springs whirlpooles and other ebullitions of waters arising in the deeps from the veynes of the earth at the bottome of the Sea or deepe Rivers and by reason of the inflowings of those many naturall Aquaeducts which tumble from our mountaines our freshets fountaines and rivers which doe not presently lose their pleasing taste and sweet savour but Arethusa-like retaine it for a while Likewise though we cannot deny but the vertue of the Sunne pierceth sarre deeper than foure fathomes even to the bottome of the mineralls and mines and much below them even perhaps to the center of the earth yet his rarifying power by which he exhaleth up still the lighter and thinner water and leaveth the heavier and salter parts in the Sea is conteined within foure fathoms depth from the upper superficies of the Sea that is the Sunne hath work enough to draw so much sweet water as to make the Sea salt for foure fathoms deepe There is an Iland a little from Hispaniola the Spaniards call it Arethusa which hath a fountaine in it comming by secret passages under both Earth and Sea and ariseth in that Iland For it bringeth with it the leafes of many trees which grow in Hispaniola and not in that Iland Oviedo mentioneth a little Iland called Navazza halfe a league from which are many rocks in the Sea five foot deep covered with water out of which issueth and shooteth up above the water of the Sea a spout of fresh water as great as a mans arme that it may be received sweet and good This was seen by Stephano della Rocca a man of good credit See Purchase his Pilgrim 9.14 The fresh waters below the deepe Sea may be a partiary cause that all the fishes of the Sea be fresh none so much as saltish For to those sweeter waters they can quickly descend though the salt water affordeth them more prey and more desire to multiply and perhaps more desire to play therein Thou-hast formed Leviathan to play in the Sea Psal 104.26 When fishes are dead how little salt in a short time salteth them whom the whole Sea could not season or reduce to a rellish of saltnesse whilst they lived New Inventions which are profitable I admire and the Inventors I do adore Certainly many things may be perfected which yet we will not beleeve Who would have thought that the River-water should be the chiefe ingredient to make Gunpowder The Turks have found it Or that Allum hills should distill a liquor like unto oyle and sulphur or brimstone whereof the Spaniards make excellent Gunpowder as Purchase relateth pag. 16.6 Our brackish fountaines our Bathes our Brimstony springs or rivelets may perhaps doe the like The Lake Mardotis or Maraeotis now called Buchira saith Master George Sandys in his Journey Lib. 2. folio 112. by the Citie of Alexandria was by a narrow cut joyned unto another Lake farre lesse and nearer the Sea which at this day too plentifully furnisheth all Turky with Saltpeter saith Purchase in his Pilgrimes part 2. chap. 8. parag 1. fol. 900. from the said Master G. Sandys loc cit fol. 113. 114. Whereupon I could wish that the sonnes of Art would make experiments in some of our Lakes or Rivers or Fountaines which taste of brimstone or are likely to yeeld such effects though messengers were sent both to taste of that Aegyptian Lake and to see their manner of making Saltpeter there If there may not be more profit and benefit to mankinde if this Invention were perfected and in use than by the wilde discoveries of the Man in the Moone or the fancies of the Lord Verulam in the New Atlantis or the Northren Iland all made of Loadstones found onely in the braines of Campanella De sensu rerum 1.8 for the best Loadstones are in the East Indies in China and Bengala saith our Doctor Gilbert de Magnete 1.2 pagina 9. Who also is confident that the Loadstone doth eate the filings of iron and is nourished with it as he experimentally tryed and saw then am I much deceived Yet give Campanella his due lib. 4. cap. 19. from whom the Fabulous Man in the Moone tooke the Art of Flying The Art of Flying seemeth possible to me saith Campanella The Dancers on ropes seeme to fly If therefore a man use fit meats and get the agility of such as walk on ropes and procure wings like to Cranes and knows how well to imitate them if armes thighes and leggs be fitted with wings he may perhaps fly The Man in the Moone addeth much to this Invention yet is but a Fable But that two Ships of equall both burthen and shape one should be yare of sayling because he consenteth to such an end and the other slow and unfit for sayling because it is more against it and unwilling to consent unto sayling I say these are strange formes of expression used by Campanella 3. in fine As for the makers of Clocks complaining of the same point I say the temper of mettalls is not so exact but there may be some predominant purity in some part rather than in other In darknesse a little hole affordeth light The West Indies were found our per Minima indicia by very small discoveries One is the beginning of number The least weight is the beginning of weighing and the least measure the beginning of measuring saith Cusanus A minimis maxima oriuntur The greatest things in the world have but small beginnings A spark may kindle a fire A little sprig may save a man who is upon drowning Statesmen have found the greatest mischiefes that ever were intended to subvert any State by small beginnings obscure words and indifferent actions Yet from These have they sought and wrought out more hidden evills Feare and Doubt sharpning suspition Suspition animating them to a more in ward Disquisition either by that multiplex interrogatio the evidencer of Truth in Examinations or by Torture if occasion be Where evident Scripture fay leth strong Presumption or Tradition or Reason may carry it Tertullian de Coronâ Militis Si Legem unsquam reperio sequitur ut Traditio consuetudint morem hunc de dederit habiturum quandoque Apostoli authoritatem ex interpretatione Rationis If I finde not a Command or Law that women should be vayled Tradition hath made it a custome which sometimes shall have Apostolicall Authority because it standeth with Reason If we cannot have infallible proofes yet such proofes as shelter themselves Sub patrocinio Rationis under the protection of Reason must not be rejected If we cannot finde Verum the Truth which Democritus said was hid deep as in a Well yet let us take hold of verisimile of that which hath some colour of Truth and make much of It. I care not if I be found fault withall when I determine things probable probably I presse no man to beleeve points of opinion as points of Faith nor doe I goe about to build Infallibility upon the sands nor labour I to make
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 beganne At what place of Scripture every one of the 54. Lectures begins and ends Sixe Bookes of Psalmes according to the Iewish division Every Lecture of the Law consisted of 136 verses Antioch rent the Law in pieces God more regardeth every Letter of the Law than the starres of Heaven Fol. 549 Par. 3 Puritans taxed who taxe our 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 Iewes had by heart all the old Testament Fol. 551 Par. 4 Traskites censured The Iewes shall be converted to Christians not Christians to Iewes Secondly the second part of the Digression Against filthy prophaners of Churches and Church-yards more especially against them of the City of Exeter Nero be-pissed Venus tombe The Heathens very zealous against such prophanation Caecilius his opinion concerning Vespasian forbade it The Authors Apology His petition both to the Clergie and Laity of Exeter Gods Law Deut. 23.12 against filthinesse The Cates and the Birds cleanlinesse God and his holy Angels walke in the midst of our Temples That Law of God not Ceremoniall or Iudiciall but Morall The Esseni diligent observers of it Cleanlinesse a kinde of holinesse Vncleanenesse in the Campe was an uncleannesse in the Jewes themselves God commandeth cleanlinesse and sweetnesse for mans sake not for his owne Vncleanlinesse makes God turne away from us God a lover of internall and externall cleannesse The Abrahemium the first Church-yard in the world Iacobs reverence to the place where he slept Some places more holy than other The Authors exhortation in this respect to the Magistrates of Exeter Par. 5 Campanella The Frier examined and censured He learned Art magicke of the Devill 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 Fryer more scandalous than of a Priest Proverbs and taunts against Fryers and Monkes A Fryer A lyer Fryers railed against both by Ancient and Moderne Writers Priests and Iesuites at debate who shall be the chiefest in authoritie Friers Deifie the Pope Friers lashed by Pope Pius the second Campanella a prisoner for twenty yeares together The Iesuists nipped by the Sarbonists banished by the Venetians scoured by Peter de la Marteliere in the Parliament of France Fol. 556 Par. 6 The third part of the Digression concerning Conventicles The usance of the Zelots at their Conventicles The effects of them None of Gods children in ancient time ever practised them unlesse in the daies of persecution Iewes to be imitated in Sabbath Lectures Every one must labour to be Christi formis Tertullian short of the truth concerning the force of Lawes Reason and Religion must be regulated by authority Generall rules must be stamped by the approbation of publique Authority Order must over-sway Subjects and their Religion Singularity condemned Guides of the Church a gift of God Fol. 557 Par. 7 The Law of Moses anciently divided into Bookes but not into Chapters and Verses Elias Levita saith it was first devided into Chapters and Verses by the Iewes of Tiberias The New Testament divided by the Ancients otherwise than now it is both in Chapters and Verses witnesse Caesarius Euthymius Heinsius Nonnus Suadas Cyrill Sextus Senensis the Arabick Translators and Junins Heinsius and Junius opinion concerning the ancient divisions The Syriacke Translation of the New Testament disliked by Bellarmine and others In all probability not delivered by Saint Marke to the Churches of Syria and Egypt How the Acts of the Apostles the first and second Epistles to the Corinthians are divided into Chapters by the Arabicke translation How the foure Evangelists are divided into Chapters by Ammonius The division of the foure Gospels not of Divine institution but of the Churches ordination Fol. 559 Par. 8 The blessed Eucharist instituted immediately upon Judas his Excommunication The Sacrament of the Lords Supper instituted not whilst the Apostles were eating the second or common Supper yet before they departed out of the Coenaculum Estius in this point taxed The practise of the Easterne Churches at the time of the Celebration of the Lords Supper and the reason thereof Salianus taxed prophane persons to be excluded from the very beholding of holy Mysteries Fol. 561 Par. 9 When Christ was about to celebrate the Sacrament of the New Law what Order he used How he began How he proceeded Certaine things may be determined certainly probable things can be resolved on but probably Aristotles sayings preferred before other Philosophers Small degrees of knowledge that are agreeable to reason are to be embraced from small beginnings many times follow strange Conclusions Plato's divine history of Socrates and Alcibiades Homers story of Minerva and Diomedes Salt sea-Sea-water may be made fresh divers waies Divers curious instances to this purpose Art may imitate Nature Divers rare instances to this purpose The Iland Arethusa neere Hispaniola and divers Rocks neere the Iland Navazza on the borders of America being in the midst of the salt-Salt-sea send forth fresh waters The reason why the salt-Salt-sea sendeth forth fresh fish New inventions are to be admired Many things may be perfected which yet seeme incredible Gunpowder may be made of river-water The Turkes have found it Of Oyle distilling from Alume-hils the Spaniards have practized it Why not of our bath-Bath-waters More benefit by this invention than by the discovery of the man in the Moone or the Lord Verulam's new Atlantis or Campanella's Northerne Iland The best load-stones in the East Indies in China and Bengala The art of flying thought possible by Campanella The man in the Moone added much to this Invention Two ships of equall burthen and shape yet of unequall sayling two clocks of the same making yet not of the same running Campanella's reason thereof Light will peepe in at a little hole The West Indies found out per minima indicia Matters of greatest moment have many times the smallest beginnings divers dainty instances to this purpose especially the discovery of the Gunpowder treason Where evident Scripture faileth strong presumptions or tradition or reason may carry it Truth saith Democritus is hid in a deepe well Matters of faith and not to be grounded upon the bare opinions of men The Church not bound to do many things which Christ did especially in circumstance of time They who deferre Baptisme till thirty yeares of their age as Christ did are taxed Christ had many reasons so to do Christs administration of the Eucharist a Patterne not for the circumstance but for the substantiall forme thereof Divers Circumstances wherein we differ from Christ in administring the blessed Eucharist Altars in Scripture sometimes called Tables Tables sometimes termed Altars
distresses in stripes imprisonments tumult and labours in watchings and fastings 2 Cor 6.5 hee was also in wearinesse and painfulnesse in watchings often in hunger and thirst in fastings often in cold and nakednesse 1 Cor. 11.27 There is a strange place Act. 27.33 This is the fourteenth day that yee have tarried and continued fasting having taken nothing Aqua vorax inquit Hipocrates quia voraces facit As Pallida mors quia facit pallidos The water saith Hippocrates is said to be devouring because it makes devouring men as death is called pale because it maketh men pale They who travile by sea or the armes of it or by great waters know it and that not onely the holy Apostle Saint Paul and his friends but even the Edaces nautae dura militum ilia the hungry sea-men whom I have seene to eate hartily on cold dryed Poore-Iohns tough-foody-souldiers that any strong bodies or strong temperatures should suffer inediam imbibesiam quarta decimana hunger and thirst for foureteene dayes together is impossible to Nature therefore when it is said They continued fasting having taken nothing wee must not either fly to miraculous operations or say they kept no set meales such as Marriners use to take in calme weather all these foureteene dayes though they might now and then snatch in a little to comfort Nature and eating worke and working â—ate even as by nature the dogges lap and drinke of Nilus and for feare of danger keepe running all the while or by a Scripture phrase they are said not to eate or drinke who are spare eaters and spare drinkers As it is said of Iohn the Baptist Matth. 11.18 Iohn came neither eating nor drinking and yet his meate was locusts and wild honey Matt. 3.4 And we may as well presume he lived not without drinke There is also another rule or two in Divinity which inclines to the clearing of this point First what is said to be done of many is said to be done of all Absolon and all the men of Israel said 2 Sam 17.14 when indeed hee speakes only of the Counsellours of warre or chiefe men that were with Absolon Secondly what is done often is said to be done alwaies Luk. 24.53 The Apostles were continually in the Temple and yet they were in an upper-roome Act. 1.13 And were often otherwhere So by the rule of contraries here they are said to take nothing for they tooke it but seldome and tooke but a little and tooke not any at all after their ordimary fashion PAR. 4. IN the Old Testament they used much fasting even wicked Ahab 1 King 21.27 put sackcloth upon his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and because Ahab did humble himselfe so before God God did respite and reprive his punishment vers 29. The children of Israel being overthrowne Wept before the Lord untill evening Iudg. 20.27 And yet were overthrowne the second time vers 25. After all the children of Israel came to the house of the Lord and wept and sate there before the Lord and fasted that day untill even And then at the third time the children of Israel prevailed against the children of Benjamin vers 46. I humbled my selfe with fasting saith David Psalm 35.13 My heart is wounded within mee Psalm 109.22 My knees are weake through fasting vers 24. Neither eate nor drinke three dayes night nor day sayd Ester to her people Ester 4.16 The Queene her selfe did so and God sent a blessing Turne yee even to mee with all your hearts with fasting Ioel 2.12 Sanctifie a fast vers 15. Who knoweth whether he will returne and repent and leave a blessing behinde him The Prophet answereth vers 18. The Lord will be jealous for his land and will pitty his people PAR. 5. SOme well-devoted of old in three whole dayes ate but once and they termed that space of time Penitentiam Nineveh the repentance of Nineveh And this leadeth mee to speake of that uncouth fast Ionas 3.7 Let neither man nor beast herd nor flocke taste any thing let them not feed nor drinke water An extasie of sorrow godly and holy beareth out seeming infirmities The devout raptures of grace made Mary Magdalen speake with seeming-little sense Iohn 20.13 They have taken away my Lord. Which they Iewes or Disciples She can name none but strongly imagine some And I know not where they have laid him If Christ had beene taken away is it likely they would tell her shee remembred not his promised resurrection but dreamed of his bodies asportation and resting otherwhere Likewise in the 15. verse shee supposeth Christ to be a gardiner saying Sir if thou hast borne him hence tell me where thou hast laid him An unlikely matter that hee would tell her if hee removed him Tell mee and I will take him away Did shee not complaine that hee was taken away before I thinke shee should rather have thought of bringing him backe againe to his first grave than of a second carrying him away nor shee nor I can tell whither I say the superabundance of her griefe powring forth those imperfect words I doubt not made her as much accepted with Christ as ever any of her words or deeds had done before though most rationally Hearty devotion is as the salt of the Sacrifice and keepes all in good savour Semblably though Jonah 3.7 the Nineviticall clothing of beasts with suckcloth may seeme ridiculous if not barbarous though the keeping of them from necessary food may in the eye of the clowne appeare unreasonable unseasonable and most unconscionable because God never looked for repentance from bruite beasts because they could not be taught God was angry or why or that this was a meanes to pacifie him because some offended and others were punished which seemes to tast of injustice because a reasonable service of God is required Rom. 12.1 not beastiall Yet since this extraordinary humiliation was performed as it was appointed out of the depth of sorrow out of the inmost bowels of repentance out of a sanctified distraction out of a measurelesse feare and love God would not contemne humble spirits nor reject contrite soules The sacrifice of all other things must be in their sorts perfect intire or whole but a bruised reede shall not be made worse a wounded-broken heart shall be accepted and God will esteem the blemishes as ornaments where the intentions are profound and surcharged with sacred fervencie whilst they would if they could force their cattell to know Gods wrath against Nineveh by painfull fasting because they knew it not by Ionah his preaching Who can tell if God will turne and repent turne away from his fierce anger that wee perish not vers 9. And God repented of the evill he had said he did it not vers 10. Daniel 9.3 I set my face unto the Lord God to seeke by prayer supplications with fasting sackcloths ashes and whilest hee was speaking in prayer he was divinely illuminated The Prayer O Lord the
Venettans scowred by Peter de la Marteliere in the Parliament of France 6. The third part of the Digression concerning Conventicles The usance of the Zelotes at their Conventicles The effects of them None of Gods children in ancient time ever practised them unlesse in the daies of persecution Jewes to be imitated in Sabbath Lectures Every one must labour to be Christiformis Tertullian short of the truth concerning the force of Lawes Reason and Religion must be regulated by Authority Generall Rules must be stamped by the approbation of publicke Authority Order must over-sway Subjects and their Religion Singularity condemned Guides of the Church a gift of God 7 The law of Moses anciently divided into Bookes but not into Chapters and Verses Elias Levita saith it was first divided into Chapters and Verses by the Jewes of Tiberias The New Testament divided by the Ancients otherwise than now it is both in Chapters and Verses witnesse Caesarius â—uthymius Heinsius Nonnus Suidas Cyrill Sixtus Senensis the Arabick Translators and Junius Heinsius and Junins opinion concerning the ancient divisions The Syriack translation of the New Testament disliked by Bellarmin and others In all probability not delivered by S. Mark to the Churches of Syria and Egypt How the Acts of the Apostles the first and second Epistle to the Corinthians are divided into Chapters by the Arabick translation How the foure Evangelisis are divided into Chapters by Ammonius The division of the foure Gospels not of divine institution but of the Churches or dination 8 The blessed Excharist instituted immediately upon Iudas his Excommunication The Sacrament of the Lords Supper instituted not whilest the Apostles were eating the Second or Common Supper yet before they departed out of the Coenaculum Estius in this point taxed The practise of the Easterne Churches at the time of the Celebration of the Lords Supper and the Reason thereof Salianus taxed Prophane persons to be excluded from the very beholding of holy Mysteries 9. When Christ was about to celebrate the Sacrament of the New Law what Order he used How he began How he proceeded Certaine things may be determined certainly probable things can be resolved on but probably Aristotles sayings preferred before other Philosophers Small degrees of knowledge that are agreeable to reason are to be embraced From small beginnings many times follow strange Conclusions Plato's divine Historie of Socrates and Alcibiades Homers Storie of Minerva and Diomedes Salt sea-Sea-water may be made fresh diverse wayes Divers curious instances to this purpose Art may imitate Nature Divers rare instances to this purpose The Island Arethusa neere Hispaniola and divers Rocks neere the Island Navazza on the borders of America being in the midst of the salt-Salt-sea send forth fresh waters The reason why the salt-Salt-sea sendeth forth fresh fish New Inventions are to be admired Many things may be perfected which yet seeme Incredible Gunpowder may be made of River-water The Turkes have found it Of oyle distilling from Alume-hills the Spaniards have practised it Why not of our Bath waters More benefit by this Invention than by the discovery of the man in the Moone or the Lord Verulam's new Atlantis or Campanella's Northern Island The best Loadstones in the East Indies in China and Bengala The art of flying thought possible by Campanella The man in the Moone added much to this Invention Two ships of equall burthen and shape yet of unequall sailing Two clocks of the same making yet not of the same running Campanella's reason thereof Light will peepe in at a little hole The West Indies found out per minima indicia Matters of greatest moment have many times the smallest beginnings divers dainty instances to this purpose especially the discovery of the Gunpowder Treason Where evident Scripture faileth strong Presumptions or Tradition or Reason may carry it Truth said Democritus is hid in a deep well Matters of Faith are not to be grounded upon the bare opinions of men The Church not bound to doe many things which Christ did especially in circumstance of time They who deferre Baptisme till thirty yeeres of their age as Christ did are taxed Christ had many reasons so to doe Christs Administration of the Eucharist a Patterne not for the Circumstance but for the Substantiall forme thereof Divers Circumstances wherein we differ from Christ in Administring the blessed Eucharist Altars in Scripture sometimes called Tables Tables sometimes termed Altars PARAGRAPH 1. LEt us now consider what course Christ tooke in the perfecting of this his Last Supper First say I he removed Judas and gave not the holiest Mysteries to that dog nor cast that pearle before swine The Graecians when they began their Sacrifices cryed out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is fit to be present here To whom answer was returned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Honest good and harmlesse men And to the same sence they againe cryed out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Holy things are for holy people Did Nature teach them good things and shall the God of nature practise the contrary S. Augustine indeed Tractat. 26. in Johannem saith Caeteri Apostoli manducaverunt panem Dominum Judas autem panem Domini The other Apostles did eate Christ their Lords body Judas did eate the Bread of the Lord Sacramentally onely not Spiritually I hope I shall not offend if I dissent from S. Augustine and others in this point because I have contrary both Authorities and Reasons Well then this being presupposed that Iudas was first removed Let us now in the first place according to my propounded Method examine After what words Christ began his Third and Last Supper Tatianus Alexandrinus in his Harmony thinkes Christ began to institute the Eucharist when Iudas was gone out After those words Iohn 13.32 God shall also glorifie him in himselfe and shall straightway glorifie him This seemes the more probable because when Iudas was gone out Jesus said Now is the Sonne of man glorified c. The Jesuit Barradius is of the same opinion Yet I hold it more probable that Christ did institute his blessed Eucharist so soone as Iudas went out And it may be for that cause chiefly if not onely Christ said to Iudas That thou doest doe quickly vers 27. because he would not have Iudas who was a devill to partake of that heavenly banquet And then the intire discourse continuing from Iohn 13.31 and so forward immediately followed After the receiving of the divine Eucharist with the blessed Apostles when the Traytor was gone For though it be said when Iudas was gone out Jesus said this and this yet it is not said Jesus immediately said this When Iudas was gone out And it doth not exclude but some thing might intercede and that must then be the Eucharist For the word When doth not alwaies note the Immediation of times or things consequent but fairely admitteth that such and such words may be said such and such works may be done in a competent distance Dub. Yea but why did S. Iohn
heare in All things whatsoever he shall say unto you and vers 26. God sent Jesus to blesse you turning away every one of you from his iniquities And in Heathen phrase Plato implyeth no lesse For Homer said that Minerva tooke away a cloud from Diomedes his eyes that he might discerne God from Man So said Socrates to his Alcibiades Darknesse must be removed from your eyes which now blindfoldeth you Then other things must be presented to you by which you may distinguish Good and Evill For now you are unfit for such matters And saith not the Scripture that the Spirit of the Lord sent Christ to preach Recovering of sight to the blinde Luk. 4.18 And Christ is the true Light who lightneth every man that commeth into the world Joh. 1.9 Alcibiades hoping to learne better things than he had before humbly professeth Let that great Teacher Rabbi or Instructor remove from me either that cloud if he will either the Festucam in mine eye or the Trabem if so he vouchsafe or any other impediment if he please For I am ready to omit nothing what he shall command whosoever he shall be so I may grow a Better man And we will offer our Crowne and all other decent things then when I shall know That day is come and it will not be long ere it come by the will of the Gods So Alcibiades Me thinks I heare him speake like one of the Magi in the East and professe to doe what they did Matth. 2.11 Or like the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4.25 I know That Messias commeth who is called Christ when he is come he will teach us All things If Plato had not thought of a Mediator God and Man what needed that comparison from Homer to distinguish one from the other If he had not knowne him to be God Plato could not have writ He hath a care of thee and doth wonderfully provide for thee and yet Shall come Hereafter and must be Waited for If he also had not thought him to be a Man who was to come he would never have ascribed unto him such offices of a Teacher a Reformer an Inlightner I think I shall not erre if I say Plato his thoughts accorded in substance with what Zacharias said Luk. 1.74 c. And what holy Simeon Luk. 2.32 and with what the Prophets prophecied of Christ And this Digression have I insisted upon to shew that Great doores hang on small Hinges and from a Little crany of light momentuall matters may be found That we are not to give over mining though the veyne seeme to be shrunke and shut up and that we cannot come to the fulnesse of knowledge but by degrees and that a small degree must serve and content us when we can attaine to no more That the Salt water of the Ocean may be made fresh and wholsome and nourishing is apparant by that excellent liquor being in Oysters at their first taking up than which juice the art of the Cooke or the Apothecary cannot make a compound of a more delicate taste and rellish and more gratefull and acceptable to the stomach Whether Art can imitate Nature in this or how farre it may proceed let others of lesse imployments search This I will say If a way were found to correct the Salt water to separate and remove the brackishnesse from it to reduce it to the taste and temper of fresh waters it would be most usefull and profitable for navigation and abundance of people might live and doe well which for want of it doe perish Some of our men have found the way of distillation good as Purchase hath it in his Pilgrims Secondly If you object The liquor of the Oyster to be salt I reply it is rather saltish seasonably brackish to sharpen the stomach every way inoffensive Againe What say you to this That the best of waters which rise on high hills and fountaines were once Salt waters but by running thorough the veynes of the earth become so sweet so refreshing so wholsome And may not the percolation by Art take its ground and example from the power of Nature as it were strayning the Salt water in the earth till it be purified sweet and wholsome Againe doth not the Sunne and divine powers exhale up vapours even out of the Salt Sea Did not a little cloud out of the Sea like a mans hand become rayne a great rayne that the heaven was blacke with clouds and winde 1 Kings 18.45 And will any man doubt but these showers of Rayne waters which fell were as sweet fresh and wholsome as ours Againe I have heard that toward the bottome of the Sea is fresh water if the bed of the Sea be very deepe And I have read of a River or two which keepe their freshnesse though they flow or run into the maine Ocean a great way the waters being unmingled and easily distinguishable by the freshet Moreover Aristotle in his Problems Section 23. Question 30. acknowledgeth that the upper part of the Sea is more salt and more warme than the lower parts And it is so also in Pits or Wells of water whose thinner lighter and sweeter parts are exhaled up or alembecked by the ayre and the Sunne whereby both most saltnesse yea and heavinesse it selfe contrary to nature floateth in the uppermost superficies of the water And in the next question he taketh as granted that That part of the Sea which is neerer the Land is sweeter than the more remote parts of it Therefore where Nature maketh such a diversity and separation and percolation I doubt not but Art may follow her and extract much good out of this disquisition Some have said that Clay well tempered is very effectuall to addulce Salt waters Yea I have heard that our Seamen have searched and found by a brasen iron or wooden vessell with a close and heavy cover which will shut of it selfe but open with a vice and descendeth naturally by its owne weight that it being let downe empty about three or foure fathoms into the Sea-water and then and there the vessell being opened according to Art and filled and shut againe and by ropes drawne up bringeth within it and up with it water usefull potable and healthy though not so perfectly fresh as our Rivers or Springs but somewhat resembling the taste of the liquor in the shell of the Oyster salso-dulce and wholsome What hath been invented I know not certainly but that Salt water may be made sweet and wholsome I doubt not The meanes may be various to the same end Those vast Cakes of Ice you may call them little mountaines if you please which are seene floating in the Northren frozen parts towards the Spring are not above three or foure fathome thick No cold can congeale or condensate deeper Nor did ever Ice in deepe Rivers or Seas reach downe and touch the earth but other waters some think fresh waters did glide along betweene the ice and the ground both by reason of
Table For if David did so in urgent and extreame necessitie and in the desolate inhospitable Wildernesse is it likely Christ would doe so where all necessary utensils were prepared for a Feast Nor are the words of David in Terminis as my learned friend supposeth though they approach to the sense He that sitteth at Table with me Psal 41.9 And if they had been so from the correspondence betweene the Type and Substance I should rather have concluded As Achitophel did eate at Davids Table so did Judas at Christs Table They both did eate at a Table and both were notorious traytors If Beza say Such a Table as our Saviour did institute this Supper on or That Table was no Table indeed but in name onely or not a Table framed of wood I must tell Beza that none is able to prove his Negatives and the contrary is evinced by their common usance And the word Table doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and most properly signifie somewhat to eate upon raysed from the ground Nor can I finde in any place of S. Augustine any inclination of him to this That the earth ground plaine floore or pavement was the Table on which Christ instituted the holy Eucharist So much against the opinion that Christ celebrated his blessed Supper and Sacrament on the pavement with humble subjection of my Writings to the Church of England the uncorruptedst part of Christs Militant Church and with this solemne protestation that though I differ in judgement in this point from the learned Doctor yet I shall never differ from him in affection but be ready upon better proofes to change somewhat of my opinion and still to love him Lastly I shall fling water into the Sea and mispend time to prove that the Jewish people made great and much use of Tables long before Christs Incarnation and so downe to his death PAR. 5. COncerning the blessed Eucharist it cannot be certainly knowne on what speciall Table it was administred or what was the forme or fashion of That Table Two points are considerable The first seemes more than probable to me That it was administred or celebrated on a Table Secondly I hold it likely it was administred on a Table distinct from the Paschall and ordinary-Supper Table Concerning the first In the Temple at Hierusalem they had a Table of Shittim wood two cubits the length thereof and a cubite the breadth thereof and a cubite and an halfe the height thereof Exod. 25.23 And thoushalt set upon the Table Shewbread before me alwayes vers 30. There was no Long-square Table of Incense but the Altar to burne Incense upon was also of Shittim wood foure-square A cubit the length thereof and a cubit the breadth thereof Exod. 30.1 And it was two cubits high The former Table allegorically did signifie the Table of the body and blood of Christ as Cornelius à Lapide on Heb. 9.2 avoucheth from Cyrill Hierome Damascene Therefore the Substance of the Type was also a Table and Christ celebrated the I ords Supper on a Table Secondly 1 Corinth 11.20 it is called the Lords Supper The Administring and Receiving of the Eucharist is called the Supper of the Lord. Augustine ad Januarium Epistolâ 118. cap. 5. affirmeth that the Apostle calleth the very Receiving of the Eucharist the Dominicam coenam the Supper of the Lord So Ambrose Pelagius Glossator Lombardus Hervaetus Aquinas Rickelius saith Estius on the 1 Corinth 11. Theodoret and Oecumenius call Dominicam coenam The Lords Supper Domini Sacramentum The Sacrament of the Lord though Estius minceth the point But they were wont in those times to eate their Suppers on Tables Ioh. 12.2 Lazarus was one of them who sate at the Table with Christ when Christ said Luk. 22.30 Yee may eate and drinke at my Table in my kingdome he draweth the Metaphor from the Tables on which he and others were wont to feed on in those dayes Ioh. 12.2 c. Matth. 15.27 The dogs eate of the crummes which fall from their Masters Table Therefore there was a distance betweene the Tables and the Ground S. Mark 7.28 varieth it thus The dogs under the Tables eate of the childrens crummes Therefore the Tables were not On the ground when dogs could be under them The rich man had a Table from whence such crummes fell as would have fed Lazarus Luk. 16.21 Therefore the Table was not On the ground floore or pavement but Above it and from it the crummes fell lower So Tables being in viridi observantiâ in ordinary use among the Jewes in those dayes and Christ avoyding factious singularity and running fairely with the streame of those times in things indifferent we may conclude Christ fed not from the pavement at any time for ought that is recorded or involved But it is very likely our Saviour on a Table did celebrate the holy Eucharist Tables were principally ordained to be eaten and drin kt upon whether at sacred or common Feasts Take this and eate it as from a Table and Christ tooke the cup as from the Table and gave thankes as they used to doe at the Table and gave it to them as they were at Table Drinke yee all of this as was wont to be done at the Table Matth. 26.27 Act. 6.2 It is not reason we should leave the Word of God and serve Tables And these Tables were for the poore or for their holy feasts of charity if not for the receiving of the most holy Eucharist also For it may be well observed Men were chosen to serve Tables full of the holy Ghost of honest report and wisdome as Stephen was a man full of faith and of the holy Ghost verse 5. full of faith and tower verse 8. consecrated to that worke by prayer and imposition of hands with as much ceremony and solemne majesty as others were chosen to be Presbyters nay more viz. with the generall consent and joynt action of all the Apostles To serve at Common Tables alone such worthy Heroes were not fittest to be destinated or appointed that I may use the Scripture phrase meaner people might and would have served the turne But these sanctified Deacons did not onely take care of the poore but administred at the most holy Tables on which the Eucharist was celebrated Ignatius Epistol ad Trallenses almost in the beginning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yee ought to please the Deacons the ministers of the mysteries of Christ in all things for they are not the servitors of meats and drinkes but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ministers of the Church of God doe you reverence them as Jesus Christ whose Vicars they are My collection is Sacred things yea the most holy Eucharist was celebrated Then on Tables And in all likelihood from the example of Christ who consecrated the blessed Sacrament on a Table Nor doe the Apostles think it unreasonable to serve Tables either common or sacred simply and absolutely for the works were devout but comparatively and referentially They
house with great plagues because of Sarai Abrahams wife Gen. 12 1â— though Pharaoh had committed no evill with her The other King was Abimelech to whom God came by dreame in a night and said Thou art a dead man for Sarah whom thou hast taken Gen. 20.3 Yet Abimelech had not come neere her ver 4. Abraham is a Prophet and he shall pray for thee ver 7. And Abraham prayed unto God and God healed Abimelech and his wife and maid-servants and they bare children For the Lord had fast-closed up all the wombs of the house of Abimelech ver 17 18. The like may be said of Isaac whom Abimelech so revered that he charged all his people sayin He that toucheth this man or his wife shall surely be put to death Gen. 26.11 And both he and his people confessed that Isaac was now the blessed of the Lord ver 29. God hath the like care of Ioseph and he was a prosperous man And Potiphar saw that the Lord was with him and That the Lord made all that he did to prosper in his hand Gen. 39 3 5. And the Keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand because the Lord was with Ioseph and that which he did the Lord made to prosper ver 23. Pharaoh made much of Ioseph and God prospered both Pharaoh and his kingdome through Iosephs meanes And Ioseph may well be accounted a Prophet for Ioseph had a Cup by which indeed he divineth saith the Steward of Iosephs house Gen. 44.5 And if indeed he did Divine he was a Prophet yea one of those Prophets pointed at by the Psalmograph as followeth in Psal 10. â— in the next verses where Ioseph is particularly named He was blessed in himselfe and a reall blessing to others When Christ blessed the five loaves and two fishes Luke 9.16 Benedictione augebat eos multiplicabat by the blessing he increased and they began to multiply immediately upon Christs benediction of them increased more at his fraction multiplied yet more as he gave them to the Disciples ascended to a greater augmentation as the Disciples gave them to the people growing still in quantity as the people held or beheld them Lastly it is like also they did increase even in their mouthes and as they did eat them Nor were the five loave made more loaves or the two fishes increased in number for then it had been improperly said that they all did eat and were filled with five loaves and two fishes if the loaves and fishes were more in number as if from every stalke seven eares came up full and good so from every loafe more loaves did arise and from every fish more fishes But each piece or mouthfull of every one of these did grow greater And as some wells do fill the rather and swell the more by haâ—ing water often drawne from them or as fountaine water continually floweth and what you take up from it filleth again with a kind of usurious increase so every parcell of bread or fish did grow as Butchers say of young fat meat did plim or grow till it came to their eating As God Blesseth so Christ Blesseth For his Blessing never consisted in meer words but was effectuall in operation conveying reall good unto the blessed For though the Blessing of the bread was not properly the Consecration of his body yet it was an antecedent Preparative a dispositive Adaptation not void or vaine or inefficacious perhaps accompanied with prayers perhaps with thanksgiving perhaps with both The Benediction of Parents though it be but a prayer most times yet it returneth not empty but many times imparteth blessednesse yea Alwayes if the Recipient be well prepared The Sacerdotall Benediction is not Onely a plaine good prayer but wholly and altogether hath a certaine power and efficacy of the Key Loosing and Absolving saith Illirycus Who would have invocated the doctrine of the Keyes if he could have found but a little hole Open or a little crack or flaw But Christs Benediction as it was mighty in operation so it consisted in part as well of Thankesgiving as of Prayers For though S. Matthew and S. Mark have the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and apply it to the Bread onely Matth. 26.26 Mark 14.22 And though S. Paul 1 Corinth 10.16 calleth the Sacred Cup the Cup of Blessing which we Blesse yet S. Paul 1 Corinth 11.24 useth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so doth the Evangelist Luk. 22.19 He tooke bread and gave thankes and brake it Giving of Thankes and Blessing are sometimes of one and the same signification as is evidenced 1 Corinth 14.16 When thou shalt Blesse with the Spirit how shall he who occupieth the roome of the unlearned say Amen at thy Giving of thankes where Blessing and Giving of Thankes are confounded Piscators observation on the 1 Corinth cap. 10. vers 16. is good Poculum illud Benedictionis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That cup of Blessing The words in the Syriac are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cosó haú dothaudithó id est Poculum illud Gratiarum actionis That Cup of Giving of Thankes And so it is read in Tremelius Syriac translation of the New Testament Vbi observa Syrum nomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 exponere per nomen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et sanè in Institutione sacrae Coenae duo ista verba 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uno eodemque sensu accipiuntur Where observe saith Piscator on that place that the Syriac expoundeth the word which signifieth Blessing by a word which signifieth Giving of Thankes And verily in the Institution of the holy Supper those two words of Blessing and Giving of Thankes are to be taken in One and the selfesame signification God doth not blesse with Giving of Thankes or Prayers to man Christ blessed creatures reasonable and unreasonable sometimes with Giving of Thankes sometimes with Prayer Thankes to God Prayers for the things to be blessed Man may be said in a nice way to blesse God yet not Give him Thankes Then but God may be blessed by prayer alone At another time he may be blessed by Thankesgiving alone without Prayer Commonly it is done by the coadunation of both duties For no otherwise can we blesse God or conferre good on him But we can Thanke him and Pray to him and keepe his Commandements The Jewes did use the word Benedicere to governe both a Dative and an Accusative case As Benedicere Deo and Benedicere Deum The Romans doe restraine the use more to the Dative The Graecians construe it with the Accusative As the blessed Sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord is called the Eucharist from Christs giving of Thankes when he did institute it and Justin Martyr in his second Apology tearmeth the Sacrament Eucharistizatum panem the bread which is sanctified by Giving of Thankes or rather cibum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the