sate at feasts in their profane deifying of the golden Calfe I proved before and feasting-beds were not used long after Philo and Josephus are recited for their Accubation but that their testimony reacheth to the Eremiticall passeover or their passeover into the holy-land I deny PAR. 21. IN the forecited seven Passeovers of note there is no mention of standing sitting or lying downe nor consequence of infallible deduction for either of them so nothing is de fide in this point Humane relations and probabilities must sway all my opinion is this that they varryed their gestures pro re natâ as time and occasion prompted to them Since no particular gesture was precepted it seemes all was left at large Innius saith the Iewes observed all the succeding passeovers except the first Sitting And so much of the fourth Ceremony peculiar to the first Paschatizing viz. the eating of the passeover in haste with a declaration of its annexed appendances and questions and distinctions elucidarie PAR. 22. THe fifth Ceremony appropriated to the first Passeover was this They went no out of doores None of you shall go forth of the doores of his house untill the morningt Exod. 12.22 This is coupled or linked with the other Ceremonies before-mentioned of taking a bunch of Hysope and dipping it in the blood which is in the Bason and striking the Lintell and the side-postes all which belonged necessarily onely to the first passeover and so the reason why it was peculiar to the first passeover is this viz. The exterminator Angelus was ready to destroy them and had power to slay them if they stirred abroad when this cause was taken away when the evill Spirit was at the succeeding passeovers restrained or wanted his Commission to destroy they might and did goe forth of the doore of their houses and each man who was in anothers house might goe home to his owne house Yea but it is said vers 24. Yee shall observe this thing for an Ordinance unto thee and to thy sonnes for ever I answer the words are to be interpreted of the maine substantiall slaying of the passeover not of this particular Ceremony as followeth in the 25. verse Yea but it is said Deut. 16.7 Thou shalt roste and eate in the place which the Lord thy God shall chuse and thou shalt turne in the morning and goe into thy Tents First I answer it is confessed the Greekes and Chaldee expound it unto thy dwellings yea when the Israelites had faire houses they were called Tents 2 Chron. 7.10 Salomon sent the people away into their Tents and 2 Chron. 10.16 Israel said unto Israel every man to his Tents O Israel and they went to their Tents accordingly that is to their owne houses Cities and Tribes God slyleth the Church the Tents of Iacob Mal. 2.12 and the Tents of Iudah Zech. 12.7 But to the point this verse demonstrateth not the proper Paschall Lambe but some other Paschall Offering is here interserted which was usuall at their second supper for the paschall Lambe was to be rosted but that which our Translators turne here rost is in the Hebrew seeth not assabis rost but coques seeth so is it in the Hebrew So Montanus interlineary hath it and Pagnines Margin and the Greeke thou shalt boyle or seeth yet nearer to the point This precept howsever extendeth not to the second and third passeovers but to the Hierosolymitan passeovers viz. And the place which thy Lord thy God shall chuse Againe they are not strictly forbidden to stirre out of their doores which was the Type in the first passeover but onely thou shalt turne in the morning and goe into thy Tents abroad they might goe home they might not goe and this may be a reason This passeover might be eaten any part of the night and till it were eaten or consumed by fire they might not goe home but upon just occasions they might goe abroad If any one reply that the words of the first passeover are very strict None of you shall goe forth of doore of the his house untill the morning and we must not stretch or torture the sacred Text let him but consider for all the seeming strictnesse of words that all and every one of the Israelites went out of their doores that very night in the first passeover Pharoah called for Moses and Aaron by night Exod. 12.31 and vers 42. It is a night of observations unto the Lord from bringing them out of the land of Egypt this is that night of the Lord to wit to wit to be observed for ever for the slaying and eating of the passeover and the going out a little after mightnight but not to be observed for ever for not going out of their houses by night after the eating of the passeover PARA 23. FOr in the great passeover which our Saviour at his passing out of this world observed not onely Iudas went out of the house before day Ioh. 13.30 Judas having received the Sop went immediatly out and it was night but all Christs Apostles went our the same night and Christ himselfe went out and in that night before the day-spring he was betrayed In respect of which darkenesse Judas came to seeke him with Lanthernes and Torches Ioh. 18.3 and in that night all of them were offended because of him Mar. 14.27 I conclude the keeping within doores till the morning was none of the durable Ceremonies of the passeover necessarily observeable neither was the exact strictnesse according to the Letter performed in the first passeover it selfe and therefore both the words and the matter must be limited according to the practise and it may be thought to be fitliest placed in the number of temporary Ceremonies appropriated to the first passeover PAR. 42. THe sixth transient Cerēmony of the passeover was Exod. 12.4 Let him and his neighbour next unto his house take it according to the number of soules an holy order as the case stood PAR. 25. FOr if they had rangled and rambled farre off the evill Angell who watcheth such opportunities might have taken them stragling and whilst they sought to joyne themselves to remoter Company they might have beene lost and destroyed aliquod bonum propter vicinum bonum the next neighbour in this case was the great good hence neighbours are taught not to be over-thwart neighbours communicating neighbourhood is the best agreement amongst next neighbours is commended especially in things concerning the Service of God I was glad when they said unto me wee will goe into the House of the Lord Psal 122.1 Oh come let us worship and fall downe and kneele before the Lord our maker Psal 95.6 Innocentius Epist 97. ad Augustinum Communibus alternis plus agimus orationibus quà m singularibus out privatis vis unita fortior Sacred exercises seeke not corners but delight in publique meeting private Corner-Conventicles in a gracious time of peace argue distempered factious braines and Conventicles are places of Repitition forsooth for divers families were
dedicated unto God were to be eaten before the Tabernacle that they might be the merrier and apter to give God thankes For the same cause Musicke was alwaies used in rebus sacris at their devotions to exhilarate and stirre up the spirit So hee Is there no difference betweene the ordinances at feastings and those at fastings Because feastings were appointed and musicke when they had offered their Sacrifices is there any shew of resultance that therefore wee should be merry and well fed at our fastings Or did they feast dance or sing whilst the Sacrifices were offered silence with solemnity of devotion was the anteamble or usher to their festivals His other reasons are these PAR. 5. FAsting is a kinde of naturall thing and therefore is not undertaken purposely for another end but naturally floweth from another precedent cause viz. from a contrite sad heart so hee I say fasting is rather a kinde of voluntary than naturall thing and is never undertaken without some end nay divers ends may be and are of the same fast If some fasting proceed from a broken contrite heart before-hand afflicted yet all fasting doth not so And if all did there must be some end even in that naturall fluxe PAR. 6. MAny examples thērē are of fastings for griefe and sadnesse of minde for past present and imminent calamities but as a kinde of sorrow not for preparation to future prayer So Illyricus Answer He seemeth to be ignorant that sorrow it selfe prepareth us to prayer Doth sorrow exclude prayer when do people pray more or more fervently than in sorrow t In their afflictiction they will seeke mee early Hosea 5.15 Thou called'st in trouble and I delivered thee Psalm 81.2 A command there is for it Psalm 50 15. Call upon me in the day of trouble And it is divinely answered Psalm 86. In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee It is not likely saith hee that Christ would whilst hee lived have suffered the Apostles to neglect fastings if they were so profitable exercises for piety and prayer as some thinke I answer The Apostles did not neglect fasting there is a great deale of difference betweene Not-performing and Neglecting Neglect hath sinne wrapped up in it bare omission may be upheld by many just reasons Christs dispensation was sufficient for them And what if I should say their attendance on Christ and observing of him in words and deeds and behaviour was a more powerfull meanes towards piety and prayer than their fasting would have been without eying of Christ and thereupon Christ permitted them to take the better way Who would take up an handfull of silver when instead of it he may take up an handfull of gold Never did Christ turne from the people and turne himselfe to his Disciples and say things privately to them but the things were of extraordinary note But so did Christ Luk. 10.23 shewing what a happinesse they had to be with him So Matt. 13.16 Blessed are your eyes for they see and your eares for they heare saith Christ to his Apostles for many Prophets and righteous men have desired to see the things which yee see and have not seene them and to heare those things which yee heare and have not heard them vers 17. It is varied excellently Luk. 10.24 Prophets and Kings So the Kings were reckoned as righteous men more righteous than others Againe saith Illyricus God would not have rejected the fasts of the Jewes Esay 58.3 If they had beene exercises truly preparing men to prayer and other vertues I answer how blinde is hee that will not or cannot see that God findeth fault not with true fasting which much conduceth to holinesse but with their Hypocriticall fasting Behold saith hee in the day of your fast yee finde perhaps invent pleasure yee offer grievances yee fast for strife and debate vers 4. Then he sheweth what a fast God likes vers 6. And after such a fast Thou shalt call and the Lord shall answer thou shalt cry and hee shall say here am I. vers 9. Where the Prophet of set purpose sheweth that a true fast prepareth men to pray and God to heare God found fault with the abuse and not with the right use of fasting And shall we cut downe the vines because some are drunke God never rejected a true fast When yee fasted and mourned did ye at all fast unto mee even to mee Zach. 7 5. Here is both fasting and mourning yet because they did not conduce to the waies of God or godlinesse but fasted to their owne profane and civill ends and not to holy ends or exercises of piety God renounceth them Againe saith hee Christ fasted whose body needed no such castigation Therefore hee did not prepare himselfe by fasting unto prayer I answer Indeed Christ was the immaculate lambe of God without either originall or actuall sin But he fasted to satisfie Adam and Eves intemperate eating he fasted to recompence our gluttony he fasted so to teach us to fast And hee fasted for us not for himselfe If he fasted that needed not how much rather ought wee to fast that do need Christ fasted not without great good causes and to great good ends and purposes the issue was divine For had he made bread of stone had hee eate that bread had hee not still fasted hee had beene surprised by the tempter but by fasting hee grew hungry Graeculus esuriens in coelum jusser is ibit A man will do any thing to satisfie nature if his appetite be sharpe set hunger will breake through stone walls yet whereas Adam and all wee in him fell by his eating our blessed Saviour stood out against Satan and over came him by hunger and fasting as I have manifested in my Miscellanies I deny not the conjunction of other helpes for Christ Christ in the dayes of his flesh when hee offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares he was heard for his piety or in that he feared Heb. 5.7 But in the tempting Christ to eate did the serpents head worke chiefly and it was the maine drift of Satans first great temptation PAR. 7. CHrist defineth a fast to bē a sorrow Matth. 9.15 Can the children of the Bride-chamber mourne I answer it is no definition of a fast Christ speakes of mourning as of a companion fellow and concomitant of fasting Yea some mourning may be without fasting and therefore they be not reciprocall But Daniel 10.3 it is so defined I answer it is not it is true Daniel mourned three weekes and as true that he did eate no pleasant bread neither came flesh or wine into his mouth neither did hee annoint himselfe at all till the whole three weekes were fulfilled yet might hee eate other bread and other food though costly or curious food hee ate not Illyricus might have remembred that because Daniel did chasten himselfe before his God his words or prayers were heard vers 12. Therefore his fasting prepared him to prayer
and effect of a minde inwardly sorrowfull or a certaine outward mourning which voluntarily yet by a naturall motion is undertooke whilst the soule mourneth The efficient cause of fasting is saith hee plainly naturall though both will and custome doe some way concurre unto it His conclusion runneth to this ēnd that the torments or macerations of Fastings may and use to arise from great sorrow of the minde from a broken and contrite heart from the humiliation and prostration of the soule Thus much saith hee of the efficient cause of fasting Yet certainly some if not many fast not out of any great precedent sorrow or naturall motion but from the motion of grace from a willing minde to prevent evils either of sinne or punishment to obtaine Gods favour in things they desire to tame their bodies to prepare themselves for prayer and holy exercises of devotion to helpe the afflicted either neere or farre off to shew obedience to the Magistrate and by fasting to humble themselves more than when they began to fast and more than they would have beene humbled if they had not fasted to procure a blessing upon such great and difficult affaires as they intend to compasse and to adapt the minde to spirituall contēmplations Experience proveth all this Fasting-spittle Saint Augustine calleth Virginem salivam perhaps you may terme Virgineam salivam Virgin-spittle and is in it selfe more powerfull than any other spittle PAR. 3. I Would say farēwell high and mightily fed Illyricus butchers cooks musitians bakers brewers taverners will extoll thee perhaps it grew frō thy Doctrine in that Hamborough are 777. Brewers 40. Bakers one Physitian one Lawyer But learned men will think that yee Germans little practise fasting for your selfe confesse your northerne Nations have no such fervent affections and do not grieve so much as others doe and do lesse shew outwardly their affections And therefore yee will put your selves to little or no bodily paine Yee are neate men and will not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jejunium olere smell of fasting yee have beleeved Plautus rather than Christ jejunitatis plenus anima foetidat Plautus in Mercatore Hee that is given much to fasting doth use to have a stinking breath Plautus in his Comedy intituled The Merchant If Illyricus had much studied the Fathers he would not have spoken so largely against fasting Athanasius in lib de Virginitate saith Qui dicunt tibi ne frequenter jejunes ne imbicillior fias istos Diabolus subornavit The Divell hath suborned those who say fast not often lest yee grow weake An heavy yet true censure in some cases and to some persons See what fasting can doe saith Athanasius ibidem It healeth diseases dryeth up distillations chaseth away divels expelleth evill thoughts makes the minde more neate and the heart more purified Fasting is the food of Angels and he who useth it may be thought to be reckoned among the orders of Angels What saith my crammed and pampered German to this Chrysostome Homil. 1. in Genes sayth God desiring that wee should wash away all our sinnes hath invented this helpe even our fasting which is the mother of all good things the mistresse of Modestie and shamefastnesse and the food of our soules And in the next Homily It is the tranquillity of our soules the ornament of old men the Schoolemaster of youth and the teacher of continencie If Adam had abstained and fasted from one tree death had beene dead or therēfore had not dyed because it never had beene saith the same Saint Chrysost in his first Sermon of fasting The Prophet was slaine by a Lyon for eating and drinking where God said eate no bread and drinke no water 1 King 13.22 Fasting is the imitation of Angels as farre as lyeth in us a contempt of pleasant things a schoole of prayer a bridle for the mouth and a tamer of concupiscence It slacketh fury curbeth wrath appeaseth the insurrection of nature quickeneth reason lighteth the flesh drives away filthy nightly intemperance It hath revoked Gods sentence and stopped the execution of his judgements Fast because thou hast sinned Fast that thou mayest not sinne Fast to receive good Fast to retaine good The prayer of a fasting man is pleasing to God and terrible to the devill sayth Leo Magnus Serm. de Iejunio septimi mensis Iejunium est prima virtus contravitia saith Chrysologus Fasting is the first or chiefest vertue against vices Againe what is of more vertue than fasting saith Leo by observing it we draw neere to God wee resist the Devill wee overcome vice Fasting was alwaies meate to vertue from abstinence proceed chast thoughts reasonable desires wholsome counsels The most effectuall prayer against sinne is Almes and Fasting All vices are by continencie destroyed Whatsoever covetousnesse thirsteth after pride affecteth luxury lusteth for fasting overcommeth From the observation of holy fasting beginne the rules of all vertue Leo Serm. 11. de Quadrages Adest maximum sacratissimumque jejunium The greatest and most holy fast of Lent is now come which all faithfull men are bound to observe for none is so holy that hee may not be holier none so devout that hee ought not to be more devout Much more could I cite from the fathers Who are those new masters which exclude the merit of Fasting saith Saint Ambrose in the aforesaid 82. Epist to the Church of Vercellis who desireth to see more let him have recourse to Bellarmine Tom. 4. de bonis operibus in particulari lib. 2. cap. 11. c. PAR. 4. I Professe I am weary with turning after this Noveller I am sorry it hath hindred so much my maine intentions yet because I finde him an antimonarchicall man a very firebrand and bellowes for sedition a jacke of the people teaching them rather to terrifie the Princes by rebellion than to yeeld any thing for quietnesse sake and that the people should defend their opinions with uprisings commotions and insurrections for which cursed opinions his city of Magdeburge hath justly suffered therefore have I spared him the lesse esteeming him no other than a selfe-willed Epicure The Prayer ON great and just occasions O blessed God hast thou commanded us to fast and in fasting to afflict our soules good Lord grant that I may all my life moderately temperately and soberly demeane my selfe and yet upon just occasions may fast both privately and publikely to serve thee and to procure thy love and thy blessings with thy love for Jesus Christ his sake Amen CHAP. VI. The Contents of the sixth Chapter 1 What severall Evangelists wrote concerning the severall Suppers 2 The Supper of the Lord instituted after the second or common Supper 3 Why there is no expresse mention of a second Supper Consequentiall divinity Proved Approved Creation of Angels and when Infants Baptized Scripture not alwaies tyed to expresse termes John 21.25 expounded reasons thereof rendred 4 Divers reasons why the name of a second Supper is pretermitted PARAGRAPH I. The second Particular of
that it should be Holy and without blemish Ephes 5.26 27. Aqua quae benedicitur purgat illuminat hominem The water which is blessed doth purge and illuminate man saith Gregory Nyssen in lib. de Baptismo Caro abluitur ut anima emaculetur the body is washed that the soule may be made cleane saith Tertullian de resurrectione carnis From whence in all likelihood Augustine tract 80. in Johannem propounded that assevering interrogation unde tanta vis aquae ut corpus tangat cor abluat from whence is that powerfull vertue of water that the body being touched the soule is washed The blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist is more powerfull than over Paschal was Tertul. de resurrectione carnis thus Caro corpore Christi sanguine veseitur ut anima de Deo saginetur our flesh feedeth on the body and blood of Christ that our soules may be filled and fatted with God Bernard in primo Sermone de coena Domini pag. 145. Who can quell so fierce raging wilde motions of concupiscence who can beare the itchings bitings or akings of this wound Beleeve Gods grace is sufficient for men And that ye may be secure saith Saint Bernard you have the investiture that is a new acquist and possession of the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ For that Sacrament worketh two things in us Et sensum minuit in minimis ingravioribus peccatis tollit omnino consensum it infeebleth and diminisheth sin in the smallest matters but in more grievous sins it wholly taketh away our consent If any of you find not so sharp motions to anger envie luxury or the like let him thank the body and blood of our Lord because the vertue of that Sacrament worketh effectually in him and let him rejoyce that the fowlest ulcer beginneth to heale I conclude this passage with the memorable words of our Saviour at the institution of the holy Eucharist Mat. 26.28 This is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins Thus doe the Sacraments of Grace remit quell and mortifie sin whereas the divine Apostle speaking of the Sacraments of the old Law is expresse Heb. 10.4 It is not possible that the blood of Goats and Bulls should take away sins PAR. 3. A Third Reason for its Institution was to prefigure Christs death and going out of the world John 13.1 Jesus knew his houre was come that he should depart out of the world unto the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ut transeat that he might Passe out of the world having apparent reference both to the old and new Passeover on the Crosse All Sacraments of the old Law were figures of the Eucharist And they did also finally designe and typifie Christs death Therefore the blessed Eucharist must needs adumbrate Christs death also Indeed the Egyptian Passeover by the sprinkling of whose blood the Israelites were freed from the exterminating Angel doth most lively typifie Christ slaine and his blood delivering us But the Paschal Lamb which afterward was yeerely slaine did more resemble the Sacrament of Christs body and blood and yet both the first and the succeding yeerely Passeover may all of them and each of them in a true and fitting sence be said to prefigure not only the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ but the very Crucifixion of our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ PAR. 4. A Fourth Cause of Christ's superinducing of the blessed Eucharist was to be a remembrance to us of Christs death till he commeth againe 1 Cor. 11.24 Doe this in remembrance of me so verse 25. As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye doo shew the Lords death till he come ver 26. The Paschall was a memoriall of their deliverance from Egypt and of their passing the Red-sea without danger whilst the Sea stood as two Christall walls on the right hand and the left and they passed through dry-footed Exod. 14.22 Againe when in after times their children were to ask What mean you by this service Ye shall say It is the Sacrifice of the Lords Passeover who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when he smote the Egyptians and delivere dour houses Exod. 12.26 c. But the Eucharist is a memoriall of our deliverance from Sin Hell and the power of Satan Therefore so farre as spirituall deliverances are above temporall as the soules are above the bodies heaven above earth so farre doth our holy Eucharist antecede their Paschal and bringeth with it more certaine fruit and fuller Grace infused not only Sealing and Signifying Grace but Conferring and Exhibiting it by it selfe in the true use I urge not this effect so farre as to exclude Baptisme from working remission of sinnes nor as if the sacred Sucharist did remit the Same Individuall sinnes which were Before remitted by Baptisme or as if it did remit sins that never were Repented of God doth not so much But the Sacrament of the body and blood of our Lord forgiveth such sins as have beene committed betweene the receiving of Baptisme and it and such sins as have overborne us since our hearty Contrition and Repentance yea where sins are perfectly forgiven before the holy Communion yet doth the Holy Communion Enseale and Ratifie the former remission if I may so speake and the Eucharist in the right use maketh an Attrite man a Contrite One A Contrite man to be Justified A Justified man to be Holy An Holy man to be More holy and the Holiest One to be more lively spiritfull and prompt in religious services than I think he would have beene if the Sacrament had beene omitted Thus I doubt not but if the Thrice-blessed Virgin Mary had received the consecrated Eucharist as in likelihood she did though she were full of Grace according to the Angels salutation when she received it yet it would not have beene uneffectuall to her Good for she was not so full of Grace but that shee was still capable of more and greater additaments of Grace Many more Reasons there are why Christ Jesus did superinstitute the blessed Eucharist destroying and abolishing thereby the old Passeover I will instance only in some of them and that very briefly PAR. 5. A Fifth Reason why Christ did institute this Sacrament was to unite us to Himselfe 1 Corinth 10.16 The cup of blessing which wee blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ The bread which we breake is it not the Communion of the body of Christ The cup is so necessary that the Apostle placeth it before the bread 6. To breed brotherly love and to unite us to Christ and one to another For we being many are One Bread and One Body For we are all partakers of that One Bread 1 Cor. 10.17 Hence floweth that great Article of our Creed The communion of Saints Hence is that Sacred Eucharist called Communio A Communion John 6.56 He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my
And this may seeme to favour him Jesus said to the Iewes Destroy This Temple and in three dayes I will rayse it up Joh. 2.19 And the holy Apostle expoundeth it Christ spake of the temple of his body verse 21. Tolet in his Commentary on the place saith It is certaine that when Christ said This temple he did by his Gesture and the motion of his hands demonstrate Himselfe and pointed not at the materiall Temple built of stone so might he here doe Tolet his Collection is but probable For Christ might point at either at neither but leave them in suspence Many times did Christ use verball aequivocations as I have proved in my Miscellanies that is he so spake that his words might have a double Construction though he adhorred mentall Reservation Concerning Carolostadius I must needs say he was one of them who in those precipitious and whirling times did strive to rayse his owne name by inventing most new devices And this was one of them which is not seconded by any other Christian Divines which I have seene but disliked by many For when Christ said This is my Body which shall be given for you as Carolostadius hath it is as if he pointed at and did meane his naturall passiive body What did they eate They did eate none of That body nor was it Broken till after the Celebration of the holy Eucharist he did suffer But the holy Scripture hath it in the Present tense Luk. 22.19 This is my Body which Is given for you And vers 20. This Cup Is the new Testament in my Blood which Is shed for you Can you think O Carolostadius that when he gave them the Cup he touched his breast and pointed at and meaned the blood in the veynes lanes and hidden alleys of his mortall body So 1 Corinth 11.24 This is my body which Is broken for you And this Cup Is the new Testament in my blood vers 25. Likewise Matth. 26.28 This is my Blood which Is shed and so Mark 14.24 For though it be a truth most certaine that Christ his naturall body and naturall blood was broken given and shed afterwards in his Passion yet Carolostadius was too blame to change the Tense to invent an imagined gesture of Christ which is impossible to be proved Lastly to broach a new opinion contrary to all Divines from which refulteth That they did eate onely bare Bread but no way the Body of the Lord and dranke onely the fruit of the Grape but no way dranke the Blood of the Lord. Indeed the Vulgate hath it Frangêtur in the Future tense is Shall be broken for you But it starteth aside from the Originall Nor standeth it with sense reason or example that the Future is taken for the Present tense since it is a retrograde course against nature But the Present tense is often used for the Future foreshewing the infallible certainty of what will or shall come both in Propheticall and Evangelicall Writings Esay 60.1 The glory of the Lord Is risen upon thee And yet he speaketh of Christ and his comming And Revel 22.12 Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me And Yet he commeth not though it were said above fifteene hundred yeares passed But most undoubtedly He Shall come quickly Celeritate motus though not celeritate temporis when he beginneth to come he shall come speedily though he shall not quickly begin to come PAR. 7. IT succeedeth This is my Body Matth. 26.26 which is Given for you Luk. 22.19 Which is Broken for you 1 Corinth 11.24 This doe in remembrance or for a remembrance of Me as both S. Luke and S. Paul have it And he tooke the Cup and gave thankes and gave it to them saying Drinkeyee All of it for this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sinnes Matth. 26.27 c. It is thus changed Mark 14.23 He gave it to them and They all dranke of it And S. Mark leaves out these words For the remission of sinnes S. Luke maketh the alteration thus Likewise also he gave them the Cup after Supper saying This Cup is the New Testament In my blood which is shed for You Luk. 22.20 Another diversity is yet 1 Corinth 11.25 Likewise after Supper he tooke the Cup when he had supped saying This Cup is the new testament In my blood This doe yee as oft as yee drinke it in remembrance of mee Matth. 26.29 Christ saith I will not drinke henceforth of the fruit of the Vine And this was After the sacred Supper But saith Adam Contzen A Matthaeo non suo ordine ad finem coenae recitantur ea verba de Genimine vitis S. Matthew reciteth not in Order the words concerning the fruit of the Vine nor were they spoken After Supper Perhaps say I they were spoken Twice Here if ever is an ample field to expatiate in these words have tortured the wits of the learnedst men since the dayes of the Apostles Et adhuc sub judice lis est And yet they are not determined And as the Areopagites in an inexplicable perplexity deferred the finall determination till the last day so the Roman Church might have deferred their definitive sentence and over-hard censure even till then especially since they confesse that the manner of Transubstantiation is inenarrable Whereupon I am resolved to forbeare farther disquisition and to lose my selfe in holy devotion and admiration that I may find my Christ The sayle is to large for my boat This Sea is too tempestuous for my Shallop The new Cut of Erasmus Sarcerius in his Scholia on the place of S. Matthew thus shuffleth it The Materiall causes are Bread and Wine and the things under them understood and present the Body and Blood The Formal causes are to Eat and to Drink The Efficient causes Christ who did institute it and his Word The Effectuall causes to have Remission of sins I say this may rather go among the finall causes And to make Effects to be Effectuall causes introduceth new Logick new Termes into Logick Besides he omitteth the Finall cause which is the first mover to the rest Divinity and the mysteries of it are not to bow down to any ones Logick Oh! but will you now say leus in the last Act in the last Scene Will you be silent where he and she Apprentices where Women and illiterate Tradesmen rayse themselves upon their startups prick up their eares and tyre their tongues 1. I answer If I should enter into the lists of controversie and take upon me to decide and determine all the doubts which concerne the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist and to untye all the knots which may be made from those words I am perswaded you might sooner see an end of me than I of this Work For I am wearied and tyred already This toyle which I have performed and the labour which I have bestowed hath cost me full deare My sedentary life hath made my
reines as quarries of stones my parents knew no such disease though they lived long my right hand heretofore carelesly unfenced and undefended from the cold alas for the time hath swelled with the gowt as if it would break I have been often sick always weak yet have I prevented antelucanam opificum industriam nox ad diem accessit Early and late have I performed my hard taske Yea Midnight hath conceived full many of the dayes expressions and oft have I arose from my bed and meales with a Conclusum est to prevent forgetfulnesse But the manifold avocations by my own private affaires and especially by publick employements both in Ecclesiasticall and Civill Justice have after their dispatch set an edge and sharpned the appetite of my endeavours The unbent bow hath prepared it selfe for the stronger shooting or delivery Yet now my senses decay my memory faileth me I have no courage or incouragement I am out of heart I am worne to the stumps and spent I must imitate old Ennius his race-horse to whom age afforded quiet and exempted from more active exercise craving pardon if my book in some passages have partaken of my weaknesse and infirmities or languishing And now thou great Work of mine concerning the Estate of humane soules from their creation to the day of the generall Judgement exclusively on which I have bestowed thousands of houres Lie still and sleep S. Hierom did seeme always to heare Surgite Mortui venite ad Judicium Arise you dead and come to Judgement And me thinks I heare the repeated precept as spoken to my selfe and such only as are in my case 1 Thess 5.17 pray without ceasing pray always Luke 21 3◠Yea though I be enfeebled and faint wronged and distressed as the widow was yet the rather ought I alwayes pray and not faint Luke 18.1 The very Mcores of Morocco pray six times in 24. houres And thinck he is not held worthy to beare witnesse to a truth who hath not said his prayers six times in a naturall day Seven times a day did David prayse God Psal 119. vers 164. Some have held and sure that Christian doth best who saith the Lords Prayer at least seven times in a day There never was composed a perfecter and sweeter prayer To what prayer shall God give eare if not to the prayer composed by his own son which the extravagant bablings of Pharisees and battologies of those who Longum precantur love long prayers as Tertullian phraseth it and the sudden extemporary ebullitions of Lip-holy seeme-Saints are as far inferior as Hell is to Heaven which no men no raptures of Angels or Archangels can mend O Lord prepare my heart to continue in Prayers and guide my prayers to please thee through him in whom thou art well pleased Jesus Christ our blessed Saviour and Redeemer 2. I will go briefly to work Concerning the divisions of these times and the scruples from these words I wholly put them off to the Masters of Controversies and the Anti-Bellarminian Canvasers and I refer my selfe and my beliefe to the Doctrine of the Church of England assenting to her wholly so far as my knowledge reacheth and in other things beyond my capacity implicitly beleeving in her For I see no reason but in such things as the Lay-man and Ignorant must trust in his Priest by an implicit Faith so the Clergy man ought to trust in his Church It is no false ground whatsoever the ignorant Zelotes do say or write but fit to be imbraced To confesse and follow Scripture expresse in things apparent and to beleeve such senses thereof as may be though to us unrevealed Not can it be amisse to subscribe to our Church in points beyond our Sphere Needle or Compasse but to Follow the Faith of our Governors Overseers and Pastors That which I know is good what I know not I beleeve to be better said Heraclitus of old To her I subject in humblest manner all my Writings with my selfe professing in the sight of God who searcheth soules and tryeth consciences that I beleeve the Church of England to be the purest part of Christs Militant Church pro quâ non metuam mori as one said in another case In the defence whereof I could be well content if occasion served to sactifice my dearest blood In a more particular expressing I unbosome my thoughts thus We have had foure right Reverend and most learned Lords Bishops Bishop Jewel Bishop Andrewes Bishop Morton and Bishop White who have written polemically and unanswerably of this subject and may give content to any indifferent Reader Many other Heroës of our Church of England have also done excellently well but the incomparable Mr. Hooker exceeds them all Let them who have him not buy him who have him study him and who is scrupulous concerning these words This is my Body c. let him reade and diligently consider and he may safely beleeve what Mr. Hooker writeth in his Ecclesiasticall Polity lib. 5. Par. 67. I cannot but transcribe part Thus then divinely he proceedeth p. 179. Variety of Judgements and opinions argueth obscurity in those things whereabout they differ But that which all parts receive for truth that which every one having sifted is by no one denied or doubted of must needs bee matter of infallible certainty Whereas therefore there are but three expositions made of This is my Body The first This is in it selfe before participation really and truly the naturall substance of my body by reason of the coëxistence which my omnipotent body hath with the sanctified element of bread which is the Lutherans interpretation The second This is in it selfe and before participation the very true and naturall substance of my body by force of that Deity which with the words of Consecration abolisheth the substance of bread and substituteth in the place thereof my body which is the Popish construction The last This hallowed Food through concurrence of divine power is in verity and truth unto Faithfull receivers instrumentally a cause of that mysticall participation whereby as I make my selfe wholy theirs so I give them in hand an actuall possession of all such saving grace as my sacrificed body can yeeld and as their soules do presently need this is to them and in them my body Of these three rehearsed Interpretations the Last hath in it nothing but what the rest do all approve and acknowledge to be most true nothing but that which the words of Christ are on all sides confest to inforce nothing but that which the Church of God hath always thought necessary nothing but that which alone is sufficient for vvery Christian man to beleeve concerning the use and force of this Sacrament finally nothing but that wherewith the writings of all Antiquity are consonant and all Christian Confessions agreeable And as truth in what kinde soever is by no kinde of truth gain-faid so the mind which resteth it selfe on this is never troubled with those perplexities which the
hands that with a pure mind and neat conscience they may receive the Sacrament Likewise let the Women bring cleane Linnen that they may receive Christs body Baronius Tom. 1. Anno. 5. Numero 148. observeth men might take it into their bare hands Women might not take it but in Linnen which was called Dominicale Hence first the nicity of former times may be questioned Why the Women were to receive it in pure linnen and white but the Men into their bare hands Have not the Women as cleane and white hands as Men If the Womens hands were unworthy to receive it how are the Mens hands more worthy If linnen be to cover or adorne the Womens hands Why will not such an ornament befit Mens hands also In the sixt Synod Canone 3. celebrated Anno Domini 681. there seemes to be a Plea against that custome We do not admit those who make receptacles of gold or of other matter to receive in stead of their hands the Divine mysteries for they prefer the livelesse subject matter before the Image of God If any do so let both the Administrant and the Communicant be separated Again it is the fashion both for Men and Women to receive the sacred Bread from the hands of the Minister some with the thumb and one finger some with the thumb and two fingers and this is not sinfull nor to be condemned in it selfe as it may be carefully delivered and received But if any crumb or particle fall to the ground it is a greater sin than people imagine Tertullian took it very grievously when any such thing was Origen accounteth it a sin and a great sin told the people they did well to think so of such as let any part fall to the ground The words are Tom. 1. p. 102. in Eusebius Episcopius his edition Nostis qui divinis mysteriis interesse consuevistis quomodo cùm suscipitis Corpus Christi cum omni cautelâ veneratione servatis ne ex eo parum quid decidat ne consecrati muneris aliquid dilabatur Reos enim vos creditis rectè creditis si quid inde per negligentiam decidat Circa Corpus Christi conservandum magnâ utimini cautelâ recte utimini You who are usually present at Divine services do know with what warinesse and reverence you preserve the Body of Christ when you receive the same least by chance some small parcell or crumb of the Consecrated gift should slip out from between your fingers and fall to the ground For you do beleeve and rightly beleeve that you are guilty of the Body of Christ if any part or parcell thereof should through your negligence fall to the ground And therefore you do use and rightly use a great deale of cautelousnesse in the preservation of the Body of Christ Pope Pius the first who lived in the dayes of Justin Martyr between 100 and 200 yeares after Christ punished those by whose negligence any of the Lords Blood did fall upon the ground or Altar The like we imagine of the sacred Body Sanctificatis ergo oculis tam sancti corporis contactu communica Cave ne quid excidat tibi The very eyes being sanctified by the touching of so holy a Body receive the blessed Eucharist but take heed that no part of it fall from thee saith Cyril of Hierusalem Baronius Tom. 1. anno 75. Numero 146 saith that when they took the Eucharist in former times certaine little Tables were set before the Communicants as now saith he we hold Linnen cloths before the Receivers And all this was done and is done out of doubt least any particle should fall to the Ground Indeed there is more danger in the nice receiving with the thumb and a finger or two for the Bread is made of many cornes and every corne yeelds such mealy stuffe as may easily by breaking or in the acts of delivery and receiving moulder into crumbs and fall down There is much more care to be had of the keeping whole of such mouldring soft food than if silver gold or pretious stones from which nothing can drop away were to be consigned over or delivered to others Nor is there danger in the fall of them But danger there is in the fall of the Consecrated Bread Wherefore I doubt not but as the words of the Liturgy command not to put the holy bread into the peoples fingers or between their thumb and fingers but into their hands so the meaning is it ought to be delivered into the palmes of their hands as a safer receite and as a safer conveyer unto their mouths than the use of thumb and fingers Tertullian de Oratione cap. 11. Nos non Attollimus tantùm manus sed etiam expandimus Dominicâ passions modulantes â—rantes confitemur Christo When we pray we do not only lift up our hands but we spread them abroad like to the Crosse conforming our selves to the Passion of our Lord. For say I his hands were stretched out But this was done in private prayers In publick prayers they lifted them up but a little way as before I noted out of Tertullian Johan Damasc Orthodoxae Fidei 4.14 Accedamus ei desiderio ardenti Manus in crucis modum formantes crucisixi corpus suscipiamus apponentes oculos labra frontem divinum carbonem concipiamus Let us come to the Sacrament with an earnest desire And framing our hands like to a crosse let us receive the body of Christ crucified and laying our foreheads eyes and lips nigh to it conceive it as a divine coale to burne our sins To conclude in my opinion the left hand bearing up the right and especially in some Paraliticks one hand had need to stablish another and both crossing about the wrists and the palme of the right hand being upward and open at the receiving of the bread the blessed Sacrament of Christs body may be received But at the taking of the Cup there is no need or cause that the palme should be upright yea it cannot be so with conveniency and this doth no way enterfeere with Damascâ—n or our Lyturgy and let the Christian heart judge if this be not the safer way And thus for ought that I can object to the contrary the Apostles themselves might receive the Sacrament and perhaps did I was overjoyed when I found this proofe following agreeing both to my practise and opinion Cyrillus Hierosolymit in Mystag 5. Come not to the Communion with the palmes of thy hands spread all abroad nor thy fingers severed and open but putting the left hand under thy right to settle and establish it in the hollow of thy hand receive the Body of Christ I will not say that any other course of taking is sinfull but I have spoken my opinion for the Conveniency The liberty granted by Christ is not to be curbed or Ephorized by us But let us take heed least our liberty grow to licentiousnesse or that we love singular irregularity For if one
and other exercises of devotion and prepared God to blesse all But fasting is defined to be a mourning Zach. 7.5 When yee fasted and mourned I answer Here fasting precedeth mourning where Illyricus saith Fasting is an effect of mourning and naturally floweth from it when it is commanded Watch and Pray is one a definition of the other because they be conjoynd Fasting and mourning be two distinct things and fall not under one definition PAR. 8. THese be his arguments which hee thinkes strong enough to withhold him from subscribing to those who thinke fastings of old were and now are to be used that the macerated bodie may better obey the soule and that a Christian may be apter to pray and to all divine exercises But Illyricus objecteth against himselfe Are fastings wholly unprofitable Why are they then so often conjoyned with prayers if they be not exercises preparing to prayers Hee answereth Since these afflictions of fasting are undertaken by the prime motion of nature in great griefe of minde and then confirmed by custome in the easterne countries it came to passe that they did both fast and pray in troubles Nature custome chance are his grounds for fasting and prayer Not God not Scriptures not holy examples precedent these are nothing to the frothy German Moreover saith hee the calling upon God was their onely remedie for all their evils therefore they alwaies added earnest prayers to their afflictions that their sinnes might be remitted and the punishments averted Is calling upon God the onely remedy Did not faith and contrition and repentance precede Doth not fasting accompany Shall wee exclude hope renounce charity and make prayer to be the onely remedy Thus forsooth in some other humors Faith alone saveth onely faith Fides sola solitaria Yet all Novelists must know They shall sooner separate light from the Sunne heate from the fire then they shall separate faith true faith saving faith from Charity from Hope from the feare and love of God or from other Theologicall vertues I professe that I am sorry that Illyricus gave cause of so long a diversion I have onely censured his Tractate de causa finali jejunii I must be briefe in the rest The Prayer MOst glorious Saviour in thy feastings thou wert holy thy words full of power thy actions full of wonder in thy fastings thou wast divine thou wert an hungred and yet wouldst not eate thou wert a thirst and yet didst not drinke grant good Lord Jesu that thy gratious example may be my guide both in feasting and fasting and that I may so behave my selfe in this temporary fading life being the very valley of misery that through the merits of thy fasting I may gather the crummes under thy table in thy eternall Kingdome So be it Lord Jesu so be it CHAP. V. The Contents of the fifth Chapter 1 All in fasting must afflict their soules Fasting commanded in the Old and New Testament Fasting is more than a temperate sober life 2 Divers effects of sorrow Divers efficient causes of Fasting 3 The Germans little practise Fasting The singular commendation of Fasting by Athanasius S. Chrysostome Leo Magnus S. Ambrose Bellarmine 4 A parting blow at Illyricus PARAGRAPH 1. ILlyricus in his first Tractate De Iejunio materiâ hactenus parum liquidò explicatâ vera dissertatio Having not all this while explicated the matter distinctly enough the true dispute c. hee beginneth with two positions boldly averred hardly proved At all times great hath beene the superstition and abuse of fasting and of other afflictions thereunto annexed Yet was there not one certaine forme of that fast for it was free and voluntary and therefore out of doubt one did cruciate himselfe otherwise than others did And yet himselfe truly confesseth they fed on no dainties But that is one certaine forme say I And he confesseth further To fast is to abstaine from the chiefe commodities of the body and to draw discommodities upon a mans selfe To abstaine from meate drinke sleepe washing annointing change of apparell musicke mirth and all recreations yea to put on sordid and ill apparell which they call sackcloth to lye on the ground on ashes dust or any other sordid place His very definition prescribeth this forme and accordingly was it used and yet he denyeth any one certaine forme That some fasted longer or oftner or stricter than others none will deny but all did afflict their soules or otherwise it was no true fast Whereas hee saith it was free and voluntary no man can deny but some had more occasion than others had and did fast whën others did not yes and fasted voluntarily yet himselfe confesseth they were commanded to fast on the daies of expiation Levit. 23.27 Yee shall afflict your soules And the Prophet gave precepts for fasting which in like case we are to imitate Christ foretold the Apostles should fast Christ said When yee fast annoint your heads implying that men were to fast I see fasting is commanded in the Old and New Testament but what daies we are to fast and not to fast by precept from God or his Apostles I finde not Augustine Epist 88. ad Casularum Yet in that Tractate hee doth very well confute such as say of old fasting was no other than a temperate and sober life His reason is excellent Moses Elias Daniel Christ and his Apostles who questionlesse alwaies lived temperately and soberly yet even they did fast certaine daies Againe saith hee It is easie to discerne from 2 Sam. 1.12 where they mourned and wept and fasted untill even from Daniel 10.2 and from Ionah 3.5 c. that fasting is a more sowre sorrowfull and hard thing than a temperate and sober life PAR. 2. IN the middle Tractate De efficiente causa jejunii Thus hee discourseth naturally Omnibus animalibus incitum est it is given to all living creatures not onely to live but to live contentedly and sweetly and to procure pleasing things and to fly the contrary But in great sorrows men lead a discontented life and desire to die and therefore begin to neglect all things belonging to an happy life And in greater sorrow beate their breasts teare their faces and haire as in the Southerne parts women were wont to do These sorrowes are not fitly ordered by Illyricus The sorrow which causeth men to desire death is greater than that when people beate their breasts teare away the haire from their heads and skinnes from their face But I must remember my promised brevity Hee returneth to his first position When wee are glad wee naturally love this life and the things tēnding to it and when wee are sorry wee hate life fly the presence of men and pleasures yea embrace things discommodious Yet custome much prevaileth in this point for some people testifie their joy and sorrow otherwise both by the quantity and quality than others doe Then defineth hee thus Fasting is in the holy Scriptures a certaine affliction of the body and an outward signe