should receive the blessed Sacrament sitting or leaning on his elbow or halfe-sitting halfe-kneeling or looking on the one side or smiling or using unseemly motion though those Gestures be not in singled particularities forbid yet they are a profanation of the Lords Supper as being forbidden in the Generall Rules First That comeliest and devoutest Gesture be used in holiest matters Sancta sanctè Secondly Let all things be done to edifying 1 Cor. 14.26 Thirdly Let all things be done in order vers 4. The rest will I set in order when I come saith S. Paul 1 Cor. 11.34 Fourthly Rom. 14.17 The Kingdome of God is not in meats nor drinks but righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace as there followeth Fiftly Let all things be done decently 1 Cor. 14.40 A comelinesse is commended Ecclesiastes 5.18 1 Cor. 11.13 It is comely that a women pray unto God uncovered Comelinesse is taught by nature as it there followeth Sixtly The meetings in sacred convocations are for good nor for evill We are come together for the better not for the worse And the contrary is reproved by Saint Paul 1 Cor. 11.17 Lastly God ruleth things Inferior by Superior things farther off by things nearer to him The people must not prescribe to the Magistrates nor to themselves Laws in things indifferent but the Governors and Pastors to the People Whosoever therefore at the receiving of the blessed Eucharist doth any thing misbeseemingly sinneth against these or some of these Rules and so sinneth against Christ I proved before that at the holy Receiving a prayer is preparatory and made for every one of us And as the Minister devoutly prayeth doth not thy heart say Amen and is not Amen truly explaned and enlarged thus O Lord I confesse this is thy Body this is thy Blood yea it is thine own Selfe which thou vouchsafest unto me and I do now Receive Oh preserve my body and soule unto everlasting life I eat in remembrance that thy Body was broken and that thou dyedst for me I drink in remembrance that thy Blood was shed and powred out for me Lord I am thankfull and I feed on thee in my heart by Faith Lord I beleeve pardon my wandring thoughts unite me unto thee make me from henceforth holy and conformable to thy selfe and let this spirituall food strengthen me in the way to Heaven To conclude in the Divine M. Hookers words Oh my God thou art True Oh my Soule thou art blessed He who useth not these or some of these or the like faithfull thankfull precatory ejaculations both at the instant act of receiving of the sacred Communion and presently after yea and whilst the Minister is praying for him he hath an obdurate heart he discerneth not the Lords Body but eateth and drinketh his owne damnation Now Reader judge again if a man will not kneele when the Minister prayeth for him and that openly If he will not kneele when he powreth out his hearty prayers unto God whether he sinneth not haynously Certainly God condemneth his foolish obstinacy and so I passe to another point PAR. 3. THe next is What names are given unto the holy Sacrament And here I will first speak of the Bread and of the Wine severally and shew you what names have been given them both in the Scriptures and by the Fathers and then will I speak of them joyntly together The hallowed Bread in the sacred Word of God is called the Lords Body broken for us 1 Cor. 11.24 discernable to be the Lords body vers 20. stiled also the Communion of the Body of Christ 1 Cor. 10.16 which Communion is not in the use of Scripture a proper name of the Eucharist but a declaration of its power and efficacy by making us one with Christ and by partaking the Sacrament with our brethren being a speciall meanes to the Communion of Saints though the Fathers make it a proper appellation saith Casaubone Act. 2.46 it is said They continued Breaking of Bread Domatim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at home or from house to house In which place it is varied Communicabant in fractione Eucharistiae They did Communicate in breaking of bread where the Translator makes use of a Greek word which he doth not often It is farther called Panis Sanctus Panis Benedictus Panis Eucharisticus Panis Coelestis Holy Bread Blessed Bread Eucharisticall Bread Heavenly Bread John 6.32 The Fathers appellations for it Oratio solvenda est Corpore Domini accepto Tertullian de Oratione cap. ultimo Upon taking the Lords Body we end our Prayers The same in lib. de Idololatria cap. 7. saith some did Manus admovere Corpori Domini move their hands to take the Lords Body Irenaeus lib. 4. cap. 34. E terrâ panis percipiens invocationem Dei non jam communis panis est fed Eucharistia ex rebus duabus constans terrenâ coelesti Earthly bread Sanctified by prayer is not now common bread but the Eucharist consisting of earthly and heavenly things It is a Medicine of immortality an Antidote against death procuring life purging sin driving away all evils Tertullian Adversus Judaeos in fine calleth the Eucharist Dominicae gratiae quasi viscerationem Christs Dole to his Church And least you may think it to be a poore Dole a Leane Thin Hungry gift the same Tertullian in lib. de Pudicitiâ expresseth it better thus Opimitate corporis Domini vescitur Hee eateth of the Plenty Abundance and Fatnesse of the Lords Body and our Soule is fully satisfied fatted crammed with God of which testimony hereafter The Cup is the new Testament in his blood 1 Cor. 10.25 This is my blood of the new Testament Matth. 26.28 and it is termed The Cup of the Lord vers 7 So it is also called 1 Cor. 10.21 Ye cannot drink the Cup of the Lord. The Cup of blessing which we blesse is the Communion of the Blood of Christ vers 16. The blessed Eucharist consisting of both kinds hath these glorious Tittles In the Scripture it is termed the Supper of the Lord 1 Cor. 11.20 And the Lords Supper in all these regards First because the Lord did Institute it Secondly did Take it Thirdly did Administer it to his Apostles Fourthly did appoint the Church to do the like in remembrance of the Lords death The Papiâ—â—s as before I observed dislike the frequent use of this phrase See Casaubone confuting Justinian the Jesuit in that point and against Maldonate whilst Casaubone from the Ancients calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Great Supper the Most Divine and Arch-symbolical supper By a Metonymie of the subject a Table that is the food set on that Table 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Table of the Lord 1 Cor. 10.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Lords Testament or Legacy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Communion as prohibiting Schisme and Division
Generall point The 5. Subsequent Occurrences after the Traytors detection I am now come to the last poynt of my Method namely the subsequent Occurrences after the Traytors Detection and they aptly spread themselves into these severall branches 1. Satans entrance into Iudas After the Sop Satan entred into him ver 27. 2. Christs sentence of separation of Iudas That thou dost doe quickly ibidem 3. The Apostles Nesciency 4. Their misunderstanding of Christs words vers 28 29. 5. Judas his egresse ver 30. 6. The giving of thankes at the end of the second Supper according to the usuall fashion of the Iewes in those dayes 7. Cum libamine vini 8. Et Psalmodiâ Concerning the first poynt viz. Satans entring into Iudas Augustine Sermone 28. adfratres in Erêmo Christus Iudae panem intinctum porrigere voluit ut cor intinctum veneno significaret Omnino fratres Satanas ante buccellam cor Judae intraverat sed affectu voluntate tantum Christ would therefore deliver the Bread or Sop that thereby he might intimate unto us that the heart of Iudas was dipped in poyson Beleeve it brethren that Satan was entred into the heart of Iudas before the Sop but conceive it in desire and will onely This distinction is more nice than pithy for he was in him before Effectu opere really and indeede when he had compounded to betray Christ Post buccellamintravit Satanas effectu opere After the Sop Satan entred into him really and indeede And it may also be truely said that before the Sop Satan entred into Iudas effectu opere really and indeede The devill now put into the heart of Iudas to betray Christ Ioh. 13.2 but this was before the giving of the Sop. More especially Luke 22.8 Satan entred into Iudas before hee communed with the High-Priests before they came to the Paschall Supper Ludolphus Carthusianus 2. Part. cap. 52. Satan entred not forcing the doore but finding it wide open not by his Essence or essentially gliding or sliding into Iudas his soule For so according to Augustine God alone who made the soule entreth into it but suggesting to Iudas the selling and betraying of Christ hee entred into him by the effect of that suggestion and after the Sop subjugating Iudas to his servitude by the effect of a more full possession The same Ludolphus cap. 55. Satan entreth into mans body essentially as in the possessed with devills God alone entreth into the soule and essentially getteth into the minde for the soule hath no dimensions of quantitie that any thing can be said to be in it as contained within those dimensions and so nothing can be in it but that which gives it his being and that is there by its vertue but where Gods vertue is there is his Essence both of them are all one in him therefore God alone is essentially in the soule for he alone filleth the nature or substance by him created yet Satan is said to creepe into mens minds per affectum effectum malitie by affecting of malice and by effecting of it in as much as man is seduced by him and proceedeth to commit the evill which Satan suggesteth Tolet saith that Satan did not enter corporally into Iudas as he doth into Damoniacks nor to put a new more ill thoughts into him for before he consented to those temptations I answer it seemeth to me Satan possessed his very body and that fully after the Sop and that Satan hurried him at his pleasure he was led captive according to Satans owne will I doubt not but Satan did strengthen the old suggestions and withall put fresh and new temptations into his soule for he caused him to hang himselfe But saith Tolet Iudas taking high displeasure to be revealed to be the Traytor he opened his whole heart to Satan and Satan entred into him taking a firme and quiet possession of him For man sinneth more licentiously when he knoweth that the sinne which he committed secretly is knowne publikely Per scelera simper sceleribus tutum est iter said a wicked one Sinne once knowne is made more sinfull Theophylact on Iohn 13. saith Satan Occupavit cor ejus sicut aliud est percutere quempiam manu foris aliud est confodere gladio viscera Satan tooke full possession of his heart as it is one thing to give a man a boxe on the eare and another thing to thrust him thorow with a sword Whilst Iudas was one of the holy company of the Apostles Satan had not so free accesse unto him when Christ did divide and separate him then Satan invaded him as forsaken of the Lord Et ingressus est interiora cordis ejus occupavit animam ejus And he entred into his very heart and tooke quiet possession of his soule Cyrill in Iohannem 9.19 Timens Diabolus ut credo ne morando locus poenitentiae detur Iudam magnâ praecipitem agit celeritate cap. 17. Iudas non ut consiliatorem sed ut cogitationum suarum Dominum in corde Diabolum retinet The Devill as I suppose fearing lest by delay Iudas should find Repentance drave him on furiously And Iudas entertained the devill not as a Counseller but as a commander of his cogitations Origen in Exodi cap. 15. Homiliâ sextâ pag. 75. Tomiprimi on Equum ascensorem projecit in Mare They are horses upon whom the Devill and his Angells doe ride Post buccellam ascensor Iudae factus est Satanas after the Sop the devill became Iudas his rider Omnes mali habens ascensores quibus aguntur Angelos malos ideo feroces sunt All evill men have evill Angells for their riders by whom they are managed at their pleasure and that 's the reason why they become so furious Origen de principiis seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. in the Tract de contrariis potestatibus Iudas cum jam Diabolus misisset in cor ejus ut traderet Christum postea etiam totum Satanam suscepit in se Iudas after the devill had put into his heart to betray Christ received him on his backe with a full careere namely after the Sop. PAR. 12. BUt leaving other mens opinions let me say somewhat of mine owne The manner how Iudas was wrought to be the Traytor may seeme to be this Temptations are of divers sorts 1. Ascendemes Luke 24.38 Why doe thoughts ascend or rise in your hearts these are inward 2. Obrepentes Creeping upon us from the creatures and they are outward called Mendaces vanitates Lying vanities Ionah 2.8 which by their false colours insinuate themselves into our favour 3. Immissae darted in by Satan himselfe Satan injecit se in cor Iudae as it is in the Syriacke Satan did as 't were dart himselfe into the heart of Iudas From Iudas his foule and corrupt heart did arise and ascend many confused cogitations of the sinfull betraying of his Master After them came creeping into his gracelesse soule Desire of gaine
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
Religious thoughts must be produced into Acts. 6. In the sixt glorious passeover of Iosiah were most royall offerings both for the Pascha and also for the Chagigah which exceeded the offerings of Hezekiah 7. Salianus against Vatablus both reconciled 8. The Masters of the family killed the Passeover but the Priests slue the Festivall offerings Levites might not sacrifice without divine inspiration or great exigents any Levite might sacrifice the proper Passeover for his owne family or for the impure 9. In what sense Priests are said to profaine the Sabbath the Temple Sacrifices and Circumcision chase away the Sabbath 10. The seventh extraordinary great Passeover was foreprophecyed by Ezekiel but not accomplished till the returne from captivity in the dayes of Ezra and Nehemiah PAR. 1. THe fifth great Passeover was in the time of Hezekiah a 2 Chro 30.15 2 Chron. 30.15 For I passe by Hezekiah his precedent reformation of taking away the high places and breaking the Images and cutting downe the groves and breaking in peeces the brazen Serpent which Moses had made to which the Israelites burned incense b 2 King 18.4 2 King 18.4 I omit also the preparatives to this great passeover and begin at the 15. verse Where it is said The Priests and Levites were ashamed for their sins and the sins of the people and sanctifyed themselves And the people received the passeover though they were not sanctifyed and in the second moneth Wherefore the people themselves or the Masters of the families killed not their Lambes for the passeover as was their wonted guise or custome at other times But the Levites had the charge of killing the Passeover for every one that was not cleane ver 17. PAR. 2. FOure other things are most observable about this passeover First that they who were not cleansed and yet did eate the passeover otherwise then it was written were prayed for by the King and the forme of Hezekiahs prayer was The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seeke God the Lord God of his Fathers though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary ver 18. c. And that you may know the great power of the hearty prayers of a King even of Hezekiah as well as of David and Solomon in other cases The Lord harkened to Hezekiah and healed the people For the Kings heart was cleane when the Priests Levites and peoples were uncleane PAR. 3 THe second passage is this that whereas other passeovers lasted but seven dayes what was wanting in the former part of their more perfect sacrifice was supplyed in their voluntary assumed devotions the whole assembly tooke counsell to keepe other seven dayes and did keepe other seven dayes with gladnesse ver 23. Yea a great number of Priests belike before unsanctifyed sanctifyed themselves ver 24. By which redoubled acts both of priests and people we are taught if our prayers or our owne wandring thoughts or the sierce suggestions of Sathan not to give over but to reunite our forces to renew afresh our indeavours to double the times of our holy exercises and be thou assured good Christian though the devils temptarions doe trouble thee and vexe the these repeated and more perfect prayers of thine doe more afflict and torment him and all his infernall crew PAR. 4. YEt that is not all nor the chiefest joy but toward the end of this Festivall that the people may know also the efficacy of Sacerdot all benediction both the Priests and Levites arose and blessed the people and their voyce was heard and their prayers came up to his holy dwelling place even unto heaven ver 27. which was the third observable puncto in this great Passeover PAR. 5. THe fourth and last memorable passage was that after all this was finished All Israel that were present brake the Images in peeces cut downe the groves threw downe the high places a 2 Chro. 31.1 and Altars a 2 Chron. 31.1 Whence we may learne that good sincere hearts are more devour after their religious exercises that holy performances make deepe impressions and bring forth fruites of amendment and end in no end but reformation Reformation I say not popular which is never aright but regular generall wherein Inferiours are guided by Superiours and these by Gods Word PAR. 6. THe fixt most glorious passeover was in the eighteenth yeare of the devout Josiah as appeareth b 2 Kin. 23.21 2 Chro. 35.1 2 King 23.21 and 2 Chron. 35.1 c. Toward which were given for passeover offerings 37000. Lambes and Kids and for other offerings 3800. Oxen the first fort was of the flocke meerely for the Pascha and them the Master of each Family killed and they were rosted whole and eaten by the family as God commanded by the hand of Moses the second sort were of the heards 3800 Oxen some say Calves among them these were for the chagigah for the Feast offerings and other offerings some of these holy offerings they sod in pots cauldrons and pans and divided them speedily among the people of the other part they made whole burnt offerings of which the people had no portion at all but the fire consumed all observe further things were prepared the same day to keepe the Passeover and to offer burnt offerings on the Altar of the Lord c 2 Chr. 35.16 2 Chron. 35.16 And unto the Pascha was annexed the Chagigah after their eating the passeover with sowre herbes they made up the rest of their supper a Reare or a second supper as you may well call it with other comfortable and pleasant meates according to the Law this exceeded Hezekiahs passeover both for number of paschall and other offerings and for being kept in a more legall way for the time viz. in the first moneth and because all sorts of men were more sanctifyed at the beginning of Iosiah's passeover then at Hezekiahs PAR. 7. ERe I part with this passeover I cannot let slip that there is a great question betweene two learned men Vatablus and Salianus viz. Whether it belonged to the Priests onely or to the Levites also to offer sacrifice Vatablus saith Levitae immo laverunt Pascha mactabant victimas The Levites slew the passeover and killed the beasts for sacrifices Salianus a 2 Chr. 35 11 confuteth him saying Nusquam invenies hostias â Levitis jugulatas mictatio hostiae vel maxime ad Sacerdotes pertinet so it should be read you shall no where find that the Levites killed the Sacrifices the slaying of them most properly belonged to the Priests b 2 Chr. 29 22 2 Chro. 29.22 They that is the Priests as is truely expounded killed the Bullockes and Lambes received the blood sprinkled it on the Altar This duty is layd on the Priests the sonnes of Aaron c Levit. 1.5 Levit 1.5 c. Againe Num. 18 3. The Levites shall keepe thy charge◠and the charge of all the Tabernacle onely they shall not
fault with Calixtus for apppointing a fourē-fold fast because there were foure parts of the yeare By the same reason saith hee hee might have commanded to fast twelve times because there are twelve moneths in a yeare or two and fifty fasts because there are two and fifty weekes yearly I had thought the new-fangling Magdeburgian would have added Calixtus might have commanded three hundred and odde fasts because so many dayes make a yeare But Illyricus is to know Calixtus appointed Quarterly fasts for other ends than onely for a correspondence in number with the parts of the yeare For great holy ends Before Calixtus his time they fasted in Lent which is about thē twentith part of the yeare After they fasted once a quarter and the fastings were and are called jejunia quatuor temporum and wee fast weekly one day in a weeke at least whatsoever the Germans doe I see the stout German lookes up to the cap of liberty and would be under no command PAR. 6. NOr may I well omit that when Illyricus had said Wee call that a religious fast which belongeth to Religion worship of God he profanely addeth This religious fast is rightly divided into an Holy one and Hypocriticall one As if hypocrisie were a true part of Gods worship Crapulosum jejunium a gluttonous fast hee justly condemneth though it deserveth not the name of a fast if it be Crapulosum gluttonous or stuffed up to surfet or vomiting PAR. 7. BY an Allegory saith hee fasting may signifie innocencie of life So Saint Chrysostome and Saint Augustine use it Who when they saw that there is much mention in Scripture of fasting yet understood not how fasting conferred so much unto piety transferred fasting unto abstinence from sinnes building on a place of Esay which they did not sufficiently understand saith Illyricus Behold novelty speaking in its owne language imputing needlesly and falsly ignorance to those famous lights of Gods Church Saint Chrysostome and Saint Augustine when as the place of Esay is punctuall to this purpose That the fast acceptable to God lyeth much in the way of piety Esay 58.5 c. The answer to the interrogations can be no other than these I have not chosen such a fast wherein a man for a day afflicts his soule bowes downe his head spreadeth sackcloth and ashes under him But this is the fast that I have chosen viz. to loose the bonds of wickednesse to undoe the heavie burthen to let the oppressed goe free to breake every yoake yea not onely to abstaine from evill but to do good as followeth It is to deale thy bread to the hungry to bring the poore that are cast out to thine house to cover the naked then shall thy light breake forth as the morning and thy health shall spring forth speedily Thy rightcousnesse shall goe before thee or be thy vaward and the glory of the Lord shall be thy rereward Now Illyricus doth fasting make much for piety or not Is there any acceptable fast that is not pious or is impious or how are those Fathers without understanding in this point August Tract 17. in Ioannem jejunium magnum generale est abstinere ab iniquitatibus illicitis voluptatibus seculi This is the great and generall fast namely to abstaine from the iniquities and unlawfull pleasures of the world The same Augustine Quaestionum Evangelicarum 2.28 Scriptura docet generale jejunium non à concupiscentia ciborum tantum sed ab omni laetitia temporalium delectationum The Scripture doth teach us that the generall fast is not onely to abstaine not onēly from the lust of meates but also from all joy of temporall delights Who can speake more intelligently yet this hindred not but fastings may conferre much unto piety and bodily fasting is much accepted by God and many wayes profitable of which point hereafter PAR. 8. IN the passages where he commēth to shew how farre wee arē bound to fasting or how farre God requireth fasting of us hee hath wild positions 1 Since fasting is a certaine outward sorrow or an outward effect or signe of an inward contrite and repentant heart and God would have us rend our hearts and not our garments if we truly mourne inwardly and be contrite for our former sinnes out of doubt saith hee God doth not greatly require fasting of us no nor of the Jewes neither This Epicure would have his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 His bare word to rule the world Doth not the Scripture say that by fasting the soule is afflicted and humbled and so it is not alwaies a signe and effect of a contrite heart but a meanes and a way to make the soule contrite and to prepare repentance When God commanded to rend their hearts and not their garments speaketh to the wicked as to the drowsie drunkards Joel 1.5 Awake yee drunkards and weepe and howle yee drinkers of wine These indeed did not rend their hearts but forsooth would rend their garments Gods command is not absolutely exclusive making it a sinne to rend their garments but rather comparative shewing that God would rather have whole garments and rent hearts then rent garments and uncontrite soules And this appeareth because God approveth if not commandeth rending of garments Holy David 2. Sam. 3.31 said not onely to bloudy Ioab who most traiterouly murthered Abner but to all the people that were with him Rent your clothes gird you with sackcloth and mourne And did not God accept Ahabs rending of his clothes and fasting and call it Ahabs humbling of himselfe 1. King 21.29 Hezekiah rent his clothes Esay 37.1 Yet he was a good man and God was with him Iosiah rent his clothes 2. Chron. 34.19 and God by Huldah the Prophetesse and she by Hilkiah his Embassadour sent Iosiah answer in these words Because thine heart was tender and thou didst humble thy selfe before God and didst rend thy clothes and weepe before me I have heard thee vers 27. As on the contrary some are reprehended for not rending their garments Ieremy 36.24 For by this omission they testified their unrepentant hearts PAR. 9. AGaine saith Illyricus the Iewes had a custome to wash feete for the Region was dustie and they went nudis tibiis bare foote Christ washed his Disciples feete and willed them to doe the like one to another It is not so required of us saith he I say some of them were soleati shod as well as we PAR. 10. THe Iewes were wont saith he in all great commotion or angatiation of minde to teare their clothes from their breasts God requireth not this of us I answer God forbiddeth it not And when it is done in a just agony God approveth it Paul and Barnabas rent their clothes Act. 14.14 Who dare thinke their rending of their clothes did not proceed from a rent and torne heart The seemeing inhibitive precept made them not guilty of any sinne PAR. 11. ILlyricus his gangs and humors have urged me to lengthēn this digression
I returne to him againe who in the same pag. 311. thus to the old matter Such almost is the ceremony of Fasts Because the Iewes were wont in every great griefe to afflict their bodies and to Fast therefore the Lord liked it But since we have no such custome in any griefe of minde to use so great vexations of our bodies God requireth them not nor so great in our repentance Let the world now judge of the Illyrican crapulous repentance Gods especiall approbation of Fasting exempteth for sooth the full-fed and well tipled German because they have no such custome of Fasting among them who but a bold Libertine durst write in this manner PAR. 12. LAstly saith Illyricus Two reasons and those not contemptible ones may be drawn from the nature and site of the countreyes why we are not bound to Fast as the Iewes were 1. First here in Germanie our stomacks for the circumstant cold yea naturally are hotter and therefore consume more meate and can lesse endure hunger 2. The second rēason is Since cold doth more afflict the Fasting then the full stomacks or men if a man would here macerate himselfe with much Fasting without doubt in those so great colds he would dye or fall into some most grievous disease Some have made their belly their God I dare say this super intendent Illyricus may be his high-Priest How tender is he of his God They were never more carefull to provide for Baall then he doth for the belly To the first reason I say it is ridiculous For because they are more hungry naturally or accidentally then the Iewes shall they lesse afflict themselves then the Iewes did If they take away from their dyer but so much as may humble them as may tame their rebellious flesh or may further them in the wayes of devotion this is a true and acceptable Fast though before and after their Fasts the Northerne stomack eate more meate then the Easterne can Againe if the German can lesse indure hunger yet let him indure some let him indure but proportionable affliction as the Iewes did or as God intendeth in his precept of Fasting and then his after-eating is of easier dispensation To the second reason I answer Illyricus is very cautelous very curious in cute curandâ in pampering his belly For though cold weather more punish the Fasting then the full and crammed paunch yet nor God nor good men did ever command us to macerate our selves with Fasting so eagerly so vehemently so extreamely as should bring us either to death or diseases who do so willingly are murtherers of themselves and if any should do so unwillingly hee is accessary to his owne death and incurreth the wrath of God for drawing sicknesse upon himselfe The golden meane is a just tribute due to God payable to man In some other matters concerning Fasting Illyricus so playeth the Dy-dapper up and downe in and out that he is not worth the following Yet I cannot wholy give him over He denyeth that Fasting conduceth to Prayer or is a good worke of it selfe but is onely a signe and effect of a sorrowfull humbled and contrite heart And if any object why did Christ then Fast even hee who had no sinnes for which he should be sorry Why did the Apostles Fast Act. 13.3 of whom we do not read saith Illyricus that then lately they had committed any great sinnes for which they should cruciate themselves with griefe and fasting Illyricus answereth Christ did not Fast to prepare himselfe to Prayer since his flesh did not rebell against his spirit nor needed any such castigation But he fasted for griefe of minde and contrition of heart because he was to be punished as if he had committed all the sins of the world I reply did Christ Fast only then when he had such dolorous thoughts Did He not Fast to teach us to Fast Either before or in or after his fortie dayes Fast is there any word evincing that Christ fasted in consideration of a most dolefull and broken heart Likewise concerning the Apostles All saith hee that adde fasting to Prayers and pray rightly must come with a broken heart and then desire mercie for Christs merit Who denyeth this wholy or what is this to the purpose or how is the objection answered The Apostles and others fasted and prayed that God would blesse them in the calling to which they were then separated and to obtaine the favour of God for that especiall businesse though then they had no extraordinary cause to have broken hearts as Illyricus confesseth and no question but they implored Gods mercie for Christs sake but their fastings and Prayers were not here signes or effects of broken hearts but Signanter fasting ayded Prayer Prayer fasting both desired and obtained a blessing of God upon what they requested Most times a broken heart preceedeth fasting Sometimes fasting prepareth the way to a broken heart as the chewing of meate doth to the speedier nourishment As in our late just holy and commanded Fast that the Lord would vouchsafe to free the Citie of London and the infected neighbouring places from the plague many a thousand countrey-men by fasting came to a sorrowfull heart who at first came not to a fasting by a contrite heart but by command And truely as God doth often commute the eternall punishment which wee have deserved into a temporary so when hee seeth the inward humiliation of the soule attended on with selfe-inflicted paine upon the body the Lord doth take off some of that punishment which otherwise had laid strong hold on us This was Ahabs case 1. King 21.27 and the Ninevites Jonah 3.7 whose voluntary subjecting themselves to punishment diverted from them the full viols of Gods wrath Christ had compassion on such as fainted or were tyred and lay downe Matthew 9.36 And I have saith Christ compassion on the multitude because they continue with me now three dayes and have nothing to eate and I will not send them away fasting Matthew 15.32 Illyricus cannot prove that these men fasted as a signe or effect of their condoling contrite hearts but they fasted to feed on Christs holy words they fasted to behold more of his wondrous workes and in expectancie of some divine blessing and when Christ saw that they fasted so long that they were like to be the worse he miraculously fed them verse 37. PAR. 14. MAny learned men saith Illyricus thinke fastings were of old and are now to be used that the weakened body might the rather obey the soule and that a man may be fitter to pray and performe divine duties But thus I thinke saith he and we finde it by experience that the body Rectissime curatum tended most contentedly and exactly with necessary meate drinke sleepe apparell and other requisites is most composed and best setled and therefore can best of all obey and serve the actions of the minde and that I may so say will obey He resteth not here but proceedeth Yea a somewhat
and fault-finding with the losse of the rich and costly oyntment ambition to be in good esteeme with the chiefe Priests and the Rulers of the people by doing them such service as no man else would doe and these and other circum-repent temptations found an open entrance and pleasing intertainment in him In the third place Satan confirmeth all the precedent evills of sinne by his owne proper suggestions Every one Veluti contorta phalarica as an engine of warre carrying wild-sire in it where with timber-works were burned was violently hurled into each corner of his heart The devill having put into the heart of Iudas to betray Christ Ioh. 13.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cum diabolus jam immisisset in cor Judae as both the Vulgar and Beza hath it when the devill had now as it were darted himselfe into or taken violent possession of the heart of Iudas the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may very well signifie both passed and present suggestions These were Immissae or Contortae tentationes with speedy violence like fiery darts inflamed his soule unto such a wickednesse as man durst not owne but as animated by Satan And to the furious instruments of warre may the word Immissae allude as the Apostle also more evidently seemeth to doe Ephes 6.16 when he saith That by the shield of faith we may be able to quench all the fiery darts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Maligni illius saith Beza of the wicked one Nequissinii illius as it is in the vulgar of that most wicked one If our last Translation had expressed the name of the devill no exception could be taken if a man looke up to the 11. and 12. verses Or else the Metaphor in the words Satan put it or cast it or thrust it into the heart of Iudas may be taken from the command of God that whatsoever touched the border of the Mountaine were he man or beast he should surely be stoned or shot thorow Exod. 19.12 and 13. verses which the Apostle Heb. 12.20 divinely varieth He shall be thrust thorow with a dart So was Iudas his heart transpierced by Satan PAR. 13. LEt me insert a little ragge of a Sermon which I made before the most learned and holy Prelate our right reverend Diocoesan now Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells concerning these temptations I take three Conclusions as granted The first Conclusion presupposed as a knowne truth is That the temptations of the world are sometimes severall temptations from those of Satan If God withheld Satan from tempting of a man yet must we be also unspotted of the world Iames 1.27 For there are pollutions of the world 2. Pet. 2.20 Beware of men saith Christ Matth. 10.17 well expounded by S. Paul Phil. 2.3 Beware of evill workers Lastly the ranking of our enemies under the distinct Ensignes of the Flesh the World and the Devill shewes there are divers and divided temptations Sunt trio qua tentant hominem mundus Caro Daemon Three things there are which doe tempt man The world the flesh and old Satan This proves the second truth also which I assumed as granted That the Temptations of the flesh are oftentimes severall from the assaults of the devill If there were no devill at all saith Origen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secundo we yet should finde unlawfull desires and appetites The flesh would lust against the spirit Iames 4.1 Warres and fightings come even of your lusts that warre in your members warres upon warres and Iames 1.14 Every man is tempted when hee is drawne away of his owne lusts and intised which temptation is there declared by these three degrees the Beginning the Procedure and the Consummation Or thus the Primitive Motion the Assisting Commotion Mota facilius commoventur when things are once moved they move the faster The Plenary agreeing begetting death S. Augustine varieth the phrases though not the sense de Genes contra manicheos 2.14 that the temptation of the flesh is accomplished by Suggestion Delight and Pleasure The third Conclusion presumed as undeniable is this The devill may be said to be author and cause of all and every temptation nor directly but indirectly not alwayes immediatly but principally and occasionally Since wee have never knowne the lusts of the flesh or the baytes of the world if hee had not beene I am loth to goe so farre as Hierom on that of the Psalmograph Eschew evill and doe good who saith Omnia mala ab instinctu diaboli procedunt sicut bona ab instinctu Dei All evill proceedes from the instinct of the devill as all good from the inspiration of God for from God flow all graces directly yet Satan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most properly is called the Tempter Matth. 4. and is meant where it is said Lest the Tempertempt you 1 Thes 3.5 He begat in mankinde a disposition to sinne as a Cleaver of wood prepareth it for burning He ministreth present matter and concurreth in most temptations as the Fueller layeth sticks upon the fire and bloweth the coales using both the World and the Flesh as his instruments to set us in Comburo as the Spaniard phrazeth it and to seduce us In which regard when we overcome the World or the Flesh we may be said in a sort to resist the devill and yet he hath peculiar Temptations by us to be opposed Resist the devill and he will flie from you So much for the three Conclusions PAR. 14. THe Question is How shall we know the Temptations of the Devill from the temptations of the World and the Flesh Some thinke they cannot be knowne I never read them distinguished aptly enough I wish men would rather labour to avoyde all yet I answer The Obrepentes or creeping Temptations are more slow The Ascendentes or arising Temptations more inward and more naturall yet more sinfull as Selfe-sowne Selfe-growne in the corrupt masse of Mankinde The third sort are more quicke more sharpe or lesse thought of and these proceede from Sathan more immediatly Once againe thus The temptations of the World properly are when men and women are drawne unto sinne by other folkes flatterings perswasions threats fashions evill examples or customes of the world because of these scandalls The temptations of the Flesh are not onely carnall lusts but all inordinate concupiscence of any wordly things The Apostle reckoneth even some spirituall offences among the sinnes of the flesh Gal. 5.19 For the concupiscence even of the Regenerate hath its seate not in the sensitive appetite so much as in the reasonable soule PAR. 15. THe temptations of Satan are many He hath Mille nocendi artes and wee may be sure those are his which doe most cunningly and fiercely tempt us for there is no head to the head of the Serpent no cunning to his cunning his strength is in his loynes Iob 40.16 There is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the working of Satan 2 Thes 2.9 He spreadeth sharpe-pointing things upon the mire Job 41.30 And we are that
fac ocyùs Those words of the Lord when he sayd That thou doest doe quickely might be spoken either to Iudas or to the Devill Cyrill in Evangelium Iohannis Lib. 9.17 capite saith Many thinke it unfit that Judas who before was many wayes dehorted should now be animated by this speech That thou doest doe Quickely Or why doth he incite Iudas who was inflamed of himselfe and needed good counsell rather to quench the fire But saith Cyrill If we profoundly and diligently consider it the speech is not incongruous for Satan had entred into Iudas his heart and Christ spake them to Satan That thou doest doe quickely To betray me it is thy worke which thou delightest to doe always doe it quickly O Satan Thou hast slaine the Prophets entred into the hearts of the Iewes stoned Gods Messengers and spared none I know thou canst not be quiet wherefore what thou wast wont to doe now doe Unto the Devill who knew not the great good which should come to mankind by the passion of Christ who was ignorant that Christs Crosse should breake the Deuills backe and power unto him did Christ say That thou doest doe quickely and fit it was that Christ who knew the great and many benefits which would redound unto mankinde by his precious death and was a well-wisher of our Salvation should hasten the time and spurre on Satan to the accomplishment of his cursed designes That thou doest doe quickely so much in effect Cyrill Ambrose lib. 2. de Cain Abel saith the words were spoken to Iudas and it was Sententia praecipientis non ut malum faceret sed ut a consortio suo recederet It was the sentence of one who did command him not to commit evill but to depart out of his Company And because he could not be now with Christ who was with the Devill he had him be gone quickely Iudas by all likelihood was going away from Christ of his owne accord so soone as he saw himselfe fully descryed the motion of him seemed slow and therefore Christ sayd That thou doest in the present tense doe quickely And Augustine in Tract 62. in Iohan. saith that Christ commanded not the evill but foretold evill to Iudas good to us The distinction of Augustine is not so quicke vivid and punctuall as that of Ambrose Or thus illud verbum fac citiùs non imperantis est neque consulentis sed exprobrantis Revocantis ad emendationem that saying That thou doest doe quickely is not the saying of one that commandeth or adviseth but of one that upbraydeth and calls to amendment of life as Mat. 23.32 Fill ye up the measure of your fathers Likewise Iudges 10.14 Goe and cry unto the Gods which ye have chosen let them deliver you in the time of tribulation So 1 King 18.25 Call on the name of your Gods saith Eliah so Eccles 11.9 Rojoyce O young man in thy youth and let thy heart cheere thee in the dayes of thy youth and walke in the wayes of thy heart and in the sight of thine eyes yet the words immediately following shew it was no sad and serious counsell but an Ironicall exprobration and holy Revocation But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee to judgement This is a most apparent truth that some of the Apostles beleeved it to be spoken to Iudas onely and not to the Devill for some of them thought because Iudas had the bagge that Iesus had sayd unto him buy such things as we have neede of against the feast or that he should give something to the poore Iohn 13.29 which cannot be applyed to Satan Quod facis fac cito O verbum libentius parati ad passionem quam irati ad vindictam Augustine Tract 62. in Iohannem That thou doest doe quickely O word of one more willingly prepared for his passion than provided to revenge O verbum non tam poenam exprimens venditoris quam mercedem significans proditoris O word that doth not so much expresse the punishment of the seller as it doth intimate the reward of the redeemer saith the same S. Augustine ibidem PAR. 2. The third Occurrence of the fourth Generall NOw succēedeth the Apostles Nesciencie and mis-understanding of Christs words No man at the Table knew for what intent Christ spake this unto him Here you must except our blessed Saviour himselfe who was more than meere man for he knew for what intent he spake you must also except Iudas who knew our Saviours meaning and his owne corrupt intendments and therefore accordingly he went out immediately no man at the table knew for Iudas was gone from the table and as he was bidden did quickely goe forth and so he must be excepted All the rest of the Colledge of the Apostles were ignorant what Christ did primarily and particularly meane under those Generall words That thou doest doe quickely Some thinke that S. Iohn is also to be excepted because he knew the Traytor by the answere of Christ and the reall delivery of the Sop according to the answere Barradius buildes upon this as the truer answere that S. Iohn himselfe though he knew the Traytor did little imagine that Christ did then voluntarily desire to dye but the Traytor would have betrayed him at some other time and not so soone At the first hearing of them the Apostles thought they were words rather of command which they could not conceive than words of permission The innocent and most holy soules of the Apostles not knowing then the entrance of Satan into Iudas did not thinke that Iudas should fall so suddenly from one extreame to another It seemes to me that after the giving of the Sop and after Satans entrance into Iudas Christ sayd That thou doest doe quickely that Iudas received it and receiving it swallowed it for though it be not sayd that Iudas ate it yet if we consider Christ dipping it we may well thinke it was that Judas might eate it After the Sop Satan entred into him the sop found the first entrance Satan the next and that immediately after So all these things concurre in a very short time Christs giving the Sop. Judas his Receiving it And his eating it Then Satan entreth Then Christ saith What thou doest doe quickely Then Judas his speedy Egresse So short was the time that the holy Scripture saith Iohn 13.30 as if nothing had interceded He then having received the sop went immediately out he made no stay in the Supper-roome or in any part of the house he went hastily out Needs must he goe whom the Devill driveth So much of the Apostles Nesciencie PAR. 3. The fourth Occurrence of the fourth Generall COncerning their mis-interpreting the saying of Christ two things are apparent 1. That the words were not spoken privately in the eare of any one alone for some of the Apostles thought one thing some another concerning the understanding of them which they could not doe nor judge if they had not heard them
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
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
called Christ his Last Supper And the Reasons why it is called the Last Supper In the Fathers it hath these titles 1 The Communion of Saints in the Apostles Creed 2 Peace of Christ Ignatius and Cyprian 3 A New Oblation Irenaeus 4 Mystery is a common appellation Augustine 5 Life So called by the Affricans Augustine 6 The Oath and strictest band of Religion Augustine 7 The Mysticall Bread Augustine 8 The holy Offering in regard of the offerings for the poore Augustine 9 The Supper of God and the Lords Banquet Tertullian 10 The Lords Testament or Legacy 11 A Communion prohibiting Schisme and Division and inclining to Peace and Vnion 12 A Blessing 13 A giving of Thankes 14 The Authentique performance of the Type Theodoret. 15 The Latines name it Missah the Masse which word some derive from the Hebrew or Chaldee and say it signifies A Tribute of a Free-will offering of the hand Cevallerius dislikes that derivation The Heathen Greek Priests dismissed their people with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Pagan Romans with these words I licet Missa est Whence the Christian Roman Church borrows their Masse 16 The Greek Church calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Ministration 17 Sacramentum Sacramentorum c. Nicolaus de Cusâ 18 God Tertullian 4. Eleventh Generall Wherein is inquired what Speeches were used by our Saviour in the Coenaculum After the Third Supper was administred The gratious Sermon of Christ His Prayer to God An Hymne PARAGRAPH 1. NOw followeth What Gesture we are to use at the administration of the holy Eucharist to others At the Receiving of it our selves Take then thus together in a Masse or lumpe from the best authority under Scripture The English Liturgy or Common Prayer is our best guide We begin it first with the Lords Prayer and the succeeding Prayer Almighty God unto whom all hearts be open c. And this is performed at the Lords Table the Minister standing and the whole Congregation Kneeling And at the Collect the Minister standeth At the rehearsing of the Commandements the Minister standeth as speaking in the person of God and commanding by authority The people hearken pray and kneele at the Recitall of every Commandement Nor did the Israelites do lesse if they did not do more at the first receiving of the Law When the Second Commandement said expresly Thou shalt not bow down thy selfe to them may well be inferred they did Then bow down to him Never did Patriach or Prophet never did Christ Evangelist or Apostle never did holy Man pray sitting when there was opportunity of Kneeling Yet I confesse that Cassian 2.12 reporteth that the Monks of Egypt did sit praying yet he addeth insidentes sedilibus humillimis The rule of S. Benedict cap. 9. mentioneth their sitting at the Reading of three lessons and their rising up at Gloria Patri For at the reading the Collect for the day and the Collect for the King the Priest standeth up and the people kneele still The Epistle the Gospell the Nicaene Creed the Sermon or Homily and the one or more Sentences following may be officiated the Minister and people standing The prayer for the whole state of Christs Militant Church must be done every one Kneeling The one two or three Exhortations following and the short Invitatory advice to the Communicants may be read to them either the Minister and they standing or he standing and they sitting or approaching The generall Confession is to be read both Priest and People humbly Kneeling on their knees The hearty prayer following conjoyned with the Operatory Absolution is to be done by the Priest or Bishop if he be present standing and the people kneeling And in that posture may continue till the Laudatory with Angels and Archagels be performed Then shall the Priest kneele down praying in the name of all the Communicants The people also kneeling and saying Amen to the prayer For I do not remember that ever the Priests did kneele when the people stood but the Priests many times stand when the people kneele As in the words of Prayer and Consecration following the Priest standeth up and People kneele When the Minister or Ministers do participate they kneele When they Distribute and Administer to the People the Priests stand the People receive it kneeling as the Rubrick appointeth And great reason is there people should then kneele at the Divine prayers The Body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for thee preserve thy body and soule unto everlasting life and a like prayer is devoutly powred forth at the delivery of the Cup. And will they not kneele when the heart saith Amen to these holy prayers It is so far from being Idolatrous to kneele before God at these prayers that it is obstinate Irreverence Contempt of the Sacrament yea of Christ himselfe Not to kneele for such as are well before instructed Furthermore are we not at that instant advised to be Thankfull which seldome is well performed without Prayer and Prayer is to be said as with lifting up of holy hands 1 Tim. 2.8 so most wise with bending of humbled knees It was also the wicked Pharisee who stood and prayed Luk. 18.11 But Christ himselfe kneeled down and prayed Luk. 22.41 Oh that such wretches as do beat their servants if they be not reverent humble but disrespect their Masters and little esteeme of their kindnesses bestowed would but make the comparison between their heavenly Master and themselves After the participation ended every one solemnly kneeleth downe on his knees and saith the Lords Prayer And in that Gesture continue whilst they say the next prayer or the next save one The Gloria in excelsis Deo by reason of the Prayse Blessing Adoration and Thanksgiving included in it and by reason of the Divine prayers made to the Father and the Son with the coequally-glorious holy-Spirit may well be said or sung All Kneeling The Blessing at their parting is to be performed by the Bishop or Priest standing and by the People Kneeling The Collects after the offertory are to be read all parties Kneeling for every one of them is a powerfull prayer What the Rubrick directly appoints ought to be answered with full and obedient performance And since I have spoke my mind in some points unspecialized in or by the Rubrick I submit my judgement as I do in all other things to the judgement of the Church of England And thus I proceed That the people are most an end to Kneele but especially at the Receiving of the holy Communion is so cleare that all see it except such whose eyes Satan hath blinded And if they do not repent he will lead them blindfolded into the Lake of fire and brimstone which never shall be quenched PAR. 2. THat when the people Kneele the Minister is to deliver the Communion in both kinds into the hands of them is as cleare Maximus a great enemy of the Monothelites saith All men that will Communicate must first wash their