doth edifie the simple Therefore Moris Ecclesiastici est Christo genuflectere saith Hierom on Esay 45. It is an Ecclesiasticall custome to Bend the Knees when Christ is named When the Corinthians did meete at the receiving of the Eucharist wee may safely pronounce they lay not on Beds but as they might Sit at their feasts of Charity so we may presume they kneeled when they partaked of the Sacrament Rhenanus in his Annotations before Tertullian de Coronâ Militis pag. 413. Propter crebram Sacramentorum tractationem inolita fuit illis religio quaedam etiam vulgarem panem vulgare poculum reverenter tractandi They were so religious when they tooke the Sacrament that they did transferre some reverence also even unto their common meats The fifty-two Injunction of Queen Elizabeth commandeth her people to make a lowly courtesie answerable to antiquitie which used a modest and humble Bowing of the body But more of this by and by Yea the Priests were wont 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Three times to bow downe as it is in Chrysostomes Liturgy And the like was appointed to the Lay people in his Homilies The more devout as I take it did Bend and Bow their Bodies very low Thrice even almost to the Earth which was the Greater Reverence and the Lesser Reverence which was a Bending of the head and shoulders onely they performed Twelve times as a late learned Writer affirmeth If he pick out such kinde of Reverences in which by his description there was no Kneeling nor Bending of the Knee He might countenance Geniculation and bring proofes for it In the worship of God Body and Soule being united together there ought to be a sympathy betwixt them And since the Body expecteth to be Lifted up to Heaven hereafter it must Kneele here on Earth God loveth not half-worship and God will be glorified as well in our Body as in our Spirit 1 Corinth 6.20 Textullian witnesseth That the Penitents did Adgeniculare Kneele downe at the receiving of Absolution And indeed both the Baring of mens heads and the Kneeling on Bare and Bended Knees are both of them gestures of humbled and mortified minds worshipping God Not-Kneeling and coveted heads argue mens pride The Ancients were wont with Bended Knees piously to worship God except from Easter to Whitsontide saith Tertullian And on the Lords day we accompt it unlawfull to fast or geniculis adorare to Kneele Other where Tertullian esteemeth and reckoneth the Not-kneeling betweene Easter and Whitsontide an Immunity or Priviledge But at other times Kneeling was their Ordinary pious practise For Histories make it plaine that diverse of those holier times had knees as hard as horne by their often and continued praying in that gesture Therefore let such deluded Pure-trants who come into the Church as if they had no joynts as if they had swallowed two barrs of iron or as if two stakes were falne into their legges so that they will not or as if they could not stoope learne more piety and devotion and not deny That Reverence to God which they give to temporall Princes PAR. 3. IF any aske the reasons why those Primitive devout Ones did forbeare Kneeling betwixt Easter and Whitsontide I answer First the Church did so appoint it and they were the obedient children of the Church and would not teach their Teachers or spirituall Fathers When our Church commandeth thee so to doe doe so Yea but why did the Church appoint it so I say they might have and I beleeve they had many powerfull Reasons inducing them Then so to doe which we know not now I answer secondly This might be one Inductive Because it was fit the people should shew themselves Thankfull for the great and blessed gift of Baptisme which at Easter and Pentecost they received most commonly For it seemeth as the newly-baptized washed not for a whole weeke after sacred Baptisme and did weare onely White clothes whence the Sunday called Dominica in Albis or Whitsonday had its denomination Which Ceremonies had their faire significations So the Church of the Newly-Baptized gave God Thankes for the Remission of their finnes and the grace conferred on them by Baptisme Standing rather than Kneeling as may be collected from Rhenanus His words are these in his Annotations before Tertullian de Coronâ Militis Geniculari in adorando velut poenitentis est Quistans adorat tanquam jam veniam consecutus Gratias agit In the worship of God Kneeling is the signe of a Supplicant or suppliant or as it were of a Penitent Who worshipped God standing giveth Thankes as having then received pardon of his sinnes When any of our un-kneeling Schismaticks are new-baptized as none are Or if they have not sinned againe since the forgivenesse of their sinnes or if they need no pardon Or if they were so holy every way as the Primitive Church was we will indulge somewhat unto them And let them consider whether Tertullian or other Fathers did not speake in the persons of the Newly-baptized onely and represented them when they pleaded the priviledge of Standing and not Kneeling at some certaine times Tertullian de Coronâ Militis cap. 3. From the day of Baptisme we abstaine a whole weeke Lavacro quotidiano From our daily washing For as I dare say that diverse Churches did Fast on
De corona cap. 5. Deus auditum in auribus fodit visum in oculis accendit gustum in ore conclusit odoratum in naribus ventilavit contactum in manibus astimavit per haec exterioris hominis ministeria interiori homini ministrantia fructus munerum divinorum ad animam deducuntur à sensibus God hath bored hearing in the eares because into them it descendeth as into an hole He hath kindled sight in the eyes for the eyes do sometimes sparkle with fire and are of a fiery nature He hath shut up tasting within the mouth for he hath bounded it within that compasse He hath winnowed or vanned smelling in the nostrils by the playing of the wind He hath made the hands the judicatories of touching which touching being diffused over all the body yet is more used by the hands He concludeth divinely By these ministeriall bodily Organs serving the inner Man the blessings and fruits of heavenly gifts are from the Senses conveyed to the soule Much more might be added of other parts I will end all in this addition They defraud their Knees of the chiefest office and greatest honour who refuse to bend them in holy times and places especially at the receiving of the blessed Sacrament which I would take after I had fallen on my Face and used groveling Adoration if the Church so appointed me or if scandall would not arise from such extraordinary Gesture THE PRAYER O Lord thou knowest my heart and that with Soule and Body I Reverence and Adore thee in thy divine Eucharist I humble my selfe as much as I can and I would humble my selfe lower even unto the gates of Hell if I could confessing my worthinesse in nothing but that I am worthy to be condemned In such contemplations quakeing and terror take hold of my heart and I am horribly afraid of thy Iudgement Abraham Isaac and Jacob shall be in a sweat at the day of Iudgement as good children shall be in a dread to see their father angry with his rebellious children The earth shall melt away like wax the heavens shall tremble and the pillars of Heaven shall shake to whom shall I fly to whom shall I say Cover me but unto thee most compassionate Saviour for thou art my rocke thou art the buckler of my defence under the shadow of thy wings do I desire to rest as thou wert superexalted because thou didst humble thy selfe so grant good Lord I may so fall down before thee that I may bee taken up by thee and that the greatnesse of my humility may bring unto mee by thy favour the riches of thy glory the exaltation both of my soule and body Lord heare my prayer and let my cry come unto thee for Iesus his sake Amen CHAP. VIII Which containes the ninth tenth and eleventh Generals Wherein is declared 1. What Gesture we are to use at the Receiving of the blessed Eucharist 2. What Names have been given to it 3. What Words were spoken by our Saviour after the Third Supper before he departed out of the Coenaculum 1. What Gesture we are to use at the Administration of it to others Receiving of it our selves Both handled promiscuously The English Liturgy our best guide At the Repeating of the Law the people must Kneele Receiving of the same the Israelites did no lesse Never Patriarck Prophet Evangelist Apostle nor holy Man nor Christ himselfe prayed Sitting when there was opportunity of Kneeling The Monkes of Egypt did pray Sitting The Rule of Saint Benedict mentioneth Sitting at the Reading of three Lessons Rising up at Gloria Patri c. Severall Gestures are to be used both by Priest and People upon severall occasions The Priest never Kneeles while the people stand but he may stand when they kneele Great reason why the people should kneele at the Receiving of the Body and Blood of Christ No superstition nor Idolatry then to Kneele But obstinate Irreverence if not blasphemy not to Kneele Prayer most an end used with bâ—nding of the Knees The Pharisee Stood Christ Kneeled when he prayed The Rubrick of the Communion Book is to be followed by all obediently 2. The Minister is to deliver the Communion to the people Kneeling in both kindes into their Hands Maximus would have Men to wash their hands Women to bring clean linnen that will Communicate The Nicity of former times questioned The sixth Synod Canon 3. against it The consecrated bread must be carefully delivered and received To let any crumb or particle thereof fall to the ground accounted a great sinne by Tertullian and Origen Pope Pius the first punished those who let any of the Lords blood fall upon the ground or Altar S. Cyril of Hierusalem gives a Cave at to this purpose Little Tables set before the Communicants in former times as now we hold Linnen clothes saith Baronius The usuall fashion of receiving the Consecrated bread between the Thumb and a Finger or two disliked Receiving the holy bread in the Palme of the hand a safer way In Tertullians dayes the Christians did stretch abroad their hands like Christ upon the Crosse in their private prayers Damascene would have us receive the Body of Christ crucified with our hands framed like to a Crosse The right Hand being upward open and hollow to receive the bread This accounted the safer way S. Cyril commandeth the same kind of usance Other manners of Taking it not sinfull In things indifferent we must not love singular irregularity All unseemely Motions and Gestures are so many profanations of the Lords Supper Seven Generall Rules to be observed against the profanation of the Lords Supper The word Amen explaned and Kneeling at Receiving the blessed Sacrament pressed 3. Tenth General What Names are given to the blessed Sacrament by the Scriptures and Fathers the Latine and Greek Church The hallowed Bread is called in the Scriptures 1. The Lords Body Broken for us 2. The Communion of the Body of Christ And the Reasons thereof 3. Breaking of Bread from house to house 4. Holy Bread Blessed Bread Eucharisticall Bread Heavenly Bread Joh. 6. In the Fathers 1. Taking of the Lords Body Tertullian 2. Earthly Bread sanctified by prayer consisting of Earthly and Heavenly things Irenaeus A Medicine of immortality an Antidote against death procuring life purging sin driving away all evils idem 3. Christs Dole to his Church Tertullian The Plenty Aboundance and Fatnesse of the Lords Body The Wine is called in the Scriptures 1. The New Testament in his Blood 2. The Blood of the New Testament 3. The Cup of the Lord. 4. The Communion of the Blood of Christ The blessed Eucharist consisting of both kinds is styled In Scripture 1. The Lords Supper And in what regards it is so called The Papists dislike the frequent use of this Phrase Casaubone confutes Justinian and Maldonate the Jesuits and cals it The Great Supper The most Divine Supper The Arch-Symbolicall Supper 2. The Table of the Lord 1 Cor. 10.21 With Vs it is commonly
and inclining to Peace and Union 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a giving of Thanks With us it is commonly called Christ his Last Supper which word Last not only signifieth that he ate no supper any day or night for ever After with a mortall passible body but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Last includeth and involveth the two precedent Suppers of that night as if it had been said This Supper is the Last of the Three and Last of All. It is also termed Communio Sanctorum in the Apostolicall Creed The Communion of Saints In the Fathers are found these Titles Pax Christi The Peace of Christ by Ignatius Epistola 14. And Dare Pacem Lapsis to give Peace to them that have fallen is all one with admitting people to the holy Communion in Cyprian Epistola 10. Irenâ—us saith It is Nova oblatio a New oblation 4.32 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Mystery is a common appellation Augustine de peccatorum Meritis contra Pelag. 1 24. saith The Affâ—icans do most significantly call Baptisme nothing else but Salutem Health or Salvation and the Sacrament of the Body of our Lord nothing else but Life And himselfe contra Faustum 20.13 saith It is Sacramentum Religionis the oath and strictest bond of Religion and the Mysticall bread in the same place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Offering in regard of the Offerings made for the poore And Sacrosancta oblatio by Augustine contra Faustum 20.18 The Consecrated oblation Dei Coena Dominicum Convivium Gods Supper and the Lords Banquet by Tertullian ad uxorem 2.4 Theodoret termeth it Verum typi archetypum the authentick performance of the Type The Latins call it Missah which some derive from the Hebrew or Chaldee For what is in the Vulgat Spontanea Oblatio a sufficiency or tribute of a Free-will offering of thy hand Deut 16.10 The Chaldee hath it Missath In the Interlineary it is translated Sufficientia Spontis manus tuae or Spontanea manus tuae Which for substance divinely agreeth with our Eucharist Juxta sufficientiam donarii spontanei manus tuae erit quod dabis as Vatablus well interpreteth it Thou shalt offer according to the worth of the voluntary gift of thy hand asmuch as thou well art able Some say that Missath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an offering made to God and due for a perfonall duty or service But saith Cevallerius in Pagnine his great Lexicon I do not think so because none of the Hebrew Doctors which I have read use it so And well might he dislike it For the Hebrew phrases or words did not per saltum skip over to the Romans but were derived to them by the Greek Church Therefore since none of the Greek Fathers did ever use the word Missa I cannot think the Latins borrowed it from the Hebrews The Heathen Greek Priests dismissed the people saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Pagan Romanist gave the parting blow to the people by these words I licet Missa est And the Christian Romane Church which hath imitated too many of the old Romes customes hath not done amisse in this to use the like things and words The Greek Church calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which had its ground from Acts 13.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Prophets and Teachers in the Church of Antioch did minister to the Lord. The holy Eucharist is called by Nicolaus de Cusa Sacramentum Sacramentorum Exercitationum 6. pag. 532. in ipso est consummatio Fidei saith he and a little before Hoc est Sacramentum consummatae Vnionis ad vitam aeternaliter vivificantem It is the Sacrament of Sacraments in it is the consummation of Faith It is the Sacrament of the most perfect Union to the life which quickneth us eternally Lastly Tertullian de Resurrectione carnis cap. 8. saith Our flesh is fed with the Body and Blood of Christ ut Anima Deo saginetur that our Soule may be filled Sated Fatted with God The Eucharist being called God which is an high Expression He who will see more attributes of Hallowed Supper let him have recourse to Cyprian de Coena Domini pag. 500. Casaubone Exercitatione 16. c. 30 c. PAR. 4. IT followeth in my Method to inquire what speeches were spoken by our Saviour after the Third Supper was administred S. Paul mentioneth none The gracious Sermo Domini in Coenaculo was after Supper after the Third and Last Supper beginning John 13.3 continuing to John 16.33 Then as he had made a long Sermon to his Apostles so he continueth with a Prayer to God in part of the seventeenth chapter of S. John Then did they sing an Hymne Matth. 26.30 what it was is unknowne In likelihood after the Hymne they departed the house and then fully ended the Third Supper Then they went over the brooke Cedron over the Mount of Olives David when he fled from his unnaturall and rebellious son Absolon went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet and wept as he went up 2 Sam. 15.30 No doubt also but our Saviours heart was full of sorrow For in the way as he went to the Mount He foretold that all the Apostles would be offended Matth. 26.31 c. and that Peter would deny him howsoever he promised the contrary Hence in some likelihood proceeded the strife when S. Peter was curbed by our Saviour which of them should be accounted the greatest Luke 22.24 Which was determined by Christ from the 25 verse unto the end of the 30. Though some think the strife was at the Second Supper Whereupon Christ to teach them humility washed their feet and became as their servant When hee came to the Mount he prayed When he came down from the Mount he still had more conference with his Disciples and comforted S. Peter in speciall and all the Apostles in general We cannot think but he passed all the time in holy devotions and heavenly discourses About halfe an houre before midnight he came to the village Gethsemane situated at the foot of the Mount of Olives and there the Apostles did sit and stay by his command except Peter and thetwo sons of Zebedee and they went with Christ and Christ prayed thrice Matth. 26.36 Then might he conclude and seale up all with a prayer for his Church John 17.9 For when he had spoken these things John 18.1 Then did he passe the brook Cedron where was a Garden into which he entred and his Disciples as he was wont Judas knew the place Joh. 18.1 c. and Judas came thither v. 3. and there was Christ betrayed and bound From thence was he carried and recarried unto manifold examinations and more revilings He was hurried to judgement to sentence all along the dolorous way to the shamefull death of the rosse THE PRAYER BY the vertue and merits of which crucified Jesus good Lord free me from all sin passed prevent me from sinning hereafter guid me by thy Grace confirme me by thy Goodnesse and leave me not O leave me not most gracious Lord till thou hast brought my soule to my desired haven thy blisse in heaven through Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer To whom with thee and the blessed Spirit three persons and one God bee all possible praise and thankesgiving ascribed for prolonging my life for strengthening my feeble body for giving me power to end this Work and for all other favours vouchsafed to me a poore sinner for Christ his sake Amen Amen Amen Gloria in excelsis Deo cum Gratiarum actionibus Trin-uni Vni-trino Deo Sacrum Malim Deo placere quà m aliis omnibus Malim mihi ipsi placere nonnullis aliis quà m solummodò nonnullis aliis non mihi Explicit in Vernali Aequinoctio 1637 hic liber tertius Siquid hic verum ac non incommodè dictum inveniatur illud non humano cujusvis ingenio sed Deo omnis veritatis auctori ut scripsit S. Augustinus omninò ut par est ascribendum est Simendum aliquod vel erratum inciderit id meae imbecillitati tribuendum est Cujus coelesâ—i misericordiâ veniam humiliter precor Gabriel Palaeotus in fine libri de Sacri Consistorii consultationibus Vt principio Finis cohaereat Omnia haec in his tribus libris de Tricoenio Christi in nocte proditoriâ Ecclesiae Anglicanae Judicio submissa sunto An Advertisement to the Reader REader I may not conceale that after I had fully ended though I confesse not throughly transcribed my Tricoenium there were brought unto my hands by the meanes of M. John Tournay the Works of two Jesuits who have written of this selfe same subject that I have He who wrote lately is one Theophilus Raynandus an eminent man full both of quick wit much reading and great schollership The title page of his book weareth this superscription Optimae vitae finis pessimus The summe is almost comprised in his 8. and 9. chap. The other did write de Triplici Coenâ Christi Agni Vulgari Eucharisticâ 22 yeares since His book printed at Antwerp by the heyres of Martin Nutius and John Meursius I never saw nor heard of any of them till my Work was accomplished Nor since took so much as one line or any one testimony from either of them In most things and in the maine they agree with me and I with them in something we dissent The Jesuit Johannes Walterius Viringus who writ so long since amasseth strange testimonies not commonly heard mentioned in our Schooles pulpits or Masters of controversies The Jesuits have run their way I mine They might have done me much service and pleasure if I had seen them soon enough I commend them in very many things and they shall wipe of the aspersion of Novelty from me in most matters if any Romanist shall charge me with it Compare the Work who will And so God blesse their labours and mine to the benefit of thy soule Good Reader So hoping for thy prayers I bid thee farewell in Christ Jesus our gracious Redeemer Thine in the Lord EDWARD KELLET FINIS
Numbers 36. at the last verse The 44. Section began Deuteronomy 1.1 ended Deuteronomy 3.22 The 45. Lecture began Deuteronomy 3.23 ended Deuteronomy 7.11 The 46. Lecture began Deuteronomy 7.12 ended Deuteronomy 11.25 The 47. Section began Deuteronomy 11.26 ended Deuteronomy 16.17 The 48. Lecture began Deuteronomy 16.18 ended Deuteronomy 21.9 The 49. Reading began Deuteronomy 21.10 ended Deuteronomy 25. at the last verse The 50. Lecture began Deuteronomy 26.1 ended Deuteronomy 29.9 The 51. Lecture began Deuteronomy 29.10 ended Deuteronomy 30. with the last verse The 52. Lecture began Deuteronomy 31.1 ended Deuterenomy 31. with the last verse The 53. Section of the Law began Deuteronomy 32.1 ended Deuteronomy 32 with the last verse The 54 and last Section of the Law began Deuteronomy 33.1 ended with the last words of Deuteronomy This is transcribed from the Jewish Doctors and Englished by Aynsworth and it is observable I might proceed to other their Readings out of the six Books of the Psalmes as the Jews divided them though the holy Spirit by S. Peter calleth it in the singular number The Book of the Psalmes Acts 1 20. having reference to the first composure and united body of them And out of the Prophets they had another distinct Reading Acts 13.15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets Acts 13.27 The Rulers knew not Christ nor yet the voyces of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath day And yet by reason of one Spirits dictate and one unity and uniformity of them all in one truth of doctrine the holy Ghost saith Acts 3.18 God shewed by the Mouth of All his Prophets that Christ should suffer But now saith Cornelius Cornelii à Lapide on that place they are accustomed to sing that part which they call Haprathah Propheticam Missionem the propheticall Sending because that being ended the people are sent home See Elias Levita in his Thisbi The Jews deliver traditionally that every of the Lectures of the Law or Pentateuch consisted of one hundred thirty sixe verses And when Antiochus had rent the Books of the Law in pieces which they found and to make sure work as he imagined burnt them also with fire and this the instruments of Antiochus did monethly 1 Macchab. 1.56 58. verses To supply this the Jews saith Lapide took as many verses agreeing in sense with the former out of the Prophets and so read them united in the room of the other and wee may not think any one verse hath perished much lesse so great variety The Jews say confidently that the Lord God more regardeth and respecteth every syllable and letter of the Law than he doth the Stars of Heaven PAR. 3. THese their Deuteroseis or Traditions I will not strictly and rigidly examine though the number of verses in severall Lectures differ Only I will observe these things in or from their former good courses First against the malevolent maledicent recalcitrating ignorant Puritans who reprove our Church for mangling and cutting in pieces the Word of God because we read in our Service one piece of one Chapter and another piece of another and so patch up a Lesson as they terme it I answer In many of these Lectures of the Law Gods chosen people did do so as appeareth in their very first Lecture which ended at Genesis 6 8. and their second Lecture began not at a new whole Chapter but at Genesis 6.9 verse And the like is in diverse other Readings as by the divisions plainely appeareth Therefore if our Church led by such a President and by that which is to be preferred before any humane president Wel-grounded Reasons doth sometimes begin toward the middle of one chapter and end toward the midle of another chapter it is not to bee disallowed Wee aremore to be guided by matter than by Numbers And if any new matter of moment do occurre as often it doth about the midst of a chapter this new notable emergent point wheresoever arising may wel begin a Lesson appropriat for that time and occasion as the Sun-shine always appeareth most welcome from what part of Heaven soever it breaketh from under a cloud Secondly as I hold it most certaine that the names of the Books Divine were called even from their very beginnings as now they are Genesis Exodus and the like So I have not seene it proved that at the first the books were divided by Chapters or the Chapters by Verses Sure I am wheresoever the holy Spirit of God in the New Testament pointeth at or citeth any passage from the Old Testament though the Prophet be named or the Law that is one Book of the Pentaeteuch be mentioned or the Book of Psalmes be particularly expressed yet never in any one of all these places is the chapter much lesse the verse specialized Neither was there any need in those dayes For the Jews got by heart as we say all the Old Testament and upon the least intimation or inckling of any matter they as readily could recite it as many of us can the Lords Prayer or the Ten Commandements PAR. 4. THirdly whereas diverse people of our Westerne parts have horribly Judaized of late and have run on madly in the by-paths of Trask though it bee generally both knowne and confessed that the Iews shall be converted to us and not we Christians to the Iewes Yet I would advise them and all other English Christians whatsoever to beware of these horrid abuses following It is alas it is too common a fault for Women to hold their children out to defile the Church-yards more usuall and common for men to bepisse the corners of our Churches and make them their voyding vessels whilest some wash the filth down into their parents mouths buried nigh that place More especially and as a wicked wonder let me with griefe and indignation of heart â—ecount that whereas the City of Exeter is by its naturall situation one of the sweetest Cities of England and by the ill use of many one of the nastiest and noysommest Cities of the Land whilest not only their by-lanes but the High-faire street yeelds many offensive both sights and savours to the eyes and noses of the Passers by whilest the polluted corners of the â—athedrall are almost dyed by their urine into another colour whilest the Church-yard hath been the draught unto many and the very Câ—oysters the receptacles of their ordures Sacrilegi in Sacrario faciunt oletum I write no more than what I have seen and God thou knowest I know there in that kind worse than what I have now written which for my love to that City I do forbeare For in truth it is an honorable City and the Corporation a choyce Fraternity of worthy good wealthy men Yet let me take leave humbly to advertise them that their holy Predecessors went not to Heaven by opposing that ancient well-founded Cathedrall but by Reverencing of It and of their Canonicall Clergy the guides of their soules and their Ghostly Fathers Let them know
the Stones ought to bee privileged from such filth The Church-yard is a consecrated piece of ground The ground is holy Hic locus hie sacer est hic nulli mingere fas est The Church-yard is a sacred place Who pisseth There is voyd of grace Extramejite was said of old Make water further off and out of this place Of all the Heathen I never read but of Nero only who in anger bepissed Venus whom principally before he seemed to affect Other Heathen were exceeding devout in their kind For it was usuall among them not only to worship the Gods to whom the Temples were dedicated but they did adore the very Temples themselves Valerius Maximus 6.6 instanceth in one adoring Julius Caesar Tuas aras tuaque sanctissima Templa veneratus oro I humbly beseech your most excellent Majesty by your Altars and by your most sacred Temples which I have always worshipped And Josephus lib. 13. speakes of such who did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Temple and the Sacrifice Minutius Foelix in Octavio sheweth the Pagan Caecilius his opinion that Antiquity Ceremoniis atque Fanis sanctitatem tribuere solebat accounted their Ceremonies and Temples Holy And Apuleius Apologia 1. saith of one averse from Heathen Religion si Fanum aliquod praetereat nofas habet adorandi gratiâ manum labris admovere If he passed by chance by any Temple of the Idols hee would not so much as kisse his hand least he should be accounted as one of the prophane Idolaters Vespasians forbidding the Temples to be defiled with urine of people I passe by because he did so for gaine And when Titus his Son the Mirror of the World disliked it the Emperor his Father brought him the silver and gold the revenew of that stincking commodity and asked him if that did smell ill Too many alas too many of that City daily defile that glorious Fabricke and let fly against it as if they were sons to the Edomites who said of Jerusalem or Temple or City or both Down with it down with it even to the ground I have seen the gutters reeke with their urine whilest the generality of the offenders makes the sin more passable or esteemed as no sin and no man seekes for remedy So that I may very well take up the complaint of Minutius Foelix in Octavio Ipsa errantium turba mutua sibipatrocinia praestat defensio communis erroris est furentium multitudo The very troop and numbers of erroneous people affordeth mutuall patrociny of one towards another and the defence or excuse of the common fury or madnesse is the multitude of mad men And now judge me and punish me O Lord my God if I write these things in spleen to that civill Corporation or to any of them or if only the Zeale of thine house hath not at diverse such ill sights and smels troubled my spirit and inforced me now to write in hope of amendment Never did our most holy Saviour shew his just anger more in deeds than when Matth. 21.12 He went into the Temple and cast out all them that sold and bought in the Temple and overthrew the tables of the money-changers and the seates of them that sold doves and esteemed it for the abuse A Den of theeves verse 13. and would not suffer that any man should carry any vessell through the Temple Marck 11.16 Though most if not all these things were intended for the service of the Temple and for the supply of the sacrifices oblations and gifts by a ready and present exchange Yet Christ made a scourge of small cords and drove them all out of the Temple and Sheep and Oxen and powred out the Changers money ando verthrew the tables and said to the sellers of doves Take these things hence make not my Fathers house an house of merchandise Iohn 2.15 c. And it may be thought if Christ had found one defiling the Temple as our Cathedrall hath been defiled he would have struck him dead with thunder and lightning Wherefore I humbly desire all both of the Clergy and Laity to prevent that odious rammish and stincking custome and now to Iudaise in This point and to follow Gods owne Precept when he gave this Law to the Iewes Deuteronomy 23.12 Thou shalt have a place also without the Campe whither thou shalt goe forth abroad And vers 13. Thou shalt have a paddle upon thy weapon or a spitstaffe as is usually called with us and it shall be when thou shalt ease thy selfe abroad that thou shalt dig therewith and shalt turne back and cover that which commeth from thee Observe The easing of their bodies was not to be done no not in the Campe much lesse neare the Sanctuary least of all In it or About it Yet have the enemies to our Church emptied and eased their bodies of filth and filled their soules with sinne by defiling that fayre Cathedrall even to the great scandall of the passers-by Againe even without the Campe they must not leave their Ordure Above ground as they doe in too many places both of the Close and Citie and in other Townes and Villages but especially the greatest Cities but first with their paddle-staffe they digged a place or an hole so big that they might bury their filth therein Thou shalt turne backe Though it be noysome and though thou wouldest fly from the uggly sight yet to prevent a greater harme thou shalt looke on thine owne corruption and shalt cover that which commeth from thee least it be noysome to others when thou art gone The earth is best manured when such filth is covered the lying of it open may ingender infection Goe to the Cat ye filthy Ones and behold her wayes shee seekes a secret place to unloade her selfe and when shee hath done hideth and covereth her naturall uncleannesse as ashamed of that which our beastly Stinckards lay open to infect the ayre Examine the Birds of the ayre and they will tell thee They defile not their nests nor let their excrements lie to be offensive Wilt thou who desirest to be like Angels in obedience saying daily Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven be worse than Birds or Beasts in civility and cleanlinesse Lastly consider the reasons annexed and they are of great consequence For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy campe to deliver thee and to give up thine enemies before thee Therefore shall thy campe be Holy that he see no uncleane thing in thee and turne away from thee Deuteronomy 23.14 Did God walke in the midst of their Campe and walkes he not in the midst of our Temples Are not with us Angeliorationis astantes Angels that are present and heare our prayers that I may speake in Tertullians phrase In regard of which divine presences we are bound in conscience when we goe to Church to prepare our selves as if we were climbing into heaven to converse with God and his holy Angels God is there to deliver us
other do both find by meanes of so great contradiction between their opinions and true principles of reason grounded upon experience nature and sense Which albeit with boysterous courage and breath they seeme oftentimes to blow away yet who so observeth how again they labour and sweat by subtilty of wit to make some show of agreement between their peculiar conceits and the generall Edicts of Nature must needs perceive they struggle with that which they cannot fully master Besides sith of that which is proper to themselves their discourses are hungry and unpleasant full of tedious and irksome labour heartlesse and hitherto without fruit on the other side reade we them or heare we others be they of our own or of ancienter times to what part soever they be thought to incline touching that whereof there is controversie yet in this where they all speak but one thing their discourses are heavenly their words sweet as the Hony-comb their tongues melodiously tuned instruments their sentences meere consolation and joy are we not hereby almost even with voyce from Heaven admonished which wee may safeliest cleave unto He which hath said of the one Sacrament Wash and be cleane hath said concerning the other likewise Eat and live If therefore without any such particular and solemne warrant as this is that poore distressed woman comming unto Christ for health could so constantly resolve her selfe May I but touch the skirt of his garment I shall be whole what moveth us to argue of the manner how life should come by bread our duty being here but to take what is offered and most assuredly to rest perswaded of this that can we but Eat we are safe When I behold with mine eyes some small and scarce discernable graine or seed whereof Nature maketh promise that a tree shall come and when afterwards of that tree any skilfull artificer undertaketh to frame some exquisite and curious work I look for the event I move no question about performance either of the one or of the other Shall I simply credit Nature in things Naturall Shall I in things artificiall relye my selfe on Art never offering to make doubt and in that which is alone both Art and Nature refuse to beleeve the Author of both except he acquaint me with his ways and lay the secret of his skill before me where God himselfe doth speak those things which either for height and sublimity of matter or else for secrecy of performance we are not able to reach unto as we may be ignorant without danger so it can be no disgrace to confesse we are ignorant Such as love piety will as much as in them lyeth know all things that God commandeth but especially the duties of service which they owe to God As for his dark and hidden works they prefer as becommeth them in such cases simplicity of Faith before that knowledge which curiously sifting what it should adore and disputing too boldly of that which the wit of man cannot search chilleth for the most part all warmth of zeale and bringeth soundnesse of beleife many times into great hazard Let it therefore be sufficient for me presenting my selfe at the Lords Table to know what there I receive from him without searching or inquiring of the manner how Christ performeth his promise Let disputes and questions enemies to piety abatements of true devotion and hitherto in this cause but over patiently heard let them take their rest Let curious and sharp-witted men beat their heads about what questions themselves will the very letter of the Word of Christ giveth plaine security that these mysteries do as nayles fasten us to his very Crosse that by them we draw out as touching officacy force and vertue even the blood of his goared side in the wounds of our Redeemer we there dip our tongues we are died red both within and without our hunger is satisfied and our thirst for ever quenched they are things wonderfull which he feeleth great which he seeth and unheard-of which he uttereth whose soule is possest of this Pascall Lambe and made joyfull in the strength of this new Wine This Bread hath in it more than the substance which our eyes behold this Cup hallowed with solemne benediction availeth to the endlesse life and wel-fare both of soule and body in that it serveth as well for a medicine to heale our infirmities and purge our sins as for a sacrifice of thankesgiving with touching it sanctifieth it enlightneth with beliefe it truly conformeth us unto the Image of Jesus Christ What these Elements are in themselves it skilleth not it is enough that to me which take them they are the Body and Blood of Christ his promise in witnesse hereof sufficeth his word he knoweth which way to accomplish Why should any cogitation possesse the mind of a Faithfull Communicant but this O my God thou art true O my soule thou art happy So far M. Hooker The Prayer THou art mercifull oh Heavenly Saviour thou art mercifull to Mankind against the fiery and furious temptations and assaults of spirituall powers sometimes alluring sometimes haling sometimes leading men captive unto sin and under it Thou most graciously hast ordained an Host of Holy Angels to help us to suggest good thoughts unto us to free us to streng then us that we shall not so much as hurt our foot and there are more on our side than against us But in opposition of the allurements from the wicked world and the insurrections and ebullitions of the skittish civill warre betweene the flesh and our soule thou hast provided both preservatives that we fall not and redemptives if we fall even thy powerfull Sacraments replenished with Divine vertue For thine own sake most holy Mediator and Advocate let thy blessed Sacraments work effectually in us be conduit-pipes of grace and conveyers of goodnesse into our soules Let them nourish us up unto true Faith Hope and Charity and let thy sacred Eucharist be our spirituall Food both in Life and Death Amen Lord Jesus Amen CHAP. VII And the eight Generall Wherein is questioned what Gesture the Apostles used in Receiving the blessed Eucharist 1. The Word of God hath omitted to set it down in particular 'T is probable they did Kisse their Right hand and so receive it An evill custome of False complementing by Kissing the hand in Jobs daies In Adoration our hands must be lifted up Our voyce lowly and submisse In great Agonies it is lawfull to Cry alowd and Roare Probable it is the Apostles received the heavenly Sacrament humbly Kneeling on both their Knees Tertullian is punctuall against Sitting even after prayer The Heathen after their prayers and some even at their prayers did use to sit upon their Altars Their Servants had three Sanctuaries to fly unto from their angry Masters Numa's Law to sit at the time of Adoring their false Gods A reason why no passage either in the Evangelists nor Apostles commandeth Adoration at the Sacrament How the Antient Fathers are to
be understood when they say The holy Eucbarist is to be adored 2. Reasons proving that the Apostles received the blessed Eucharist Kneeling 1. Reason Most sacred Reverence is to be exhibited to most sacred things 2. Reason The Fathers of the Primitive Church received it Kneeling 3. Kneeling doth edifie the simple 4. It is an Ecclesiasticall custome The manner of Reverence used both by Priests and Lay people in S. Chrysostomes dayes God will be worshipped aswell in our body as in our Spirit The Penitents in Tertullians time did Kneele down at the receiving of Absolution And it was the common practise of all other Christians in his dayes to worship God Kneeling Except from Easter to Whitsontide and on the Lords day Diverse of holier times had Knees as hard as horne by their continuall Kneeling at Gods worship An adminition to stiffe-kneed Pure-trants 3. Reasons why the devouter sort did forbeare Kneeling betwixt Easter and Whitsontide 1. The Church did so appoint it 2. Hereby the people did shew themselves thankefull Whitsunday whence it hath its denomination Kneeling imports Repentance and Sorrow for Sins Standing implies Thankesgiving for the pardon of our sins The diverse usances of diverse Churches in the Primitive times concerning Fasting and Feasting on the Lords day Kneeling and Standing at the time of Prayer and the Reasons thereof In the Primitive Church they baptized not any except the Sick but at Easter and Whitsontide The newly baptized stood to expresse their Thankefulnesse to God for their baptisme The people in some Churches Stood praying at the Altar on every Sunday between Easter and Whitsontide in remembrance of Christs Resurrection The Christians in the Primitive Church prayed Recto vultu ad Dominum to confront the Heathen who fell down flat on their Faces when they adored their false Gods 4. The great variations of the Primitive Churches concerning the Eating or not Eating of flesh offered to Idols A just discourse to that purpose A good Rule for the peace of the Church Why our Church hath commanded Kneeling at the receiving of the blessed Sacrament when the Primitive Church hath commanded Standing Churches have great power committed unto them The Church upon just motives may change her Orders The meaner sort of all people Ecclesiasticall and Civill are bound to obedience are not to Order Peter Moulin found fault with the precise Ministers of our Church of England The day of Christs Resurrection the first day of his Joy after his Dolorous passions Why the Fathers made Sunday their Holy-day Why they forbade Kneeling and Fasting upon that day What Indifferency is according to S. Hierome A thing Indifferent in it selfe being commanded by the Supreame Magistrate or Church is no longer Indifferent to thee Variety of Ceremonies not hurtfull but beneficiall to the Church of Christ. The Bishop of Rome taxed by Cardinall Palaeotus excused Rome Christian in too many things imitateth Rome Heathen In publique prayer commeth short of it Heathen Rome began all their businesse in the world with this Prayer Quod foelix faustumque sit c. The greater power the Pope and his Cardinalls have the more need they have to pray to God before their publique meetings in their Consistory Kneeling at receiving the holy Eucharist never disliked as a thing of its owne nature evill or unlawfull In the Primitive Church After Whitsontide they used to kneele Kneeling at the blessed Sacrament not prescribed by Scripture but authorized by Tradition confirmed by Custome observed by Faith In the Primitive Church when they received the Sacrament Standing Kneeling they Prayed Standing Kneeling Our Factionists would follow the Primitive Church in one thing but leave her in another 5. A third Reason At the first Institution of things Sacred Profane the solemnity is greater than in the sequell Every New thing hath a golden tayle Proverbe Popular Lecturers have sunke even below scorne All sinnes of former times have descended downe upon our dayes An Epiphonêma or Exclamation against the profane pretenders of Devotion now adayes The lowest humiliation is too little for the house of God They cryed Abrech or Bow the knee before Joseph He that boweth himselfe most before men is most right in the sight of God Diverse examples of Prostration and Geniculation both out of the Old and New Testament A Vice-Roy of Ireland devoutly fell on his knees and asked an Archiepiscopall Benediction The Heathen kneeled downe to worship their very Idols S. Hieromes saying By Kneeling we sooner obtaine what we aske at the hands of God Not lawfull for Any to sit in the porch of the Temple but onely the Kings of Davids loynes The humble Gesture of the Iewes when they came In went out of the Temple The Primitive Church Kneeled to the Altars Altars the seats of the body and blood of Christ. The Crosse in Chrysostomes dayes did alwayes use to remaine upon the Altar An Angel an assistant when Christ is offered up Ambrose To this day we Worship the Flesh of Christ in the Sacrament Idem No man eateth the blessed Sacrament before he have Worshipped Christ in the Sacrament Augustine Constantine the Emperour in his Soliloquies with God pitched on his knees with eyes cast downe to the ground K. Charles partaketh of the body and blood of Christ with as much Humilitie as the meanest penitent amongst his Subjects His holy and devout Gestures at the participation of the Lords Supper turned the heart of a Romanist to embrace the truth on our side In Origens Arnobius and Tertullians dayes the Saints never met in holy places about holy things without decent reverence The Papists in Kneeling adore the very materialls of the Sacrament Yet the Abuse of a thing taketh not away the right use Proved by diverse curious instances Christians may lawfully use many artificiall things though invented by Heathenish Gods Goddesses To argue from the Abuse of things to the whole remooving of the use is ridiculous Illustrated by some particulars Veneration of the Sacrament is accorded on all sides In the very Act of Receiving it it is lawfull to Kneele downe and worship Christ In it Calvin himselfe holdeth That Adoration to be lawfull The Lutherans are divided in this point Illyricus denieth Christ to be Worshipped in the Eucharist Brentius and Bucer hold That then we must worship Christs body Luther himselfe styleth the Eucharist Sacramentum venerabile Adorabile Chemnitius saith None but Sacramentaries deny Christ to be Adored in the Sacrament Chemnitius acknowledgeth these Theses 1. Christ God and Man is to be Adored Onely Arrians deny this 2. Christs humane nature for the hypostaticall union with the Divinitie is to be Adored None but Nestorians will deny this The Apostles worshipped the Humane Nature of Christ Adoration procedeth Cemmunication by the judgement of S. Chrysostome and S. Augustine Christs Flesh as made of Earth may be said to be Gods footstoole So is the Arke All the Angels of God doe Worship Christ Christ is to be Adored alwaies and everywhere