Bishop who together with the Congregation falling down and making Confession on their behalf raised them up and laid his hands upon them and they departed with the Catechumens 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such as stayed with the Congregation and joined in Prayer and Singing but not in the Sacrament Yet they were afterward Advanced to be 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faithful Communicants who had been Baptized Confirmed and admitted to the Lord's Supper having approved themselves by the long train of a stricct and pious Life Mahometan Only Men for they permit not Women to enter the Mosques lest they should distract Men from their Devotion And besides They do not believe that Women go to Heaven and hardly account them rational Creatures Yet in some Mosques they have Apartments by themselves with a kind of Pannels of Plaister as high as the Cieling with holes through M. de Thevenot Every Busurman is bound to resort to Prayers five times daily except he have some lawful impediment and if not yet at one to be well washed to which purpose they have innumerable Bathes in Turkey Purchas Only the chief sort on the Week-days the Poor being excused not so on Fridays Id. The Women enter not the Mosques but on Fridays at Nine a Clock or at Easter and then in a Terass apart where they may see and not be seen except the Wives and Mothers of the Chief of the place They abide there 'till Mid-night continually Praying with strange Motions and strong Cries Idem Ancient Heathen Let not a Woman enter into the publick Temples who hath been caught with an Adulterer Demosth Orat. contra Neeram Hither likewise may be referred the Remark made before viz. That all Irreligious and Prophane Persons were driven away with a Procul este profani c. Modern Heathen Among the Modern Heathens though it be difficult to give a particular Account because of their multitude and variety yet it is easie to conclude That their Assemblies are made up of their respective Priests and Officers and People In Mexico and Peru are Priests Officers Boys and Virgins trained up for the Service of the Temple and living upon the Revenues of the Temple and these in some places many in number together with the common People Purchas out of Acosta c. Amongst these some are under Instruction some Penitents some Confessors Men and Women Confessors c. Idem Diabolical The Witches Tried at Salem in New-England 1692. affirmed That they form themselves into Assemblies much after the manner of the Congregational Churches consisting of Officers and People c. Cotton Mather 12. Times of Worship 1. Weekly or Monthly Jewish 1. THE Sabbath or Seventh-Day It began at Six a Clock the Night before Observe 1. The Preparation which began at Three a Clock in the Afternoon called the Sabbath-Eve by the Evangelists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Ancient Fathers Coena pura It was proclaimed formerly by Trumpets of late by Sextons On this Day it was unlawful 1. To go above a quarter of a Days Journey three Parsath whereof Ten make a Days Journey 2. For Judges to sit on Causes upon Life and Death 3. For Tradesmen to work Except Shoomaker Except Taylers Except Scribes And they only half the Day The Wealthiest did help to forward Business 2. The Sanctification Herein they were so Superstitious that 1. Some Jews at Tiberias began the Sabbath sooner because dwelling in a Valley the Sun appeared not so soon to them as to others Others at Tsepphore a City upon a Mount kept the Sabbath longer because the Sun continued longer 2. They would dress no Meat on this Day 3. Nor Kindle any Fire 4. Nor roast an Apple chop an Herb climbe a Tree resist an Enemy and on this account became a Prey to their Enemies in the times of Antiochus and Pompey 2. Mondays in remembrance of Moses's returning from Mount Sinai Thursdays in remembrance of his going up to the Mount for the Law 3. New Moons the first Day of every Month commonly On this Day they 1. Heard the Word 2 Kings 4 23. 2. Abstained from Merchandise 3. Offered Sacrifices Numb 28.11 Christian 1. Saturday the Jewish Sabbath was in great Veneration especially in the Eastern parts honoured with all the publick Solemnity of Religion out of compliance with the Jews who were loath to part with it On this Day were publick Prayers reading the Scriptures celebration of the Sacraments Vid. Athan Hom. de Sement Idem Hist. Eccle. l. 6. c. 8. Fasts were prohibited on this Day Ordinary Works allowed yet so as might consist with their publick Worship for the Lord's Day was still preferred before it V. Athan. Hom. de Sem. Synod Laod. can 29. But in the West it was kept as a Fast yet at Milan as a Festival for St. Ambrose dined on no other Days in the Week but Saturday and Sunday Yet at Rome out of compliance with the Custom there Fasted as they did Aug. ad Janu. Ep. 118. Probably the reason of keeping this Day East was the Opinion which the Ancients had viz. That the Apostles Fasted on Friday and Saturday The Council of Illiberis Ordained That the Saturday-Festival was an Error Can. 39. which ought to be corrected and kept as a Fast 2. Sunday so called by Justin Martyr and Tertullian and in the Imperial Edicts of the first Christian Emperors Afterwards the LORD's Day 1. On this Day they stood at Prayers to put them in mind of Christ's Resurrection from the Grave and their own from Sin V. Justin M. Tertul. ex Ireneo The Council of Nice required a constant Uniformity in it 2. They deposited somewhat for the use of the Poor 3. All of us that live in City or Country meet together in one place Just M. Three Days absence from Church was punished with Suspension from Communion Con. Ill. Separate Assemblies Anathematized V. Conc. Gang. can 4.5 Conc. Antioch c. 5. 4. In times of Persecution they met before Day Plin. Ep. ad Traj They had Nocturnal Convocations Tertul. ad Vx Christians therefore called in scorn a Skulking Generation Min. F. 5. Kept in with great Expressions of Joy Fasting accounted unlawful Tertul. de Coron Constantine and Theodosius M. Jun. c. Forbad Courts of Judicature Suits at Law demanding Debts all publick Shews pleasures of all Sights opening of the Theatres his own Birth-Day or Inauguration on the Lord's Day 2. Wednesday and Friday Vid. postea Mahometan Friday the Mahometan-Sabbath because on that Day Mahomet was Proclaimed King or Emperor and solemnly so Created and withal to distinguish his Fellowers from the Jews and Christians They call this Sabbath of theirs Glumaagun Others say Mahomet was born on this Day Ancient Heathen The Ancient Heathens Greeks and Romans had no Weeks but divided their Months into 3 parts the Greeks into so many Decads the Romans into Kalends Nones and Ides The Kalends of every Month were dedicated to Juno On the Kalends of every
Sabbath must fast the next day after to do Penance After Dinner the Rabbies have thought fit to study or read sacred Writ because say they the Sabbath once complained to God for lack of a Meet Companion and God answered Israel shall be thy Companion for on the Sabbath they shall learn the Law c. Dr. Addison Esseans The Esseans are more severe than any other in observing the Sabbath for they do not only abstain from dressing of meat which they dress the Evening before that day but also they may not remove any Vessel out of its place nor satisfie the necessities of nature Josephus de Bell. Jud. l. 2. c. 7. The Talmud expresly speaks for no other Reason was the Temple at Jerusalem destroyed but because the Jews observed not the Sabbath aright Though a Man have an hundred Maids or the command of a Thousand Servants yet he himself ought with his own hands to do something in honour of the Sabbath and so we read in the Talmud that Rabbi Casdam cut the Pot-herbs R. Joseph clave the Wood R. Sira kindled the fire R. Nachman swept the House and covered the Table Dr. Addison Present State of the Jews in Barb. Christians The first Observation of the Christian Sabbath was more by the Providence and Design of God than the Apostles own Inclination Joh. 20.19 The second was performed volutarily Joh. 20.26 So afterwards upon the Day of Pentecost being the first day Act. 2.1 Act. 20.7 Rev. 1.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Just. Mart. Apol. 2. Countrey work about Husbandry Vintage Sowing Mowing Threshing c. is prohibited by the Council of Arles Conc. 3. Can. 21. Fasting is forbid Conc. Caesar August Vid. Carrauz Sum. p. 119. S. Augustine declares himself frequently against Dancing on the Lord's Day Hearing or pleading of Causes on the Lord's Day is prohibited apud Gratian. Adrian p. c. 15. q. 4. item Conc. Eph. Conc. Tarracon c. Judges Riding to Assizes is reproved very gravely by Gattaker in his Sermon called God's Parley with Princes p. 13. Concerning God's Judgments upon Sabbath-Breakers see Mr. Mayer on the Church-Catechism also the Practice of Piety and my Book called The Christian's Companion The whole Week is Sanctified by this Day and according to my care of this is my Blessing on the Rest Dr. Hall To the same purpose Judge Hale remark'd upon himself That according to his Devotion on the Lord's Day he prospered in his Affairs the Week following Modern Heathens I came to the place where my Company Encamped they waited only for a Billet from the Customer to be gone but it could not be had that Day because it was Friday and the Customer who was a Mahometan observed that Day with great exactness M. de Thev Travels into the Indies l. 3. p. 77. In Guinea The Heathens forbear on their Sabbath which is Thursday Fishing and Husbandry and the Palm-Wine that is got that day must not be sold but offered to the King who bestows it on the Courtiers to drink at Night View of the Engl. Acqu in Guin and the E. Ind. On this Day in the Market-place on a Table three yards high whose flat cover is made of straw and reeds interwoven they place many Rings which they call Festiloes or Gods and within them set Wheat Water and Oil for their Gods whom they imagine devour it Ibid. Discipline Jews THe Jews still enjoyn Circumcision under its old Penalty Gen. 17. viz. Cutting off Yet they are not peremptory about the precise time viz. Eight days after the birth I knew one Jacob Israel Belgara born in Spain coming afterwards to Barbary 1667 Circumcised in the 40th year of his Age. Dr. Addison Christians I called to mind a passage of a Letter of Cornelius that was Bishop of Rome after the middle of the Third Century preserved by Eusebius in his 6th Book ch 43. There were 46 Presbyters 7 Deacons 7 Subdeacons 94 of the inferiour Orders of the Clergy among them also 1500 Widows and other Poor maintained out of the publick Charities Dr. Burnet's Letters When Philip the Emperor would have gone into Church on Easter-Eve to Prayers the Bishop of the place would by no means suffer it till he had made Confession of his Sins and passed thro' the Order of Penitents being guilty of great sins and the Emperor very willingly submitted to it Euseb l. 6. Some think this was rather Philip Governor in Egypt Theodosius the Great for his barbarous Slaughter of the Thessalonians was by S. Ambrose suspended brought to publick Confession forced a severe Penance for eight Months together Prostrations in the Church tearing off his Hair beating his Forehead watering his Cheeks with Tears c. crying out as David My Soul cleaveth unto the dust quicken thou me according to thy word After which he was Absolved and restored to Communion Theodor. H. Eccl. l. 5. c. 15. A Publick Penitentiary an Holy grave Presbyter was appointed to take Confessions of those sins which persons had committed after Baptism and by Prayers Fastings Mortifications to prepare them for Absolution This continued some hundreds of years till Abrogated by Nectarius S. Chrysostom's Predecessor in Constantinople upon occasion of a Woman complaining that during her time of Penitent Exercises in the Church she was tempted to Folly by a Deacon This was done by the Advice of Eudemon most Bishops following his Example Dr. Cave The Clergy of Venice have a very extraordinary sort of Exemption and are a sort of a Body like a Presbytery independent of the Bishop The Curates are chosen by the Inhabitants of every Parish and no Noble Venetian is suffered to pretend to any Curacy thinking it below their Dignity There is a sort of Association among the Curates for Judging of their common concerns and some of the Laity of the several Parishes assist in those Courts so that here is a real Presbytery Dr. Burnet's Letters I wondred at two Discourses that I heard at one Church in Milan at the same time in the Afternoon for there were two Bodies of Men set down in different places of the Church all covered and two Lay-Men in ordinary Habits were entertaining them with Discourses of Religion in a Catechistical Stile These were Confrairies and those were some of the more Devout that instructed the rest This as I never saw any where else so I do not know whether it is peculiar to Milan or not Idem Cathay The Tartars here punish the breach of their Traditions with Death or a Penal Sum of Mony tho in Trifling matters as touching the Fire with a Knife medling with young Birds c. which are forbid Packet broke open vol. 2. Presbyterians Amongst the Presbyterians the Minister or Presbytery may not Excommunicate without the consent of the Church nor for any faults but sins of Perversness and after admonition nor for private sins but those which are publick and scandalous nor for the Sins of others as Bishop Auxilius Excommunicated a whole family
three 3. The Company between ten and twenty meeting together and roasting it 4. Blessing the Cup and Bread 5. Dividing among the Guests 6. Eating it with 1. bitter Herbs and those Herbs 2. dipt in Sauce and all 3. without Leaven using also 4. in the posture of Travellers standing first afterwards lying or leaning 7. To a Child asking what means this Service Answering at large by way of Declaration or Annunciation Vid. Exod. 12.26 Also Godw. Antiq. 8. Washing the Feet of the Guests 9. Sprinkling the Door-posts wich the Blood 10. Eating all the Lamb breaking no Bones 11. On the Second Day Offering a sheaf of the First-Fruits of Harvest Lev. 23.10 for 'till then they might not reap 1. The Lamb was killed in the Court of the Temple 2. Was eaten in their own Houses in Jerusalem 3. The First and Last Days were Holy Convocations 4. Only the Circumcised might eat Ancient Christion and Muscovite 1. Principal 1. Easter wherein Observe 1. The Antiquity From the first Ages The Muscovites keep it now and call it Wellikoiden 2. The Time of keeping it 1. The Asiatic Churches on the first day of the first Month which always began with the Appearance of the Moon mostly answering to our March the Day of the Jewish Passover Thus did the Churches of Asia the less called Quartodecimans because they kept Easter on the 14th day after the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Moon Pleading the Example of the Apostles particularly S. John Polycarp c. Polycrates pleaded the Example of S. Philip. 2. The Western Churches on the Lord's Day following the Jewish Passeover Pleading likewise Apostolical Tradition The Procedure of the Controversie this 1. The Bishop of Rome would impose their Custom on the East 2. Polycarp comes to Rome to confer with Anicetus about it who agreed not yet part fairly 3. Pope Victor renewed the Quarrel threatening to Excommunicate the Eastern Churches 4. Irenaeus and others of his Party reproved the Pope for it 5. The Asian Churches went on 'till Constantine Summoning the Council of Nice which Ordained That it should be kept universally on the Lord's Day 3. The Preparation The Eve or Vigils of Easter was kept with Pomp Watchings multitudes of lighted Torches in Churches and private Houses so as to turn Night into Day as a Fore-runner of that Great Light The Sun of Righteousness Nazianz. 4. The Celebration of the Day it self It was spent in Works of Mercy and Charity to the Poor Constantine used to arise early this Day to bestow rich Gifts all over his Empire His Successors released Prisoners c. It was called The Holy and Famous Passeover Queen of Days Festival of Festivals Naz. Mar. 25. Blagauescenia Priziste bogorodice or the Annunciation of our Lady a Feast of the Muscovites D. of Holst Emb. Trav. Mahometan Persian-Azar Thirty One Days N. The Turkish Year consists of 354 Days divided into 12 Months Their several Months begin at the several Moons The Turks have their Easter too which they call Biram Vid. postea The Feast of Neurous i.e. New-years-day is kept in March when the Sun enters Aries so at Azmer in the East-Indies with Ornaments in the Palace much Pomp a Fair in the Seraglio by Ladies of the Court Feasting Dancing of Quinchenies Women and Maids of a Caste of that Name having no other Profession but Dancing Presents from and to the King M. de Thev Turk's Chaabanai Twenty Nine Days My Author accounts this also as a Feast of the Heathens in the E. Indies And so also in Persia say others who call it Nauras Ancient Heathen Mar. 27. Quinquatria Minervas Birth-Day Now the Salary Minerval was paid to the Masters It lasted 5 Days On the last Day Mar. 23. was the Tubilustrum a Lustration of the Sacred Trumpets 25. Hilaria Matris Deûm festa 28. Megalesia Modern Heathen The Chinese keep their New-Years-Day in March every Man striving to exceed others in the Fancy of their Pageants and adorning their Doors with Paper-Arches and Images all Night with Lanthorns and Lights Sin Th. Herb. Neurous New-Years-Day a Feast in the East-Indies M. de Thev In Tunquin every beginning of the Year they celebrate the Memory of those who in their life-time have done any noble Action reckoning in that number those that have been so hardy as to Rebel against their Princes and this with a very great Solemnity Tavernier When the Moon is at the full in March the Indian Idolaters keep a Solemn Festival for their Idol which is in form of a Serpent for nine days every Morning worshipping the Idol and the Maids dancing about it for an hour to the noise of Flutes and Drums after which they eat and drink and are merry till the Evening when they worship and dance about their Idol again M. Tavernier 2. In Ijar April and May. Jewish 10. A Fast Eli the High-Priest dies with both his Sons the Ark is taken Scaliger 23d Day of Ijar was ordained a Festival for the expiation of the Tower of Jerusalem by Simon Mac. 1 Mac. 13. Simon takes Gaza Scal. 28. A Fast Samuel the Prophet dieth and is lamented by all the People Scal. Ancient Christian Apr. 10. Palm-Sunday which the Muscovites celebrate with a Procession to represent out Saviour's entrance into Jerusalem Thus it was A. C. 1636. 1. The great Duke and Patriarch set out first 2. Many Priests followed in Copes and Surplices with Crosses Banners and Images upon long Poles some singing others casting Incense among the People 3. Goses the Duke's Merchants Clerks Secretaries Nobility and Gentry with Palms in their Hands c. 4. The great Duke with his Crown on his Head Supported by the Two Principal Counsellors of State led the Patriarch's Horse covered with Cloth and made to represent an Ass 5. The Patriarch rode upon him being himself attired with a round white Cap on his head of Sattin beset with rich Pearls and about it a very rich Crown a Cross of Diamonds in his right hand wherewith he bless'd the People who received his Benediction with bowing of their heads and making Crosses 6. About fifty little Boys most clad in red put off their Cassocks and scattered them along the way Others had pieces of Colth about an Ell square of all Colours which they laid on the ground for the Great Duke and Patriarch to pass over This is the same all over Muscovy D. of Holst Ambassador's Travels Apr. 17. was their Easter-Day 1636. Celebrated 1. With selling and sending Eggs of all colours to one another 2. Killing each other at Meeting with these words Christos wos Chrest i.e. Christ is risen the Answer is Wosten wos Chrest i.e. He is Risen indeed 3. Devotions at Church 4. Feasting Drunkenness c. Id. See afterwards under the Title of the Feasts of the Greck Church Wasnescenia Christova Ascension-Day a Feast of the Muscovites also Mahometan Persian Onzon Thirty Days This Month is called Ramadan as being the Month of Lent which they
difference there is between their priest and people save that I observed they carried at the end of a Cane a piece of Cow's Tail and that one of them suffered the Nails of his two fore-fingers to grow to the length of Eagles Claw's Mandelslo's Trav. p. 207. Ortelius mentions a strange custom among the Tartars that their Priests on high Trees preach to them and after Sermon besprinkle their Auditors with Blood Milk Earth and Cow-dung mixt together Rosse In Pegu the peoples Alms are brought to the preachers in the pulpits whilst preaching Idem In Mexico the priests did preach on some Festival days to the people Idem Diabolical The Devil useth several ways for the instruction of his Scholars 1. Sometimes he is seen to go in a visible shape through the Countrey as in Sweedland A.D. 1669. and 1670 and appearing dayly to the people working upon the weaker sort by presenting them with Meat and drink not Spiritual Manna 2. Sometimes he assembles his Disciples in a Church by night and appears to them in the Habit of a black man with a little-Band instructing them out of the pulpit Glanvil 3. Sometimes at his night-meetings he exhorts them to observe his Laws to do mischief and promises they shall want nothing Cloths Victuals nor Mony Idem N. B. The Name of God or Jesus Christ is never used or mentionen'd at their Meetings But yet where it may serve for his purpose the Devil can pray and preach too and that exceeding well Vide Dr. Dec's Actions with Spirits Quote Scripture readily S. Matth. c. 4. 6. Sacraments Vows Jewish 1. CIreumcision called a sign Gen. 17. a Seal Rom. 4.11 Observe 1. The Time the 8th day precisely 1. That a Sabbath might pass over it 2. Or to shew that God is not tied to Sacraments in the Salvation of persons 3. Or that it might be out of its legal uncleanness its blood Lev. 22.27 c. 12.2 3. 2. The penalty for Omission viz. Cutting-off by bodily Death probably or Excommunication 3. The manner The Jews 1. Bathe the Child oft to take away the filth 2. Bring it to the Synagogue in Parade with several Boys one bearing a Torch of 12 lights 3. Another a dish of Sand to throw the Prepuce into Another the Circumcisang instrument of wood stone iron c. also oyl rags c. a Cordial Sometimes 4. The Baal-berith gives the Child to Mohel c. See more in Book Second 2. The Passover See before in the Ch. of Times of publick Worship Festivals c. Some Jews will not suffer the Women to make clean the House in preparation for the Passover because they say Talkativeness is so natural to that Sex that they cannot perform the Office with so great silence as is required Dr. Addison Ancient Christian 1. Baptism wherein observe 1. By whom it was administred 1. By the President Just M. Antistes Tertul the Bishop Ignat. Ep. ad Smyrn Tertul. de Bapt. S. Hierom saith it was so in his time Sometimes the Bishop began the Prosbyters carried it on 2. Presbyters and Deacons Tertull. Philip Baptized 3. A Man Orthodox Cyprian with 87 African Bishops more in Con. Carth. was for rebaptizing persons baptiz'd by Hereticks 4. Lay-unordained persons in case of Necessity as Tertull. Hierom c. positively asserts and Conc. Illibar rectified the custom with this proviso that if the person lived he should have confirmation from the Bishop for they account none could be saved without Baptism by Water or Blood Font or Martyrdom 5. Women never allowed to baptize unless among Hereticks 6. Athanasius's case viz. Baptizing when a Boy was rare 2. To whom 1. Infants v. Irenaeum Tertul. Orig. Cypr. c. 2. Adult after they had been Catechised and given account of their proficiency to the Bishop 3. When 1. All times alike at the first afterwards 2. From Easter or Whitsuntide whence dying to sin c. 3. Clinici in case of Sickness or Death any time 4. Where 1. Where was Water Just. M. 2. Ponds Springs Rivers c. Tertul. 3. Baptisteria near or in the Church these were large with a partition for Men and Women 5. How 1. With great nakedness and simplicity 2. Afterwards there was Catechising the Catechumen sate with his Face toward the West hands stretch'd out interrogated insufflated anointed immersed 3 times anointed again and cloathed with a white Garmen Confirmation Infants when adult Adult Persons a little after Baptism were brought to the Bishop and anointed sometimes viz. if they had not had Compleat Baptism vid. Con. Aurant always confirmed by imposition of Hands with devout Prayers that the person confirmed might grow in Grace and be enabled to perform the Vows of Baptism Lords Supper Observe 1. The Persons administring viz. the President only Tertul. de Coron Mil. c. 3. who consecrated the Deacons distributing Just Mart. Apol. 2. 2. The Communicants 1. At first the whole Church 2. As Christians multiplied and a more exact Disciplines grew necessary the Faithful only Catechumens and Penitents being excluded scandalous persons debarred Persons sick or on just causes absent had some little pieces of the Consecrated Bread dipt in the Cup carried to them usually by the Deacon sometimes by any other person 3. Persons dead i. e. such as lapsed and died suddenly to shew that they died in the Communion of the Church This abrogated by the Concil Carth. 3. Trull 1. 4. New Baptized Infants commonly 3. The Time 1. What days Every Lord's Day besides other Days and especially Saturdays on which all the Churches in the World except Rome and Alexandria used to celebrate this Sacrament Socrat. l. 5. c. 22. 2. What time of the Day 1. Our Saviour at Night 2. When the Apostles did is doubtful 3. Tertullian saith at Supper tempore victus 4. In the Morning before day Plin. l. 10. Ep. 97. And Cyprian pleads for the Morning ad Cecil Ep. 63. This Custom obtain'd generally except in some places of Egypt Socrat. l. 5. 3. How often vid. post 1. At first every day as oft as they came together for Publick Worship We receive the Eucharist every day Cypr. de Orat. Dom. So S. Ambrose saith of his Church at Milan So S. Hierom of Rome In the East the custom wore off sooner S. Basil speaks of four times a Week Lord's Day Wednesday Friday Saturday besides Festivals 2. Afterwards once a Week three times a Year c. 4. The Place where 1. Our Saviour in a House at the Jews Passeover 2. The Apostles in an upper Room set apart for Church-Service 3. In Times of Persecution on Mountains Cryptâ— Tombs of Martyrs c. 4. When Temples were built at the East-end of the Church on a Table of Wood or Stone senced in with Rails Out of this place they were forbid to Communicate Laod. Cone Can. 58. unless in great necessity 5. The manner After the Service of the Catechumens 1. They offered all somewhat 2. Out of the Offerings which
Catholick Church c. 2. A silent Prayer as in the Morning 3. A Sermon 4. A Form consisting of a Collect the Lord's Prayer and another longer Form with Pray constantly c. and depart in peace as before Besides these Services which are all for Sundays they have also Forms of Prayer for every Day of the Week Morning and Evening and Sermons every Day On Saturdays in the Evening as well as Sundays at Noon they examine the Catechism and have a peculiar Form of Prayer for that purpose so likewise for the Fasts and Festivals appointed as the Day after our Saviour's Nativity New-year-day Easter-Monday Ascension-day Pentecost the Day of Church-Dedication and extraordinary occasions as War Victory Plague Murrain c. Their Baptism is thus 1. The Minister begins with saying In the name of God Amen If ye the God-fathers and God-mothers desire that this Child be baptized in the Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ say Yea. 2. Then after an Exhortation he proceeds to pray for a Blessing upon the Child in a pretty long Form 3. He reads the Gospel Mark 10. concluding thus Praise be unto God he forgives us all our sins through his Son Amen 4. After a short Speech to the Sureties he rehearseth the Creed and calls upon the Sureties to pray for such a Faith for that Child saying Our Father which art in Heaven c. 5. He asks the Sureties If they will according to their utmost power and as necessity may require be instrumental to and assist in the Education of the Child c. The Sureties answering Yea. 6. The Sureties name the Child the God-mother holding the Child over the Font whilest the Minister pours three handfuls of Water upon his Fore-head saying N. N. I baptize thee in the Name of God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Amen 7. The Minister blesses the Child in these words God grant unto thee that as thou art now besprinkled with clean Water thou mayest likewise appear before God in the last day with a pure and undefiled Conscience and so to be eternally saved N. B. Baptism is never administred privately but at time of Publick-Service the first opportunity after the Birth The God-father in the Church presents a piece of Gold or Silver to the Nurse and if a Female-Child to the God-mother also if a Male the God-mother to the God-father Every year they send New-years-gifts to their God-children which some continue to do 'till they are of Age for the Lord's Supper and some 'till Marriage On their Birth-day yearly they use to feast their God-children and give them grave advice None are to be Christen'd without Sureties Their Administration of the Lord's Supper thus 1. The Minister useth a grave Exhortation concerning the intention of the Sacrament 2. The People confess their Sins and pray for pardon as after the Sermon 3. The Antistes behind the Table with an Arch-Deacon on either hand if there be so many saith with a loud Voice In the name of God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Arch-Deacon answering Amen Antistes Let us pray O Almighty c. Arch-Deacon That which is now read is contained in 1 Cor. 11.20 21 c. Antistes Praise be unto God Arch-Deacon on the right hand And Peace on Earth Antistes Good-will towards Men. First Arch-Deacon We praise thee we magnifie thee Second Arch-Deacon We worship thee we honour thee Antistes We render thanks for thy great honour and benefits O Lord God Heavenly King Father Almighty First Arch-Deacon O Lord thou only begotten Son Jesus Christ and thou O Holy Ghost Second Arch-Deacon O Lord God Lamb of God Son of the Father thou that takest away the Sins of the World c. and so on with an alternate voice to the end of that Hymn 4. The First Arch-Deacon reads part of the sixth Chapter of S. John's Gospel Thus speaketh the Lord Jesus Verily verily I say unto you He that believes in me hath everlasting life I am the bread of life c. Concluding with Praises and thanks be unto God He forgives us all our sins according to his holy word Amen which is said by the Antistes 5. The Antistes and the Arch-Deacons alternately rehearse the Creed as they did the Hymn before 6. Then follows an Exhortation to the Examining themselves ending thus Wherefore kneel down and pray 7. Then the Ministers kneeling about the Lord's Table and the People either standing or kneeling say the Lord's Prayer 8. The First Arch-Deacon saith Lift up your hearts unto God and say with Devotion O Lord Almighty God c. 9. The Antistes afterwards saith Hear now with Devotion and Faith how Christ Jesus did celebrate his holy Supper c. Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took Bread c. Here the Antistes takes the Bread breaks it eats a Morsel and gives the rest to the first Arch-Deacon who reaches the same to the other Ministers about the Table Afterwards when he comes to those Words He took also the Cup he takes a Cup and having drank of it gives to the first Arch-Deacon as he did the Bread and he to the Ministers and they to the People a Reader from the Pulpit in the interim reading the Lord's Speech concerning the Supper beginning at S. John 13.1 10. Then the Antistes and Arch-Deacons alternately say Antistes Rise up and let us render Praise and Thanks unto the Lord. First Arch-Deacon I will praise thee O my God c. This Hymn consists of 14 or 15 Responses 11. They read alternately the 113 Psalm which was wont to be read at the Passeover 12. Lastly follows an Exhortation with a Consolation and Benediction and a short Collect concluding thus For God's sake remember the Poor always in your Alms pray constantly one for another And after the Christian Hymn be ended which concludes the Solemnity Depart in peace and the Grace of God be with you Note 1. Their Bread is unleavened made in a broad square Cake thin almost as Paper white as Snow by the chief Sexton only of their great Minster Church 2. They use wooden Cups in Imitation of the Primitive Simplicity 3. They receive in their Seats the common People sitting or standing Their Discipline 1. The Ministers are obliged to call such as they know to have committed Notorious Crimes or to be inflamed with Hatred and Passion some Weeks before the Administration of the Sacrament into their Closets or before the Church-wardens according to their Discretion to admonish and warn them and declare to them that if they do not repent c. the Sacrament will prove to them not an Earnest of God's Favour but of his Just Wrath and their Damnation c. 2. Those that will not be reconciled to their Enemies shall not be admitted to the Sacrament 3. Yet Excommunication is never formally practised in the Church of Zurick but instead thereof the Ministers are commanded by the Higher Power and by the Synod to
Page 205 2. Persians Page 206 25. Heathen 1. Pythagoreans Page 303 2. Platonicks Page 304 3. Peripateticks Page 305 4. Cynicks Page 306 5. Stoicks Page 307 6. Epicureans Page 308 PART II. Note That under Each of the following Heads is inserted in distinct Paragraphs the PRACTICES of Every Religion KNowledg of God Page 309 Love of God Page 313 Affiance in God Page 315 Obedience to his Laws Page 317 Love and Reverence to his Name Word c. Page 319 Praying unto God Page 328 Praising of him Psalms c. Page 334 Fear of God alone Page 341 Heavenly mindedness Page 343 Frequency and Diligence at Church Page 346 Catechising Page 351 Frequency and Devotion at Sacraments Page 356 Confession Mortification Absolution Page 366 Zeal Page 370 Moderation Page 373 Purity Sincerity Page 377 Perseverance Page 380 Observation of the Sabbath Page 383 Discipline Page 387 Self-Denial Page 389 Justice Honesty Page 393 Love to the Brethren Page 397 Love to Enemies Page 402 Love to the Souls of others Page 406 Care of their bodies Hospitals Page 408 Vnity and Peaceableness Page 415 Obedience to Civil Governors Page 419 Good Parents Page 422 Good Children Page 427 Good Husbands Page 432 Good Wives Page 434 Good Masters Page 439 Good Servants Page 440 Good Ministers Pastors Page 443 Good Parishioners People Page 447 Laboriousness Page 450 Humility Page 459 Contempt of Wealth Page 458 Government of the Tongue Page 461 Sobriety of Apparel Page 464 Temperance in meats Page 468 Temperance in Drink Page 472 Chastity Page 475 Patience in suffering Page 488 Domestick Worship Page 492 Toleration of all Religions Page 497 Last words of dying men Page 500 Occasions of Conversion Page 504 Miraculous Testim to Christianity Page 508 Ceremonies in Greeting Page 512 Fidelity in Trusts Page 516 Marriage and Divorce Page 519 Frugality Page 529 Dancing Page 533 Games Page 537 Saints Page 541 Pilgrimage Page 552 Angels Page 554 Atheism Irreligion Page 557 Superstition Page 559 Monks Monasteries Page 567 Colleges Schools Page 571 Premonitions of Death Page 575 Charms Spells Page 579 Apparitions Obsessions Page 581 Oracles Divination c. Page 585 Rewards and Punishments future Page 590 In what Countries each Religion is practised Page 604 Mother Tongues of Europe Page 608 Graces at meat Page 610 Forms of Excommunication Page 615 Creeds Page 621 Commands Page 631 Burials Page 656 An Appendix containing a Table of Errours Heresies c. Page 655 THE HISTORY OF ALL RELIGIONS In the World c. PART I. 1. Object of Worship and Religious Veneration or Esteem Jewish THE Jews worship only one God Jehovah Eloim without any distinction of Persons yet acknowledging a Messiah although the Books of the Old Testament which they own for Canonical do in several Texts sufficiently evince a Trinity of Perons especially Gen. 1. verse 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 h. e. Dii creavit and afterwards mention is made of God the VVord and Spirit of God And in the same Chapter Let us make Man in the plural number The Messiah they expect yet to come tho' 1. All the Promises of his coming are fulfilled 2. All the Prophecies accomplished 3. All the Types are answered 4. His Doctrine sealed with 1. Miracles 2. Holy Lives of its Professors 3. Patient Sufferings and Martyrdoms 4. The Accomplishment of his Prophecies or Predictions 5. Themselves are a living Evidence and Monument of his Indignation and their own unbelief as having lost their 1. Country 2. Kingdom 3. Temple 4. Sacrifices 5. Genealogies 6. They have been often deceived with meer Pretenders and disappointed 7. Sybills and Heathen Oracles have given Testimony hereto Next to God they highly reverenced the Prophet Moses R. Samuel Bar Nahman saith When Moses in writing the Law came to those words Let us make Man c. He cried out Lord of the World why dost thou give Men occsion of mistaking in thy most simple Unity And the Lord answered Write thou Moses and let him that desires to mistake mistake Menasse ben Israel Christian The Christians acknowledge One Only God Maker of Heaven and Earth but with distinction of Persons viz. Father Son and Holy Ghost Concerning which as a judicious and very Reverend Author of the Church of England is pleased to â—â—â—ress himself There are three distinctions in the Deity of which because the Scripture speaks in the same manner as we usually do of so many distinct Persons therefore since God is pleased so to accomodate the Mysteries to our Understanding as to speak of them in that manner it is both allowable and commendable in us to call them Persons But he would have us keep only to what the Scripture hath revealed about them without intermixing with them any of those unscriptural Notions which some Divines and School-men have added to them to explain them John Lord A. B. of Cantenbury in his Sermons concerning the Divinity c. of our Blessed Saviour God is One numerically One more One then any single Man is One If Unity could suscipere magis minus Yet God is so One that he admits of Distinction and so admits of it that he still retains Unity As He is One so we call him God the Deity the Divine Nature c. As He is distinguished so we call Him Trinity Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost In this Trinity there is One Essence Two Emanations Three Persons or Relations Four Properties innascibility or inemanibility to generate proper to the Father to be begotten proper to the Son to proceed proper to the Holy Ghost Five Notions innascibility to beget to be begotten to be breathed out to breath Mr. Hales Conf. of the Trinity Mahometan The Mahometans believe in and worship one God Eternal Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth And that Jesus Christ was conceived by the breath of God in the Womb of the Virgin Mary That Jesus is a great Prophet but not the Son of God That he wrought Miracles and foretold to the Jews the coming of Mahomet under the Name of the Comforter M. de Thevenot That Jesus would come and judge the World c. Idem They Invocate the Saints Idem Acknowledge Seventy Angels Guardians to every Musulman The Turks are for Mahomet Ancient Heathen The Ancient Heathens worship'd One Only God supream above the rest who was therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frequently by Homer c. But they had many other Gods or Idols subordinate which they payed equal Worship and Adoration to making no distinction considerable between them in their Divine Honour There were 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greater Coelestial Gods Eternal of these the Greeks reckoned Twelve Jupiter Juno Saturn Apollo the Sun Diana the Moon Mars Mercury Minerva Neptune Pluto Vulcan Venus The Romans added Vesta Coelus Ops Bacchus Hercules Ceres Janus 2. Deastri Dii Minores or Medloxumi Reporters and Transporters from Men to Gods from Gods to Men as Summanus President of the Manes Consus the God of Counsel Pan
lately an account of greater Divisions some of them being charged by others with damnable Heresies and Doctrines of Devils c. in a Book intituled The Plea of the Innocent c. I take them for a Branch of the Old Anabaptists which sprung up in Germany upon the Reformation though they made no appearance in England 'till the time of our Civil Wars about the Year 1644. and then were assisted at least by some Priests of the Popish Seminaries in disguise as were also several other Sects which then sprung up amongst us See Du Moulin's Philan. Angl. c. Mahometans 1. Creed The first Chapter of the Alcoran is as it were the Mahometan's Creed and 't is called the Mother of the Book containing the Words of Mahomet for the rest are all deliver'd as the Word of God he being induced as Speaker Which first Chapter is this Sense In the Name of God gracious and merciful Thanks be unto God the Lord of the World merciful pitiful Judge at the Day of Judgment We pray unto thee we trust in thee Lead us into the right way the way of them whom thou hast chosen not of them with whom Thou art angry and of the Infidels Out of the Alcoran may be collected more of their Faith as thus 1. God is One necessary to all incorporeal neither begetting nor begotten the Creator long-suffering searcher of the Heart true that he hath no Son needs nothing 2. That Christ is the Son of Mary the best of Women the Prophet of God begotten by the Spirit of her in the shape of a Man Christ was not slain by the Jews but one like him 3. Their Law is to be propagated by the Sword Of the twelve Months four are to be consecrated to this warfare they that refuse it lose their Souls The Unbelievers taken in War that will not turn must be killed or made Slaves 'T is not lawful to dispute about the Law 4. God made the World and disposed the seven Heavens and afterwards Man like unto himself and breathed into him his own Soul a portion of it That the Angels being commanded to do reverence to Adam Beelzebub refused and was therefore damned 5. There is a Paradise and Hell but of sensual Pleasures and Torments 6. Mahomet is the Seal and last of the Prophets to whom it was lawful to lie with all Women even Aunts and Kindred c. 7. There shall be a Resurrection proved by the story of the 7 Sleepers who slept 360 Years 2. Moral and Judicial Precepts and Prohibitions 1. Prohibitions 1. Abstain from Swines-flesh Blood that which dies alone and that which hath the Neck cut off 2. From Wine and Women more than their own Wives or Women 3. Working on Friday at Prayer-time 4. Games of Chesse Scails and Tables 5. Marrying with Men or Women of another Law 6. Marrying with Mother Daughter Sister Aunt Niece Nurse c. 7. Swearing rashly and For-swearing 8. Usury Lying Injustice c. 2. Precepts Affirmative 1. Pilgrimage to Mecha 2. Belief in GOD and Mahomet 3. Marry and Fight for the encrease of Religion 4. Giving wealth to the Poor Men Slaves Birds Dogs 5. Praying five times a Day 6. Keeping Lent one Month in the Year 7. Obedience to Parents 8. Keeping Friday Sabbath cum multis aliis Mahometan Sects 1. Turks or Arabians 1. THE Turks pretendc that Abouleker was the Successor of Mahomet making his Genealogy thus Mahomet 1 Abouleker 1 Omar 1 Osman 1 Aly. 2. The Turks are called Sunni because they follow also Counsels of Devotion besides the Commands of their Law M. de Thev 3. They call to Prayers from the tops of Towers 4. In Praying the Turks hold their hands one over another upon their Stomach 5. Among the Turks for a Christian to dispute with them is a Crime punishable by Death 6. The Turks make God the Author both of Good and Evil. 7. The Turks say the Law is Eternal 8. The Turks teach that God shall be visible to blessed Souls in his Essence 9. The Turks say Mahomet when he received his Alcoran was carried by the Angel Gabriel Body and Soul into God's presence 10. The Arabians pray five times a day 2. Persians 1. The Persians leave out of Mahomet's Succession the names of Abouleker Omar and Osman affirming them to be Usurpers only and no rightful Successors to Mahomet that Aly lawfully and actually succeeded him making the Genealogy thus Mahomet 1 Aly. which Aly say they succeeded Mahomet both in his Doctrine and Empire and married also Mahomet's Daughter who was also the first of the twelve Imams and whose Interpretation of the Law they embrace as the Truest and whose Sepulchre they visit as the Turks the other three 2. The Persians call themselves Schiai because they think it enough to follow the Precepts of their Law though sometimes they follow some of the Counsels too 3. In Persia they call to Prayers three times a day from Terrases not Towers 4. The Schiai in Praying hold not their hands on their Stomach but laying down a little gray stone which they always carry about them every time they prostrate lay their Foreheads on that stone made of the Earth of Keebela where Hussein the second Son of Aly was killed M. de Thev 5. The Persians will suffer Christians to dispute with them about matters of Religion 6. The Persians make God Author of Good only 7. The Persians say only God is Eternal 8. The Persians say he is visible only in his Effects and Attributes 9. The Persians that he was carried only in Soul 10. The Persians pray but three times a day Morning Noon and Night no not upon Fridays The Persians have translated the Alcoran into the Persian Tongue with an interlineal Translation word for word for Turk and Persian both believe that that Book cannot be explainted in any other Language but Arabick Subordinate Sects Dervises THey go about begging Alms in the name of Aly. They wear two Sheep-skins dried in the Sun the one hanging on their Back the other on their Breast the rest of their Body naked their whole body shaved Head bare Temples burnt with a hot Iron Rings with precious Stones in their Ears and a knotty Club in their Hand They are desperate Assassinates Robbing and Murdering on occasion They eat of an Herb called Asserad or Matslach which makes them Mad cutting and slashing themselves which makes them more reverenced On Friday after their Devotion they drink of Asserad and Sing and Dance about a Fire like mad c. See more in the sequel of this Book Imailer The Imailers or Religious Brothers of Love have for their Habit a long Coat of a Violet colour without Seam girt about with a golden Girdle at which hang silver Cymbals which jingle as they go These with a Book in their Hand of Love-Songs go about Singing and receive Money for their Songs and are always bare-headed wearing long Hair which they curl They are worse than Beasts
not what thou wouldst do with me for with thee is Wisdom I was delighted with this alone in that Exhortation that he did mightily excite me with that Discourse and inflame me that I should love seek after and attain and hold fast and embrace not this or that Sect but Wisdom it self whatever it was And I did burn and this only cooled me in so great a heat that the Name of Christ was not there For this Name through thy Mercy O Lord I had suck'd into my tender Heart with my Mother's Milk and whatsoever was without this Name tho Learned and Polite and True did not wholly Ravish me August l. 3. Conf. c. 4. Felix Africanus Bishop and his Associates chose rather to give up their own Lives in the Dioclesian Persecution that the Copies of the New Testament Origen when a Child was very inquisitive into the hidden meaning of the Scriptures and even tired his Father with asking questions and afterwards never went to Meals never to Sleep without some part of the Scripture read Dr. Cave John an Egyptian Confessor whom Eusebius saw and heard tho his Eyes were out and his Body mangled would repeat any passages out of the Old and New Testament whom I supposed saith he to be reading in a Book till coming near I was struck with great Admiration Idem Theodosius the younger could exactly repeat the Holy Scripture in any part Idem Nazianzen ptofesseth he had willingly renounced all other things for the sake of this Book Idem Gildas hath scarce one Paragraph in his Epistles unstored with Texts of Scripture T. Jones K. Alphonsus read over the Bible 14 times with Commentaries such as his Age afforded Mr Bradford never went to bed without his Book Fox Martyrol Heathens The more I study the Nature of God and inquire what he is the less I find The Saying of Simonides to Hiero of Syracuse Know that it is the greatest Point of Religion about the Immortal Gods to have right Opinions of them that you may know that they are and that they govern all things well and righteously and that we ought to obey them and acquiesce in all things that they do c. Epict. c. 38. Muscovites There are a great number of Monasteries both for men and women in Muscovy of S. Basil's order but they have this common with all the Muscovites that they can hardly write and read Not one in ten can say the Lord's Prayer much fewer the Creed and Commandments D. of Holstein's Emb. Travels p. 105. Persians The Audience being over The King of Persia again sent for Lalin Mariage and Father Raphael and after a short discourse having dismissed all but F. Raphael he fell into a Dispute with him touching the Unity of the Divine Nature the necessity of one Prophet and how Mahomet was the Seal and Crown of all the Prophets He seemed to admire that the Franks who had the reputation of being People of Wit and Discretion could think that Jesus Christ was a God Tavernier's Collection of several Relations c. p. 28. Papists The Venetians are generally ignorant of the matters of Religion to a scandal and they are as unconcerned in them as strangers to them Dr. Burnet's Letters The great Libertinage that is so undecently practised by most sorts of People at Venice extends it self to the Clergy to such a degree that tho Ignorance and Vice seem the only indelible Characters that they carry generally over all Italy yet those appear here in a more conspicuous manner than elsewhere Idem One of the chief Ornaments of Venice was the famous Young Woman that spoke five tongues well of which the Latin and Greek were two she passed Dr. of Physick at Padua was a person of such extraordinary Vertue and Piety that she is spoken of as a Saint she was of the Noble Family of the Cornaro's Idem 2. Love to God Christian ¶ From Syria even to Rome I fight with Beasts by Land by Sea Night and Day bound with 10 Leopards a guard of Souldiers would to God I might enjoy the Beasts prepar'd for me who I wish may make quick dispatch with me whom I will allure to devour me speedily and if they will not I will even force them Pardon me I know what is best for me Now I begin to be a Disciple of Christ Let Fire Cross and Troops of violent Beasts and all the torments of the Devil come on me that I may enjoy Christ Ignatius in his Journey to Rome My Love is crucified The saying of Ignat. Two Loves make two Cities the Love of God makes Jerusalem the love of the World makes Babylon Let every on ask himself what he Loves and he will find of what place he is a Citizen Aug. on Psalm 64. He loves thee less O Lord who loves any thing with thee which he doth not love for thee Idem in Conf. l. He that Loves not doth not labour for all labour is difficult to them who do not love Only Love is ashamed of the name of Difficulty Ibid. The Love of God is never idle Operatur enim magna Greg. in Ho. Our Soul is not more present where it lives than where it loves Vbi animat quà m ubi amat unless you suppoe it to be more there where 't is bound by necessity than were it is carried freely Bern. de Praecep Love of God Prior Deus dilexit nos Tantus tantum gratis tantillos tales Bern. If you would be presently cleansed from Vices enkindle in your self the Fire of Divine Love if you have perfectly tasted the sweetness of the Divine Love you will not care for temporal sweetness Rabanus in quod Serm. Wretched I how much ought I to love my God who made me when I was not Redeemed me when I was miserable For I was not and he made me of nothing not a Stone not a Tree not a Brute but he would have me to be a Man he gave me Life Sense Discretion brought me out of Exile Redeemed me out of Bondage called me by his Name that his Memorial might be always with me he anointed me with the Oil of Gladness with which himself was anointed that I might be anointed from the Anointed and called a Christian from Christ August de Sp. An. I have loved thee O lord not with a doubtful but certain Conscience Thou hast smitten my Heart with thy Word and I have loved Thee The Heavens and the Earth and all things therein cry unto me that I should love thee Neither do they cease to speak unto All Men that they may be inexcusable Idem in l. Conf. If Souls please thee let them be loved in God for they also are Mutable but fixed in Him they are established otherwise they would go and perish therefore let them be loved in Him and draw them with thy self to Him as many as thou canst and say to them Let us love Him let us love Him He made these things and He is
c. 7. Christians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For how saith St. Chrysoston is it not Absurd that a Servant should not dare to call his Master by name or bluntly and ordinarily to mention him yet that we slightly and contemptuously should in our Mouth toss about the Lord of Angels How is it not Absurd if we have a Garment better than the rest that we forbear to use it continually but in the most slight and common way to wear the Name of God Dr. Barrow 's Sermon How grievous Indecency is it at every turn to Summon our Maker and call down Almighty God from Heaven to attend our Pleasure to vouch our idle Prattle to second our giddy Passions to concern his Truth Justice Power in our trivial Affairs Idem What Presumption is it with unhallowed Breath to vent and toss that Great and Glorious Holy and Reverend Fearful and terrible Name of the Lord our God the Great Creator the Mighty Sovereign the Dreadful Judge of all the Word what Name which all Heaven with profoundest Submission doth adore which the Angelical Powers the Brightest and Purest Seraphim without hiding their Faces and reverential Horrour cannot utter or hear the very thought whereof should strike an awe through our Hearts the mention whereof should make any Sober Man to tremble Idem A good Man should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and exhibit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem ex Clem. Al. Strom. 7. c. Chrysostom preach'd many Sermons to the People of Antioch against Swearing but they being weary of the Subject ask'd when he would leave off Preaching To whom he answered When you leave off Swearing Would you have the Plaister taken away before the Wound be cured Calamy a Fast-Sermon The best way to attest the Truth of what is spoken is to call God to Witness this is the Form of Swearing which we Christians use Athan. Apol. ad Constant. Imp. St. Chrysostom saith It was customary to come into the Church and to Swear upon the Communion-Table taking the Holy Gospels into their hands Dr. Cave St. Basil exhorts them that had Sworn rashly or in unlawful cases to Repentance appoints Perjured Persons Banishment from Communion eleven Years Idem Vegetius de Re Milit. l. 1. a Heathen Author living in the time of Valentinian Jun. sets down this as the Military Oath of the Christians By God Christ and the Holy Spirit and the Majesty of the Emperor Idem Novatus taking his Followers Hands wherein they held the Sacramental Elements caused them to Swear by the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ that they would not desert him Euseb Pope Pius appointed forty days Penance with Bread and Water and seven Years following for a Perjured Person that was Free three Forties or Lents Penance and lawful Holy-days for him that was bound Carrauz Decr. Pii Pap. If any Swear by God's Hair or Head if in Orders let him be deposed if a Lay-man Excommunicated c. Idem ibid. Dr. Taylor to the Bishop of London degrading him When the Bishop according to the Formality should have struck him on the Breast with his Crozier and his Chaplains disswaded him from it because he would strike again Yes said he by St. Peter will I for it is the Cause of Christ And again to Mr. Bradford the same Doctor relating the Story told him I have fâ—ightned the Bishop of London for that his Chaplains thought I would have struck him and by my Troth quoth he rubbing his hands I made him believe I would do so indeed Fox's Martyrol Papists Bishop Bonner swore frequently by God by St. Mary by St. Augustine by the Blessed Sacrament Allhallows by my Faith Troth Ibid. Common Swearing among the Papists a venial Sin Aug. de Clavasio Mahometans Vallahi or Tallahi i. e. by God a usual Form of Swearing among the Mahomitans About ten years ago an Arabian well known to me Ahmed Ibn Ali a Suliensian was reproved by the Famous Golius for Swearing took it well and gave thanks for reducing him from that Pernicious and Damnable Custom Hottinger Ancient Heathens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Oath is a most dreadful thing Arist Reverence an Oath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythag. aur Carm. The best way of observing an Oath is if you neither use it frequently nor rashly nor in common matters nor for the amplification of Speech nor confirmation of a Relation but in things necessary and solemn and when there is no other way to procure Credit c. Hierocl in Curm Pyth. vid. Isocr ad Demonic Sect. 30. With the Scythians the Swearer's Punishment was loss of his Estate with the Persians Bondage with the Grecians cutting off the Ears with the Romans throwing down a steep Rock Anon. With the English now Payment of one Shilling Praying unto God Jews THE Jews in Barbary resort to Prayer thrice every day in their Oratories 1. At Sun-rising for two hours together which is called Tephillah Sabarit or Morning Prayer 2. About three a clock in the Afternoon which is called Tephillah Minscha or Evening Prayer 3. After Sun-set which is Tephillah arvit or Night Prayer These two last Services are not both of them above an hour long Dr. Addison They pray also to the Angels in their Retirements for the necessary Evacuations of their Body thus Most Holy and most Glorious Ministers of the most High I beseech you keep preserve and help me wait till I come in and go out for this is the Custom and way of all Men. Idem There is an Univesal Agreement among them that they ought every day to say over a hundred Benedictions viz. At washing in the Morning 23 at entrance into the Synagogue six at putting on the Zizith one at putting on the Tephillim one at every one of the three Offices in the Synagogue eighteen three after Dinner two before Night at going to sleep two and as many at Dinner and Supper Idem The Pharisees spent one quarter of the day in Prayer Dr. Hall Christians St. James the Just went daily to the Church and there kneeling on the Pavement prayed so that his Knees became hard and brawny as Camels Dr. Cave out of Euseb Nazianzen saith his Mother Gorgonia prayed so oft that her Knees were hard and did as it were stick to the Ground Idem The Barking of Dogs the Bellowing of Oxen the Grunting of Hogs pleaseth God better than the Canting of Luxuriant Clergy-men Hibernic ex August Thou didst afflict me with Pain of the Teeth and when it was so great that I could not speak it came into my Mind to admonish all my Friends present to Pray for me unto the God of all Health And I wrote this in Wax and gave it to them to be read As soon as we had kneeled down the Pain went away I was amazed I confess my Lord my God for I had never found any thing like it in all my Life August l. 9. Conf. c. 4. Constantine the Great caused his Image in all his
Pagod and walking from one end to the other pray again them strip stark naked shew their privy Parts to their Gods striking them with their hands then call for Water to wash themselves in the Face of the Congregation Ibid. Jews and Greeks Neither Jews nor Greeks use the posture of Kneeling in Prayer Praising of Him Singing Psalms c. Jews THE Jews at the pronouncing of Holy Holy Lord God of Sabaoth jump up three times They begin their publick Service with the Psalms Ps 3.7 c. Dr. Addison Christians S. Augustine saith We have the Precept and Example of our Saviour and his Apostles for singing in our Assemblies And he saith The custom of Churches were very different about this Matter In the Churches of Africa he saith They confined themselves to the Prophetical Hymns for which they were upbraided by the Donatists as too grave and formal But he allows Singing for one of the Solemn Parts of Divine Service with which he joyns Reading of Lessons Preaching and Prayer either aloud by the Bishop or in common by the Deacons giving notice Dr. Stilling Orig. Sacr. Pliny reports it l. 10. Ep. 97. as the main part of the Christians Worship that they met together before Day to joyn in singing Hymns to Christ as God Dr. Cave Concerning Singing see more in Dr. Burnet's History of the Reformation Fox's Martyrol Dr. Jackson's Notes on the O. T. Calvin's Instit Strabo Walafride The Christian's Companion c. Chrysostom saith That one may be said to sing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though all sing after him so that the Voice comes as it were from one Mouth Hom. 36. in 1 Ep. ad Cor. p. 487. Athanasius commanded the Deacon to read the Psalm and the People to answer For his Mercy endureth for ever Apol. de Fug p. 717. Sozomen saith They who were skilful were Praecentors and that the multitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 5. c. 19. In the constitutions Apostol 't is adjoyned that one should sing the Psalms of David and that the People should sing after the ends of the Verses 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 2. c. 57. S. Basil saith In his time they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And then permitting one to begin the Melody 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. 63. ad Cler. Neoc S. Austine speaking of the time when he was Baptized of Milain concludes thus How much did I weep at thy Hymns and Songs being sharply moved with the sweet Melody of thy Church Those words flowed into my Ears and thy Truth melted into my heart and thence bubbled up an Affection of Piety and my Tears run and I was well-pleased therewith l. Conf. 9. c. 6 7. How the same S. Augustine was passionately moved to Grief and Indignation against the Manichees in reading the fourth Psalm v. l. Conf. 9. c. 4. wishing that they might have been privately present to have seen him reading himself not knowing that they were present c. And how also he was angry with himself for past Faults and all others that loved Vanity Theodosius Junior rising early every Morning together with his Sisters interchangeably sung Psalms of Praise Dr. Cave S. Hierom speaking not of the Universal Church in Solemn Assemblies but what the Companies of solitary Virgins are wont to do of their own accord saith In the Morning at 3 6 9 a Clock at Evening and at Mid-night they sing Psalms only on Sundays they went into the Church Bullinger's Decads Sometimes they had Dances in their Churches and Chapels of the Martyrs Theodor. l. 3. c. 22. Praise Thanksgiving Protestants THE Protestants in England and Holland and Germany in some places use Organs In the Canton of Bern they use Trumpets in singing Psalms Conr. Werndly Liturg. Tigur The Lutherans in Swedeland c. have Organs and Bells in all their Churches Mangi The Sick here vow to offer their Blood to their Idols if they recover to which also they Sacrifice Rams with black Heads which with spiced Drinks they eat with singing and dancing Pâ—â—quet broke open Vol. 2. Cathay The Tartars here place their Idols at the entrance of their Tents and to them they offer the primitiae of Milk Meat Drink and the Hearts of Beasts all which they place before their Silken and Felt-Gods all Night and eat in the Morning Pacquet broke open Vol. 2. Tunquin The King of Tunquin after the Solemnities of his Inauguration takes his time to go and give thanks to his false Deities for his coming to the Crown when the Moon first changes shutting himself up for the first Week with the Bonzes and living in common with them with a great deal of Frugality During which time he visits the Hospitals gives orders for the building a Pagod c. Tavern Col. of Relat. c. Armenians The Armenians sing and play on Cymbals while the Communion is Administred D. of Holst Amb. Travels p. 208. After Dinner they go to Church where they sing certain Hymns Tavern l. 1. c. 4. p. 18. Mahometans After Perfuming of their Head Beard and Turbant with a Fumigation of Lignum Aloes the Mahometans lift up their hands on high and cry Elmendela i. e. Thanks be to God Tavern Acâ—â—et VIII Emperor of the Turks upon Tidings of a Peace made with the Christians at Buda with a number of Janizaries and others in great Magnificence went to the Church to give thanks to his Prophet Mahomet Knolls p. 1269. Moors The Moors about Fez On the finishing a work or Journey say Ham der illah i. e. Thanks be unto God Morden Geogr. The Mahometans at perfuming their Beards cry Illemed Illah i.e. God be thanked Tavernier When they meet a Friend upon the Road they say El ham dillah al salam tipsi i. e. God be praised that I see thee well Idem Among the Moors some of their Religious Santoes much more horrible than the Dervises clothed as the Dancers and have Felt-caps as they pray oftener viz. On Tuesdays and Thursdays about 10 or 11 a Clock at Night All meet at the call of him who goes to the Tower sing some Verses of the Alconan which they often repeat so that they have enough to last them till day clapping hands playing on Drums and such Instruments About the middle of their Singing they rise upright and put themselves into a ring one behind another he who is chief sings some Prayers aloud the rest answer Allah i. e. God making at every time a low bow and this with such straining without intermission and such bending of their Body that they look like Men Possess'd especially at the latter end when the Drum beats faster and the rest say Allah to every stroke of the Drum so that they foam like mad-dogs some void Blood at the Mouth This lasts about half an hour but towards the end they say nothing hut Hou i. e. He as wanting strength to say Allah Then they rest sing other Prayers and towards the end start up again and begin their sweet
to Church Mr. Hales Let. from Dort to Sir D. Carleton Helvetia One of the Helvetian Deputies declared That with them all Persons before Marriage were to be Examined by the Minister else their Marriage was to be deferr'd Idem A Catechism answering in bare Texts of Scripture was desired by the Remonstrants at the Synod of Dort to gain Anabaptists c. Idem Palatinate In the Palatinate in Sundays at one a Clock the Bell rings duly to Assemble the young People together at Church in order to be Catechised where Persons grown up to Men and Women submit themselves willingly to Catechetical Instruction and aged Persons disdain not to give their Presence The Ordinance is attended with Psalms and Prayers Protestants of France The Protestants of France have a large Catechism which they expound on Sundays Afternoon Papists The Papists have their Catechism likewise and Catechising used amongst them See afterwards under the Title of Discipline Frequency and Devotion at the Sacrament Jews THey embrace Circumcision for a Sacrament of Divine Institution and a Sign and Seal of the Covenant seldom deferring it longer than the eighth day doing it sometimes at home the Richer in the Synagogue The chief Officer or Circumciser is Mohel the God-father is called Baal-berith who receives the Child at the Synagogue-Door with this Acclamation Blessed is he the Child or Elias that comes and holds the Child to the Mohel who gives GOD thanks for this Sacrament given to Abraham Whilest the Fore-skin is taking away the Father thanks the Lord that he gave Abraham a heart to fulfill the Law of Circumcision and preserv'd him to see this his Son circumcised When he hath done the Mohel prays that the Child may live to see his Sons thus initiated may keep the Law and do good Works Then he taking a Cup of Wine and blessing God for creating the Vine and giving it an exhilarating Vertue dips the little Finger of his left Hand thrice in the Wine and lets it drop in the Child's mouth and having tasted it himself reaches it to the Congregation After which the Mohel gives GOD thanks that he hath Sanctified the Child in the Womb and hath brought it to the Foederal-Sacrament c. Then he takes the Infant from the Baal-berith and delivering it to the Father gives it a Name praying for him c. Dr. Addison I forgot to tell that at the Baal-berth's giving the Child to the Mohel is sung Deut. 15. They are not peremptory about the precise time of eight Days I knew one Jacob Israel Balgara born in Spain Circumcised in Barbary in the fortieth Year of his Age. They are careful not to delay the first occasion of being Circumcised The negligence of Parents herein is liable to Excommunication If a Child die before the eighth day 't is Circumcised at the place of Burial with only giving it a Name c. In the celebration of the Passeover they run home from the Synagogues at Even where they have in one Dish three Cakes in another a rosted Leg of Lamb with an hard Egg in another Pap and spiced Wine and divers Fruits in another Lettice Parsley c. Rosse Christians Serapion having lapsed and on his Death-bed desiring Reconciliation and the Sacrament and none being willing to communicate with him he sent his Boy to the Pastor who being also sick sent the Eucharist by the Boy after he had re-received the Sop he immediately died Dr. Cave Calvinists A Gentleman of no mean rank being a Candidate of Divinity and assisting at the Administration of the Sacrament while he was holding the Cup fixed his Eyes upon a Gentlewoman who was betrothed to him She some days after at her Father's House ask'd him the Reason He told her because he had almost a fancy to drink her Health Whereupon she began to hate and utterly detest him and the Matter being spread abroad he was taken Prisoner and some Weeks after Condemned and Beheaded Werndley in his Liturgia Tigurina Heathens Gaurs The Gaurs in Persia at the Birth of their Children practise something like our Baptism for some days after the Child is born they wash it with Water wherein certain Flowers are first boyl'd and during that dipping the Priest who is present makes certain Prayers If the Child dye without that washing they do not believe but that it goes to Paradise but the Parents shall give an account for their neglect because the washing encreases his Favour in the sight of GOD. M. Tavern l. 4. Armenians The Armenians always Communicate at their Marriage and during the Administration they Sing and play on certain great Cymbals D. of H. Emb. Trav. Those aged Persons that Communicate not once a Year and Children dying unbaptized are not buried in the Church-yard Idem p. 208. Muscovites Those Muscovites who receive the Sacrament prepare themselves by extraordinary Mortifications for eight days eating nothing but a hard kind of Bread and drinking nothing but Water and Quas which is so sowre that it wrings the Belly and brings to Death's door and make their Confession Such as have taken an Oath lately in any Law-suit or committed Murder or any heinous Sin are debarr'd 'till death There are but few that neglect to receive the Sacrament at Easter Sacraments Muscovites THE Muscovites think Baptism the only Door through which a Man must enter into Christ and so into Paradise They Baptize their Children as soon as born if weak at home if well at Church The way thus 1. The Priest receives the Child at the Church-Door from the God-father and God-mother crosses and blesses him saying The Lord preserve thy going out and coming in receives Wax-Candles uses Incense c. 2. Makes a Procession about the Font 3 times with the God-father c. the Clerk going before with the Picture of S. John the Priest reading in the interim c. 3. The God-fathers give the Child's Name in Writing which the Priest puts on an Image upon the Child's breast saying over certain Prayers 4. He asks the God-fathers if the Child believe in God the Father Son and H. Ghost 5. All turn their Backs upon the Font to shew their horrour for those three Questions that are to be ask'd afterwards viz. If he renounced the Devil his Angels and his Works To which the God-fathers answer three times and spit so often on the ground 6. Then they face about and the Priest asks If they will bring up the Child in the true Greek Religion 7. He Exorcises the Child by putting his hand on him and blowing three times cross and saying Get out of this Child thou unclean Spirit 8. He cuts off a little of the Child's hair puts it in a Book dips the naked Child three times in the Water In the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost 9. Puts a corn of Salt in the Child's mouth crosses it on the Fore-head Hands Breast Back with Oil puts a clean Shirt on him saying Thou art as clean as this
our Saviour's and the Apostles times 48 years after the Destruction of Jerualem they made the City Bethoron to be their chief City and rebelled by the Perswasion of Ben-chocab Son of the Star Numb 23. 200000 in number but received such a Slaughter as themselves tell the Story that the Blood reached to the Horses Mouths c. In the time of Trajan they rebelled again in Egypt and Cyrene under Luke their Captain and many thousands of them were destroyed Dion saith 220000. Afterwards under a Pseudo-Moses in Arabia rebelling again they were again destroyed Purchas Alsted c. Christians The Christians obey the Laws that are made and by the Exactness of their Lives go beyond that Accuracy which the Law requires of them Just Mart. Ep. ad Diogn Are there any more devoted to you than we who Pray for the Happiness of your Government that according to Right and Equity the Son may succeed his Father in the Empire c. Athenag leg pro Christian Tertullian saith Though they refused to pay the Taxes rated upon them for Maintenance of the Heathen Temples yet for all other Tributes they obeyed Dr. Cave Prim. Christ. Muscovites No People in the World have a greater Veneration for their Prince than the Muscovites who from their Infancy are taught to speak of the Czar as of God himself witness their submissive Forms of Speaking the Honour to see the Brightness of the Eyes of his Czarick Majesty only God and the Czar knows it All they have belongs to God and the Czar D. of Holstein's Emb. Trav. Inhamban The King of Inhamban is much reverenced by his Subject by whom he is served upon the Knee and when he Coughs or Drinks all those that are about him make such a Shout that the Town rings of it In one particular they differ from most Nations else which is That such as are admitted into his Presence are bound to sit down it being the greatest Favour to stand Dr. Heylin Japanners In Japan if any Prince or Great Lord makes a Feast for his Friends at the end of the Feast he calls his principal Officers and asks them if there be any that hath so much Love for him as to kill himself before the Guests for his sake Presently there arises a Dispute among them who shall have the Honour and whoever the Prince is pleased to name rips up his Belly with a Crik which is a kind of Dagger the point whereof is poysoned Tavernier's Relation of Japon The Mogul's Subjects if sent unto any place of Employment shave not their Heads nor cut their Hair till they return to shew their Discontent while out of his sight When the Mogul sends his commands by Papers to any of his Governours they well accompanied go out to meet the Messenger as soon as they see the Letters they alight from their Horses fall down on the Earth and take them from the Messenger and lay them on their Heads and carry them to the place of publick Assembly to be read They that are near the Mogul attend constantly to see him when he exposes himself for that purpose in a Balcony as usually he doth three times a day When they see him they cry out Live O Great King or O Great King Health and Life And his Subjects will do any thing he bids them as for a Father to kill the Son c. The meaner sort to their Superiors use these abject and lowly ceremonies of Reverence by putting their right Hand to the Earth The Turks are Loyal to the Prince whom they highly reverence and blindly obey M. de Thev They are not seen to betray their Prince nor turn to the side of the Christians They give good Precepts of Subjection and Loyalty for instance That it is never lawful to kill their Prince nay nor to speak ill under pretence that he is a Tyrant F. Simon The Bannyans in East-India are content to submit rather than govern and wish all People were of their Mind Sir Tho. Herb. The Chinese Honour their Mandarins Reverence their Chiams little less than adore their King Idem No Subject hath recourse save by Petition Idem Scholars and Merchants are more honoured than Men of War No People in the World more honour their King than they for they suppose him too Glorious to look upon they obey his Will in every thing fill his Exchequer yearly with above 1000000 Crowns call him Lord of the whole World Son of the Sun Beauty of the whole Earth Nor do any express more filial Respect to Parents than they Marry not without their Consent c. Idem Good Parents Jews RAbbi Jose a Wise Man and Mechanick viz. a Skinner had eight Sons to all which the Jews attribute the Praise of Wisdom Hottinger A great reason of the Jews unshaken Adherence to their Faith is That they are timely and deeply grounded They make use of that Rule of Solomon frequently Catechise a Child in the way he should go c. The Parents strictly forbid their Children all Conversation with Mahometan Children suffer them not to use the Name of God till seven years of Age teach them to read by casting two or three Letters on a smooth Stone or Board at first to write by giving them a Draught of very large Letters on a fair Paper with a thin Paper The Mothers Break-fast their Children with somewhat Sugar'd or HOney'd saying As this is sweet to thy Palate so let Learning be to thy Mind bidding the Child use no filthy words at School because God loves clean Lips not spend his time idly c. Dr. Addison of the Jews in Barbary Christians Luther was very lovingly affected toward his Children and gave them liberal Education he kept in his House a School-master to train them up in good Arts and a Godly Life When he saw Magdalen his Daughter ready to die he read to her Isaiah 26.19 concluding thus My Daughter enter thou into thy Chamber with Peace until the Indignation be over-past I shall e're long be with thee for God will not permit me to see the Punishments hanging over the head of Germany and upon this wept plentifully but in publick attended the Hearse without a Tear Fuller's Lives In Holland at Amsterdam the Parents that are able and rich enough contrive it so that when their Sons are Extravagant and Masterless the Officers seize upon them and carry them into the Tuchthuis where they are not forced to any hard Labour but kept in till they see sufficient signs of their Amendment Dr. Edw. Brown's Travels Mr. Julines Herring's Wife having thirteen Children caused them to learn the Proverbs of Solomon by heart and ever before the Father corrected them he endeavoured to convince them of their Sin against God and sought by Tears and Prayers for God's Blessing upon that means for their good Clark's Lives It is a surprizing thing to see so much Learning as one finds in Geneva not only among those whose Profession obliges them to
me leave to say That I am only yours I know I have deserved death and should think my self happy to receive it at your hands but it troubles me to be affronted by this Knez c. For which he had a Present of 1000 Crowns and the Knez a good Cudgelling D. of H. Am. Trav. Heathens In the Island Fermosa there is so great an Equality of Condition that they are yet ignorant of the Names of Master and Servant yet they render great Honour one to another and express a great respect and submission to one another not upon the score of a more eminent Dignity or Wealth but Age which is so Considered that a young Man is obliged to go aside to make way for an Old Man and turn his back to him till he be passed Mandelslo's Trav. Good Servants Jews TO pass over here in silence the Example of Abraham's Servant spoken of before Joseph is the next most remarkable instance in Scripture Faithful both to God and his Master even in a case where his Mistress was the Rival and his own Flesh doubtless no Friend or Assistant The Story of Daniel and the three Children is well known who at the same time served God and their Masters with an Obstinate Integrity and stoutly resisted and safely evaded the Attacks and Attempts of their and fraudulent Adversaries Antient Christians S. Augustine tells us of an old Servant-maid that had carried his Grandfather upon her back when he was a Child and therefore for her Age and excellent behaviour was afterwards much respected by her Master and Mistress who thereupon committed to her charge the care of their Daughters She was saith S. Augustine Religiously severe and soberly prudent in teaching and restraining them For she would not allow them to drink so much as water except at Meals tho never so thirsty fearing an ill Custom and adding a wholesome word You now drink water because you have not Wine in your Power but when you come to have Husbands and be Mistresses of Cellars and Boutiques you will scorn Water but still have the custom of Drinking By this means she so restrained their tender Appetites that they did not so much as desire any thing that was not decent but notwithstanding Monica S. Augustine's Mother being employed sometimes to fetch Wine by her Parents out of wantonness used to sip a little out of the Flagon till at last she could drink almost a full Cup without breathing the old Maid came and caught her and with bitter insulting upbraided her calling her a Wine-bibber which so pricked and provoked her that presently she saw the illness of the Act condemned the custom and left it off Confess l. 9. c. 8. Hindoes Heathens They serve for 5 sh a Month which is paid usually the next day after the change before-hand They stand usually to be hired in the Market-place If their Salary be not paid exactly at the time they will be gone but if bidden to provide themselves of other Masters they will not stir but serve out their time to an hour They keep within call of their Masters and will not stir without leave Japan In Japan the Departure of great Lords is commonly attended by the Voluntary Execution of 20 or 30 Vassals or Salves who rip up their Bellies and dye with their Masters this they are obliged to by Oath and it is done partly by way of acknowledgment of the particular kindness which their Lords had for them having acquainted their Lord that they are willing to be obliged to Sacrifice themselves in that manner when accasion shall require they entertain him with a short discourse to this purpose Most mighty Sir you have many other Slaves and Servants of whose Affection and Fidelity you are assured who am I Or what have I deserved That you should honour me with your favour above any of the rest I resign up this Life to you which is already yours and promise you I will keep it no longer than it shall be serviceable to yours Then with a Bowl of Wine which is the most Religious Ceremony they have among them they Confirm their Oaths which thereby become Inviolable Mandelslo p. 142. But it is for the most part Slaves weary of Life that offer themselves so freely to Death Good Ministers and Pastors Jews IT Cannot be reasonably expected that I should have much to say upon this point save what we meet with in Sacred Scripture which I refer my Readers to Nothing material hath occurred to me in my reading concerning their Modern Doctors Christians Here is so spacious a Field to walk in that the plenty of matter rather makes a confusion in my thoughts than conduceth to order and method The Fathers of the Church the many Ecclesiastical Doctors of the East and West of the Lutheran and Zuinglian Denomination of the Dutch French and especially English Church so famed for Learning Courage Devotion Writings Labours Sufferings c. Are so obvious to every Reader that I shall rather chuse to say little or nothing or next door to nothing than begin so long a Catalogue and not go thorow with it to some degree of Perfection which to do would require a pretty large Volume only a little for Orders sake take these two or three short touches which I believe will be so far from satisfying a Reader of an eager appetite that I shall both begin and end displeased my self In the Church of Milan S. Augustine saith he heard Ambrose every Lord's-day Preach Bishop Ridley Preached every Holy-day and Sunday Bishop Latimer twice a Week S. Austin would never purchase Houses nor Lands nor any other Possessions for his Church And they who knew his mind sold their Lands and gave Austin the Money Being perswaded that the good Bishop would bestow it on Pious uses and not in making new Purchaces for enriching of his Church Be often refused the Inheritances offered to his Church thinking it fitter they should go to their Lawful Heirs F. Simon ox Possid in vit Aug. S. Austin admitted no Clerk into his Church till first he had disposed of all his Goods either in favour of the Poor or by Sale He was for having all Clerks really Poor in imitation of the Apostles and for living altogether in common on the Revenues of the Church F. Simon in his Hist of Eccl. Reven Luther when his Friends disswaded him from going to Wormes at a Disputation then held between the Papists and Protestants lest they should burn him as they had John Husse he said if I knew there were so many Devils in Wormes as tiles on the Houses did I hear it were like to go ill on our side in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ I would go thither Calvin at the 28th year of his Age wrote his Institutions at his Death his Inventory amounted not to more than 60 pound taking into the Account his Library Miles Coverdale Bishop of Excester Preach'd every Sunday and Holy-day and most commonly
too that his Humility consisted not in his Dress but in the Constancy of his Mind not in the hanging down of his Head or the Softness of his Tone or the Demureness of his Look or the Gravity of his Beard or the Shaving of his Head but in the Frame and Temper of his Soul being as Humble in his Mind as he was Sublime and Excellent in his Life And when no Man could arrive at the Perfection of his Vertues yet every one was admitted to a Freedom of Converse with him Both in his Garb and Diet he equally avoided Pomp and Sordidness and though a great Restrainer of his Appetite would yet seem not to do it lest he should be thought plainly to design Glory to himself by being needlesly singular above other Men. Orat. 19. in laud. Patr. Eusebius relates of some of the Confessors under the Persecution of M. Aurelius that though for their Testimony of the Truth which they had born at the Dearest Rate on this side Death though they had been frequently thrown to wild Beasts exposed to Fire and the Remains of Wounds and Violence were visible all over their Bodies yet would not be called Martyrs but with Tears begg'd the Peoples Prayers that they might perfect all by real Martyrdom Hist Eccl. l. 5. c. 2. Dr. John Reinolds as Learned as any Man in the World as Godly as Learned as Humble as Godly Car. in vit Ric. Capel Mr. Ric. Capel could refuse Honours as Musculus did and contented himself with plain and mean things Idem Cajetan the Flower of the Cardinals would never be in his Silks and Braveries but kept his old Fashions to his dying day Mclancthon wouldnot disdain to do that which his meanest Servants would scarce put their hand to Ibid. John Duns Sctus Doctor Subtilis who was of Merton College Oxon had these Verses made upon him Doctor Subtilis nomen Subtilia donant Quem vestis vilis pes nudus corda coronant In English A Subtile Doctor of a Subtile Wit Brave Heart vile Raiment and with naked Feet Leigh's Relig. and Learn Luther calls himself a Sack of Worms-meat a lump of Earth a bundle of Wickedness an unworthy Minister of the Gospel Mahometans They praise Humility that is esteeming others more than themselves F. Simon The Persians and Turks are of that bad Humour rather to build new Houses than to repair old ones The Custom is grown to that height that the Children will not live in their Parents Houses after their decease M. Tavernier Armenians The Armenians on Mandy-Thursday perform the Ceremony of the Washing of Feet They all come to Church where the Priest washes the right Foot of the Men and the left of the Women and makes thereon the Sign of the Cross with Butter consecrated to that purpose And this done he is cast into a Chair by twelve Men who rasse him up into the Air with Exclamations of Joy keeping him there till he promiseth to treat them with a Dinner D. of Holstein 's Embass Papists Dunawd being consulted at Bangor what should be done about the Entertainment of Austin the Monk sent from Rome advised them Give him the meeting and regard his Messages if he be a Man of God But how may that be known said they You know what our Saviour saith Learn of me for I am meek and lowly c. If so 't is likely he belongs to Christ If with state and distance he thinks to reduce and over-awe you you are to defend the Liberties of your Church c. which last took place for observing him to be guilty of Haughtiness they laboured to contradict all that he said Th. Jones of Oswestree Cromwel in Henry the Eighth's time of a Black-smith was made an Earl and had the Garter given him Lord Privy Seal Lord Chamberlain of England Lord Vice-gerent Master of the Rolls yet afterwards forsook by his Friends except Cranmer insulted over by his Enemies attainted without making his answers which Counsel he had been the Author of against Pool's Mother before in a Letter concluded thus Written with the heavy Heart and trembling Hand of your Highness's most heavy and most miserable Prisoner and poor Slave Tho. Cromwel And underneath Most Sacred Prince I cry for Mercy Mercy Mercy Dr. Burnet Contempt of Wealth Vide Self-Denial Jews THE Jews are very Covetous and great Usurers Christians Trypho the Jew tells Justin Martyr by way of reproach that the Christians foolishly undervalued and threw away all the Enjoyments and Advantages of this World Dial. cum Tryph. p. 308. When Agbarus the Toparch of Edessa Offered Thaddeus one of the 70 Disciples great Sums of Gold and Silver for the pains he had taken and the great things he had done amongst them he refused them with this Answer To what purpose should we receive good things from others who have freely forsaken and renounced our own Euseb H. Eccl. Quintianus the President under Decius the Emperor asking Agatha the Virgin Martyr why she descending of such rich and illustrious Parents would stoop to such low and mean Offices she Answered Our Glory and Nobility lies in this That we are the Servants of Christ Sim. Metaphr Serm. Martyr ad diem Feb. 5. Tom. 1. Origen when he might have lived upon the Estate of others Sold his Library to one who was to allow him 4 Oboli a day the day he spent in Tasks and Exercises a great part of the night in Study always remembred that of our Saviour not to have two Coats not to wear Shoes Dr. Cave Prim. Christ Papists S. Francis's Story is well known who having a design to renounce the World and Offering his Money to a Priest who refused it cast it presently away and put himself under a Vow of perpetual Poverty S. Francis Sales saith he Loved Poverty above all things and call'd it his Mistress Muscovites The Muscovites spend but little in House-keeping 'T is not above Thirty Years ago that even their Lords were Lodged in very poor Wooden Buildings Their Hushold-Stuff is suitable to their Lodgings consisting only in three or four Pots and as many Wooden or Earthen Dishes Some have Pewter but very few but there is not any Silver They know not what Scouring means even the Duke's looks little better than the Tavern-Pots The better sort hang their Rooms with Mats have few Feather-beds but Mattresses or Chaff or Straw sometimes lie upon their Cloaths on a Bench or Table D. of Holstein's Emb. Travels Mahometans Their Dervises relinquish the World and spend all their Days in Solitude and Retiredness expecting a Recompence undergoing very sharp Penances crying out continually in such Expressions as these God Almighty look upon me I love thee I Love not the World but I Love thee and do all for thy sake After this Retirement they will rather chuse to Famish than stir from their Cells and therefore are Relieved by the Charity of others Banians The Goeghy a Sect of them are forbidden by their Law to
my Salvation I wholly offer up my Soul and Body I cast my self wholly upon his Mercy and Grace c. Ibid. Andrew Willet a little before his death repeated the 146th Psalm and said it was a most sweet Psalm by and by rising out of a Trance to his Wife crying out he said Let me alone I shall do well Lord Jesu and so departed Anonym Robert Bolton in a Quartane Ague after meditating on the Four last Things desiring to be dissolv'd in the pangs of death he breathed out I am now drawing on apace to my Dissolution hold out Faith and Patience your work will quickly be at an end he died aged 60. Anonym William Whately in Sickness comforted himself with Ps 41.1 2. whilst a Friend was praying with him lifting up his Eyes and one of his Hands in the Close of the Prayer he gave up the Ghost aged 56. Idem Ant. Walleus called his Family and exhorted them to the fear of God then took his leave and fell asleep never thoroughly awaking till on the Lord's day at 11 a Clock he expired aged 66. 1639. Hen. Alting the day before his death sang Psal 130. with great Fervency in the Evening blessed his Children and exhorted them to fear God and to persevere in the Truth of the Gospel and so died aged 57. A. 1644. Fred. Spanhemius having preach'd his last Sermon at Easter upon Phil. 3.24 Who shall change our vile Body c. he prayed for his Family and himself and in the Close of his Prayer died 1649 aged 49. Philip de Mornay Lord of Plessis Marley being sick of a continual Feaver often said I fly I fly to Heaven and the Angels are carrying me into the Bosom of my Saviour I know that my Redeemer liveth I shall see him with mine Eyes and I feel I feel what now I speak he died aged 74. Mr. John Bruen of Stapleford in Cheshire Esq the Morning before his Death said I will have no Blacks I love no Proud nor Pompous Funeral neither is there any cause of Mourning but of rejoycing rather in my particular Immediately before his Death Lifting up his Hands he said The Lord is my Portion my Help and my Trust his blessed Son Jesus Christ is my Saviour and Redeemer Amen Even so saith the Spirit unto my Spirit therefore come Lord Jesus and kiss me with the Kisses of thy Mouth and embrace me with the Arms of thy Love into thy Hands I commend my Spirit O come now and take me to thy self O come Lord Jesus come quickly O come O come O come and so died aged 65 A.C. 1625. Mr. Will. Perkins to a Friend praying for him said Pray not for the mitigation of my Torments but for the increase of my Patience he died aged 44. A.C. 1602. Edw. Deering As for my Death I bless God I feel so much inward Joy and Comfort in my Soul that if I were put to my choice whether to die or to live I would a thousand times rather chuse Death than Life if it may stand with the Will of God he died A.C. 1576. Melancthon to his Son-in-law Dr. Bucer asking what he would have answered Nothing but Heaven and therefore trouble me no more with speaking to me I have delivered more upon this subject in a former Book called The Christians Companion Mahometans and Heathens A great Solider in eminent favour with the Great Mogul a Mahometan Atheist upon a wound proving Mortal by the occasion of a Hair pluckt off his Breast about his Nipple in wantonness by one of his Women when a dying said Who would not have thought but that I who have been bred so long a Soldier should have died in the Face of my Enemy by a Sword or Lance or Arrow or Bullet or by some such instrument of Death but now am forc'd to confess That there is a great God above whose Majesty I ever despis'd that needs no bigger Lance than a Hair to kill an Atheist a Despiser of his Majesty and so desiring that those his last Words might be told unto the King his Master he died The Dervise that gave his sense of the Apparition at Medina mentioned in the Chapter of Miracles c. died with those Words in his Mouth if my Memory fail me not O thou Woman with the Book in thine Hand have Mercy upon me Heathen Antient. I am not haled to Death but am ascending up to Heaven The last Words of Socrates with the Mortal Cup in his Hand Socrates said Mr. H. Bullinger was glad when his death approached because he thought he should go to Hesiod Homer and other Learned Men whom he should meet with in the other World then how much more do I enjoy who am sure that I shall see my Saviour Christ the Saints Patriarchs Prophets Apostles and all Holy Men which have lived from the beginning of the World These I say I am sure to see and to partake with them in Joy The Words of Dying Bullinger See more in Erasmus ' s Conviv Religios Cicero in his Dialogue concerning Old Age introduceth Cato Major speaking thus If any God should grant me leave to grow young and cry like an Infant in my Cradle again I would utterly refuse it nor would I be willing as one that hath run his Race out to be called back from the Goal to the beginning again For what Profit hath Life or rather what toil hath it not But whether it hath or no certainly it gluts or satisfies for I am not minded to lament that I have lived which many and they Learned Men have often done nor do I repent my Life because I have so lived that I think I was not born in vain and I depart hence as out of an Inn not from my Home O famous day when I shall go to that Assembly and Council of Divine Souls and depart out of this Rout and Sink Occasions of Conversion Jews EVE Cohan was converted by ocasion of reading the New-Testament which she found in the Chamber of her Dancing-Master in Holland but being threatned and ill-treated by her Mother upon it married her Master came over into England and was baptized at London about half a score Years ago Discoursing once with an Italian Jew concerning the Conditions of Rome he began with great assurance to tell me That at Rome great Wonders were to be seen as a Man that could make his God make and unmake Sins at his pleasure c. closing up his Discourse with a deep Protestation That if he were a Christian the Vices and Doctrines of Italy would strongly tempt him to disown that Name Dr. Addison Christians Matthias Vessenbechius a Lawyer Student at Lovain converted by seeing the Sufferings of a poor Godly Man of that place Ex Melch. Ad. Francis Junius being at Lyons escaped an imminent Death upon which being somewhat awakened to a Sense of Divine Providence he desired to read over the New-Testament of which himself gives this Account When I opened
the New-Testament I first met with St. John's First Chapter In the beginning was the word c. I read part of it and was presently convinced that the Divinity and Authority of the Author did excel all humane Writings my Body trembled my Mind was astonished and I was so affected all that day that I knew not what I was Thou wast mindful of me O my God according to the multitude of thy Mercies and calledst home thy lost Sheep into thy Fold and from that day he wholly beat himself to pious Practices Anonym Bishop Vergerius was converted by occasion of seeing Fr. Spira in his misery or as some say by reading a Protestant Book with an intention to confute it S. Augustine gives us the Story at large of his own Conversion in his Book of Confessions and imputes it partly to the reading of Cicero's Hortensius to the Prayers of his Mother Monica and her continal Admonitions the Preaching of S. Ambrose but especially to the Discourse of Pontilian and his relation of the Life of S. Anthony which so stirr'd up his Passions that immediately he burst out into Tears retired into the Garden open'd his Testament at the direction of an Angel as he thought crying Take up and read and hit presently upon that Text Rom. 13.12 13 14. Aug. Conf. l. 8. c. 7 8. Justin Martyr was converted by seeing of the Martyrs Maronites Sometimes before was arrived there at Suratte a Merchant of Aleppo who had run himself out at heels and of a Maronite Christian was become a Roman Catholick in hopes to patch up his fortune being in truth a meer Counterfeit and Hypocrite for these Levantine Christians seldom change their Religion but upon some Motive of Interest and when they have got a good Sum together they presently whip back again into their own Country and for a small piece of Money obtain Absolution of their Patriarch among many others I will only mention one Franciscan called Paulus Stella coming with 400 Crowns or thereabouts in his Pocket for his Subsistance a Maronite smelt him out and under the pretence of giving him the honour of his Conversion to the Catholick Religion never left him till he had suckt him dry and turn'd the Chanel of his Money This Maronite Merchant whose Name was Chelebi shewed himself very zealous for the Capuchins and he had reason enough for the Capuchins of Aleppo had been very serviceable to him and had helped him in his Affairs when they were at the lowest ebb They were overjoyed at his Arrival at Suratte and gave out immediately that it was he that had given them Money for the building their House and Church but when I came to look over my Accompts I found that the Money that had paid for the Ground and a good share of the building came out of my Purse Father Ambrose having promised that I should be reimbursed at my Return to Paris but I never heard more of my Money nor indeed did I ever look after it Tavernier's Collect. of several Relations c. p. 37. Papists Bruno Born in Collen and Professor of Philosophy in Paris about the year of Christ 1080 being present at the Singing of the Office for his Fellow-Professor now Dead a man highly reputed for his Holy Life the Dead Corps suddainly sits up in the Bier and cries out I am in God's just Judgments eondemned These words were uttered three several days at which Bruno was so affrighted that a man held so pious was Damned began to think what would become of himself and many more Therefore concluding there was no safety for him but by forsaking the World betook himself with six of his Scholars to a hideous place for dark Woods high Hills Rocks and wild Beasts in the Province of Dauphiny near Grenoble and there built a Monastery having obtained the ground of Hugo Bishop of Grenoble the place called Carthusia whence his Monks took their Name Rosse's view of all Relig. Jews R. Hakkunas Ben Nehunia was converted by occasion of the Miracles which he saw I am Hakkunas one of them that believe and have washed my self with the Holy Waters and walk in those right ways being induced thereunto by Miracles Hortinger out of Suidas c. Elias Levita before his Death became a Christian and with thirty more Jews received Baptism but upon what occasions or inducements I cannot learn A.C. 1547. Alsted Diverse kinds of Testimonies Miraculous to Christianity Jews 1. PRomises and Prophecies and Types in Sacred Scripture 2. Satan in Possess'd Persons and Daemoniacks What have we to do with thee Jesus thou Son of God c. The Devil answering the Sons of Scevi in the Acts Acts 19. c. 3. The Jewish Nation as it is at this day dispersed through all the World and dissolved in all the most material parts of its Oeconomy without a Legal Succession of Priesthood without Genealogies without Temple without Sacrifices Holy Land Holy City Holy Altar Holy Oyl and in a word without any Government in Church or State 4. All their Attempts to regain their own Land and rebuild their own City wonderfully frustrated especially in the times of Julian the Emperor Ammian Marcell l. 23. 5. All their pretended Prophets and Saviours discovered in a most shameful manner and convicted of Imposture and Deceit especially the ignominious Delusion of Barcocab which the Jews lament to this day 6. To which may be added the Abstinence and Preaching of John Baptist and the Miracles of our Blessed Saviour As also those mentioned by Josephus relating to the Destruction of Jerusalem e.g. in the Feast of Weeks before Vespasian came against Jerusalem the Priests heard a Man walking in the Temple and saying with a wonderful Terrible Voice Come let us go away out of this Temple let us make haste away from hence c. Josephus Roman The Image of a Virgin with a Child in her Arms about the Sun seen at Rome Three Suns seen Augustus forbidding himself to be called Lord his releasing 30000 fugitive Slaves a Comet a Fountain of Oyl running all day Oracles silenced Alsted Christian 1. The Miracles done by the Apostles and Primitive Christians c. which continued in the Church for two or three hundred years after our Saviour amongst the last Recorded this is one mentioned by S. Augustine at the Aque Tibilitanae Projectus the Bishop bringing the Remains of the Martyr Stephen in a vast Multitude of People a Blind Woman desiring to be brought to the Bishop and some Flowers which she brought being laid on those Relicks and after applied to her Eyes to the wonder of all she received Sight As also when the Bodies of S. Gervasius and Protasius were dug up and Translated to Ambrose's Church at Milan not only such as were vexed with unclean Spirits were healed but also a certain noted Citizen that had been blind many years enquiring into the Reason of so much Tumult and Rejoycing among the People and being told the Cause leaped for joy
then all the rest by reason of the innumerable number of Nations which are cherished within the bowels of so large a Continent Job Ludolph Hist. of Ethiop chap. 16. I went to a Church at Bitchka where the minister prayed and preached and tho there were a very good linguist with me who spake Sclavonian German Turkish Vulgar Greek and Italian yet could he make nothing of it or find any affinity in it with any other language he knew A specimen hereof is set down by Megiserus of the Lords prayer in that language Mi attyanck by vagy as meniegbe megh Szentel Tesseck az te newed c. Quaere whether this were not the Jazygian In the like manner we were confounded with the Language of Albania on the North of Epirus and West of Macedonia Dr. Brown's Travels Graces at Meat Jews THat Graces or Benedictions were used at meat among the Jews is plain from 1 Sam. 9.13 where it is said That the people did not eat until he came because he was to bless the Sacrifice And also from the Example of our Saviour Christ Mat. 14.19 He blessed and brake c. Mat. 26.26 Mar. 6.41 Luke 9.16 c. Besides the Essaeans before they eat always give Thanks and no Man may eat any Meat till this Prayer be made unto God likewise when dinner is ended they pray again for both before and after they give Thanks to God the Giver of all Joseph of the Wars of the Jews Book 2. Chap. 7. Christians If you please I will rehearse to you a Hymn which S. Chrysostom sets out with wonderful Praises in a certain Homily not disdaining also to interpret it Bessed God who feedest me from my Youth who gives Meat to all Flesh fill our Hearts with Joy and Gladness that having plentifully what is sufficient we may abound in every good Work thro' Jesus Christ our Lord to whom with thee and the Holy Ghost be Glory Honour and Empire for ever Erasm Conviv Religios A Grace after Meat Glory be to thee O Lord Glory to thee O Holy One Glory to thee O King because thou hast given us Meat fill us with Joy and Gladness in the Holy Ghost that we may be found acceptable in thy Sight and not be ashamed when thou shalt render to every one according to their Works Amen Erasmus in Relig. Conv. ex Chrys in Matt. Hom. 56. Thou that givest Food to all Flesh grant that we may receive this Food with thy Blessing thou Lord hast said that if we drink any thing that is deadly if we call upon thy Name it shall not hurt us Thou therefore who art Lord of all Power and Glory turn away all evil and malignant quality from our Food and what-ever Pernicious Influence it may have upon us Dr. Cave out of Tertullian In Switzerland the Children are obliged to rehearse the Lord's Prayer before and after Meat Conrad Werndly The French Protestants bless their Meat in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Abissines They always read Prayers both before and after Meals a thing that some of our Courtiers are in a manner ashamed of who will hardly tarry to hear a short Grace Here in Abissinia you shall have the whole Psalter repeated at their great Feasts without any incovenience to the Guests for he whose office it is distributes to every one a part The King and they that are accustomed to it know their proper time the larger Psalms are divided among more the short ones to only one and thus by several the whole Psalter is read as it were in a Moment for the Psalter is made use of by all neither have they any other Book for daily Prayer Job Ludolph l. 2. c. 12. Armenians They were all the Dishes set down upon the Ground before the Patriarch who then prayed and gave thanks Mons Tavernier l. 1. c. 3. Mahometans They say always before Meat their Bismillah i. e. In the Name of God After Meat They give thanks by a Handillah i. e. God be praised and afterwards they wash their Hands M. de Thevenot Eat nothing which hath not before been blessed Purchas out of the Alcoran Heathens In Guinea and the East-Indies at their Eating they Consecrate their first bit and draught to their Fetisso wherewith they besprinkle it View of the Engl. Acquis in Guinea and the East-Indies The old Heathens when their Mensae Secundae were brought in had their Boni Eventûs i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 poculum a Cup by way of Sacrifice or Oblation to their good Genius Pontanus and Dr. Holyday out of Camerarius So in the beginning they had their Libatio Persians We sat at dinner viz. at the King of Persia's Court about an hour and a half and then the Cloth being taken away there was warm Water brought to wash their Hands which done the Lord Chamberlain cried aloud Suffre Hakine Scahe douletine Kasiler Kuwetine Alla Dielum i.e. Make us thankful for this repast prosper the King's Affairs give his Souldiers and Servants Courage this we pray thee O God whereto all the rest answer their Alla Alla. Grace being thus said they rose up and went out of the room one after another without speaking a word according to the custom of the Country Our Mehemander came also to tell us that we might withdraw when we pleased as we immediately did making a low reverence to the King Duke of Holstein 's Embassad Trav. into Muscovy c. p. 204. Malabar The King of Calecut eats no Meat till it be first offered by his Priest to the Idol Rosse Virginia The Pagans in Virgina instead of saying Grace at Meat used to fling the first bit into the Fire Idem By West-Virginia and Florida when they eat drink or sacrifice they used to throw up into the Air towards the Sun their Idol some part of their Food Idem The like is reported of New Spain Chinese The Chinese burn Amber at the end of their Feasts by way of Incense Tavernier par 2. l. 3. The Indians drink of the Water of Ganges out of Devotion at the end of their Feasts accounting it sacred Idem par 2. l. 3. c. 14. Tunquin The Tuquinese wash their Hands their Mouths their Face before they sit down Tavernier's Collect of Relations c. Ancient Heathens By way of Appendix to what was said before It was usual for both Ancient Greeks and Romans at every Feast to make their Libations or Offerrings to their Gods as Lovers to Venus Soldiers to Mars c. and also to Men especially such as they were obliged by Princes c. So in the times of Augustus his Preferments it was decreed by the Senate That the People should usually swear by his Genius and in all their Banquets should sacrifice for his Safety Alsted Encyclop l. 16. p. 2173. Lutherans Amongst the Lutherans the Woman of the House doth ordinarily say Grace instead of the Men. Dr. Brown 's Trav. p. 169. Magicians and Witches Mr.