two first weekes till the full of the Moone the third week the Ocean keepes his course according to the first weeke and the fourth weeke doth as the second did and so the weekes and moneths runne round with the Ocean Seventhly Seneca Epist 95. somewhat past the middle confesseth they did accendere lucernam Sabbatis light their Tapers on the Sabbath dayes and faulting them for so doing because nor God wants light nor men take pleasure in the steame or stench of Lampes or Candles confesseth withall their Religious observation of the Sabbaths by the Romans for the point was quo modo d◠sint colendi How God ought to be worshipped Tibullus lib. 1. Eleg. 3. pag. 84. is firme proofe that he obserued Saturnes day as the holy day whether we read it as it is in the body of his workes Saturni aut sacram me tenuisse diem that is Or that unto Saturnus old I us'd his holy-day to hold Or whether it be as Joseph Scaliger the Prince of Critickes in his Castigations on the place saith it is better Omnia dira Saturni Sacrame tenuisse die that is Or that to Saturne on his day I us'd to feast to pray to play Thus much with Gothofredus and the most learned Cerda against Rigaltius his needlesse alteration of Tertullian by which the day of the Sunne or Sunday is unjustly made to be the Gentles day of rest or Sabbath which indeed was on their Saturday and yet if Rigaltius his reading be supposed to be the best it affordeth Testimony that the Gentiles had some knowledge of the weekely honour due to God one day or other in that they observed a Sabbath * The returne to this Point after the ensuing digressions you shall finde below Paragraph the 9. Chap. 9 which reacheth proofe enough to my maine intention I cannot yet end the businesse of the Lords Day but have divers of mine owne observations to set downe and come nearer to the purpose the controversie against the Sabbatarians concerning both the day and the Recreations then lawfull hath beene so unanswerably handled by Bishop White and other most learned Doctors that much cannot be added somewhat shall in a mixed way nor will I blot out mine owne observations though others also have lighted on some of them First then I say the Sabbatarians doe grossely infantiliter childishly expound S. Austin whilst they would violently hale him to their sides against all manner of Recreations and nothing is more common than S. Augustines authoritie produced against any Recreation on the Lords Day I professe his authoritie moved me much till I read him himselfe and saw him misunderstood even by great ones and chiefe among the Sabbatarians The first place is on the enarration of the 91. Psalme on the Preface of the Psalme Melius est arare in Sabbato quam saltare T is better to goe to Plow than dance on the Sabbath Day but S. Augustine speaketh of the Iewish Sabbath or Saturnes day of the first day after the creation when God is said to rest Let me adde unto him To Plow on that Sabbath the Iewish Sabbath was not amisse in a Christian but to Dance on the Iewish Sabbath was an approving of the old first Sabbath and as it were a renouncing of the Christian Sabbath See the place who will and he shall find that S. Augustine spake not of the Lords Day or Dies solis Sunday nor of the Christians day of rest properly but of the Metaphoricall spirituall Sabbath of the dayly Sabbath or rest of a good conscience view his words In corde est Sabbathum nostrum multi enim vacant membris tumultuantur conscientiâ Omnis homo malus Sabbatum habere non potest ipsa tranquillitas Sabbatum est cordis our Sabbath is kept in our heart for many have bodily rest who are troubled in conscience an evill man hath no Sabbath Inward tranquility is the Sabbath of our heart What is this to the question of the Lords day His words there are these Ecce hodiernus dies Sabbati est hune in praesenti tempore ot◠quodom corporaliter languido fluxo luxarioso celebrant Iudai Behold even this day is the Sabbath day The Iewes keepe this day at this present time idlely lazily and luxuriously so he But our question is concerning the Lords Day the memoriall not of the Creation but of Christs Resurrection which S. Augustin doth not name nor meane not so much as point at nor the least way censure for faire Recreations in this place The second place extorted from S. Augustin is in his Booke De decem chordis cap. 3. almost at the beginning It is in his tenth Tome and is thus cited by Zepper Legum Mosaicarum Forenstum 4.9 Satius est operari quà m spectaculis interesse mulieres nere quâm tota die impidicè saltare I answer First I finde not those words in that Booke Satius est operari quà m spectaculis interesse Secondly if Augustin hath said so the beholding of bloody spectacles which were in viridi observantiâ in greatest request and permitted most even by some Christian Emperours was sinfull in it selfe and condemned by many Fathers and reacheth not against faire recreations post sacra peracta after Service is ended Thirdly the words indeede are thus truely translated It is sayd to thee that thou spiritually observe the Sabbath not as the Iewes who observe the Sabbath by being carnally idle applying their mindes to trifling toyes and luxurie a Iew should doe better to goe about his profit in his ground then inthesauro in the Exchequer or perhaps in his Counting-house to be seditious and their women on the Sabbath day or the women on the Sabbath day the words will beare it were better card and spinne than impudently to dance the whole day in their new Moones but thou art spiritually to keepe the Sabbath in hope of future rest which God hath promised thee who doth what he can to obtaine that rest though it seeme laborious what he doth yet if he referre it to the faith of the promised rest he hath not truely the Sabbath in re but in spe not in possession but in hope but thou wilt rest that thou mayst labour when thou oughtest to labour that thou mayst rest So farre he The like he hath toward the later end of the first Chapter Observe First he speaketh of the Christians spirituall Sabbath with an eye looking forward to the eternall promised Sabbath of Sabbaths as he phrazeth it in his first Chapter Secondly he speaketh of the Iewish carnall Sabbath he speaketh not one word of the Lords Day or Sunday neither doth he fault any recreations of Christians on that day Thirdly he telleth not what a Christian but what a Iew should doe not simply but comparatively rather be busie and profitable in his ground than seditious and their women rather card and spinne than the whole day in their Festivals and Feastings to dance immodestly but what
Fee-Martyn as my Neighbours call it that is of both sexes it must not be offered nor one that is of neither sexe discernable nor yet one that is cut or a weather-Lambe Indeede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seh doth comprehend both sexes in Grammaticall construction tam Agnam quam Agnum significat saith Cornelius â Lapide it signifyeth as well the Eew as the Ram-Lambe yet the perpetuall silence in the Scripture that ever an Eew-lambe was the eminent Paschall-Lambe though there was manifold occasion to utter so much and though on lesse occasions in another sacrifice mention is mude of an Eew-lambe and the usuall practise in the generall opinion probablizeth a Male-Lambe was to be that offering a Ram-Lambe was to be the Paschall Lambe perhaps in extreame Neces-sity and perhaps not Mal. 1.14 Cursed he deceiver who hath in bis flocke 〈◊〉 Male and voweth and Sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Male implyeth perfection and is opposed to corruption as unfit for sacrifice especially in this chiefest offering PAR. 23. A Gaine the Paschall-lambe must be under a yeare the Rabbines say well and truely if the Lambe had beene but one day I say but one houre above a yeare old it might have beene used amongst the subsequent Paschall-offerings but it was super-annuated for a Paschall Lambe I adde it was and was to be under a yeare old somewhat viz. Anno currente non completo the full yeare not fully expired Exod. 12.5 It runneth thus in the Hebrew a Male-lambe the Son of a yeare that is not entring into the second yeare so Levit. 14.10 There is mention of an Eew-lambe the daughter of her yeare that is before the entring into or the inchoation of the second yeare which words you are to take exclusively and inclusively exclusive that the offertory be not above a yeare old and inclusively that it might be any reasonable Time within the yeare PAR. 24. YEa but what is that reasonable Time Man under seven dayes was counted uncleane and was to be circumcised beasts for a whole weeke were esteemed uncleane and as it were in their blood but in the beginning of the second weeke when one entire Sabboth had also in a sort sanctifyed them they might offer them without sinne Exod. 22.30 Seven dayes it shall be with his mother on the eight day thou shalt give it me also Levit. 22.27 It shall be seaven dayes under the dawne from the eight day and thence-forth it shall be accepted as an offering made by fire unto the Lord see admirable mysteries concerning man and other things Macrobius Saturnal 1.7 in Macrobius accomplished by seavens PAR. 25. THe Iewish Doctors have delivered that a Lambe from the ninth day inclusively to a whole full yeares age exclusive of the last day may be the great Paschall offering PAR. 26. BUt mine opinion is although God accepted Lambes for burnt-offerings by fire after they began to be nine dayes old yet a Lambe of nine dayes old was not to be admitted for the eminent Paschall-offering nor doth the Scripture any where evince or intimate so much PAR. 27. MY reasons are First a Lambe at nine dayes old is no good meate it is like a Chicke in the Egge-shell the flesh is rather slime and uncocted gelly than substantiall food and the bones rather tender gristles than firme hard bones but God would not prescribe unwholesome greene meate in his most solemne feasts yea did not againe a Lambe but of nine dayes old when it is rosted is but a poore rost Two men may easily eate that up yea one man with a good stomacke if the unsavorinesse of the food doe not turne his stomacke but the Passeover was to be provided to serve a whole houshold Exod. 12.13 and if the houshold be too little for the Lambe it was to be food for two housholds ver 4. And in the intention of God it was to be so great even for two housholds that a consuming fire was appointed to burne the remainder when any was left Tradition hath delivered that ten in number were chosen out for the eating of the chosen Lambe thirteene were at the eating of Christs last Passeover A Novendiall Lambe could not suffice so many as the Law in generall intended so that there could be a remainder even of the flesh with the bones combustible therefore the Paschall-Lambe must be somewhat under a yeare somewhat above nine dayes old PAR. 28. MOreover there was to be a proportionable number so nigh as could bee guessed at yea and according to the good or bad stomackes of the receivers if they were great eaters there might be fewer if the assembly in one house had tender weake appetites they were to be more in number PAR. 29. NO certainety of number was of institution Divine but accidentall and occasionall the expresse words notifie so much Exod. 12.3 c. They shall take to them every man according to the house of their Fathers a Lambe for an house and if the houshold be too little for the Lambe let him and his neighbour next to his house take it according to the number of the Soules every man according to his eating shall make your count for the Lambe PAR. 30. IF any enquire whether they chose the Lambe first and the number after or the number first and then the Lambe proportionable Mamonides relateth that they might not choose the living Lambe till they were agreed on the number of the communicants much lesse might they kill it till then but when the receivers and the set number of them were knowne and resolved on then they chose a Lambe proportionable to their Company a greater Lambe for the greatest assembly and a lesser for the lesse PAR. 31. ANd those fellow-eaters they termed brotherly participants the sonnes of the societie they might call them filiot contuberniorum for they did sort themselves per contubernia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per sodalitia saith Iesephus amongst which was as Demosthenes sayd of the Grecians in another kinde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 princeps fratriae PAR. 32. BUt by the words of Scripture before recited it is more than probable that in the first Passeover the Lambe was first chosen and then the company sought out conjecturally-adaequate for the entire eating up of that sacrifice and foure dayes after they had time to make choyce of more or lesse of the next neighbouring Communicants yet for all this if the traditionary consent of the Jewes be true we may reckon the selected I say not alwayes a certaine number of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or sacred feast to be one of the durable Rites of the Passeover though afterwards they did not alwayes admit into their societie their next neighbours onely not ante-elect the Lambe PAR. 33. IF any yet be more inquisitive what was the exact number of the Communicants in the common practises at the Passeover I answere that neither by
selves or deferre bathing till night or give your selves to rest and good cheere which ye doe in imitation of other Religions the summe of the controversie is Rigaltius intimateth that the Roman Sunday was to them as the Jewish Sabbath Gothofredus accounts their Saturday called Dies Saturni to be as their Sabbath which is the truest opinion Gothofredus in his notes on that Chapter among many other excellent things observes that Tertullian compareth the Gentiles keeping of their Saturday as the Christians keepe the Lords day First by their not comming at all to their bath that day Secondly or comming late some Colonies anniversarily cloathed with sacke-cloth sprinckled with ashes pray to their Idolles their shops and Bathes shut up till neere nine saith he adversus Psychicos cap. 16. their nine is all one with our three of the clocke in the afternoone Thirdly he compareth the rest and the banqueting of the Gentiles on their dies Sabbathi or Saturday with the rest and banqueting of the Christians on our Lords day quare ut ab excessu revertar qui solem diem ejus nobis exprobratis agnoscite vicunitatem non longè â Saturno Sabbatis vestris sumas wherefore that I may returne from my diversion you Gentiles who cast into the teeth of Christians the adoring of the sun from their strict observation of the Sunday confesse that you and we disagree very little we keepe our Sabbath's on Sundayes ye on Saturnes-dayes or Saturdayes the day of the Lord or Sunday is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Isidorus Pelusiota in his Epistles a day of rest and remission the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometime taken in an ill sense here it is not the Apostle complaineth he had no rest in his spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2.13 or it may be taken for bodily Rest and repose 2 Cor. 7.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our flesh had no rest or it may be taken for liberty opposed to durance so S. Paul Act. 24.23 had liberty that his friends might come unto him was permitted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gothofredus might have observed another parallell in the beginning of the chapter alii solem Christianum Deum aestimant quod innotuerit ad orientis partem facere nos precationem vel die solis laetitiam curare quid vos minus facitis nonne plerique affectione adorandi aliquando etiam coelestia ad solis initium labra vibratis some others say the Sun is the God of the Christians because it is commonly knowne we pray towards the East and are merry and refresh our selves on Sundayes you are like to us you doe little lesse most of you affecting the adoration sometimes of heavenly things at Sun rising doe mutter or pray hee saith not in die solis but ad solis initium or as it is varied in cap. 16. Apologet. ad solis ortum and this they practised as well on any other day as Sunday for Sunday was not their holyday or Sabbath day but Saturday which I marvell that the great Rigaltius erred in for these considerations First that the same Chapter affordeth divers passages that Saturnes day was as it were the Gentiles Sabbath therefore their Sunday was not so Secondly that Gothofredus from Iosephus lib. 2. contra Appionē and from Clem. Alexandrinus 5. Strom. had before hand published Saturni Diem seu Sabbatum otio quieti ubique Gentium Iudaeorum imitatione assignatum fuisse that Saturnes day or Saturday was the Sabbath or resting day of the Gentiles in all places which they borrowed from the Jewish custome Thirdly Tertullian in his Apologeticke which is an elucidary to the bookes ad Nationes and the amplified and refined comment on them cap. 16. hath it Aequè si diem solis laetitiae indulgemus aliâ longe ratione quà m religione solis secundo loco ab iis sumus qui diem Saturni otio victui decernunt if we indulge and be merry on Sunday we doe it not in any religion to the Sun or its day as the day of the sunne but as the Lords day and we are alike or next to those who consecrate aturnes day to repast and rest Fourthly Sidonius like wise Epist 2. l. 1. acknowledgeth so much that the Gentiles kept Festivall the day of Saturne and termeth their profusenesse luxum Sabbatarium I am sure the Noble and holy Lady Paula in S. Hieromes time and her company even on the Lords day after Sacred services were ended vel sibi vel caeteris indumenta faciebant as reformed Churches abroad doe seeme to confine the Sabbaticall day to the Sabbaticall exercises as witnesseth Hierome ad Eustochium Epist 27. and esteeme us little better than Jewes for our strict sabbatizing Also her feasts were turned into mourning and her Sabbaths into reproach for Antiochus Epiphanes had by letters commanded that they should profane the Sabbaths and Festivall dayes 1 Mac. 1.39 c. Yea many Israelites profaned the Sabbath ver 43. Augustine de Civitate Dei 6.11 usque eò sceleratissimae gentis consuetudo convaluit ut per omnes jâm terras recepta sit victi victoribus leges dederunt that is the custome of that most wicked Nation hath beene so prevalent that it is now generally received almost by all Nations the vanquished have given Lawes to the vanquisher these words doth S. Austin cite out of Seneca of the generall observation of the Jewish Sabbath Fiftly Philo in his booke de vitâ Mosis glorieth that all the Easterne people kept their Sabbath forgetting that the Chaldaeans did mocke at the Sabbaths of Ierusalem in the dayes of Ieremie the Prophet Lam. 1.7 Sixtly Macrobius Saturnal 1.7 at the end affirmeth that the Saturnalia were more ancient than the Cittie of Rome that Macrobius speaketh not of the weekly sacrifices I confesse but his Authors words may meane more than he did Lucius Accius in his Poeticall Annalls thus Maxima Pars Graium Saturno maximae Athenae Conficiunt sacra that is The Greatest part of Greece yea Athens hight To Saturne on his day their incense light Cumque diem celebrant per agros urbesque fere omnes Exercent epulis laeti that is And when both towne and Country their holiday doe keepe They most an end doe feast it untill they goe to sleepe Every Saturday their Servants might rejoyce with them He farther relateth from Cicero Septenarium numerum rerum omnium fere modum esse that the number of seven is the measure almost of all things The very vast Ocean observes this number the first day of the Moones tining the Ocean is more full than usuall it decreaseth somewhat on the second day the third day leaveth it lesse and dayly it diminisheth to the seventh day the eighth day is like the seventh the ninth equalleth the sixth the tenth day answereth to the fifth the eleventh to the fourth the twelfth to the third the thirteenth to the second the fourteenth day is as the first day So much for the
are their new Moones and solemne Iewes-feasts to us Christians They shamefully wrong S. Augustin and wrong the unlearned Readers who produce this testimonie to confute seemely recreations of Christians on the Lords Day after the holy Service is ended Fourthly let the indifferent judge whether S. Augustines later passages in this testimony doe not rather afford a patrociny for labour than the former words did condemne fit refreshings Lastly good Reader when thou readest in the Fathers or from the Fathers ought concerning the Sabbath I pray thee search and examine whether they speake of the Iewish Sabbath or of the Christian Quiet very seldome doe they call the day of Christian rest properly to be Sabbatum They doe often say it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dies dominicus our Lords Day or Sunday So much be said to vindicate S. Augustin from divers too Iewishly addicted in our dayes against our lawfull Sports Secondly that most learned Prelate the last Lord Bishop of Ely citeth Theodoret on Ezechiel the 20. as saying that no other Nations but onely the Iewes observed the Sabbath Day He meant no Nation kept the Sabbath to the same end and with the same strictnesse that Iewes did 2. Indeede no Nation but the Iewes onely kept the Sabbath at that time which Ezechiel speakes of viz. at their comming out of Aegypt Ezech. 20.10 c. yet many Nations did afterwards keepe the Sabbath day 3. No Nation kept it as a particular Law and as a signe of a distinct republique as Israel did Vt sit signum inter me ipsos to be a signe betweene me and them saith Theodoret in the very words of the text ver 12. yet is he Totius historiae ignarus blinde in all history who denieth that other Nations imitated the Iewes in observation of a Sabbath In which regard the most reverend Prelate the Eye of our Tymes and one who for all religious learning may be called Arca Foederis In the same page 156. saith If any Heathen did observe the Iewish Sabbath they did it not by the light of naturall reason but by imitation of Gods people But because the living Library in his Margin in the same place quoteth Josephus contra Appionem lib. 2. and Clemens Alexandrinus stromat 5. as denying Vrbem ullam Graecorum sive Barbarorum ex Judaico ritu âdiei septini cessatione ab opere suo in suos mores suscepisse That any city of the Grecians or Barbarians did use the fashion of resting from their worke on the seventh day from the custome of the Iewes I thus answer them If they sayd and meaned that the Iewish Sabbath with all its circumstance and severe strictnesse which the words ex Iudaico titu will well permit was never received by any Heathen cities or by the immediat delivery of God as the Iewes had it then they are in the right but particularly Josephus in the same Booke against Appion declareth the cleane contrary avouching that every Nation Greeke or Barbarous observed the Sabbath in imitation of the Iewes and Clemens Alexandrinus in the same cited booke saith expresly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septimum diem esse sacrum non solùm sicut Hebraei verum etiam Graci Not onely the Iewes but the Gentiles also know that the seventh day is the holy day and he proveth it by divers reasons and authorities but Clemens ibidem exceedeth when from Plato his tenth Booke de Repub. he would prove that Plato did fore-divine of the Lords day page 437. Againe though that Mundus eruditionis that world of learning saith the Grecians and the Romanes observed for resting dayes the one the eight day and the other the ninth day and saith it well enough to oppose the simple Sabbatarians who horribly incline to Iudaisme of late and will not remember that the Iewes shall be turned to be Christians but that the Christians should be converted Proselytes of the Iewes was never foretold nor expected yet the most learned Lord Bishops words if they be rightly printed must be interpreted of some of the Romanes and some of the Grecians and not of the greater part Or secondly of the extraordinary dayes of rest and not of the ordinary and continued weekely Sabbath Plutarch in the later end of Theseus life saith indeed the Athenians did make the solemnest and chiefest sacrifices unto Theseus on the eight of October and doe further honor him every eight day of every moneth but first this was Athens alone Secondly this honoring of Theseus on the eight day hindered not their other observations of the seventh day which they constantly also kept as I have demonstated Thirdly in the same place of Plutarch it is sayd they worshipped Neptune or did sacrifice to him on the eight day of every moneth because the number of eight is the first Cube made of the even number and the double of the first squared which reasons are ridiculous Lastly as we have holy dayes besides our Lords Day so had they multitudes of extraordinary Festivals which were not properly such dayes of sacred rest as the Iewes observed Romish Pestivalls on the Ides of their moneths See at large set downe by Alexander ab Alexandro Genialium dierum 3.18 singulis Idibus saith he ibidem which Ides jumpe not exactly with every eight day a Gracis singuliâ— Calendis dii vener antur The gods are worshipped by the Grecians every Calends Macrobius in the like place maketh not the ninth day a generall rest Indeed saith he Nundina est Romanorum Dea a nono die nusceritium nuncupata qui lustricâ—â— dicitur quo die infantes lustrantur nomen accipiunt Sed is maribus nonus Octavus est faeminis Nundina is a goddesse of the Romanes so called from the ninth day that infants were borne which day was called Lustricus because on it children were purged and first named but in men children it was the ninth day in women children the eight day it may now be used for the Christning day Idem Macrob. 1.11 Nonis Iuliis diem festuÌ„m esse ancillarum vulgò notum est it is commonly knowne that the Nones of Iuly is maides holiday Dio Cassius placing the weekely Sabbath among the speciall observances of that Nation doth not say that no other Nations kept their Sabbath day but rather pointeth at this the Sabbaths were given more especially to the Iewes that they were the first Nation that kept the Sabbaths and generally and strictly observed them Secondly the Sabbatarians unto their forced expositions invent lyes that they may further their seeming devotions but God needs not mans lye to uphold his truth Who but the Father of lyes suggested those horrid untruths which are published concerning the evills that befell upon Glastonbury for prophaning the Sabbath which the Inhabitants thereof and we the neighbours doe know to be false almost in every point Thirdly is it not knowne generally how dangerously many fell into Iudaisme and turned Traskites the most ignorant of all Hereticks and
would bury in the Dunghill chines of porke or puddings or any swines flesh which their neighboures courteously bestowed upon them they further bragged they would know the saved from the damned by their lookes the Lords day they regarded not and were as obstinate as the Iewes laughing at imprisonment and punishment as a good poore man complained of his wife to me and was it not time that the supreme Magistrate should looke to them If we consider the Scripture of the new Testament which must first be heard we shall finde that Christ doth not diminish but rather augment the weight force and power of divers other commandements concerning Murther see the strictnesse Matth. 5.21 c. and concerning Adultery Matth. 5.28 c. and Matth. 5.24 are choyce Rules for swearing and for other matters in that Chapter but he no where commanded a more rigorous keeping of the Sabbath Indeed he sayd Matth. 24.20 Pray that your flight be not on the Sabbath this evinceth not that he intended a stricter observation of the Sabbath than the Iewes admitted but sensu primo his well-wishings were that they might meete in their flight which was to be both sudden and remote even out of Judea with no impediment either from their opinion of the Sabbath who then thought they might not travell on that day above two miles which they accounted a Sabbaths dayes journey Act. 1.12 or from any other Crosses whatsoever and that Christ meaned not in that place to improve the strict Religion of the Sabbath fairely resulteth from the other words in the first place Pray that your flight be not in the Winter that is cold wet stormy weather or short dayes nor on the Sabbath when ye are unprovided to fly by reason of your full bellies and store of cloathes or your over-strict opinion for in these Cases many more will dye than if the flight were at other times Marke 13.18 He wholly leaveth out the mentioning of the Sabbath and onely sayth Pray ye that your flight be not in the Winter when he mentioneth an impediment from the Sabbath himselfe meaneth not that it is unlawfull to fly farther than two miles to save ones life but argueth from their opinion at that time but in all other places of Scripture where he speaketh of the Sabbath though the Mosaicall Law was then of force and the Sabbath strictly to be observed he inveieth against the Iewish rigour and reduceth it to an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our Church of England runneth the same way and is not Iewishly zealous In a booke of Canons Printed 1571 by Iohn Day pag. 15. It is said Every Sunday and holiday the Parsons Vicars and Curates shall come to Church so timely and conveniently in due season that the Parishioners having done their businesses may come together c. Lo a permittance of doing worldly businesse before they come to Church and obiter pag. 13. on other times the Parsons are to use their Bowes and shafts onely more to the former point in the advertisement made upon Queene Elizabeths command 1584. among the Articles for administration of Sacraments it is sayd in all Faires and common Markets falling upon Sundayes there shall be no shewing of wares before the service be done Loe here also is no disallowing of shewing wares after service is done but rather an involved indulgence and permittance Besides Christ defended his Disciples for plucking and eating some eares of corne which the Pharisees condemned Matth. 12.1 but Christ proved the lawfulnesse thereof by Davids eating the shew-bread in an exigent which otherwise was unlawfull ver 3.4 Secondly by the Priests who prophane the Sabbath and yet are blamelesse ver 5. by reason that Christ was greater than the Temple and Lord even of the Sabhath day which Lord accepteth more of mercy than of Sacrifices ver 6.7.8 and not fearing their accusation hee both miraculously healed the mans withered hand on the Sabbath day and since every one of them who should have a sheepe fallen into a pit on the Sabbath day would lay hold of it and lift it out how much better is a man than a sheepe wherefore saith Christ it is lawfull to doe well on the Sabbath day ver 11.12 S. Marke 2.27 addeth remarkeably The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath and S. Luke speaking of the same Story sayth Christ propounded to them this quicke question Is it lawfull on the Sabbath day to doe good or to doe evill Luke 6.9 apparently implying that not to doe a good worke on the Sabbath day was to doe evill Againe when the Ruler of the Synagogue answered with indignation because Christ healed one on the Sabbath day Christ called him hypocrite Luke 13.25 confuting him by his owne and their generall practise Doth not each one of you on the Sabbath loose his Oxe or his Asse from the Stall and lead him away to watering Observe first nor Oxe nor Asse can take much hurt if they be not wrought though they drinke not from Sun-rising to Sun-set yet for covetousnesse or for pitty they did loose them Secondly they might have loosed them though themselves had not led them away to the watering places for Nature teacheth beasts to know their drinking places but they would lead them away thither which they needed not and being done for lucre was certainely a breach of the Sabbath And Iohn 7.22 The Iewes did on the Sabbath day circumcise a man about which they used many Ceremonies of preparation of abscission of washing of stopping the blood and applying of salves to heale the would though it were but one little part to be wounded and made whole and are ye angry with me saith Christ because I have made a man every whit whole on the Sabbath day Every member of his body and I doubt not also but he healed the ulcers of every ones soule whose bodily parts he healed In 1 Cor. 16.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is well translated On the first day of the weeke on the Sabbath day Christ did not take up already made but newly made clay and healed the blinde Joh. 9.14 so that not onely the mayne worke of healing or doing good but all necessary or convenient helpes conducing thereto may be used on the Sabbath day without prophanation thereof for Christ anointed his eyes and sent him to the Poole Siloam and there he washed Againe it is said Matth. 28.1 In the end of the Sabbath as it began to dawne toward the first day of the weeke and Marke 16.1 When the Sabbath was passed the words are most observeable and may involve within themselves not onely that the Sabbath of that weeke was at an end and passed which was true and no man questioneth but even this deeper sense when Christ's rest in the grave had supplied and substantiated the Typicall Sabbath adumbrating his rest for the Sabbaths were shadowes of things to come but the body was Christ Col. 2.17 and his Resurrection from the dead
on the beginning of the first day in the week had given life to an holy rest on the Lords day then ended and passed not onely the Sabbath of that weeke but all and every Sabbath for ever of the Mosaicall Law was abolished Men were no more obliged to them when Christ arose the Sabbaths lay downe and began to taste of their eternall periods as it was sinne not to have observed the legall Sabbaths before so after Christs Resurrection it had beene a greater sin to observe it the Ceremoniall Law was languishing all Christs life was dead at Christs death in most things but after his Resurrection and the promulgation of the Gospell was deadly The next Sabbath day of the Iewish Church not after Christs death immediatly yet after the Lords day was consecrated by Christs Resurrection was the first Sabbath that was needlessely kept and continued and now the Apostle in the same place to the Colossians is bold to inferre that no man should judge them in respect of an holy day or New-moones or of the Sabbath dayes ver 16. And if any had judged of them amisse they neede not to esteeme it and in all the Apostolicall Writings is no incitement to observe the Sabbaths any longer but the Lords day which Christ himselfe chalked out unto us by his oftner appearing on that day than on the Iewish Sabbaths yea but S. Paul Rom. 9.29 called God the Lord of Sabbath it should be read Sabaoth and the Apostle quoteth it from Esay 1.9 Where it is Iehovah Tsebaoth in the Originall in the Greeke as it is in S. Paul in the Latine Dominus exercituum and Iehovah exercituum in our English The Lord of hostes and so should be read in Rom 9.29 for the same words truely transtated Iam. 5.4 The Lord of Sabaoth or the Lord of Hosts yea but Act. 13.14 the Apostle went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath day and preached and S. Panl Act. 17.2 reasoned with them three Sabbath dayes And againe Act. 14 4. He reasoned in the Synagogue every Sabbath day I answer the Apostles relapsed not to Iudaisme but laboured to convert the Iewes to Christianitie and reasoned out of the Scriptures to convert both Iewes and Gentiles unto Christ Secondly no place is excepted but one may any where endeavour the salvation of soules and what place is fitter than the Church or where are men better prepared to receive instruction than there Paul kept not the Iewes Sabbath These were my thoughts when I read our last and best English Translation but when I consulted with the Originall Greeke Text Luke 18.12 I was more confirmed in mine opinion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I fast twice in the weeke there cannot be two fasts in one Sabbath but in a weeke they might fast twice or more and therefore Sabbatum is there taken for a weeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Know then the Hebrew Schabbath and Schabbathon have produced with a milder pronunciation the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so used every where both in the Translation of the 70. and in the new Testament thence issued the Latine Sabbatum and never Sabbathum and doth sometime signifie a Weeke according to the Hebrew Idiotisme and sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for one Sabbath Matth. 12.1 and this Sabbatum is properly called the Sabbath of dayes But otherwhere there is mention of the day of the Sabbath Luke 13.16 and Luk. 14.4 yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are all one Luke 13.14 The Sabbath day is the primary expression from the fourth Commandement or the same day was the Sabbath Luk 5.9 Much more may be sayd of the Sabbath viz. as that the Primitive Church and holy Fathers did seldome or never call the Lords day the Sabbath day and I could wish we would follow their example S. Augustin ad Ianuarium saith thus in one place men receive the Sacrament on the Sabbath and on the Lords day in another place they take it onely on the Lords day Behold a maine difference betweene the Sabbath and the Lords day the Sabbath was not the Lords day nor the Lords day the Sabbath but they were two distinct names and things Likewise though Morale naturall poynts out onely a set day for the service of God yet Morale disciplinae guideth us to doe as God our Teacher did prescribe that is on the seventh day to worship him rather than on any other day though the Jewish Sabbath expired at Christs death yet one day in the weeke was the Lords But I hasten to the words Matt. 28.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is translated by most learned men In the end of the Sabbath as it beganne to dawne towards the first day of the weeke but the interlineary hath it excellently and properly Vespere autèm Sabbatorum in the Plurall Lucescenti in unam Sabbatorum and this agreeth with my Interpretation that not onely that Hebdomal Sabbath was passed over but all the Iewish Sabbaths were now ended and passed none ever more needing to observe them when one of the Christian Sabbaths as in a good sense they may be called or Holy-dayes began to dawne which in other places is called the Lords day Drusius on that place saith that a late Interpreter hath turned it extremo Sabbato or extremo Sabbatorum as Illyricus hath it that is as I conceive the last Iewish Sabbath that ever was though perhaps they understood it not so In Marke 16.1 it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely peractâ die Sabati but peracto Sabbato or cùm peractum Sabbatum transiret sayth the Interlineary The end of one kinde of Sabbath was the beginning of another or rather the beginning of the Lords day was the consummate end of all other Sabbaths If the publishing the abrogation of the Mosaicall Sabbath was not intended by the Holy-ghost by those words I am much deceived and yet herein I submit my selfe to my Superiours It might have beene sayd and would in all likelihood if it had beene spoken onely of the weekely Sabbath viz. In the end of the Sabbath or of the or that Sabbath day but in the end of the Sabbath cannot but have reference as the case stood to the expiration of the Moisaicall Sabbaths the Latine Translations have it Vespere Sabbathi observe the naturall day in the Iewish account began at the Vespers The Evening and the morning were the first day Gen. 1.5 and the Paschall day was both to begin at Even Exod. 12.18 and the Sabbath day among the rest began at Eventide for it is said from Even to Even you shall celebrate your Sabbath's Levit. 23.32 And that was the reason why the Jewes besought Pilate to have the legges of the Crucifyed broken and that they might bee taken away that the bodies might not remaine on the Crosse on the Sabbath day Ioh. 19.31 Which it must have done if they had not taken them downe before the beginning of
Evening that is to say to cause darkenesse which came to passe at Mid-day and before he saith In passione Christi at the Passion of Christ as Rigaltius and Pamelius read it better than it was in Rhenanus Primis men sis novorum is plaine enough and as needing none explication is omitted and unexplained by all those three learned men and it sheweth the new occurrences and strange effects begun neare about their going out of Aegypt But why Tertullian should say Initio primi mensis novorum which were not done till the tenth and fourteenth day I see not unlesse Tertullian thinkes it was foretold by God to Moses by Moses to Israel on the first day of the moneth what was to be done and was done afterwards in the tenth and fourteenth day The summe of Tertullians meaning is that Christ was slaine as the Passeover was in the first day of unleavened bread toward the Evening the day hasting to make the Evening by the mid-dayes turning darke to adapt the substance to the figure and fulfill the prophesie and therefore the sacrifice was called the Passeover of the Lord Exod. 12.11 that is the Passion of Christ which was accomplished above all other Evenings betweene the two Evenings the one miraculous Cùm media dies tenebresceret saith Tertullian when the mid-day waxed darke and lasted so a long time The other naturall toward the shutting of the day Exod. 12.14 This day viz. the fourteenth shall be unto you for a memoriall and ye shall keepe it a Feast to the Lord throughout your generations and doubling the precept ingeminateth you shall keepe it a feast by an ordinance for ever therefore were the Iewes to blame to shift off the day and to translate the Feast which was nayled to the Iewish policie for ever Though this fourteenth day of themoneth was never dispensed withall by God Almighty for ought that we can learne and therefore was one of the rites of perpetuall durabilitie yet the Iewes presumed to change it as is now to be explained PAR. 11. MOst holily did our Saviour say to them Matth. 15.3 Ye transgresse the Commandements of God by your traditions and verse 6. Ye make the Commandement of God of none effect by your tradition and ver 9. In vaine doe they worship mee teaching for doctrines the Commandements of men what the Iewes before and in our Saviours life did practise their Successours followed to an haire Sebastian Munster in his Tractat. called Translationes anni fixioner pag. 141. bringeth in a Iew giving a reason why they varied from Gods appointment thus Sapientes roboraverunt verba sua plus quà ea quae sunt legis our Rabbins and Wise men have more regarded their owne Interpretations than the letter of the Law So I expound In sensis favorabili they trod in the steps of their Fathers preferring their owne Traditions before the preceps of God More particulatly the said Munster in his Booke where he handleth the Hebrew Calendar thus Patet apud Judaeos duplicem haberi Paschae rationem unam â—egitimam quâ juxta legem Mosaicam c. It is apparent that the Iewes kept a double account of their Passeover one lawfull by which according to the Mosaicall Law it was appointed to be killed towards the end of the fourteenth day and to be eaten toward the Evening which began the fifteenth day The other account was full of Law invented by the Lawyers and for foolish causes erected against the Law of God by which they put over for one or two dayes their New-Moones or Calendar of their moneths other where in the same booke he promiseth to shew with what frivolous reasons they endeavoured to palliate or varnish over this changing of Feasts and to excuse the Transgression of the Divine Law PAR. 12. MOst specially to our purpose Munster ibid. thus It is plaine that Christ did eate the Passeover the lawfull Passeover with his Disciples on the fifth day of the weeke at even and he annexeth his Reason because Christ fulfilled the Law which established that time but the Iewes abstained from entring into the Judgement Hall on the sixt day of the weeke Joh. 18.28 that they might eate the Passeover that day at even according to the decrees of their fathers for the Iewes saith he tooth and nayle hold fast the traditions of the Elders eating the Passeover on the sixt day of the weeke or on the preparation of the Passeover Luke 23.54 but translating the Feast of the passeover from the sixt day to the Sabbath day which by reason of the concurrence of two feasts is called an High Sabbath day Joh. 19.31 I will a little enlarge the arguments of Munster The Iewes led Christ from Caiphas unto the Hall of Judgement and it was earely and they themselves went not into the Judgement Hall lest they should be defiled but that they might eate the passeover Joh. 18.28 therefore they had not then eaten it though Christ and his Disciples had eaten the passeover the night precedent for after the three-fold Supper of Christ Iudaicall Ordinary and Eucharisticall Christ passed the brooke Cedron entred into a Garden was apprehended late at night and the next morning lead early into the Iudgement-Hall or Pilates House Secondly Ioh. 19.14 It was the preparation of the Passeover and about the sixt houre when Pilat sate downe on the Iudgement-seate and when he delivered Christ unto them to be crucified ver 16. The preparation of the passeover differeth from the eating of the passeover and precedeth it wherefore the Iewes had not eaten the passeover before and none can thinke with reason that the Iewes after they had once apprehended him would or did dismisse him that he might eate the passeover but they kept him in safe-custody after Judas had once betrayed him and Judas betrayed him not till Christ and his Apostles and Judas among them had celebrated the passeover which the Iewes had not PAR. 13. A Third Argument may be this when they consulted to take Iesus and kill him they sayd Matth. 26.5 Not on the Feast-day lest there be an uproare among the people they were so superstitiously addicted to their seeming-strict observation of their Feasts that if they had taken or killed any man in such a solemnity it would have made an uproare or mutiny therefore it was told to Christ as an unusuall and offensive matter that Pilat had mingled the Galilaeans blood with their Sacrifices Luke 13.1 as I conceive these Relators intended to have made this bloody deed of Pilat an occasion of a new commotion consulted with Christ to that end Iudas Galilaeus Act. 5.37 rose up in the dayes of Taxing and the dayes of taxing were about the birth of our Saviour Luke 2.1 c. Then Judas Galilaeus stood up and hee would have the free-borne of the Iewes the sonnes of God forsooth to pay no tribute though he perished and all as many as obeyed him were dispersed as it there followeth yet those
in die 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the day of his Resurrection See the Epistle of Cummianus de Controversiâ Paschali set out by the most learned Bishop Vsher in his Sylloge of old Irish Epistles pag. 24. You have heard the discourse of the yeare of the world that the Aegyptian passeover was first kept on the first moneth of the yeare and on the fourteenth day of the first moneth being the onely Legall day Let us now descend to speake somewhat of the houre of the day PAR. 16. THe division of the day is into 1. Naturall consisting of 24. houres and 2. Ardificiall distinguished by foure watches and consisting of 12. houres Are there not twelve houres in the day Joh. 11.9 saith Christ which he accounteth not from Sun-rising to Sun-set or from light to darkenesse which varied but from the set watches the foure knowne watches as is knowne to all The Persians and Babylonians began their day from Sun-rising ending it at Sun-set the Umbrians and Hetuâ—ians began the day at sixe of the clocke and ended it at sixe of the next day the Romanes from midnight to midnight following beginning at the last part of the first night and ending with the end of the first part of the night succeeding The Aegyptians and Athenians reckoned the day from one Sun-set to the other the common people from the morning light to darkenesse so Alexander ab Alexandro Genial Dier 4.20 I marvell that he saith nothing of the Iewish or sacred account which was this in the old Testament they accounted the Evening from the beginning of the day naturall God himself began so to account it Gen. 1.5 The Evening and the morning were the first day not only were so called but were so for darkenesse was upon the face of the deepe ver 2. before God said let there be light and there was light ver 3. likewise ver 8. God called the Firmament Heaven and the Evening and the Morning were the second day The French and the Grecians preferred the nights before the dayes and held that the nights were before the dayes saith Alexanderibid According to the former sacred account the Festivall dayes were appointed to be kept from Evening to Evening Levit. 23.32 Yee shall afflict your soules at Even from Even to Even shall yee celebrate your Sabbath PAR. 17. BVt in the new Testament after or rather at Christs Resurrection began a new reckoning the day was reckoned from the morning or toward the beginning of light Ioh. 20.1 The first day of the weeke Earely when it was yet darke Mary came to the Sepulchre and Mar. 16.1 c. When the Sabbath was past very early in the morning the first day of the weeke they came to the sepulchre at the rising of the Sunne which is thus varied Matth. 28.1 In the end of the Sabbath as it began to dawne from which three places compared together resulteth that the Sabbath endeed as the day began to dawne and the dayes are reckoned from the breaking of the morning about or a litttle before Sun-rising but let us draw nearer PAR. 18. THe houre of the day was another of the durable observations belonging to the Passeover It is a generall rule Num. 9.3 Yee shall keepe the Passeover in the appointed Season which words extend to the moneth of the yeare to the day of the moneth and to the houre of the day what houre of the day it was to be killed and eaten is now inquirable Concerning the first point it is most apparent that the Passeover was to be slaine betweene the two Evenings Exod. 12.6 The whole Congregation shall kill it in the Evening according to the Originall it is to be read betweene the two Evenings in the duall number for the clearing of which intricasie know that the word Evening is not here taken as it is in the first of Genesis for the whole night or the halfe of the naturall day consisting of twelve houres because some distinct things are appointed to be done in this evening as the eating it and some distinct things appointed to be done in the night as the burning of the remainder before the morning so that the Evening here comprehends not the whole night yea the two Evenings involve part of the precedent day and therefore cannot be interpreted for the darke-halfe of the naturall day opposed to the other lightsome halfe thereof but the first Evening is here taken for the time towards the Evening when the Sunne was yet in their Horizon though past its middle declination the day being farre spent and the Sun hastening to its lodging any time betweene three of the clocke and sixe might the Lambe be slaine Thus are our afternoone-devotions called Vespers or preces vespertinae Evening prayers though begun and ended sometimes divers houres before Sun-set so Suppers are called Vespernae by Tertullian though ended in Summer Evenings long before Sun-set this I say was the first of those two Evenings Exod. 12.6 being used for late day or early night somewhat improperly so called beginning at the end of three of the clocke and ending at the end of sixe of the clocke I cannot agree to Maymonides that immediatly so soone as it was Noone began the Evening or that they might kill the Passeover any time after twelve of the clocke till sixe for he may be confuted by this that the daily Evening Sacrifice was alwayes slaine before the Passeover and that sacrifice in all tooke up about one houres time and in their greatest haste or businesses the daily Evening Sacrifice was never offered neare high-noone in exigents perhaps about two of the clocke and then how could the subsequent Passover be sacrificed within a while of Mid-day Secondly the word Evening or the second of the two Evenings before mentioned is used more properly for that space of time which we call Twi-light In Scripture phrase it is termed the lodging of the day Jud. 19.9 and is a mingled compound or partaker both of some light of the day departing and of some darkenesse of the night incroaching which Twi-light dured somewhat more than an houre Observeable is the place where the Evening and Sun-set are Synonyma's and of the same signification Iosh 10.26.27 They were hanged on the trees untill the Evening and at the time of the going downe of the Sunne they tooke them downe off the trees and Deut. 16.6 Thou shalt sacrifice the Passeover at Even at the going downe of the Sunne at the season that thou camest forth out of Aegypt or begannest to comforth out of Aegypt inchoatè non completè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say the 70. thou shalt sacrifice the Passeover of the Evening the Originall hath it Sacrificabis Pesach in Vesperâ circa ingredi solem Thou shalt sacrifice the Passeover in the Evening about the Sunnes entring in at Sun-setting Occumbente sole as it is in the Interlineary How then was it lawfull to slay the Passeover as Maymonides saith any time after mid-day was
extreame some over-prodigally feast it the immoderate use of Tobacco taxed ibi Par. 10 Some are inhospitable in hospitality under pretence of devotion disliked Fol. 7 Par. 11 The meane in eating and drinking commended ibid. Par. 12 Mirth and Feasting practised on the Lords day in Tertullians time Fol. 8 Par. 13. Holy Hester her baaquet of Vine the brethren of Ioseph were temperate though the vulgar hath it Inebriati sunt cum eo Iosephs liberality and full table was not intepemrate or immodest ibid. Par. 14 Christ feasted on Sabbath dayes ibid. Par. 15 Ahashuerus his moderation and Law wished for to be in use Fol. 9 The Contents of the third Chapter Par. 1 DIvers were the prescribed Customes of the Passeover Fol. 10 Par. 2. Seven famous Passeovers mentioned in the old Testament the first in Aegypt the second in the Wildernesse ibid. Par. 3 The differences betwixt the first and second in Maimonides his judgement onely one of his differences proveth sound ibid. Par. 4 A true distinction of the particular Eremiticall Passeover of some uncleane from the generall Passeover in the Wildernesse also a distinction of both these from the Aegyptian Passeover ibid. Par 5. The Third Passeover under Ioshua Fol 10 Par 6 The Israelites for forty yeares eate no bread but Manna Fol 11 Par 7 Manna commended Fol ib. Par 8 The Israelites bought water and meate in their Peregrination but not bread nor Corne had they of the Nations till they came to the planes of Iericho though Masius seemeth to thinke they forbare onely to eate of the corne of Canaan Fol ib. Par 9 The fourth Passeover in the dayes of Samuel Fol ibid. Par 10. The deplorable estate of Israel when Samuel entred on the governement Fol 12 Par 11. Samuel reformed the Ecclesiasticall estate Fol ibid. Par 12. Reformation wont by former Precedents David concurred with Samuel Solomon followed Davids Will Nuncupative and received from him in writing what the Spirit had taught David David guided by his Seers by Samuel by Aaron Fol ibid. Par 13. All precedâ—ntiall reformation must be according to Gods first guidance David dwelt with Samuel Fol ibid. Par 14. Samuel dedicated things of worth to the enriching of the future Temple Fol 13 Par 15 Samuel one of the sacred Trium-viri Fol ibid. Par 16 Samuel governed the state politicke he was a circuiting or itinerant Iudge Fol ib. Par 17 The nice distinction of Latria and Dulia questioned Fol ib. Par 18 The Parliament of Mizpeh the sacred water Samuels burnt offerings accepted in likelihood about this time was the great Passeover kept Fol ib. Par 19 Samuel a King Priest and Prophet Fol 14 Par 20 Josephus defended against Salianus Fol ibid. The Contents of the fourth Chapter Par 1 IN the fifth great Passeover specialized to be kept by Hezekiah the unsanctifyed in part ate it and in the second moneth by dispensation divine and the Priests and Levites onely killed the Passeover Fol 15 Par 2 The Kings prayer accepted both for the uncleane Priests and people and the people healed at the good Kings prayer Fol ib. Par 3 A voluntary Passeover to supply the imperfection of the former Devotions halfe performed are to be renewed and quickned Fol 16 Par 4 The Priests and Levites prayers accepted of God for the people Fol ibid. Par 5 Religious thoughts must be produced into Acts. Fol ib. Par 6 In the sixt glorious passeover of Iosiah were most royall offerings both for the Pascha and also for the Cagigah which exceeded the offerings of Hezekiah Fol ibid. Par 7 Salianus against Vatablus both reconciled Fol ibid. Par 8 The Masters of the family killed the Passeover but the Priests slue the Festivall offerings Levites might not sacrifice without divine inspiration or great exigents any Levite might sacrifice the proper Passeover for his owne family or for the impure Fol 17 Par 9 In what sense Priests are said to prophane the Sabbath the Temple Sacrifices and Circumcision chase away the Sabbath Fol ib. Par 10 The seventh extraordinary great Passeover was fore-prophesied by Ezekiel but not accomplished till the returne from captivitie in the dayes of Ezra and Nehemiah Fol 18 The Contents of the fift Chapter Par 1 THe registred Passeovers of the New Testament Passeovers were duly kept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the custome of the Feast and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yearely The Ioseph and his spouse and thrice sacred Virgin observed the Passeovers thrice every yeare all males were to appeare before the Lord. Fol 19 Par 2 Maimonides his opinion who might stay at home Fol 20 Par 3 Maimonides in divers points erreth Fol ibid. Par 4 Calvin Misopineth It is unexpressed whether Christ were carried to the Passeover till he were twelve yeares old Some Children forwarder than others At twelve yeares of age Christ ascended Par 5 Divers reasons that Christ at twelve yeares of age tooke the Passeover he was a strict observer of the Law they came to the passeover principally for devotion None was ever so well prepared to receive as our Saviour Fol 20 Par 6 The second Passeover which the New Testament recordeth Christ to have honoured with his passeover was eighteene yeares after then Christ cast out buyers and sellers out of the Temple and did many miracles which Nocodemus beleeved and the Galileans Christ then received the Passeover though so much be not expressed the confession of the Jewes that Christ strictly observed their Passeovers Fol 22 Par 7 The next yeares passeover is pointed at Joh 5.1 after this there was a Feast of the Jewes Melchior Canus reproved Zeppers distinction of feasts amended Fol ib. Par 8 Holy daies appointed by the Church are sanctified by God to God the Feast of Purim from Hamons magicall Lots allowed Queene Hesters decree confirming the ordinance of the Jewes the feast of the dedication was of mans appointment our most heavenly Saviour honoured it with his presence words and workes What and of what this Dedication was Zepper doth ill confound Encaenia with Renovalia Fol 23 Par 9 He is too strict against Encaenia or feasts of Dedication All dancing is not forbidden Encaeniare knowne to be all one with novam vestem induere Revels or Feasts for the Dedication of our Churches lawfull and ancient the lawfull prescriptions for this point wise and holy Fol ibid. Par 10 Maldonat his insolencie taxed Canus and Cajetan confuted by Pererius Fol 24 Par 11 The Feasts of the Jewes mentioned Joh. 5.1 was not the Penticost nor the Feast of Tabernacles but the Passeover Fol 25 Par 12 Pererius is too vehement and confuted Fol ibid. Par 13 The next Passeover Christ went not to Hierusalem the lawfull reason thereof the Jewes come to him because he came not to them Fol ibid. Par 14 Sacraments upon exigents may be deferred Fol 26 The Contents of the sixt chapter Par 1 IN what manner Christ kept his last passeover
danger had beene greater Fol. ib. Par. 26 There being no such danger of an Abaddon in future times they chose any of the Vertuosi whether they were friends or kindred though their dwellings were further off Fol. 51 The Contents of the eight chapter Par. 1 The perpetuall rites of the Passeover were instituted at severall times Fol. 52 Par. 2 The generall perpetuitie excluded not just Dispensations Fol. ib. Par. 3 In what Cases Dispensations were permitted Fol. ib. Par. 4 Our blessed Sacraments may be deferred Fol. ibid. Par. 5 Change of Rites might not be Fol. ib. Par. 6 Even included permission is Legall Fol. 53 Par. 7 Some rites of the passeover unordained in Aegypt prescribed in their journying Fol. ib. Par. 8 In extremities a Kid might serve for a Passeover Fol. ibid. Par. 9 A Kid doth not so exactly typifie our blessed Saviour as a Lambe doth Fol. 54 Par. 10 The Paschall Lambe must be unspotted Fol. ib. Par. 11 Party-coloured things in high esteeme Fol. ib. Par. 12 Most sâ—eepe spotted about Jewry Fol. ibid. Par. 13 The Heathen vilifying their owne gods Fol. ib. Par. 14 The perfectnesse of the offering to be made to God the imperfections signed out Fol. 55 Par. 15 The bodily perfection of Aaronicall Priests Fol. ib. Par. 16 Diversifying in colour no blemish but an ornament Fol. ib. Par. 17 There may be spots without blemishes Fol. ib. Par. 18 Blemishes without deformity Fol. ib. Par. 19 Christ was blemished but most unjustly Fol. 56 Par. 20 Blemishes of birds a little reputed blemish hindered not the Lambe to be the Passeover an ill blemished spotted Lambe might not be the Passeover Fol. ib. Par. 21 Difference betweene spotted and party-coloured Fol. ibid. Par. 22 The Paschal lambe must not be a female one but a male a male implyeth perfection Fol. ib. Par. 23 The Lambe must be under a yeare old the Lambe of one houre above a yeare old was to be refused the sonne of a yeare Fol. 57 Par. 24 The impuritie of creatures till seven daies be passed over them the strangr effects co-incident to the number of seven Fol. ibid. Par. 25 The Jewes thinke a Lambe of nine dayes might be the Passeover Fol. ibid. Par. 26 It might be a burnt offering Fol. ib. Par. 27 Reasons why it might not be a Paschall Lambe Fol. 58 Par. 28 A proportionable number was to be chosen to the eating of the Paschall Lambe Fol. 58 Par. 29 The exact number is not cannot be set downe Fol. ibid. Par. 30 Maimonides saith they ought to agree of the number before they chose their Lambs Fol. ib. Par. 31 The fellow-communicants were called the sonnes of the Societie Fol. ib. Par. 32 It is more probable that at the first Passeover they chose their Lambe first and company afterward At the first Passeover the next neighbour or neighbours were brothers of the Societie or members of that brother-hood At the after Passeovers they were not so strict nor was it a durable Rite to have the next neighbours Fol. ib. Par. 33 Sometimes ten sometimes twentie made up the full number saith Iosephus most commonly ten Cestius the Romane Precident his policy Fol. 59 Par. 34 Thirteene were at Christs last Passeovers eating even Christ and his twelve Apostles Fol. ib. Par. 35 The Romanes imitation of these Ceremony sodalitates Fol. ib. Par. 36 Rex convivii in Macrobius dominus convivii in Gellius modimperator in Varro Fol. 60 Par. 37 The numbers no where fixed and certaine but ab libitum varied as it pleased the â—â—â—efe Ruler of the feast c. Fol. ib. The Contents of the ninth Chapter Par. 1 NOn-admittance of strangers to the Passeover divers sorts of servants strangers servants of the seede of Israel their estateâ— and priviledges servants of forgaine Nations their hard conditions hired servants and their differences from others the hired servant might not be forced to be circumcised Fol. 62 Par. 2 Maimonides falsely opineth that the seede of Abraham were onely to be circumcised Fol. 64 Par. 3 There were three sorts of strangers in Israel two sorts of Aliens Adam's sixe Precepts to all the world Noahs additionall inhibition the Law of Moses is a branch of the Law of Nature Bishop Andrewes commended and excellent passages of his Worke transcribed The Romane Lawes borrowed from the Jewes in Tertullians judgement The twelve Tables and their supposed perfections their imperfection in precept the fragments onely remaine of them some semblance betweene the foure first Commandements of the first Table in Gods Law and betweene the Romane Lawes Regalitives rejected Gothofredus preferred Comparisons betweene the Gentiles keeping the Saturday and Christians the Sunday Saturday was the Sabboth of the Romanes kept with joy and feasting as our Lords day A large Treatisâ— concerning the Lords day the Christians pray towards the East the Reasons thereof The holy Communion Table justly placed at the East end of the Chaâ—cell ignorant and irreligious Censurers taxed and objections answered the promiscuous use of the words Altar and the Lords Table The Commandements of the second Table of Moses followed by the Papyrian Law and twelve Romane Tables except the tenth Commandement onely a foreigner unfixed might not eate of the Passeover a sojourner or stranger whose males were circumcised might eaâ—e thereof and so might their sons onely Circumcised ones might eate the Passeover all other was forbidden women were held as circumcised in the circumcisinn of the Jewish males Fol. 65 The Contents of the tenth Chapter Par. 1 THe yeare of the world in which the Passeover was first instituted Fol. 90 Par. 2 The moneth of that yeare The old Iewish account of the yeares and the new anons saâ—â—â— vulgaris The yeare preceding the seventh Sabbaticall yeare viz. the 48. yeare after the old Iubilee and the second yeare before the new Iubileâ— brought forth sufficient fruits for three yeares Fol. 91 Par. 3 The Magnalia performed in the Moneth of Abib Fol. 94 Par. 4 The Passeover upon some other occasions extraordinary might be kept on another moneth Fol. ib. Par. 5 The proclaming of festivall daies commanded both by Moses some Heathen Fol. 95 Par. 6 The appointed â—â—y for the Passeover Fol. ib. Par. 7 It was the fourteenth day of the moneth not alâ—â—ble or dispensible with Fol. ib. Par. 8. The full Moone Fol. 96 Par. 9 The Iewes hope that the Messiah shall deliver Israel the same day that Moses did and that the Passeover was kept Fol. ib. Par. 10 Tertullian explained Fol. ib. Par. 11 The Iewes unlawfully altered the day of the Passeover Fol. 97 Par. 12 Christ are the Passeover on the fourteenth day of the moneth the Iewes on the day following Fol. 98 Par. 13 The strict observation of the Jewish festivals a trappe laid for Christ and broken taxations are payable to Princes against the opinion of Pharisaicall zelot Galilaeans The mis-understood story of the Galilaeans slaine by Pilot explained Fol. ib. Par. 14 Before the
Eucharist was taken were altogether at three Suppers in one night in that night in which he was betrayed and that those Apostles certainely and Christ himselfe partaked of all the three suppers that they kept not one constant forme but varyed their gestures that there is no firmenesse of consequence to argue that whatsoever was done at the first supper the same was done at the second or whatsoever was at the second supper that it continued in the same fashion untill the end of the third supper that these severall Suppers were not in the same degrees of holinesse and were attended with proportionable Rites and different ceremonies That the eating of the Paschall Lambe was the first Supper That their joynt-eating of common food was their second Supper That the institution of the Eucharist and taking of it was their third supper called by the * 1 Cor. 11.20 Apostle the Supper of the Lord. To some intelligent people which heard me these things seemed though new and strange yet probable and analogall to faith others hung betweene doubt and beliefe but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecce Rhodus Ecce salius here is the man here his leape Nunc specimen specitur nunc certamen cernitur now is the tryall you may see it as Mnesilochus phraseth it in Plautus what I said I am ready not onely to say againe but to prove and justify God the truth and learned men the Disciples of truth being judges Indocti procul este viri procul este profani Let men unlearned and profane Be farre from hence they judge in vaine PAR. 4. THat I may beare the whole truth before me necessary to the unfolding of what our Saviour practised from the beginning of his eating of the Paschall Lambe till he had finished the most sacred Eucharist I intend under the divine benediction to handle foure poynts three preparatory the fourth definitive and decretory 1. What the Iewes of those times did at their ordinary meales 2. What they then did at their Feasts or Festivall dayes 3. What the Iewes were wont to observe at their eating their Passeover 4. What courses in particular our blessed Saviour tooke and used the night of his apprehension The Prayer ASsist me therefore I beseech thee O omniscient supreamest intelligence most wonderfull Vni-Trinity Trin-Vnity transcendent in fulnesse of knowledge and O sweet Saviour most blessed Lord whose cause I handle whose truth I search and disclose take the vayle of ignorance from before my face let me see with thy piercing eyes let my fleece be wet with thy dew from heaven distill upon me some drops of thy Divine knowledge power thy sacred oyntment and spreading oyle upon my head and fill me with humble veracity for thine owne Names sake O Saviour Iesu God and man the gracious Mediator betweene God and Men. Amen CHAP. II. The Contents of the second Chapter 1. The Iewish strictnesse in often giving of thankes 2. The duty of thankefulnesse exhorted unto 3. Ingratitude condemned 4. The Iewes at their Feasts began their banquet with blessing of a â—â—p of Wine what the particular words were poculum bibatorium every one dranke in order our most blessed Saviour scorned not to follow that custome The custome of the Table of the King of Sweden 5. The Master of the Feast among the Iewes consecrated the bread the very words of consecration translated are set downe 6. Some recreations were at their Festivals and wise holy discourses sometimes riddles were propounded our Saviours divine Table talke 7. The duty of Thankesgiving appoynted by the Apostle for all our doings 8. The temperance of the Primitive Church at their repast and at Feasts also proved by Tertullian and Minutius Foelix also their Prayers and singing and sober retyring 9. Our age in a double extreame some over-prodigally feast it the immoderate use of Tobacco taxed 10. Some are inhospitable inhospitality under pretense of devotion distiked 11. The meane in eating and drinking commended 12. Mirth and feasting practised on the Lords day in Tertullians time 13. Holy Hester her banquet of Wine the brethren of Joseph were temperate though the vulgar hath it inebriati sunt cumeo Iosephs liberality and full table was not intemperate or immodest 14. Christ Feasted on Sabbath dayes 15. Ahashuerus his moderation and Law wished for to be in use PAR. 1. THe Iewes were never wont to eate or drinke without Prayers blessings or giving of thankes especiall thankes for especiall blessings sometimes shorter ejaculations were in use sometimes longer devotions if they are but of Nuts Plumbes Apples Grapes or the like they had Peculiares preculas apt short prayers Zorobabel powred forth thankes for wisedome given unto him 1 Esdras 4.60 1 Esdras 4.60 The Psulmist was abundant in thankesgiving above any other duty both for ordinary and extraordinary blessings inviting all the Host of Heaven and Earth reasonable sensible vegetable yea inanimate creatures to prayse the Lord. PAR. 2. GIfts of minde body and fortunes are to be received with blessing of God generall favours of the Almighty looke for a returne of thankes yea are more to be esteemed as being more common That the heavenly Creatures move constantly in their Spheres that the Sunne shineth that the Moone powreth downe the supernall influences that our preservation with the meanes thereof is continued deserveth from us the Sacrifice of prayse unto God every grace of God unto us must be answered with a grace or thankes from us to God all Rivers runne into the Sea saith * Eccleâ—â— 1.7 Ecclesiastes Chap. 1.7 Unto the place from whence the Rivers come thither they returne againe Adfontem saith Saint a Bern. in cap. Iejunij Serm. 1 Bernard unde exeunt flumina revertuntur ut iterum fluant Flummis aqua si stare caeperit ipsa putrescit inundatione facta superveniens repellitur sic plane sic gratiarum cessat decursus ubi recursus non fuerit nec modo nihil augetur ingrato sed quod acceperat vertitur ei in perniciem Rivers returne to the fountaines that they may flow againe if they begin to stand they grow to decay even so grace ceaseth when it is not returned and to the ungratefull man nothing increaseth but what he received turnes to his overthrow Out blessed Saviour spent a good part of his time in this holy duty for brevity sake I will infist onely upon one place b Ioh. 6.11 Iob. 6.11 Christ gave thankes and then distributed the bread to his Disciples The Apostle gives a reason God hath created meates to be received with thankesgiving c 1 Tim. 4.3 1 Tim. 4.3 It was Gods intention they were created to that purpose or end and they goe against Gods intention who are unthankefull He that eates and drinkes and le ts grace passe Sits downe like an Oxe and riseth like an Asse PAR. 3 THe ingratitude of the receivers indeed infecteth not the meate but their receiving is uncleane and filthy even their minde
water was the onely drinke till the flood 2000. yeares or thereabouts Vino vis adhibetur sapientiae Wine offereth violence to wisdome Vt Venus in vinis ignis in igne furit Fire joyn'd to fire is not more mad then lust if store of wine't hath had which is almost all one with that in Valerius Maximus proximus a Libero patre intemper antiae gradus ad inconcessam Venerem esse consuevit Wine in the immoderate use is Sanguis Gigantum the blood of the Giants Fel draconum the gall of the Dragons fel Principum tenebrarum the gall of the Princes of darkenesse So the Manichees over-bitterly condemned wine wholly though it be to the intemperate Venenum terrae the very poyson springing from the earth yet moderately and physically taken it is the blood of the grape c Eccle. 50.15 Eccle. 50.15 and cheareth God and Man d Iudg. 9.13 Iudg. 9.13 To age especially and some sicke people Aquavita or strong water in the abuse is Aqua mortis the bayliffe of death the executioner leading men to destruction Tobacco is good for few the hourely dayly use is good for no complexion oh that we would use these no otherwise then Physicke It is not an 140. yeares since Sacke was sold onely in Apothecaries shops A little contents Nature the eye is greater then the belly Summa medecinae abstinentia the abbreviation of all Physicke is abstinence youth groweth taller with slender fare then with cramming diseased foule bodies the higher fed the more unhealthy they are Convivia Veneris sunt praeludia said Accursius Feasts make way for lasciviousnesse Venter vino plenus despumat in libidinem Bacchus is a Pander unto Venus the gut pampereth the groyne gula est vestibulum luxuriâ— You goe into the house of Luxury by and over the threshold of Gluttony but se non satiare cibis studium est sanitatis to eate sparingly is to study health qui multum vult comedere comedat parum as Ludovicus Cornarus both directed and practised a slender dyet brings one to a good stomacke a chearefull healthfull life a painelesse old age If thy appetite enlarge it selfe put thy knife to thy throate saith Solomon a Pro. 23.2 Pro. 23.2 that is Teach thy selfe temperance I deny not but we may eate of the fat and drinke of the sweete Neh. 8.10 and make great joy ver 12. and refresh our selves at feasts in a higher degree then at our ordinary food otherwise there is no difference post sacra peracta betweene ordinary and extraordinary refection PAR. 12. DIe Solis laetitiam curamus laetitiae indulgemus saith Tertullian in Apologetico Iacobus Gothofredus upon Tertullian ad Nationes 1.13 thus Die Dominica ab omnipressura id est a ritu qui moerorem aliquem inferret Christiani aberant abstinebant hinc jejunium geniculatio ea die interdicta and when the heathen objected against the Christians that they did curare otium prandium Tertullian denyeth it not but doth compare our Dominicall feasting to the saturnall feasts of the Gentiles in imitation of the Sabbaticall feasts of the Iewes PAR. 13. HOly Queene Esther kept a banquet of Wine b Esth 5.6 Cap. 5.6 The brethren of Ioseph were merry harmelesly merry with him at his Feast the vulgar makes the worst of it when it saith inebriatisunt cum eo c Gen. 43.34 Gen. 43.34 Though the letter will beare it and the Septuagint accord to it yet Vatablus learnedly expounds it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shacar Hinc videmus lautius fuisse Convivium in quo large hilariter praeter quotidianum morem excepti fuerint hoc ènim significat verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In mensis hospitalibus major erat indulgentia neque tamen hic notatur ulla intemperies sed honesta modestaque liberalitas Hence we discerne that Joseph kept a plentifull Feast in which they were above the ordinary fashion largely and chearefully entertained for so the word Shacar signifyeth both messes Wine and Mirth did exceed when hospitality spread the tables for her guests In this passage Moses toucheth not at any distemper but denoteth honest and modest liberality for these were holy Patriarkes Fathers of the twelve Tribes and never any of them was overtaken with that devill drunkennesse PAR. 14. CHrist himselfe was at divers Feasts and that on Sabbath dayes Christ went into the house of one of the chiefe Pharisees to eate bread on the Sabbath day a pure and chiefe Pharisee then entertained him to eate bread that is to dine and refresh himselfe for by bread any sort of food is to be understood d Luk. 14.1 Luk. 14.1 Yea it is likely that there was a very great feast for divers guests were bidden and they chose out the chiefest roomes ver 7. and Christ gave them good counsell ver 8. and feasted the Pharisee himselfe who invited him with wholesome Doctrine ver 12. and one that was at meat replyed holily ver 25. On the Sabbath toward the evening he was honorably entertained at Bethany by Simon the Leper Lazarus sitting downe at supper Martha serving Mary annoynting him saith Lucas Brugensis in his Itinerary and the Apostles accompanyed him Math. 26.6 Mar. 14.4 John 12.4 Sixe dayes before the Passeover Tolet also accounteth that Christ was feasted on the Sabbath day at night Christ also turned more water into Wine at a marriage then there was need of a Ioh. 2.7 Ioh. 2.7 PAR. 15. OH that Ahashuerus his law were in force that none should be forced b Esth 1.8 Esth 1.8 or rather that men would force themselves to be a law unto themselves then might Temperance rule in our Feasts and innocent mirth mixed with edifying discourses be heard at our Tables and charitable hospitality be better practized in our houses which was the good fashion of the Iewes and of the Primitive Christians Who desireth to read more of the frugality of the ancients let him have recourse to Franciseus de Mendoza in his Commentaries on 1 Sam. 9.2 Sect. 4. c. The Prayer GOod God grant that I may be really and truely thankefull to all and every one to whom received courtesy bindeth me to thee above all for all thy blessings vouchsaâ—ed unto me concerning either this life or the life to come It is thy selfe most gracious Father that crownest the yeare with plenty though the fields of Corne doe as it were laugh and sing thou haste pleased to give me enough not for need onely but for recreation and I beseech thee that I may make a right use of thy creatures by taking them soberly and religiously giving due thankes to thee their and our Creatour Through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen CHAP. III. The Contents of the third Chapter 1. Divers were the prescribed Customes of the Passeover 2. Seven famous Passeovers mentioned in the old Testament the first in Egypt the second in the Wildernesse 3. The differences betwixt the first
Religious thoughts must be produced into Acts. 6. In the sixt glorious passeover of Iosiah were most royall offerings both for the Pascha and also for the Chagigah which exceeded the offerings of Hezekiah 7. Salianus against Vatablus both reconciled 8. The Masters of the family killed the Passeover but the Priests slue the Festivall offerings Levites might not sacrifice without divine inspiration or great exigents any Levite might sacrifice the proper Passeover for his owne family or for the impure 9. In what sense Priests are said to profaine the Sabbath the Temple Sacrifices and Circumcision chase away the Sabbath 10. The seventh extraordinary great Passeover was foreprophecyed by Ezekiel but not accomplished till the returne from captivity in the dayes of Ezra and Nehemiah PAR. 1. THe fifth great Passeover was in the time of Hezekiah a 2 Chro 30.15 2 Chron. 30.15 For I passe by Hezekiah his precedent reformation of taking away the high places and breaking the Images and cutting downe the groves and breaking in peeces the brazen Serpent which Moses had made to which the Israelites burned incense b 2 King 18.4 2 King 18.4 I omit also the preparatives to this great passeover and begin at the 15. verse Where it is said The Priests and Levites were ashamed for their sins and the sins of the people and sanctifyed themselves And the people received the passeover though they were not sanctifyed and in the second moneth Wherefore the people themselves or the Masters of the families killed not their Lambes for the passeover as was their wonted guise or custome at other times But the Levites had the charge of killing the Passeover for every one that was not cleane ver 17. PAR. 2. FOure other things are most observable about this passeover First that they who were not cleansed and yet did eate the passeover otherwise then it was written were prayed for by the King and the forme of Hezekiahs prayer was The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth his heart to seeke God the Lord God of his Fathers though he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary ver 18. c. And that you may know the great power of the hearty prayers of a King even of Hezekiah as well as of David and Solomon in other cases The Lord harkened to Hezekiah and healed the people For the Kings heart was cleane when the Priests Levites and peoples were uncleane PAR. 3 THe second passage is this that whereas other passeovers lasted but seven dayes what was wanting in the former part of their more perfect sacrifice was supplyed in their voluntary assumed devotions the whole assembly tooke counsell to keepe other seven dayes and did keepe other seven dayes with gladnesse ver 23. Yea a great number of Priests belike before unsanctifyed sanctifyed themselves ver 24. By which redoubled acts both of priests and people we are taught if our prayers or our owne wandring thoughts or the sierce suggestions of Sathan not to give over but to reunite our forces to renew afresh our indeavours to double the times of our holy exercises and be thou assured good Christian though the devils temptarions doe trouble thee and vexe the these repeated and more perfect prayers of thine doe more afflict and torment him and all his infernall crew PAR. 4. YEt that is not all nor the chiefest joy but toward the end of this Festivall that the people may know also the efficacy of Sacerdot all benediction both the Priests and Levites arose and blessed the people and their voyce was heard and their prayers came up to his holy dwelling place even unto heaven ver 27. which was the third observable puncto in this great Passeover PAR. 5. THe fourth and last memorable passage was that after all this was finished All Israel that were present brake the Images in peeces cut downe the groves threw downe the high places a 2 Chro. 31.1 and Altars a 2 Chron. 31.1 Whence we may learne that good sincere hearts are more devour after their religious exercises that holy performances make deepe impressions and bring forth fruites of amendment and end in no end but reformation Reformation I say not popular which is never aright but regular generall wherein Inferiours are guided by Superiours and these by Gods Word PAR. 6. THe fixt most glorious passeover was in the eighteenth yeare of the devout Josiah as appeareth b 2 Kin. 23.21 2 Chro. 35.1 2 King 23.21 and 2 Chron. 35.1 c. Toward which were given for passeover offerings 37000. Lambes and Kids and for other offerings 3800. Oxen the first fort was of the flocke meerely for the Pascha and them the Master of each Family killed and they were rosted whole and eaten by the family as God commanded by the hand of Moses the second sort were of the heards 3800 Oxen some say Calves among them these were for the chagigah for the Feast offerings and other offerings some of these holy offerings they sod in pots cauldrons and pans and divided them speedily among the people of the other part they made whole burnt offerings of which the people had no portion at all but the fire consumed all observe further things were prepared the same day to keepe the Passeover and to offer burnt offerings on the Altar of the Lord c 2 Chr. 35.16 2 Chron. 35.16 And unto the Pascha was annexed the Chagigah after their eating the passeover with sowre herbes they made up the rest of their supper a Reare or a second supper as you may well call it with other comfortable and pleasant meates according to the Law this exceeded Hezekiahs passeover both for number of paschall and other offerings and for being kept in a more legall way for the time viz. in the first moneth and because all sorts of men were more sanctifyed at the beginning of Iosiah's passeover then at Hezekiahs PAR. 7. ERe I part with this passeover I cannot let slip that there is a great question betweene two learned men Vatablus and Salianus viz. Whether it belonged to the Priests onely or to the Levites also to offer sacrifice Vatablus saith Levitae immo laverunt Pascha mactabant victimas The Levites slew the passeover and killed the beasts for sacrifices Salianus a 2 Chr. 35 11 confuteth him saying Nusquam invenies hostias â Levitis jugulatas mictatio hostiae vel maxime ad Sacerdotes pertinet so it should be read you shall no where find that the Levites killed the Sacrifices the slaying of them most properly belonged to the Priests b 2 Chr. 29 22 2 Chro. 29.22 They that is the Priests as is truely expounded killed the Bullockes and Lambes received the blood sprinkled it on the Altar This duty is layd on the Priests the sonnes of Aaron c Levit. 1.5 Levit 1.5 c. Againe Num. 18 3. The Levites shall keepe thy charge◠and the charge of all the Tabernacle onely they shall not
come nigh the vessels of the Sanctuary and the Altar that neither they nor you also dye No lesse then death is menaced if the Levites come nigh the Altar which they must doe if they sacrificed aright Both may be well reconciled thus first I say that the ordinary continued duty was committed by God to the Priests onely and the Levites by their place were not to meddle in sacrifices yet if Levites were divinely inspired by God to doe so they might and did so did Samuel a Levite offer a whole burnt offering d 1 Sam. 7.9 and in exigents the priests were helped by the Levites e 2 Chro. 29.35 2 Chron. 29.35 The priests were so few that they could not flay all the burnt offerings wherefore their brethren the Levites did helpe them till the worke was ended now the flaying of beasts belonged to the priests the sonnes of Aaron f Levit. 1.6 Levit 1.6 As this upon extremity was practized by the Levites so were the other duties also and Salianus saith well in this point Nunc ex necessitate duntaxat propter multitudinem victimarum non ex officio id munus usurpabant Not the place or office of Levites but necessity priviledged them for this time and for this Worke. PAR. 8. LEt me adde when priests and Levites were too few when Sacrifices were superabundant as in the Iewish passeovers which were to bee killed on a set moneth on a set day of that moneth on a set houre towards the end of the day on the first part of that houre when all the Lambes could not be brought nigh the doore of the Tabernacle not onely every Levite chiefe of an house but every Master of a Family was allowed to be as a priest for that time his servants as under Levites his house as a Temple That this was one true reason of communication of that power to the Levites and the people appeareth by the contrary practice when the Sacrifices were few when they kept the passeover g Ezr. 9.19 Ezr. 6.19 The Priests and the Levites were purifyed together all of them were pure and killed the Passeover for all the children of the captivity and for their brethren the Priests and for themselves the Priests and Levites killed all the Lambes h see 2 Chron. 29.21 likewise The sonnes of Aaron offered a sin-offering for the Kingdome and the Sanctuary and for Iudah for the number of the sacrifices was but 21 and they killed the bullockes and received the blood and sprinkled it on the Altar but when the Sacrifices and Thanke-offerings encreased when the priests were too few the Levites helped as the Scripture said before yet if the people were unpure they might nor they did not use their priviledge their prerogative ceased and not the impure people themselves but the Clerus Dei must reconcile the people the Levites had the charge of killing the passeovers for every one that was not cleane to sanctify them unto the Lord i 2 Chro. 30 17 2 Chro. 30.17 Yet did the onely right in ordinary belong to the priests to which sacrificing of beasts by the priests Christ alluded k Math. 12.5 Math. 12.5 When he said on the Sabbath dayes the priests in the Temple prophane the Sabbath which is more forcible then if he had said they observe not the Sabbath because God commanded their Sabbaticall duty of sacrificing l Num. 28 9. Num. 28.9 c. Which not Levites but priests fulfilled m Levit. 1. Levit 1.6 PAR. 9. THey prophane the Sabbath not simply but by an improper locution because if eyther Priests or any others had killed flayed or cut a sunder any beasts any where else it had beene a sinne but the law priviledgeth the Temple from the Law of the Sabbath the wiser Jewes held in Templo non esse Sabbatum there is no Sabbath in the Temple and a rule they have that Circumcision chaseth away the Sabbath for it was exactly kept on the eight day though the eight day happened to be the Sabbath it sanctified all the laborious workes of mens hands done in it done to the worship of God and his service which is perfect freedome makes those handy-workes lose their name of servile workes Away then with those halfe-Jewes strict Sabbatarians who will not have bells rung on the Sabbath dayes nor water carryed in pitchers or payles to fill the font nor the raw ayre of the Church to bee sweetned with frankincense perfumes or wholesome odours nor the decent ornaments of the Priests to be put on they are ignorant that the Temple priviledgeth if not sanctifieth such workes and what is done in ordine ad Deum as tending towards the worship of God is no way forbidden when their imperiall censoriousnesse and scorne the daughters of pride are forbidden for never had the common people libertie to judge their Priests oh how humble was Hannah to erring Ely The heathen were very strict in keeping of their Holy-dayes yet saith e Macrob. Sturnal 1.16 Macrobius Vmbro denyed him to be polluted qui opus vel ad deos pertinens sacrorumve causâ fecisset vel aliquid ad urgentem vitae utilitatem respiciens actitasset Scaevola denique consultus quid Ferijs agiliceret respondit quod praetermissum noceret Wherefore if an Oxe fell into any dangerous place and the master of the family did helpe him out or if a man under propped a broken beame of an house to keepe it from ruine hee seemed not to breake the holy day saith Scaevola which words I have the rather related to shew not onely as f Clem. Alex. Strom. 5. Clemens Alexandrinus hath it Philosophia peripatetica ex lege Mosaicâ aliis dependet Prophetis but even the very Roman Priests borrowed much of Moses his Law and in likelihood even from the Gospell his particular instance that mercy is to be shewed to the Oxe in need g Luk. 14.5 Luk. 14.5 Which of you shall have an Oxe fallen into a pit and will not straight way pull him out on the Sabbath day which is all one with that which Scaevola delivereth after to the Romans PAR. 10. ANd now I come to the seventh extraordinary great Passeover when the Israelites came out of the Babylonish captivitie for the Passeover appointed in Ezekiel was onely in Vision where there is mention indeed of the first moneth and foureteenth day of unleavened bread Seven dayes and other offerings for the feast to be provided by the Prince h Exek 45.21 Ezek. 45.21 but what Ezechiel fore prophefied was not accomplished in his time but about 150. yeares after it was performed by Ezra which is the last famous Passeover specialized in the old Testament when they were freed from bondage and had dedicate the Temple i Ezra 6.19 Ezra 6.19 they kept the passeover for all the children of the captivitie and for their brethren the Priests and for themselves And so much for the seven
Munster as that Gospell is in Hebrew and by him set forth and dedicated to Henry the eight where Nizabon of the Iewes fiercely objecteth against us Christians Si Christus odivit Sabbata solennitates Neomenias quarè suscepit super se legem Iudaicam circumcisionem Sabbatum Vniversam legem Israel cunctis Diebus suis If Christ hated our Sabbaths solemne Feasts and New Moones why did he undergoe or fulfill all the Law of the Iewes Circumcision the Sabbath and the Universall Law of Israel all the dayes of his life Munster excellently retorteth it if Christ observed their whole law as is here confessed why doe they why did their forefathers accuse him of Sabbath breaking and condemne him as a transgressour of the Law their present confession is ground enough to conclude hee strictly solemnized this passeover and was unjustly both accused and condemned Whosoever preferreth not the searching out and finding of a truth before a little paines in reading may passe over the next argument and many other in this Booke PAR. 7. THe next yeare the next passeover that Christ was present at is poynted at in these words e Ioh. 5.1 Iohn 5.1 After this there was a feast of the Iewes and Iesus went up to Hierusalem If any object that here is no mention of the passeover I answer there is none expresly and further adde both that there were many other Feasts of the Iewes and that the diversity of expositors and expositions seeme to make the poynt more full of scruple than I conceive it to be f Melchior Caenus loc com 11 c. 5. ad 5. Melchior Canus approoveth Cajetan for holding that this Feast of the Iewes was a Winter Feast and so could not be the Feast of Easter Canus himselfe addeth Nihil interest sive dicas fuisse Festum dedicationis Templi secundi sub Zorobabele quod celebrabatur tertiâ die mensis Adar hoc est Februarii sive potius Festum sortium quod Iudaeis solenne erat 14 15. die ejusdem postremi mensis That is It mattereth not whether it was the Feast of the dedication of the second Temple under Zorobabel which was kept on the third day of February or the Feast of Lots which was observed by them on the 14. and 15. dayes of the same February so he may crosse the torrent and invent a new crochet he can be content to leave it in a certaine uncertainety It must be acknowledged that it is said a feast of the Iewes and that the Iewes had many feasts some Stata some Conceptiva saith Zepper but say I their Conceptiva were Stata also therefore thus they may be better divided Some were of primitive divine institution as besides other the three famous feasts of the passeover Pentecost and Tabernacles to which there was due a most strict obedience yearely Thrice in a yeare shall all your male children appeare before the Lord God a Exod. 34.23 Exo. 34.23 viz. Once at each of these feasts And there were some other posthumous feasts afterward casually and incidentally appointed as the Feasts of the dedication and of Lots c. made by men pro re natâ as occasion served yet no way against Gods Law divine PAR. 8. ANd howsoever some frothy-mouth'd ignorants raile against holy dayes and say none can make holy dayes save God onely who is holy I say when the Church of God maketh holy dayes it is never done against God or besides his will but they are lawfully made and are holy to God and God may be said mediately to make them holy Concerning the Feast of Lots thus When the Iewes were wonderfully delivered from the cursed plots of Haman and evill fell on him who evill thought they called those dayes Purim b Esth 9.26 Esth 9.26 By reason of the Magicall Lots which Haman used calling in the great Abaddon to helpe the Iewes destruction And the Iewes ordained and tooke upon them and upon their seed and upon all such as joyned themselves to them so as it should not faile that they would keepe those two dayes yearely ver 27. This was the decree of Esther confirming the ordinance of the Iewes ver 32. Will you say this was profane or unlawfull So concerning the feast of Dedication c 1 Mac. 4.59 1 Mac. 4.59 Iudas and his Brethren with the whole Congregation of Israel ordained that the dayes of the dedication of the Altar should be kept in their season from yeare to yeare by the space of eight dayes Was the dedication of the Altar profane were no dayes holy but Sabbaths what was his feast of eight dayes wherein one Sabbath at least was included Though they esteeme not of the Churches power in making holy dayes yet Christ in his time did observe those holy dayes and sanctifyed them with the presence of his owne words workes and person d Ioh. 10.22 Ioh. 10 22. It was at Ierusalem the Feast of dedication and it was Winter there Christ did miracles there did he plainely avouch himselfe to be God To that feast of the Maccabees doe our late translators apply the words of Saint Iohn and with them agree Maldonat and some others yet if it were at the dedication of the whole City of Ierusalem when the decayed Walls were repayred as Theodorus Mopsuestiensis opineth though the dedication of the City Wals is not so holy a thing or if it were the dedication of Salomons Temple which was in this place aymed at e Cyril in Graeca Catena Cyril rather imbraceth though it will be hardly proved that the day of Salomons dedication was kept holy and festivall after his Temple was destroyed and after the new building of another Temple and new dedication Lastly if it were the dedication of Zorobabel when the Israelites came from Babylon and Persia f 1 Esd 7.7 1 Esd 7.7 Where they offâ—red to the dedication of the Temple 100. Bullockes 200. Rammes 400. Lambes I say which soever of all these dedications it was it is all one to our purpose sithence Christ did honour the feast of the dedication with his owne presence and with wonderfull both words and deeds and that feast of dedication was at Hierusalem and it was Winter as I said before from g Ioh. 10.22 Ioh. 10.22 Encaenia facta sunt I cannot but taxe Zepper lib. 9 c. 9. Who maketh encaenia and Renovalia to be Synonoma's whereas Renovations must differ from dedications and all feasts were often renovated yea some annually some often in a yeare as the New-Moones or the Feasts of the Calends PAR. 9. THe same Zepper faults those meetings of people at the feasts of dedication of Temples and especially the dancing at those times as provocations to venery How temptations may arise from the Dutch dances I know not they may be like those ungracious ones h Exod. 32.6 Exod. 32.6 Or like the Herodian dances though I was never any dancer I know a harmelesse use may be made of dancing himselfe
seven a brawle Turba plerunque turbnlenta est sayth Gellius 13.11 from Varro that is a route most commonly turnes into a riot I would chuse alwayes if I might the number of the foure Evangelists at an ordinary repast I cannot abide to eate my morsells alone at a great solemne Feast the number of the twelve Apostles seemeth fit to me The Primitive Christians continued their course of meeting Per sodalitia by fraternities even at the time that Rome was arrived to its highest pitch of glory Pliny 10.97 wrote to Trajan that the Christians confessed they were wont to meete before day to adore worship and sing praises to Christ as God then to receive the Sacrament binding them as it were from all evill and to all manner of goodnesse when these things were ended they departed and met customarily againe to eate meate together promiscuously but innocently This was at their Love-feasts which then were taken after the blessed Eucharist The same truth is also confirmed by Tertullian in Apologet. cap. 2. Belike Trajan had heard of such meetings for sayth Plinius to him secundum mandata tua hetaerias esse vetui betaeriae hoc est ipsa sodalitita vetia erant sayth b Baron ad An. Christi 104. Num. 4. Baronius when Pliny had forbid them according to the mandate of the Emperour the Christians did forbeare such meetings To this effect Caius Plinius secundus But I fully beleeve that after Trajan his favorable Edict Conquirendi non sunt that Christians should not be enquired after and much more after that Persecution wholy failed and Peace was restored to the Churches of God the Christians met againe as they were wont and more boldly more publiquely celebrated both Divine and Humane Offices and renewed their sodalitates or fraternities The Prayer O Lord our good God a little doth content our naturall bodies yet superabundance of provision thou hast prepared for us yea thy mercy hath permitted us to recreate our selves sometimes even with Feasting and holy thankes be ascribed to thy name therefore yet we meekely beseech thee O gracious God that we never so eate or drinke to sustaine our weake nature but we may alwayes keepe our selves in appetite and strong desire to feed on the Divine food at thy heavenly Table with all the most blessed societie of our beatified Predecessors the Participants and Communicants with Iesus Christ our Lord in his Kingdome Amen CHâ—P IX The Contents of the ninth Chapter 1. Non-admittance of strangers to the Passeover divers sorts of servants and strangers servants of the seed of Israel their estates and priviledges servants of forraine Nations their hard condition hired servants and their differences from others the hired servant might not he forced to be circumcised 2. Maimonides falsely opineth that the seed of Abraham were onely to be circumcised 3. There were three sorts of strangers in Israel two sorts of Aliens Adam's sixe Preceps to all the world Noahs additionall inhibition the Law of Moses is a branch of the Law of Nature Bishop Andrewes commended and excellent passages of his Worke transcribed The Romane Lawes borrowed from the Iewes in Tertullian's judgement The twelve Tables and their supposed perfection their imperfection in precept The fragments onely remaine of them some semblance betweene the foure first Commandements of the first Table in Gods Law and betweene the Romane Lawes Rigalitius rejected Gothofredus preferred Comparisons beeweene the Gentiles keeping the Saturday and Christians the Sunday Saturday was the Sabboth of the Romanes kept with joy and feasting as our Lords day A large Treatise concerning the Lords day the Christians pray towards the East the Reasons thereof The holy Communion Table justly placed at the East end of the Chancell ignorant and irreligious Censurers taxed and objections answered the promiscuous use of the words Altar and the Lords Table The Commandements of the second Table of Moses followed by the Papyrian Law and twelve Romane Tables except the tenth Commandement onely a forraigner unfixed might not eate of the Passeover a sojourner or stranger whose males were circumcised might eate thereof and so might their sons onely Circumcised ones might eate the Passeover all others were forbidden women were held as circumcised in the circumcision of the Iewish males PARAGRAPH 1. ANother Paschatizing Ceremony of durabilitie which is the sixt was the non-admittance of strangers or the admittance of the Iewish Church onely the expresse Lawes concerning this point are some inhibitory some mandatory The negative precepts are first of all Exod. 12.43 This is the Ordinance of the Passeover there shall no stranger eate thereof Secondly ver 45. A forraigner shall not eate thereof an hired servant shall not eate thereof The preceps affirmative are these Exod 12.44 Every man servant that is bought for money when thou hast circumcised him then shall be eate thereof and ver 48. When a stranger shall sojourne with the and will keepe the Passeover to the Lord let all his males be circumcised and then let him come neare and keepe it and he shall be as one borne in the Land One Law shall be to him that is home-borne and unto the stranger that sojourneth among you ver 49. The same in effect is repeated to shew it is a lasting Rite of the passeover Num. 9.14 If we deepely consider the occurrent and emergent particularities comprised in the affirmative and negative precepts I dare say we cannot open nor understand the businsse as it ought to be understood unlesse we take notice both of the divers sorts of servants and divers sorts of strangers in the Iewish Law Servants were thus to be distinguished first such as were of the seede of Iacob secondly servants of other Nations The first kinde of servants were in a farre better estate than the latter and had divers priviledges above other servants a powerfull man might take some true or supposed offenders for bondmen otherwise the brethren of Joseph had needlesse and false suppositions in their heads for they feared lest they should be taken for bondmen Gen. 43.18 Any man might make himselfe a bondman We will be my Lords bondmen Gen. 44.9 If a Iew did sell himselfe to a stranger or sojourner he himselfe if he grew able or any of his kindred might redeeme him if not he was to be as a yearely-hired servant he shall not be ruled with rigour he and his children shall goe out in the yeare of Iubilee the reasons of these priviledges followeth Levit. 25.55 For unto me saith God the children of Israel are servants they are my servants as if he had said the Israelites indeed were Pharoahs bondmen Exod. 6.21 Thou wast a bondman Deut. 15.15 But I have redeemed you out of the house of bondmen from the hand of Pharoah Deut. 7.8 therefore they shall be no longer bondmen Gods service is perfect freedome and now saith God Exod. 4.22 Israel is my Sonne even my first borne let my Sonne goe that hee may serve me ver 23. If a
a branch of the Law of Nature and both Gentiles and Iewes had all the Law of Nature written in their hearts though some more plainely others more obscurely PAR. 4. THe Author of that excellent worke whosoever he was called a Patterne of Catechisticall Doctrine Pag. 122. c. sheweth first that the Iewes had the effect of every Commandement in them before the Law as 1. Gen. 35.2 Put away the strange gods 2. Gen. 31.34 Idolls Gen. 35.5 Earerings 3. Gen. 25.3 Sweare by the Lord God of Heaven 4. Gen. 2.3 And Exod. 16.23 Rest of the Sabbath 5. Gen. 27 41. Dayes of mourning for my Father 6. Gen. 4.9 Cain hideth his killing of Abel 7. Gen. 38.24 The whore Thamar to be burnt and 34.3 8. Gen. 44.7 God forbid we should steale 9. Gen. 38.20 Iudah kept promise not lying or deceiving by untruth's 10. Gen. 12.17 and 20.3 It was sin to looke on a woman with lust after her Vide si libet plura hâc de Re apud Nicolaum Hemmingium in libro de lege Naturae Secondly not onely the Iewes but the Gentiles also had the same law by Nature in their hearts though some of the Commandements more manifestly than other some Manifestly sixe namely the 3.5.6.7.8.9 Somewhat obscurely foure as 1.2.4.10 For the most manifest Commandements the third was a Law of the Aegyptians as Diodorus Siculus faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sweare not nisi morieris lest thou dye let me adde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He who sweareth and nameth Eccles 23.11 for Reverence to the Name of God this word God is not in the Greeke but wholly forborne nor in Hentenius and Santandreanus though the Bishops Bible and our late Translation have expressed it according to the sense without difference of Character and though the precedent verse doth necessarily cause it to be understood of God Drusius on the place thus the Iewes doe so scrupulously if not superstitiously observe the precept that they doe not write in their letters the name of Elohim which name yet is communicated to the Creatures but the proper Name of God they called Iehovah which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the word of foure Letters they are so farre from naming that they know not this day how it is to be read or pronounced Furthermore it is very likely that the Heathen imitated the Iewes for the Religious among them did forbeare to speclalize 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but contented themselves with the reserved sense and understanding saying onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so Suidas The fifth Homer saith of one that had a misfortune it was Quia parentes non honoravit because he honoured not his Parents the fixt is a Rule even in Nature Homicîda quod fecit expectet let the murtherer expect murther the seventh Stephanas out of Nicostratus Fuge nomen moechi si mortem fugies avoyd Adultery as thou wouldst death the eighth Demosthenes against Timocrates repeateth it as Solons Law in the very words Thou shalt not steale The ninth in the twelve tables Tarpeio saxo dejieatur cast him downe from a high rocke who giveth false testimony For those they had somewhat obscurely For the first Pythagoras sayd if a man come and say I am God let him create another world and we will beleeve him For the second they agreed that every god should be worshipped as he himselfe thought good and this is the very foundation of the second Commandement For the fourth little can be found but sufficient for their condemnation they know that numerus septenarius est Deo gratissimus the number of seaven is most pleasing unto God and it was numerus quietis a number of rest and thence they might have gathered that God would have his rest that day and so saith the Doctor the seventh day after birth they kept exequiae and the seventh day after death the funerall which words were mistaken or mis-printed the tenth their Lawes neuer touched yet the scope of them was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non concupiscere Thou shalt not covet and Menander saith they should not covet so much as a button so he most deepely and divinely PAR. 5. ANd yet because the Author bringeth but one instance and specially out of the Roman Lawes I hope mine ensuing discourse will not bee ill accepted by the intelligent Criticke but he will taste of my gleanings and thanke God and pray for me Tacitus Annal. 3. saith the twelve Tables were compounded and made ac citis quae usquam egregia fuerunt from Greece and other parts Indeede there were at first but ten tables of the Roman answerable to the number of Gods Lawes being onely ten afterwards the Decem-viri added two tables more quae leges Romanorum proprias continebant which conteined the proper Lawes of the Romanes the ten Tables being taken from other Cities and Law-makers and as by the sequell will appeare principally from the lawes of God that the Sibyllae were well acquainted with the Iewish affaires is most apparent that the Romanes esteemed the Sibylline bookes as the Oracles of God the Romanes themselves doe confesse and the keeping of them Tarquinnius Superbus committed Duo-viris sive Duumviris Sacrorum who were the most eminent Patricians but because Marcus Tullius gave Petronius Sabinus leave to transcribe that booke which conteined Secreta civilium sacrorum the Mysteries of the civill Lawes Tarquinius caused Marcus Tullius to be so wed up in a sacke and cast into the Sea To conclude by what streames soever the Romanes had their Lawes conveighed or derived unto them most certaine it is the fountaines and heads of their Lawes they had from the Law of God Phocylides writeth so many divine passages that you may imagine he was acquainted with Moses or his Law and so did diverse of the Greeke Poets in whom the Romanes were well versed PAR. 6. TErtullian Apologet. cap. 45. Scitis ipsas leges quoque vestras quae videntur ad innocentiam pergere de divinâlege ut antiquiore formam mutuatas which words of Tertullian since neither Rhenanus Pamelius Cerda Iunius Albaspinaeus Regaltius nor any other ever explaned in particular suffer me to exercise my Tyrociny that way in amplifying this unperformed this unattempted passage Cicero lib. 1. de Oratore bringeth in Crassus strongly thus avouching fremant omnes licèt dicant quodsentio Bibleothecas meherculè omnium Philosophorum unus mihi videtur 12. Tabularum libellus si quis legum fontes capita viderit authoritatis pondere utilitatis ubertate superare Take exception who will I will speake what I thinke assuredly that one little booke of the 12. Tables if a man have recourse to the head-springs of the Lawes is to be preferred before the Libraries of all the Philosophers both by the strength of its authority and abundance of benefit Well Rhetorized Tully you knew some would chafe at your Hyberbolicall straine and laboured to prevent it by fathering it on Crassus Tully knew what belonged
to an Oratour Rhetori concessum est sententiis utifalsis audacibus subdolis captiosis simodò verisimiles sint possint ad movendos animos hominum qualicunque astuirrepere saith Aulus Gellius 1.6 A Rhetorician may lawfully use any false presumptuous subtile captious passages so long as they carry with them some colour of truth and can cunningly wimble themselves into mens minds by way of perswasion now not onely pictoribus atque Poëtis but even to Rhetoricians quidlibet audendi sempêr datur aequa potestas Paynters in paynting Poets in Poetry Have alwayes had an equall liberty It must needes be acknowledged that the Romanes had a very high esteeme of them and even till Cicero his time the Roman youth did learne them by heart discebamus pueri duodecim Tabulas ut carmen necessarium not as our children doe idlesongs yet presently after Cicero 2. de legibus confesseth Nemo eas jam discit so that that custome ceased in Cicero his age other learned men doe differ from Tully and Crassus Yet Alexander ab Alexandro Gen. dier 6.10 saith some of them are made parùmconsultè nimis severè quaedam duriter inhumanè multa velut immitia agrestia refellenda sunt multa incuriosè subrusticè partim insolenter nonprobabili nec recto judicio eâdemlege decreta videntur constituta that is some of them are made inconsiderately and too too severely some are to harsh and inhumane many things are to be repealed as savouring of too much cruelty and barbarity many things in the same law seeme to be decreed and established carelesly and rudely and partly in an unusuall straine without probability without a rectifyed judgement This was a ridiculous Law of the 12. Tables si injuriam alterifaxit viginti quinque aeris poenae sunto that is if one man doe offer an injury to anorher let him be ammerced 25. peeces of money an impudent fellow on L. Nerutius delighted to strike men in the faces and presently his man had in readinesse 25. peeces of brasse to satisfie them which was in all about a groate and Phavorinus in Gellius Noct. Attic. 20.1 findes fault with divers other I must confesse that I am sorry that all the world cannot produce the whole and entire twelve Tables that we might the better judge of them or the coppies of them though some say the writings of Hermodôrus the Ephesian the first interpreter of the Decemvirall Lawes are extant yet these threescore and ten yeares since Alexander ab Alexandro related this we cannot finde them not in these searching and most learned dayes The points which concerned publique Religion are almost wholly lost it may be the latter Romans dealt with the Lawes of their devout Numa and with part of the Ius Papirianum as the former Romanes did with those bookes of Numa which they found buried by himselfe and being taken up divers hundred yeares after his death when they were informed that they were discordant from the then professed Religion they burned them If they had beene kept transcribed and published I confesse I had rather have seene them then all the Triumphall monuments that ever were brought into the Capitoll It may be they perished when Rome was sacked wherefore you may not expect a Totall conformity to the first Table of Moses his Law yet observe somë remnants tending that way Cicero de devinat lib. 1. Romulus made a Law that noe man should be ushered into the throne either of Kings or Magistrates but by Heavenly approbation Cicero 2. de leg hath divers Lawes touching Religion it is likely from Numa separatim nemo habessit Deos neve novos sive advenas nisi publicè ad-scitos privatim colunto let not any man deify new gods or strange gods nor privately worship any but those publiquely received How little doe these differ from the first Commandement Exod. 20.3 Non habebis Ders alienos coram me Thou shalt have none other gods but me and these words of the second Commandement Exod. 20.5 Non adorabis neque coles ea Thou shalt not bow downe to them nor worship them nor had they Images in Numa his time if my memory fayle me not Carmeli Deus colebatur cui nec Templum erat nec simulachum sed aratantum et divinus cultus that is the God of mount Carmel had neither Temple nor Image but onely an Altar erected unto him and was Worshipped with divine worship as Alexander ab Alex. 4.17 That on the by And whereas the letter of the Law ran Sacra privata perpetuò manento Cicero ibid interprets that the Fathers should teach their Children and derive unto them their received Religion Franciscus Baldwinus Iurisconsultus In lib. de legibus Romuli citeth this as the fixth deorum fabulas necredunto let them not beleeve the Poets fables concerning the Gods and as the seventh Dees peregrines praeter Faunum ne colunto let them worship no strange gods but Faunus Romulus did thinke the Fables which the Ancients reported of the gods conteining their sinnes and shame to be filthy unprofitable mis-beseeming good men much more the gods suffering nothing to be ascribed unto them but what was agreable to their happy Nature 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si dii vitiosa faciunt non sunt dii Answerably Euripides in Bellerophonte how greeable is this to our third Commandement Non assumes nomen domini tui in vanum Exod. 20.7 Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vaine did not they take their gods Names in vaine who told of their adulteries incests rapes murthers and the like odious and shamefull things which Romulus forbad Which rectified Nature abhorrerh the very mention of and corrupted Nature delighteth in as a provocative of sin and a defence of it what is to take their gods name in vaine if this be not PAR. 8. A Gaine concerning the Sabbath dayes Service they had a resemblance of it the great Rigaltius hath these words from Tertullians first booke ad Nationes cap. 13. Vos certè estis qui etiam in laterculum septem dierum solem recepistis ex diebus ipsum praelegistis quo die lavacrum subtrabatis aut in vesperam differatis aut otium prandium curetis quod quidem facitis exorbitantes ipsi â vestris ad alienas religiones that is you certainely are they who have received Sunday into your register and fore-chose that day especially on which day you bath not or bath late you give your selves to ease and eating which you doe wheeling off from your owne to other mens Religions But sure Rigaltius is amisse for the learned Jacobus Gothofredus from whom Rigaltius had Agobardus his manuscript of Tertullion in stead of ipsum hath it ipsorum and the true sense is this you assuredly are they who have received Sunday into your Calender or Registry for one of the Seaven dayes of the weeke and out of those dayes have chosen one on which day ye bath not you
their Sabbath by the Vespers observe further though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be truely and literally interpreted and is by some in unâ—m Sabbatorum which accordeth with Gen. 1.5 Where it is sayd fuit Vespera fuit Mane Dies unus as it is in the interlineary yet I thinke it may be better interpreted the first day for indeed it was the first day of the world and the evening and the morning made the first day saith our last and best Translation unum and primum often concurre in one and adhere together Vatablus agreeth ex Vesperâ Mane completus fuit Primus Dies or as others have it fuit Vespera fuit Mane diei primae for instead of the word first the Hebrew usurpe the word one Cardinalem numerum pro ordinali the principall for the initiall the chiefe for the first in number or order as if he had sayd the first day was passed so farre Vatablus If therefore you reade it according to the letter in the end of the Sabbath's as it began to dawne in the first of the Sabbaths then you have the end of the Jewish Sabbath and the beginning of the Christian Sabbath the last of the old Sabbath's and the first of the New Sabbath's the Christian Sabbath beginning in the Morning the Jewish at the Evening observe in the third place that as every other Jewish Sabbath had one Vesper and but one so this last Sabbath that ever ought to be among them had two Vespers the first of them ordinary and usuall to make up a naturall day their Sabbath day beginning with one Vesper the other subsequent Vesper was ordeined to bury their last Sabbath that ever the Jewes should have their Sabbath was begun with darkenesse and ended with darkenesse our Christian Sabbath began with the dawning of the day and with light and cannot have two Vespers their latter Vespers being but halfe of a Naturall day without light and ending in darkenesse as their Law it selfe was obscure and transitory fuller of pleights and vayles than the Gospell the Scripture being cleared that not the Mosaicall Sabbath with its strictnesse and rigour is now in force but the Lords Day in remembrance of Christs Resurrection what then was the Church to doe but to abolish Judaisme punish Traskisme and animate the godly in good courses PAR. 8. AFter this long divagation or extravagancie that I may returne with some effect I must crosse two by-pathes and therefore I pray you suffer two digressions more one from the words of Tertullian which shall not be impertinent for these times another in defence of Authority for placing our holy Tables at the East Tertullian is so plaine ad Nationes 1.13 quod innotuerit ad Orientis partem facere nos precationem or as he after varied it quod innotuerit nos ad Orientis regionem precari Apologet. cap. 16. that is It is commonly or certainely knowne that we pray towards the East that Gothofredus justly referreth Some neede not doubt any longer of that point Junius was much awry to thinke Tertullian spake Ironically and Gretzer did well to reprehend him for it for not Tertullian alone but many other holy learned Fathers give in their verdict with Tertullian that the Primitive Church to which we ought to conforme even reformation it selfe used to pray towards the East or bending that way First therefore let us prove that they did so Secondly let us shew the reasons why they did so Origen sideth with Tertullian in giving no reason why they did so yet saith they did so and we must needes doe so in lib. Num. Hom. 5. In Ecclesiasticis observationibus sunt nonnulla hujusmodi quae omnibus quidem facere necesse est nec tamen Ratio eorum omnibus patet nam quòd genua flectimus orantes quòd ex omnibus caeli plagis ad solam Orientis partem conversi orationem fundimus non facile cuiquam puto ratione compertum that is there are many things in the Ecclesiasticall constitutions which all indeede must needes doe and yet the reason of them is not manifest unto all for why wee doe bend our knees in time of prayers and why of all the coasts of heaven wee turne our faces duely towards the Easterne part while we doe pray I suppose no man can readily render a reason what Origen ascribeth to Ecclesiasticall observations wee finde written in the Apostolicall Constitutions 2.61 Nor doe I agree with Origen saying ibid. that they who know the reasons must also know sibi velanda haec operienda that these things are covered unto them as it were with a vaile other Fathers have revealed the reasons and we may and God willing will pluck away the Curraine Epiphanius adversus Ossen haere sin inter Elxai errores posuit quòd ad Orientem orare suos sectatores prohibuit that is it was Elxai his errour to forbid his followers to pray towards the East Prochorus cap. 5. in the life of S. Iohn the Evangelist saith that the holy Apostle at his praying sighing or sobbing turned towards the East the like he saith of Linus and of S. Paul I close up this first point briefely because all the proofes for the second point viz. why they prayed towards the East doe infallibly demonstrate the precedent namely that that they did pray towards the East every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proves the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a cause cannot be given why a matter is so if the matter be not so S. Basil de S. sancto cap. 27. referreth to make us thinke of the Creation we all looke to the East when we pray but few of us know that in so doing we wish and desire our old Country namely Paradise which God did frame in Eden to the East if S. Basil had thought that Christians inhabite in the East beyond Eden by his reason they should turne their faces West-ward if his words may be restrained onely to us of the Westeme Church the words may passe for currant Damascene de side Orthodoxâ 4.12 useth Basils reason amongst others the like I answere to the full Cerda who alledgeth this reason when Christ was on the Crosse his face was towards the West therefore the Churches converting themselves as it were to Christ hanging on the Crosse did looke Eastward but the Easterne Christians which lived beyond Ierusalem could not looke toward the East as it were to see Christs face unlesse their imagination either framed a Crosse and a Christ on the East of them or else supposed themselves to be on the West of Ierusalem Caelius Rodiginus antiquar Lection 12.9 saith the Jewes worshipped towards the West and therefore the Christians did toward the East Pamelius doubteth of the Jewish posture Indocus Clichtovaeus on Damascene de fide Orthodoxâ 4.13 who might leade the way to Caelius Rodiginus thus the Jewes by Gods appointment worshipped God to the West and he prooveth it fully by Ezekiel 8.16 Where it
is counted the greatest of many abominations in that Chapter their backes were toward the Temple of the Lord and their faces towards the East and they worshipped the Sunne towards the East and Clitchtovaeus holds it probable that the Jewes were commanded to worship toward the West to recall them from the Idolatry of the Gentiles who in their adoration bended towards the East But Idolatry being rooted out by Christianity and there being no occasion to feare the imitation of Ethnickes as the Jewish Circumcision was turned into the more convenient Baptisme the Paschall Lambe into the thrice blessed Sacrament the Sabbath into the Lords day so the praying toward the West by the Jewes was more aptly changed to the praying Eastward by the Christians Clemens Alex indrinus Stromat 7. ante medium pag. 520. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diei Natalis Imago est Oriens that is the East is as it were the birth day of the day and from thence the light springeth therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad ortum matutinum habentur preces we pray towards the East Iustin Martyr quaest ad Orthodox with us the most excellent things are destinated to the honour of God it were better for all if it were so in our times but in the opinion of men the East is better than the other parts and therefore in the time of prayer doe we all turne toward the East this reason was taken from the Apostles saith Iustin Martyr not because they thought the Climate of the sunne to be the Habitacle of God but for the reasons now specialize Hyginus de limitibus the Ancients builded their Temples toward the West afterward they changed all Religion to that place from which place of heaven the earth is enlightned surely Hyginus borrowed the first part of his words from Clemen Alexandrinus in the place above cited 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The most ancient Churches looked towards the West S. Hierame ad cap. 6. Amos in flne from the 67. Psalme thus reads it Psallire Domino qua ascendit super Caelum caeli ad orientem unde saith he in mysteriis primùm renunciamus ei qui in occidente est nobisque moritur cum peccatis sic versi ad orientem pactum inimus cum sole Iustitiae ei servituros nos esse promittimus that is Sing unto the Lord who ascended above the Heaven of Heavens at or in the East whence in our Sacraments we first renounce Sathan in the West and then turning to the East wee covenâ—nt with Christ and promise to serve him but this is not done without prayers Ambrose likewise Ad Orientem converteris qui enim renunciat Diabolo ad Christum convertitur illum directo cernit obtutu the initiate is turned toward the East for he who renounceth the Devill turneth to Christ and seeth Christ directly Dionyfins Areopagtia de Hierarch Eccles cap. 2. Turning to the West thou shalt abjure Sathan then turning to the East thou shalt prayse God These three last Authorities evince that the turning to the East was not casuall or indifferent or done without speciall Reason but that it proceeded from a Religious observation of those holy times even in the height of Divine Mysteries I will close up the point with the learned Father Damascene de fide Orthod 4.13 Non simpliciter fortuitò ad Orientem adoramus that is we doe not simply ignorantly or casually adore God toward the East but upon good Motives did they so First because God is an intelligible Light and our Saviour is the Son of righteousnesse Mal. 4.2 and Christ is called Oriens The day-spring from on high hath visited us Luk. 1.78 Therefore the East is to be dedicated unto him in our Adoration 2. Secondly he who bestoweth every good gift largely willingly lovingly on us is to receive from us omne praestantius every thing that was most excellent such was the Adoration towards the East supposed to be see the most learned Commentary of Iudocus Clitchtovaeus on this passage 3. Thirdly God placed Eden in the East and cast out man to the West therefore desiring our old habitation and sighing for it towards it we worship 4. Moses his Tabernacle had the vayle and propitiatory on the East and the Tribe of Iudah as the most honourable Tribe encamped on the East and in the most famous Temple of Salomon the Porch was towards the East 5. Christ being Crucified looked towards the West and we in fervent desire sighing after him worship towards him Christ in his assumption ascended toward the East and so his Apostles worshipped him and so shall he descend to the last judgement at his second comming for Act. 1.11 This same Iesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as you have seene him going into Heaven say the blessed Angels and this they learned from Christ himselfe Mat. 24.27 As the lightning commeth out of the East and shineth even unto the West so shall also the comming of the sonne of man be If it be objected speciously that it is to be understood de modo non de situ positione corporis First I answere I onely cited Damascen's argument Secondly in mode situs positio Corporis potest intelligi Thirdly the unusuall doubled phrases shall so come and in like manner point out variety of matter in the manner for I thinke not fit to exclude the manner nor his ascent to the East 4. Situs corporis may be understood two wayes either pro positione corporis quiescentis this the Text doth not meane or propositionis corporis moti vel moventis sese and of this posture is the Text to be interpreted for Christ in his body shall come from the East toward the West 6. Damascen acknowledgeth there is no expresse command in Scripture to pray or worship toward the East by saying it is an Apostolicall tradition and an unwritten Apostolicall Tradition if it be so certainely binds us as well as if it were written see most of these pointsamplified by the learned Clitchtovaeus upon Damascene Concerning the two last arguments of Damascene which Clitchtovaeus wholly omitteth I will onely say this omitting many things that our dead are buried with their feere toward the East that at the Resurrection their faces may be that way prepared as it were to behold the glorious second comming of our Saviour so much expected so much desired Thus much be spoken in defence of Christians praying toward the East which may be done at many fit times and fitly though we officiate the Liturgie at the North-side of the Communion Table From whence likewise the Canonicall appointment of the Commandements to be set on the East-end of every Church and Chappell and the placing of our Communion Table our woodden Altars our Sacred boords toward the East exactly as the Propitiatory was in the old Law is justly defended and found answerable to the Primitive usance Henceforth let that blaspheunous
had we have had hundreds and the Gospell of Christ hath lasted longer than both their Temples with all their Jewish Policie yea for Numbers of each side we have and yet doe exceede them by millions PAR. 13. ONce more I returne from my By-pathes and Diversions The Passeover continued all the dayes of the prosperity during the second Temple nor did the Annuall sacrifice cease at Hierusalem whilst the Temple was purified yet must you not thinke that the proper Passeover was tyed and fastned to the Temple but rather the Sacrifices of the feast belonging to the Passeover It is a confessed and yet proved truth that the Passeover was not bound to be slaine and eaten in the Temple but might be must be performed in their private houses at Hierusalem but the rest of all the Sacrifices which were to be offered during the feast of unleavened bread which endured seven dayes all those were commanded as well as other Sacrifices to be killed in the Temple at Hierusalem Deut. 12.13 Take heede to thy selfe that thou offer not thine offerings in every place that thou seest but in the place which thy Lord shall chuse in one of thy Tribes There thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings and there shalt thou doe all that I command thee ver 14. I will not deny but sometimes upon some extraordinary occasions the Passeover might be slaine in the Temple but that was not often or necessary-legall nor might ever or was it ever eaten there but in any other part of the City PAR. 14. MArke the judgements of God in these two points though many are most observable First he who undertooke and performed to keepe their Cities during their absence at Hierusalem whilest they truely served him the same Almighty God caused the Romans to fall upon their Cities and to besiege Hierusalem whilest they were there when once their sinnes were come to maturity Iosephus de Bello Iudaico 6.4 is either wronged by transcribers or wrong in his account which is not likely when he saith that the day of unleavened bread fell on the 14. of Aprill The City was full of people observant of the Passeover and Titus besieged them and they valiantly beate him off One of the 3. Factions viz. the Zelotes were slaine upon the day of unleavened bread every one of them by Iochanan the head of other mutiners who closely sent armed men into the Temple and filled it with blood They broke the Covenant and therefore the bond betweene God and them was now of none effect Nor was the siege ended till toward the end of September the Temple being fired and the people in it on the tenth day of August even the same day that it had beene burnt once before by the King of Babylon as Baronius collecteth from Iosephus the City was burned after and mount Sion forced on the Sabbath day being the 8. of September A stone was not left upon a stone in Hierusalem The second point which I observe is this that whereas the Jewes cryed fiercely when they would have Christ crucified His blood bee on us and on our Children Mat. 27.25 Titus as the Jewes were taken even five hundred a day and more caused them all to be crucified Ita ut jam spatium Crucibus deesset corporibus Cruces so that there was not roome for crosses nor crosses enough for their bodies as Iosephus an eye-witnesse relateth it de Bello Iudaico 6.12 Lastly I have either credibly heard or read that whereas Christ was sold for 30. pieces of silver the Captive Jewes were sold 30. of them for one piece of silver and more particularly for Iudas Rupertus observeth that for the 30 pieces of silver which Iudas tooke to betray Christ he had just as many Curses Prophetically denounced against him Psal 109.6 c. though I will not avouch that Rupertus hitteth the exact number or that every curse in that Psalme is appropriated to Judas onely excluding all other of Davids enemies Yet I dare say most of them fully reflect upon Iudas So much concerning this sixth Ceremony this durable Rite that the Passeover was to be kept in Hierusalem onely after the Temple was once erected The Prayer MOst infinite and incomprehensible God sometimes above all the rest of the world in Iury wert thou knowne thy Name was great in Israel in Salem was thy Tahernacle and thy dwelling place in Syon Salvation was of the Jewes unto the Jewes were committed the Oracles of God and the Sacraments of the old Law but blessed be the glory of thy mercy to us the partition wall is now broken downe and thou O blessed Saviour didest dye out of the gates of Hierusalem with thy face to us-ward and the houre now is when the true worshipper shall worship the father in Spirit and in Truth and that not in Hierusalem alone or in any other especiall mountaine or valley but every where art thou called upon and every where art praysed The heathen adore thee O God and the Islands rebound thankes unto thee for enlarging thy Kingdome for spreading thy armes of mercy to embrace them and for bringing them unto thy fold O blessed Saviour the onely shepheard of our Soules O Jesus Christ the Righteous who didst give thy life for thy sheepe and who by tasting death for all men doest bring us to life againe All prayse honour and glory be ascribed unto thee the most holy indivisible Trinity through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen CHP. XII The Contents of the twelfth Chapter 1. The Paschall Lambe was to be eaten in one house and slaine not in the Temple but in the house commonly More Lambes might be eaten in one great house It might not be eaten without doores No Salvation without the Church Schisme is forbidden 2. Not onely the Priests but the people of Israel might kill the Paschall-Lambe the people might not slay any other Sacrifice Nor the Levites ordinarily but the Priest onely Every one in the Congregation of Israel did not slay the Passeover but the Chiefe in one houshold Maymonides rejected Bellarmine truely avoucheth this duty of offering the Paschall-Lambe to belong to the priviledges of the first-borne before Aaron or his sonnes were chosen to be Priests 3. The Levites might offer the Sacrifice of the Passeover for the Priests if the Priests were not sanctified and the Priests might slay the Paschall-Lambe for the people if the people were not sanctified 4. Whether the head of the family himselfe must of Necessity slay the Passe-over or whether he might depute another in his place Barradius rejected for saying Christ himselfe slew the Passeover 5. A strange story out of Suidas 6. The Apostles prepared the Passeover before Christ came 7. The Passeover was not slaine at the Altar neere the Temple 8. The roasting of it whole is another fixed Ceremony 9. They were to eate it roasted with fire 10. They were not to eate it raw 11. Not sodden at all with water 12. The head was to
patriis legibus minimè repugnabant vel adulationis vitio vel ambitiosa aemulatione libenter suscepit that is the Hebrewes either to flatter the Romanes or ambitiously to imitate them followed their fashions where they were not against the Iewish Lawes I answere this is most likely to be true in some things yet cannot be verified in such things as the Iewes had in Practise before they knew the Romanes Besides Pompeius his victory over Hierusalem was but in the same yeere that Augustus Caesar was borne as their owne Salianus chronologizeth and therefore there was time little enough to introduce new and generall customes PAR. 3. IVdai◠solenne fuit Gentium quibuscum versarentur vel quarum dominatu regerentur moribus superstitionibus infici that is the Iewes were wont to be infected with the manners and superstitions of oher Nations with whom they conversed or by whom they vvere ruled saith Pererius not more than most other Nations were say I yea the Iewes in the Captivitie of Babylon were taught by God Ier. 10.11 in the Chaldaean language to confute the Chaldaeans themselves and if some were infected yet many remained most holy pure and undefiled as Daniel c. The Jewes who lived at Rome in the dayes of the Emperours so farre prevayled with the heathen Rulers that they forbad them to be troubled or called into question of Law on the Jewish Sabbaths So eager were they not to degenerate in that matter Pererius addeth Christi tempore Rex Herodes in the dayes of our Saviour Christ King Herod who first of the Aliens reigned over the Jewes was wholly addicted to obey and gratifie the Romans who made him King and introduced many many things into custome according to the Romane guize and so did his Successours I answere violent and suddaine alterations are either never or rashly attempted by New-made Princes especially intruders Mitissima sors est Regnorum sub Rege novo that is Most gentle is the peoples state Vnder a King that 's crown'd but late Especially if there be a cracke or flaw in the new-crowne 2. Insensible and slow changes are guarded with safety 3. Herod could not in favour of the Romans induct any customes which the Iewes before observed though his heart was never so much set to gratifie the Romans yea but there were in Iudaea saith Pererius a great number of garison Souldiers and after Archelaus his removall Indaea was governed by Romane procurators I answere the Romane Praesidiary Souldiers of all were most unfit to bring in new customes of civill behaviour into other Countries one Legion was called Rapax from its unjust preying on all that came to hand they were fleshed in blood and cruelty and many times did out-rage the Countries and mounted up even to those Crimina vesani◠franticke sinnes as Tertullian aptly termeth Rebellion and murther Lastly the procurators which followed Archelâus were as I may so say but Hesterni of yesterday and these customes were introduced before Archelâus was removed PAR. 4. HAec itaque cùm vera sint sunt certe vero admodum similia plane consequens est quae Romaniservabant in Coenis conviviis eadem servare Iudaeos id temporis fuisse solitos that is since therefore these things are true as indeede they are very like to be true it plainely followeth that the Jewes at that time were wont to keepe the usance of the Roman supping and feasting here Pererius Humani nonnihil passus est speakes like a man these two propositions doe enterfere Hac vera sunt eadem sunt vero admodum similia these things are true and the same things are likely to be true if they were true undoubtedly true what neede he care for the likelihood to truth Nullum simile est idem nothing that is like another thing is the very same thing if it be onely like to truth it is no absolute truth againe if the things were onely probable or likely he could not safely say as followeth planè consequens est c. probabiliter consequens est it is a plaine consequent c It is a probable consequent had beene enough planè consequens est must of necessity proceede from unquestioned and unquestionable verities the certaine sequell is at oddes with an uncertaine ground Lastly I will willingly confesse the Jewish and the Roman customes were Cousin germanes and almost the same in the festivalls and suppers But against Pererius I am now to prove that the Romanes borrowed those customes from the Easterne Nations among which the Jewes were numbred and the Jewes were not imitators or Apes of the Romanes PAR. 5. HOw large a field I have to expatiate in if I should take a full liberty to shew that Conquerours have condescended to the fashions of the conquered who seeth not I will be briefe Justinus Hist lib. 12. penè in Initio Alexander habitum Regum Persarum diadema insolitum anteà in regibus Macedonicis velut in leges eorum quos vicerat transiret assumit quae ne invidiosiùs in se uno conspicerentur amicos quoque suos longam vestem auream purpureá mque sumere jubet ut luxum quoque sicuti cultum imitarensur that is Iustine almost at the beginning of the 12. book of his history thus Alexander that he might as it were subject himselfe to the Lawes of the Persian Sophies whom he had Conquered tooke on him their garbe and Crowne an unusuall thing among the former Kings of Macedon and lest he might chance to be envyed by his Nobilitie and Courtiers for so doing he commanded them also to weare long robes of gold and purple that so they might imitate and follow the Persians as well in their luxury as in their bravery Q. Curtius 6. pag. 153. Alexander â victoris insignibus in devicti transivit habitum ille se quidem spolia Persarum gestare dicebat sed cum illis quoque mores eorum induit that is Alexander leaving his accustomed ornaments went habited like the conquered and indeede he sayd he wore the spoiles of the Persians but with them he also assumed and put on their manners and all the Campe beleeved and reported that more was lost by the victory than gotten by the warre Pag. 154. and Alexander was alwayes bello quà m post victoriam clarior more famous in War than after his victories saith Curtius 8. pag. 253. againe Alexander mores Persarum assumpsit quos propter mores tales vicerat sed ne solus vitiis eorum quos armit subegerat succubuisse videretur militibus suis permisit uxores ducere that is Alexander imitated the manners of the Persians whom by reason of such manners hee had overcome and because he would not be thought to be the onely man who would yeild to their vices whom he had overcome by Armes he gave his Souldiers leave to marry any of the Captive women whom they lust Thus Asia corrupted Greece Greece also being conquered corrupted Rome even old Crones did
and antiquated by the Councell of Tarracon in Spaine So much for the Western Church But the Easterne Church forbade Night-offerings in the Laodicaean Councell Canon 5. and in the sixt Generall Councell cap. 79. So Pamelius on Cyprian Euthychianus the Pope you shall find it in Ivo parte 2. cap. 45. was so strict for the receiving of the Sacrament Fasting that he Decreed whosoever took the Sacrament after meat yea though it were but a petit refection if they were youths they should repent three dayes if they were of perfect age they should do seven dayes penance if they were Priests or Clergymen they should be punished for it twenty dayes together Goulartius on the same Epistle affordeth a liberty to the Pastors of the Churches That for the circumstance of times and places both of old and in our Age they did and may appoint the Communion to be kept either at early Morning or in the Day or at Night Adding they were forced in time of persecution to celebrate the Communion not once only but many times in one day And some Egyptians saith Socrates lib. 5. supped liberally before they received the Sacrament and yet did eate the holy Communion about Eventide Some of these have I cited out of Casaubone against himselfe For in the Morning saith he it should seeme by the authority of the Universall Church Jam inde à principio it was a custome almost every where to take the Eucharist Fasting That it was so about Augustines and Chrysostomes dayes I confesse with some limitation But that it was so jam inde à principio is hardly or not at all to be proved Let me ascend higher to Tertullians time and even here in the second Age of the Church he is pregnant enough that the blessed Sacrament was taken by the Christians Fasting Non sciet maritus quid secretò ante omnem cibum gustes shall not your husband know what you take secretly before any meate is tasted by you Tertulliam ad Vxerem 2.5 The same Tertullian Apolegetic cap. 2. witnesseth that Plinius Secundus wrote to Trajan that the Christians had coetus Antelucanos ad canendum Christo Deo Early meetings before day to sing to Christ and to God But sing they did at their Communions And they did saith Pliny seipsos Sacramento obstringere Binde themselves by the Sacrament which was the Christians receiving of the Sacrament as Baronius opineth ad annum Christi 104. for they bound not themselves to any evill but from doing evill saith Pliny And this was ante Lucem before day saith the said Pliny And yet the same Tertullian de Coronâ militis 3. cap. saith Eucharisiiae Sacramentum in tempore victus omnibus mandatum à domino etiam antelucanis coetibus sumimus Some received it at Night some at Meale-time some ere Break of day Rhenanus on the place of Tertullian Non solum victus tempore erant soliti accipere Eucharistiam sed etiam in congregationibus quae nonnunquam ante exortum diem fiebant An ingenuous confession That the primitive Church in the second Age was wont at Meale-time that is not excluding Supper to receive the Sacrament and yet that some times they received the same before the Day-spring Radevicus relateth of Constantine that either alone or with very small company or retinew he beheld the meetings of the Priests in the Churches before day-light Cyprianus Epistola 63. ad Coecilium Paragraph 12. acknowledgeth the use of receiving in sacrificiis matutinus in their morning sacrifices yet faulting such as received the Sacrament with water only as fearing least through the sent and tast of wine they might smell of the blood of Christ and confuting those who receiving the Communion with water only in the Morning yet when they came to supper they offered mixtum Calicem the sacred Cup with wine and water Cyprian addeth ibid. Christ ought to make his offering about Eventide that the houre of offring might shew the Eventide of the World I answer The houre of the Paschall offring was exactly praescribed But the houre or time of administring the holy Sacrament of the Eucharist was free and arbitrary yet the Prophet might fitly allude to Christ Psal 141.2 when he said Let the lifting up of my hands be as the Evening sacrifice But we saith Cyprian do celebrate the Lords Resurrection in the Morning The sense is we offer the holy Communion in the Morning in remembrance of the Lords Resurrection For certainly say I he Arose in the Morning Mat. 28.1 as it began to dawn that is very early in the Morning Mark 16.1 Early when it was yet dark John 20.1 and yet even Then was the stone taken from the Sepulcher the undoubted signe of Christs Resurrection and by his Arising buried the Jewish Sabbath which by his death was dead before The custome of receiving the holy Sacrament at Night continued in some places even unto the dayes of Augustine saith Pamelius on the fore-cited place of Cyyprian So was it observed by the Aegyptians neare Alexandria and by them of Thebâis saith Socrates and Thebâis was a whole region bounding on Aethiopia Plinius 5.9 Gregorius Nazians Oratione in sanctum Baptisma saith Christ observed the Mystery of the Paschall After Supper and in the House Wee in the Churches and Before Supper And the Mystery of the Paschall I take to be nothing else but the holy Eucharist For what have we to do else with the Paschall Mstyeries The Paschall was a type The Eucharist the mystery typified the Paschall the Ceremony and shadow the Eucharist was the substance and body Leo Magnus in an high straine thus The old observance in the Judaicall Passeover is taken away by the New Sacrament Sacrifice is translated and passed over into a Sacrifice Blood excludeth blood And the legall Festivity whilst or as it is changed is fulfilled PAR. 6. IT is cleare from Tertullian that the Primitive Church had their Triclinia as I proved before and did lye along or discumbere when they did eate their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is also as evident that because it was irreligious to use such gesturesin the hurches that the Laodicaean Councell forbade any to Feast or to eate their Love-Suppers in the Churches or in the Temples of God to make beds to lye on Justin Martyr also is punctuall both that the people sate in Sermon time and prayed standing in Apologia 2. These were changeable Rites and not observed a like in the Churches Before I leave this place it is considerable what Augustinus Januario Epistola 118. cap. 6. teacheth us That the Corinthians whom the Apostle reproved and amended did at their tables mingle the Sacrament with their own meat which was a grosse abuse And the same abuse is remembred by Gregory Nazianzene Oratione in Sanctum lavacrum By Epiphanius toward the end of his 3. Book of the Fashions of the Primitive Church By Chrysostome Homil. 27. on the 1 Epist to the
Corinthinans cap. 11. By Isidore de Divinis Officiis By Bede on Luke 22. By Paschasius de corpore Domini cap 19. and most amply handled by Walafridus Strabo de rebus Ecclesiae cap. 19. So far Pamelius on Cyprian That ill Custome is condemned by Calvin Institut 4.10 But the kneeling in prayers with our hats off he there commendeth and the administration of the Lords Supper not fordidly and unmanerly but sollemnly and reverently More particularly concerning Kneeling in the time of solemne prayers he saith ibid. Parag. 30. That it is so an Humane tradition that it is also a Divine tradition And it proceedeth from God as it is part of the Decency which the Apostle commendeth to us but of this more hereafter PAR. 7. I Now proceed to the twelfth point In the Epistle of Cyprian and of the African Synod to Cornelius as it is in the first volume of the Generall Councels printed at Venice pag. 381. Nos Sacerdotes sacrificia Des quotidiè celebramus we Priests doe daily celebrate the service of God And Augustine in the fore-cited Epistle to Januarius thus Alii quotidiè cōmunicant corpori sanguini Dominico alii certis diebus accipiunt c. Some every day receive the Eucharist some at certaine times only In one place they receive it on the Sabbath and on the Lords day in another they take it only on the Lords day Neither doth Saint Augustine condemne those who take it daily nor them who choose Set-daies nor them who receiue After Supper or Sup After their receiving Faciat ergo quisque quod in eâ Ecclesia in quam venit invenerit Let every one saith he follow the Custome of that Church in which he liveth Which is an holy advice in it selfe but thrusteth through the loynes of all selfe-conceited Singularists who know not or use not that holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that pliable condescent that humble yeelding that charitable peaceable and candid exposition of things either unknowne or doubtfull which the Fathers of the first Christian times both practised and taught Casaubone commendeth the Fathers for it and wished to find it among the Jesuits and I for my part rather preferre a supple accordance a reconciling and uniting of differences before the drawing and stretching of the rope of Contention by both ends and before the multiplying of alienations or divisions which S. Basil calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Over-earnest desire to draw all things to the contrary part Eudemon Johannes that fierce fiery Divell holds That healing vertue that balme for scissures or ruptures that milde and moderate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be little lesse than the betraying of Truth than the abjuration of all Christian Religion Casaubone justly reproveth the eager and fiery Jesuit Exercitatione 16. cap. 32. And not Casaubone only but the great and learned Rigaltius in his Observations on Tertullian de Oratione commendeth in the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Tertullian aswell as of other Fathers Tanta fuit patribus charitatis cura ut plerosque ritus ratione non bona receptos tolerarent potius quà m rigidâ censurâ vel minimam scissurae occasionem praberent pag. 40. The Fathers saith Rigaltius had so great a regard unto or care of Charity that they did rather beare with diverse Rites though instituted and received upon no good ground than they would by rigid censure administer the least occasion of scissure or division Yet there were ever some who whereas they ought to esteeme or labour to make indifferent things good and good things Better do yet indevour to make good things but Indifferent Indifferent matters to be bad and bad to be worse But as Rigaltius truly observeth Hac erat illo aevo Christianoruni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In those dayes not only the Fathers but other Christians also used that modest holy complying and condescent Neither God bee blessed hath this latter age had all and only rigid and inflexible Lutherans Jesuits and Puritanes but God hath given unto the Church moderate men of softer metall Calvin himselfe gives good advice to Farellus Though saith he we be free in all things yet let us be servants to peace and concord I cannot but add that most divine temper of Calvin if the same flowed from his heart which flowed from his pen that though Luther called him a Divell a thousand times yet he would never say otherwise of Luther but that he was a chiefe servant of God And I hope the best because in another case where he was much abused yet his complaints were moderate and modest To establish his new-found Presbyterie which was falling to the ground he became the busiest Polypragmon that ever was in the world of his meanes He cryeth downe Tithes giveth all power almost to the Lay-Magistrates of Geneva upholdeth usury culium obsequio petens by flattery and beggery seeking to be reverenced accepteth a slipend of forty pounds annually And when the fixed honorary of Tithes was taken away the unfixed humours of the Laicks appeared They cared not to pay him his ten pound quarterly and if the silly man had starved for his pretty new invention they had not much esteemed Yet doth not he play the Boutefeau he animateth none to rebellion he seeketh not the change of estate though the penurious man in his Commentaries on Gen. 47. and Gal. 6. could not but complaine how slowly and ill he was paid When they received the blessed Sacrament on Good-friday they did forbeare to kisse one another as it was usuall at other times For the Apostle commands it Romans 16.16 1 Cor. 16.20 and 2 Cor. 13.12 in all three places not a Lustfull but a Peacefull An Holy kisse is appointed Greet ye one another with an Holy kisse as it is in all three places But 1 Thes 5.26 it is varied Greet ye All the brethren with an Holy kisse Lastly the Apostle Saint Peter sheweth what manner of Kisse this ought to be Greet ye one another with a kisse of charity peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus 1 Pet. 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kisse of Charity perhaps because it was given and received when they went to their Agapae or Feasts of Charity a Kisse to manifest true Charity a Kisse to settle peace a Kisse to seale up the prayers of Christians one to another and practised duly and reverently it was as appeareth both by the Greek and Latine Liturgies Origen saith this Custome is delivered to the Churches that After prayers fratres suscipiant se invicem osculo the Christian brethren kissed one another Saint Augustine thus divinely and alwayes like himselfe After the Lords prayer they say Pax vobiscum peace bee with you and then the Christians kisse one another with an Holy Kisse which is the signe of peace As thy lips approach to the lips of thy brother so let thy heart come nigh his heart Sermone 83. de diversis So this kisse is called Holy
Numbers 36. at the last verse The 44. Section began Deuteronomy 1.1 ended Deuteronomy 3.22 The 45. Lecture began Deuteronomy 3.23 ended Deuteronomy 7.11 The 46. Lecture began Deuteronomy 7.12 ended Deuteronomy 11.25 The 47. Section began Deuteronomy 11.26 ended Deuteronomy 16.17 The 48. Lecture began Deuteronomy 16.18 ended Deuteronomy 21.9 The 49. Reading began Deuteronomy 21.10 ended Deuteronomy 25. at the last verse The 50. Lecture began Deuteronomy 26.1 ended Deuteronomy 29.9 The 51. Lecture began Deuteronomy 29.10 ended Deuteronomy 30. with the last verse The 52. Lecture began Deuteronomy 31.1 ended Deuterenomy 31. with the last verse The 53. Section of the Law began Deuteronomy 32.1 ended Deuteronomy 32 with the last verse The 54 and last Section of the Law began Deuteronomy 33.1 ended with the last words of Deuteronomy This is transcribed from the Jewish Doctors and Englished by Aynsworth and it is observable I might proceed to other their Readings out of the six Books of the Psalmes as the Jews divided them though the holy Spirit by S. Peter calleth it in the singular number The Book of the Psalmes Acts 1 20. having reference to the first composure and united body of them And out of the Prophets they had another distinct Reading Acts 13.15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets Acts 13.27 The Rulers knew not Christ nor yet the voyces of the Prophets which are read every Sabbath day And yet by reason of one Spirits dictate and one unity and uniformity of them all in one truth of doctrine the holy Ghost saith Acts 3.18 God shewed by the Mouth of All his Prophets that Christ should suffer But now saith Cornelius Cornelii à Lapide on that place they are accustomed to sing that part which they call Haprathah Propheticam Missionem the propheticall Sending because that being ended the people are sent home See Elias Levita in his Thisbi The Jews deliver traditionally that every of the Lectures of the Law or Pentateuch consisted of one hundred thirty sixe verses And when Antiochus had rent the Books of the Law in pieces which they found and to make sure work as he imagined burnt them also with fire and this the instruments of Antiochus did monethly 1 Macchab. 1.56 58. verses To supply this the Jews saith Lapide took as many verses agreeing in sense with the former out of the Prophets and so read them united in the room of the other and wee may not think any one verse hath perished much lesse so great variety The Jews say confidently that the Lord God more regardeth and respecteth every syllable and letter of the Law than he doth the Stars of Heaven PAR. 3. THese their Deuteroseis or Traditions I will not strictly and rigidly examine though the number of verses in severall Lectures differ Only I will observe these things in or from their former good courses First against the malevolent maledicent recalcitrating ignorant Puritans who reprove our Church for mangling and cutting in pieces the Word of God because we read in our Service one piece of one Chapter and another piece of another and so patch up a Lesson as they terme it I answer In many of these Lectures of the Law Gods chosen people did do so as appeareth in their very first Lecture which ended at Genesis 6 8. and their second Lecture began not at a new whole Chapter but at Genesis 6.9 verse And the like is in diverse other Readings as by the divisions plainely appeareth Therefore if our Church led by such a President and by that which is to be preferred before any humane president Wel-grounded Reasons doth sometimes begin toward the middle of one chapter and end toward the midle of another chapter it is not to bee disallowed Wee aremore to be guided by matter than by Numbers And if any new matter of moment do occurre as often it doth about the midst of a chapter this new notable emergent point wheresoever arising may wel begin a Lesson appropriat for that time and occasion as the Sun-shine always appeareth most welcome from what part of Heaven soever it breaketh from under a cloud Secondly as I hold it most certaine that the names of the Books Divine were called even from their very beginnings as now they are Genesis Exodus and the like So I have not seene it proved that at the first the books were divided by Chapters or the Chapters by Verses Sure I am wheresoever the holy Spirit of God in the New Testament pointeth at or citeth any passage from the Old Testament though the Prophet be named or the Law that is one Book of the Pentaeteuch be mentioned or the Book of Psalmes be particularly expressed yet never in any one of all these places is the chapter much lesse the verse specialized Neither was there any need in those dayes For the Jews got by heart as we say all the Old Testament and upon the least intimation or inckling of any matter they as readily could recite it as many of us can the Lords Prayer or the Ten Commandements PAR. 4. THirdly whereas diverse people of our Westerne parts have horribly Judaized of late and have run on madly in the by-paths of Trask though it bee generally both knowne and confessed that the Iews shall be converted to us and not we Christians to the Iewes Yet I would advise them and all other English Christians whatsoever to beware of these horrid abuses following It is alas it is too common a fault for Women to hold their children out to defile the Church-yards more usuall and common for men to bepisse the corners of our Churches and make them their voyding vessels whilest some wash the filth down into their parents mouths buried nigh that place More especially and as a wicked wonder let me with griefe and indignation of heart â—ecount that whereas the City of Exeter is by its naturall situation one of the sweetest Cities of England and by the ill use of many one of the nastiest and noysommest Cities of the Land whilest not only their by-lanes but the High-faire street yeelds many offensive both sights and savours to the eyes and noses of the Passers by whilest the polluted corners of the â—athedrall are almost dyed by their urine into another colour whilest the Church-yard hath been the draught unto many and the very Câ—oysters the receptacles of their ordures Sacrilegi in Sacrario faciunt oletum I write no more than what I have seen and God thou knowest I know there in that kind worse than what I have now written which for my love to that City I do forbeare For in truth it is an honorable City and the Corporation a choyce Fraternity of worthy good wealthy men Yet let me take leave humbly to advertise them that their holy Predecessors went not to Heaven by opposing that ancient well-founded Cathedrall but by Reverencing of It and of their Canonicall Clergy the guides of their soules and their Ghostly Fathers Let them know
and curious questions and receive back ridiculous answers gather up summes of money to uphold faction and to animate the obstinate Ones breed up youth to boldnesse fiercenesse selfe-conceipt and to swallow downe a presumption of their owne salvation Then they proceed to declare Who shall bee saved Who shall be damned which is more than Men or Angels good or bad doe know till toward death What scandalls have beene offered what sins under that Cloke committed every great Towne knoweth and every Christian heart lamenteth that knoweth this But I would fain learn of these false Breehren or their false guides Where ever since the beginning of the world or by Whom Such Conventicles were practised by any of Gods people unlesse it were in the dayes of persecution or where the Churches were shut up from the true service of God When Satan was let loose when the raging sword was drunk with blood we read Heb. 11.37 c. They wandred about in sheep-skins and goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented Of whom the world was not worthy They wandred in deserts and in mountaines and in dens and caves of the earth This did they doe also after S. Pauls death during the Ten great Persecutions But never was there heard of one Conventicle of Orthodox Christians when religious Princes favoured the Church as Gods holy Name be blessed they doe and long time may they prosper and whilst the Gospel flourished as these thousand yeeres it never prospered more And will our people be wiser than all that ever went before them or dare their profane mouthes accuse our most sacred and holy King as an enemy to the true Professours and doctrine of Christ than whom God be blessed we never had a more religious favourable gratious temperate chaste and sanctified Prince since England embraced Christianity Rather than they should mis-spend their time in their own will-worship edifie unto evill give scandalls to the Church call themselves weak brethren whilst they think themselves the most learned Doctors and devoutest part of Gods militant Church I could wish them each in their private houses if our Liturgy and Church Service be not savory enough that is not long enough for them to do as the Iewes did As they on their Sabbaths had a long Lecture or Lectures every Sabbath day one of which you may see before so let these on the Lords day or each day of the Lord when our Church Service is ended reade the same Lecture or Lectures and another if they please out of the New Testament Let them reade with hearty precedent prayes unto God for a blessing Reade not to prate and to dispute but to practise holy duties Let them remember Psalme 25.9 The meek will God guide in judgment to the meek will he teach his way Let them be assured Saving knowledge goeth up and downe our streets and there is none of yeeres of discretion but knoweth enough to be saved even Jesus Christ and him crucified There remaineth nothing but that each man labour to be Christiformis and as farre as our weaknesse will permit to imitate Christ in holinesse of life and to be conformable to him here in lowlinesse of minde that he may perfect us hereafter Oh but the people judge and say It standeth with Reason to serve God more than the Magistrate appointeth and whatsoever is reasonable may passe for a Law For Tertul de corona militis cap. 3. saith if the Law consist of reason then every thing by whomsoever brought forth which partaketh of reason shall be a Law But say I Tertullian here fell short of the truth For the cause why Lawes are in force is not only because they accord with Reason though no Law ought to be unreasonable but because the Lawes are made by such as have authority to make Lawes and it openeth too great a window unto licentiousnesse that every thing shall be held a Law which every one thinks is consonant to Reason Rather observe this distinction If any man whosoever findeth any Rule running along with Reason and Religion if it be not crossed by his superiours let that be if he will a Law to him let him be guided by it till he finde a better Rule or be taught otherwise by Authority But a Generall Rule it must not be till he who hath a Law-making power doe stamp it with the approbation of publicke authority Order commandeth a subjection of the Inferior to the Superior Order is relucentia sapientiae a bright shining ray of wisedome and participateth of the light of wisedome saith Cusanus de venatione sapieutiae cap. 31. Let Gods people beware of will-worship though gilded with religious pretences Let them remember what Calvin in his Epistles saith When men desire to worship God as themselves please whatsoever they averre of their owne is a stincking prophanation And still I say Nesutor ultra crepidam A Cobler must not go beyond his Last The temptation of the Serpent Dit eritis yet shall be as Gods is to this day a temptation which Satan useth and by it seduceth many thousands who think they know Good and Evill and therefore will run on in their own by-pathes forsaking the Kings high-way the good and dangerlesse High-way and by their Singularity doe favour of arrogance and pride For it is agrecable to prudence and humility ad Majorum Peritiorum consilia recurrere to trust to learned Counsell as may be gathered from Aquinas 2 a 2 ae Quast 49. Artic. 3. as it is arrogance and pride to trust too much to a mans owne selfe God gave guides unto the Church he left not every one to guide himselfe wholly Whost faith fellow ye saith the Apostle PAR. 7. LAstly as I said before that I may returne to my old matter Though the heads of the Books might have been the same from their first being written yet the division by Chapters and by Verses is not so ancient Elias Lovita in the preface of his book called Massoreth Hammossoreth affirmeth with the Rabbins that the whole Law of old was but one Pasuk or one sentence in one all did stick fast one to another without any distinction of verses And that foure hundred and six yeers after the finall destruction of the City they were divided into Pesukim that is Verses and Sentences à Judaeis Tiberitis by the Iewes of Tiberias Here let me say somewhat concerning the New Testament and its division by the Ancients differing from what is now The learned Caesarius brother to Saint Nazianzen in his Questions saith we have foure Gospels which consist of eleven hundred sixty two Chapters Euthymius on John bringeth the sixty sift chapter of Matthew which is now but the six and twentieth with us The most learned Heinsius proceedeth Exercitationum Sacrarum cap. 13. p. 254. c. and by divers evident proofes evinceth that the more ancient division of our Gospels by chapters and verses much differeth from ours And that the Syrian Translator yet differed from all