had we have had hundreds and the Gospell of Christ hath lasted longer than both their Temples with all their Jewish Policie yea for Numbers of each side we have and yet doe exceede them by millions PAR. 13. ONce more I returne from my By-pathes and Diversions The Passeover continued all the dayes of the prosperity during the second Temple nor did the Annuall sacrifice cease at Hierusalem whilst the Temple was purified yet must you not thinke that the proper Passeover was tyed and fastned to the Temple but rather the Sacrifices of the feast belonging to the Passeover It is a confessed and yet proved truth that the Passeover was not bound to be slaine and eaten in the Temple but might be must be performed in their private houses at Hierusalem but the rest of all the Sacrifices which were to be offered during the feast of unleavened bread which endured seven dayes all those were commanded as well as other Sacrifices to be killed in the Temple at Hierusalem Deut. 12.13 Take heede to thy selfe that thou offer not thine offerings in every place that thou seest but in the place which thy Lord shall chuse in one of thy Tribes There thou shalt offer thy burnt offerings and there shalt thou doe all that I command thee ver 14. I will not deny but sometimes upon some extraordinary occasions the Passeover might be slaine in the Temple but that was not often or necessary-legall nor might ever or was it ever eaten there but in any other part of the City PAR. 14. MArke the judgements of God in these two points though many are most observable First he who undertooke and performed to keepe their Cities during their absence at Hierusalem whilest they truely served him the same Almighty God caused the Romans to fall upon their Cities and to besiege Hierusalem whilest they were there when once their sinnes were come to maturity Iosephus de Bello Iudaico 6.4 is either wronged by transcribers or wrong in his account which is not likely when he saith that the day of unleavened bread fell on the 14. of Aprill The City was full of people observant of the Passeover and Titus besieged them and they valiantly beate him off One of the 3. Factions viz. the Zelotes were slaine upon the day of unleavened bread every one of them by Iochanan the head of other mutiners who closely sent armed men into the Temple and filled it with blood They broke the Covenant and therefore the bond betweene God and them was now of none effect Nor was the siege ended till toward the end of September the Temple being fired and the people in it on the tenth day of August even the same day that it had beene burnt once before by the King of Babylon as Baronius collecteth from Iosephus the City was burned after and mount Sion forced on the Sabbath day being the 8. of September A stone was not left upon a stone in Hierusalem The second point which I observe is this that whereas the Jewes cryed fiercely when they would have Christ crucified His blood bee on us and on our Children Mat. 27.25 Titus as the Jewes were taken even five hundred a day and more caused them all to be crucified Ita ut jam spatium Crucibus deesset corporibus Cruces so that there was not roome for crosses nor crosses enough for their bodies as Iosephus an eye-witnesse relateth it de Bello Iudaico 6.12 Lastly I have either credibly heard or read that whereas Christ was sold for 30. pieces of silver the Captive Jewes were sold 30. of them for one piece of silver and more particularly for Iudas Rupertus observeth that for the 30 pieces of silver which Iudas tooke to betray Christ he had just as many Curses Prophetically denounced against him Psal 109.6 c. though I will not avouch that Rupertus hitteth the exact number or that every curse in that Psalme is appropriated to Judas onely excluding all other of Davids enemies Yet I dare say most of them fully reflect upon Iudas So much concerning this sixth Ceremony this durable Rite that the Passeover was to be kept in Hierusalem onely after the Temple was once erected The Prayer MOst infinite and incomprehensible God sometimes above all the rest of the world in Iury wert thou knowne thy Name was great in Israel in Salem was thy Tahernacle and thy dwelling place in Syon Salvation was of the Jewes unto the Jewes were committed the Oracles of God and the Sacraments of the old Law but blessed be the glory of thy mercy to us the partition wall is now broken downe and thou O blessed Saviour didest dye out of the gates of Hierusalem with thy face to us-ward and the houre now is when the true worshipper shall worship the father in Spirit and in Truth and that not in Hierusalem alone or in any other especiall mountaine or valley but every where art thou called upon and every where art praysed The heathen adore thee O God and the Islands rebound thankes unto thee for enlarging thy Kingdome for spreading thy armes of mercy to embrace them and for bringing them unto thy fold O blessed Saviour the onely shepheard of our Soules O Jesus Christ the Righteous who didst give thy life for thy sheepe and who by tasting death for all men doest bring us to life againe All prayse honour and glory be ascribed unto thee the most holy indivisible Trinity through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen CHP. XII The Contents of the twelfth Chapter 1. The Paschall Lambe was to be eaten in one house and slaine not in the Temple but in the house commonly More Lambes might be eaten in one great house It might not be eaten without doores No Salvation without the Church Schisme is forbidden 2. Not onely the Priests but the people of Israel might kill the Paschall-Lambe the people might not slay any other Sacrifice Nor the Levites ordinarily but the Priest onely Every one in the Congregation of Israel did not slay the Passeover but the Chiefe in one houshold Maymonides rejected Bellarmine truely avoucheth this duty of offering the Paschall-Lambe to belong to the priviledges of the first-borne before Aaron or his sonnes were chosen to be Priests 3. The Levites might offer the Sacrifice of the Passeover for the Priests if the Priests were not sanctified and the Priests might slay the Paschall-Lambe for the people if the people were not sanctified 4. Whether the head of the family himselfe must of Necessity slay the Passe-over or whether he might depute another in his place Barradius rejected for saying Christ himselfe slew the Passeover 5. A strange story out of Suidas 6. The Apostles prepared the Passeover before Christ came 7. The Passeover was not slaine at the Altar neere the Temple 8. The roasting of it whole is another fixed Ceremony 9. They were to eate it roasted with fire 10. They were not to eate it raw 11. Not sodden at all with water 12. The head was to
Eucharist was taken were altogether at three Suppers in one night in that night in which he was betrayed and that those Apostles certainely and Christ himselfe partaked of all the three suppers that they kept not one constant forme but varyed their gestures that there is no firmenesse of consequence to argue that whatsoever was done at the first supper the same was done at the second or whatsoever was at the second supper that it continued in the same fashion untill the end of the third supper that these severall Suppers were not in the same degrees of holinesse and were attended with proportionable Rites and different ceremonies That the eating of the Paschall Lambe was the first Supper That their joynt-eating of common food was their second Supper That the institution of the Eucharist and taking of it was their third supper called by the * 1 Cor. 11.20 Apostle the Supper of the Lord. To some intelligent people which heard me these things seemed though new and strange yet probable and analogall to faith others hung betweene doubt and beliefe but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecce Rhodus Ecce salius here is the man here his leape Nunc specimen specitur nunc certamen cernitur now is the tryall you may see it as Mnesilochus phraseth it in Plautus what I said I am ready not onely to say againe but to prove and justify God the truth and learned men the Disciples of truth being judges Indocti procul este viri procul este profani Let men unlearned and profane Be farre from hence they judge in vaine PAR. 4. THat I may beare the whole truth before me necessary to the unfolding of what our Saviour practised from the beginning of his eating of the Paschall Lambe till he had finished the most sacred Eucharist I intend under the divine benediction to handle foure poynts three preparatory the fourth definitive and decretory 1. What the Iewes of those times did at their ordinary meales 2. What they then did at their Feasts or Festivall dayes 3. What the Iewes were wont to observe at their eating their Passeover 4. What courses in particular our blessed Saviour tooke and used the night of his apprehension The Prayer ASsist me therefore I beseech thee O omniscient supreamest intelligence most wonderfull Vni-Trinity Trin-Vnity transcendent in fulnesse of knowledge and O sweet Saviour most blessed Lord whose cause I handle whose truth I search and disclose take the vayle of ignorance from before my face let me see with thy piercing eyes let my fleece be wet with thy dew from heaven distill upon me some drops of thy Divine knowledge power thy sacred oyntment and spreading oyle upon my head and fill me with humble veracity for thine owne Names sake O Saviour Iesu God and man the gracious Mediator betweene God and Men. Amen CHAP. II. The Contents of the second Chapter 1. The Iewish strictnesse in often giving of thankes 2. The duty of thankefulnesse exhorted unto 3. Ingratitude condemned 4. The Iewes at their Feasts began their banquet with blessing of a â—â—p of Wine what the particular words were poculum bibatorium every one dranke in order our most blessed Saviour scorned not to follow that custome The custome of the Table of the King of Sweden 5. The Master of the Feast among the Iewes consecrated the bread the very words of consecration translated are set downe 6. Some recreations were at their Festivals and wise holy discourses sometimes riddles were propounded our Saviours divine Table talke 7. The duty of Thankesgiving appoynted by the Apostle for all our doings 8. The temperance of the Primitive Church at their repast and at Feasts also proved by Tertullian and Minutius Foelix also their Prayers and singing and sober retyring 9. Our age in a double extreame some over-prodigally feast it the immoderate use of Tobacco taxed 10. Some are inhospitable inhospitality under pretense of devotion distiked 11. The meane in eating and drinking commended 12. Mirth and feasting practised on the Lords day in Tertullians time 13. Holy Hester her banquet of Wine the brethren of Joseph were temperate though the vulgar hath it inebriati sunt cumeo Iosephs liberality and full table was not intemperate or immodest 14. Christ Feasted on Sabbath dayes 15. Ahashuerus his moderation and Law wished for to be in use PAR. 1. THe Iewes were never wont to eate or drinke without Prayers blessings or giving of thankes especiall thankes for especiall blessings sometimes shorter ejaculations were in use sometimes longer devotions if they are but of Nuts Plumbes Apples Grapes or the like they had Peculiares preculas apt short prayers Zorobabel powred forth thankes for wisedome given unto him 1 Esdras 4.60 1 Esdras 4.60 The Psulmist was abundant in thankesgiving above any other duty both for ordinary and extraordinary blessings inviting all the Host of Heaven and Earth reasonable sensible vegetable yea inanimate creatures to prayse the Lord. PAR. 2. GIfts of minde body and fortunes are to be received with blessing of God generall favours of the Almighty looke for a returne of thankes yea are more to be esteemed as being more common That the heavenly Creatures move constantly in their Spheres that the Sunne shineth that the Moone powreth downe the supernall influences that our preservation with the meanes thereof is continued deserveth from us the Sacrifice of prayse unto God every grace of God unto us must be answered with a grace or thankes from us to God all Rivers runne into the Sea saith * Eccleâ—â— 1.7 Ecclesiastes Chap. 1.7 Unto the place from whence the Rivers come thither they returne againe Adfontem saith Saint a Bern. in cap. Iejunij Serm. 1 Bernard unde exeunt flumina revertuntur ut iterum fluant Flummis aqua si stare caeperit ipsa putrescit inundatione facta superveniens repellitur sic plane sic gratiarum cessat decursus ubi recursus non fuerit nec modo nihil augetur ingrato sed quod acceperat vertitur ei in perniciem Rivers returne to the fountaines that they may flow againe if they begin to stand they grow to decay even so grace ceaseth when it is not returned and to the ungratefull man nothing increaseth but what he received turnes to his overthrow Out blessed Saviour spent a good part of his time in this holy duty for brevity sake I will infist onely upon one place b Ioh. 6.11 Iob. 6.11 Christ gave thankes and then distributed the bread to his Disciples The Apostle gives a reason God hath created meates to be received with thankesgiving c 1 Tim. 4.3 1 Tim. 4.3 It was Gods intention they were created to that purpose or end and they goe against Gods intention who are unthankefull He that eates and drinkes and le ts grace passe Sits downe like an Oxe and riseth like an Asse PAR. 3 THe ingratitude of the receivers indeed infecteth not the meate but their receiving is uncleane and filthy even their minde
recubation to sit downe by companies upon the greene grasse the Interlineary erred to interpret it super viridi foeno upon the greene Hay Franciscus Lucas Brugensis thus ut verbo discumbendi vel accumbendi non necessariò significatur quòd cubuerit seu jacuerit Iesus inter coenandum quanquam ea est propria verbi significatio ita nec significatur necessariò quòdsederit praesertim semper quasi non potuer it aliquando stetisse sed quòd convivio afuerit quòd ex eâ ad quam accesserat mensâ caenam sumpserit nunc stans nunc sedens pro opportunitate vox Syra Semich stanti sedenti ascribi potest significat enim proprie innixum esse quod quidem tam de baculo quà m de lecto vel scamno potest accipi that is as by the word of discumbing or accumbing we are not necessarily to understand that Iesus lay downe at supper time although that indeede be the proper signification of the word so neither is there any necessity enforcing us to say that he sate at least that he sate alwayes as if sometimes hee might not also stand but the meaning is that he was present at the Passeover because he supped at that Table unto which he came sometimes standing sometimes sitting as occasion served The Syriacke word Semich may be applyed either to him that standeth or to him that sitteth for it signifieth properly to leane upon which may be understood as well of a staffe as of a bed or of a forme or boord and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they sate downe in rankes by hundreds and by fifties these places were no discubitory beds besides the greene grasse and yet the Holy-ghost forbeareth the properest words for sitting the Evangelist also doubleth the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is in a sort as they did at feasts to that effect I thinke the originall ought to be interpreted though our translatours wholly skip the words and render it onely by companies though many thousands might be by companies which had no reference to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Piscator thus observeth S. Marke saith he chap. 6. ver 39. word for word hath it banquetting companies banquetting companies it is a kinde of distributive speech as above two two in a company So in the verse following rowes rowes the praeposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per or By is understood so that the sense must be by companies that is to say they were so distributed into smaller companies as they commonly use to be at banquets c. See Piscator farther on Matth. 14. ver 19. PARA 3. AS this is a faire excuse why our English Translatours do use the word sitting throughout all their description of the Ceremonies in the eating of the Paschall though the words in the Originall doe signifie no such thing sensu primo at first sight for the learned translatours respected the sense and significant meaning not the propriety of the words and in their very discumbing beds there was sitting as I noted before and though we should grant that most of their time was spent in discumbing yet sitting was in likelihood the next lasting Posture and under it in much practise PAR. 4. SO theÌ„ madnesse of some people is hence apparent who will fit forsooth at the receiving of the thrice Sacred Eucharist because Christ is sayd by Matthew Marke and Luke to fit at the eating of the Paschall-Lambe nor have they ought to insist upon but the English Originall upon whom a just seducement hath fallen for being deceived by an indifferent translation of such whom they will not they dare not trust for a faithfull interpretation whilst they will be lead onely by the evidence of the spirit but let them take heede it be not a blacke spirit transfigured into an Angell of light I ever suspected any spirit who shall offer to lead me into matters beyond my Capacitie as God knowes the Common-peoples capacity and the floating imaginations of boyes and girles Apprentises and monoglosses cannot be as such stewards of the Mysteries of God PAR. 5. THe fifth Puncto expressed by S. Marke 14.18 is this As they did eate Jesus spake no doubt some at that instant did not eate and to those perhaps Christ principally spake those words they might pawse a while others did eate and yet harken also yea chiefely harken yet fall againe to their meate and it seemeth Christ both are and yet chose a fit time to speake One of you who eateth with me shall betray me ver 18. Ergo he ate and yet it may seeme probablest that Christ spake not much of the act of their eating but spake onely of them as they were Convivae or Convivatores eaters together with him Beza on Matth. 26.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish whether it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is read Mark 14.20 it is not to be taken as if at the very time when Christ sayd these words Iudas his hand was in the dish for this had beene a manifest and undoubted signe of the Traytour as Erasmus rightly observeth but it is to be referred to the mutuall dayly eating together I say against Erasmus and Beza the Apostles understandings being clowded with sorrow or eclipsed divinely they did not take this for an unboubted remonstrance as they suppose PAR. 6. VVHat sayd our Saviour Verily I say unto you one of you which eateth with me shall betray me all words of our Saviour were full of verity nor was one more or lesse true than other yet all words of truth are not of equall weight goodnesse benefit or consideration therefore when remarkeable momentuall or more necessarie marters are handled the word verily is perfixed and set as a Beacon upon an hill as a Diamond in a Ring of gold and sometimes the word is doubled Verily verily Amen sometimes is a kind of Prayer 1 King 1.36 After David had declared that Salomon should succeede him Benajah sayd Amen the Lord God of my Lord the King say so too and it was commanded to be used at the vote of the people in cursing of sinners Deut. 27.15 c. and ever since used at the close of all Prayers in all Churches likewise it signifyeth a certaine asseveration next in firmitude to an oath thus 2 Cor. 1.20 All the promises of God is Christ are yea and in him Amen the adverbe being put for the adjective truely or certainely for true certaine and faithfull Amen in this place signifieth no other thing but assuredly by which he raiseth up their attention to observe somewhat more than ordinary PAR 7. I Say unto you future things are to others unknowne but not unto me others may be deceived I cannot though no man knoweth the bea rt of man except the spirit of man though mans minde be volubilis deambulatoria usque ad mortâ—â— slitting and roving even untill death and what he purposeth one day hee altereth estsoone and sometimes
wine which they did rather taste of then take in great quantitie and doth wipe off the aspersion of Gluttony or Drunkennesse or of any kinde of Intemperancie in meate and drinke Thus againe Never was any found fault withall who ate but little of the Paschall Lambe And lest any should force himselfe to eate too much the remainders how great in quantitie soever they were were commanded to be burnt Never were a whole companie or family commanded to eate all and every part of the Paschall Lambe so that nothing was to be left A minde spiritually elevated at holy feasts little esteemeth muchnesse of eating and drinking Sure it is that what Christ with desire desired to eate viz. the Passeover he did eate it he was not frustrated in his desires and the prosperous meanes led him on fairely to the end of his intentions The Passeover was prepared for Christ Mat. 26.17 Where wilt Thou that we prepare for Thee to cate the Passeover Mark 14.12 Where wilt Thou that we go and prepare that Thou maiest eate the Passeover Thou principally For Thee emphatically Therefore we must say He did eate part Besides He said I will not any more eate thereof Luke 22.16 Therefore He did then eate of it or else the speech were improper When Hee dipped in the dish Mat. 26.23 He dipped with intent to take up something and to eate of it That He ate much of the Paschall Lambe and sower Hearbs I wholly denie And cleerely there are more passages to prove the Apostles eating at the Passeover then our Saviours As they sate and did eate Mark 14.18 Iesus fell to discourse as they did eate He said Verily c. Mat. 26.21 In both these places the words are spoken exclusively concerning Christ As if it had beene said He was none of them that at that instant did eate Whilst they did eate Christ did not At those speeches He ate not In conclusion Of the Paschall Supper Hee neither ate much nor nothing His end approaching and He knowing the wonderfull paines He was to endure He had little stomack to eate much Yet duty and Religion both sharpened his desire to eate some and his actuall-orall-manducation followed Concerning the second Supper it cannot be proved that He did partake much of it nor is there any great likelihood for it For He was tronbled in Spirit Iohn 13.21 And such have no great appetite to their victuals Indeed Hee tooke a sop and dipped it and gave it to Iudas Iohn 13.26 But there is altum silentium not a word concerning his owne free eating of any thing largely in this second Supper Therefore no imputation of intemperancie can fasten hold on him So in the third Supper the Scripture mentioneth not either that he did or did not eate And many thinke Hee gave it and administred it but are not of it himselfe though I opine He did taste of both kindes But of this hereafter This sufficeth to cleare our blessed Saviour from any shadow of excesse at any or at all of these three Suppers in one night The phrase of three Suppers in one night sounding in some mens eares very prophanely but being in truth farre more holy then onely one ordinary Supper of civill men PAR. 4. TO the other parts of the Epicureans exception who would willingly shelter themselves under our Saviours example that they might bee intemperate lawfully I answer that when I have produced what I can to shew our blessed Saviours most temperate behaviour I doubt not but any different man will say that Christ went beyond all that ever were renowned in Heathen story for their moderation in meats and drinks First we read not that Christ ever tasted of any flesh nor can it be evinced by deduction mediate or immediate except onely when He aswell as all others were commanded to eate when He are the Passeover or was at the great Feast appointed in the Law though He were at many Feasts made for his sake both by his Disciples and other Iewes and partaked of them Yet I doubt not but He was left to chuse his owne dyet So it is onely probable not certaine that He are of flesh at any civill Feasts Esayâ—â— 15 it was fore-prophecied of him Butter and Honey shall be eate And sure Hee did so But what is the meaning of the following words That he may know to refuse the evill and to chuse the good I answer The words in the Originall are Ad scire ipsum as Montanus on Esay hath it in his Comment or as it is in the Interlineary Adsciendum ipsum reprobare in malo eligere in bono And the word That is not meere finale nor causale as if Butter and Honey or the eating thereof made one wise or knowing rather his knowledge made him eate Butter and Honey but ostentionale or discretivum as if it had beene said other young children chuse not their meate by discretion but take whatsoever is given them But if any should offer any bad meate to Christ He shall refuse it if they offer good He shall take it He shall have that knowledge being a child that others shall not have at a faire age Butter and Honey shall He eate noysome things He shall avoid I have eaten my Hony-combe with my Honey I have drunke my Wine with my Milke saith Christ Cant. 5.1 Butter Hony and Hony-combe Milke and Wine were fore-prophecied food and are the most agreeable things to the nature of Infants Or this way The words Adsciendum or ad scire in Latine may be interpreted Butter and Honey shall He eate that yee may know He chuseth the Good and refuseth the Evill The knowledge of Good and Evill which Adam and Eve had not in their Innocencie Christ had in his Infancie By this choyce and refusall it might be discerned He had a prerogative above all other children for God was with him and his name was Emmanuel vers 14. He knew all things ab instanti Conceptionis saith the Schoole as soone as ever Hee was conceived in the womb See Gregory de Valentia Tom 4. pag. 254. But the Hebrew will not beare this exposition nor the Greeke nor English It ever digression merited pardon I hope the next will PAR. 5. THe accursed Iewes do blasphmously declaym against our most blessed Saviour against his most holy Mother against religious Ioseph calling them by most odious false names which you may read in Munster in his Annotations on the first Chapter of S. Matthew toward the beginning you shall not in my writings Especially they laugh at us for proving Christ to be God from the word Emmanuel Then say they Samuel is a God for the word Samuel signifieth Nomen ejus Deus i.e. His name is God Read the answer in Munster even from Rabbi Kimhi I meddle not with that Others derive the word Shemuel from Shaal which signifieth to aske 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 keeping onely the first radicall from it Secondly from Min or of
contention after the third Supper according to the literall Method yet in the order of History it is to be taken in at the second Supper And behold the ground of my conjecture It is scarce credible that presently after the devour receiving of the most holy Eucharist there should be dissention for Primacy I dare say who had such pridy ambitious thoughts presently upon the new Sacrament they had beene unworthy receivers thereof which none of the Apostles were for Iudas received not of which hereafter Againe it is said Luke 22.21 But behold the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table Now these words are spoken after the administration of the blessed Eucharist what followes thence Either we must make Iudas a participant of the body bloud of Christ which though some have held more have held otherwise that with greater reason we must make that after the third Supper they continued eating the Table being yet spread and meat thereon for else why was the hand of Iudas with Christ on the Table and so in effect we must make a fourth Supper of Christ the Passeover the common second Supper the most blessed Eucharist and lastly this Post-coenium or Reere-Supper which is most false and vast Or else we must grant that the holy Spirit did not stand so strictly upon the literall method in S. Luke which is most true as I touched at before and may appeare yet farther because almost the same words are described by S. Matthew and S. Marke Before Christ administred his most holy Supper which S. Luke placeth after the third and most sacred Supper Therefore I say Their contention was before their being satisfied in the point controverted and their satisfaction was before the receiving of the most blessed Eucharist and the meanes to satisfie them was Christs most extraordinary humiliation And now by these steppes of conjecture and probability I am come to the more certaine observations That the Apostles often fell out among themselves striving for superioritie cannot be denied S. Peter himselfe was in a manner over-curiously jealous of the company of S. Iohn What shall this man doe Ioh. 21.21 And Christ beat off S. Peter thus If I will that be tarry till I come what is that to thee The tenne Apostles were moved with indignation against the two brethren of Zebedees children Matth. 20.24 because one would have a promise to be on the right hand of Christ and the other on the left And Christ tooke the Apostles off from their passion saying Whosoever will be great among you let him be your Minister and whosoever will he chiefe among you let him be your servant as the Sonne of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister Matth. 20.26 27 28. verses By the way they disputed among themselves who should be greatest Marke 9.34 but he told the twelve If any man desire to be first the same shall be last of all and servant of all verse 35. A primacy he denieth not among them it was and is necessarie but the affectation and ambition of it he disliketh and sets them point blanke on the contrary Luke 9.46 There arose a reasoning among them viz. the twelve Apostles which of them should be the greatest And Jesus perceiving the thoughts of their heart tooke a child and set him by him verse 47. set him in the midst of them and tooke him in his armes Marke 9.36 and said to his Apostles Except ye be converted and become as little children yee shall not enter into the kingdome of heaven and whosoever shall humble himselfe as this little child the same is greatest in the kingdome of heaven Matth. 18.3 and 4. verses It was one thought of many men one heart of twelve Apostles the thought of theïr heart all thought so every one desired it and every one was answered When all these most divine actions words and counsells were either forgotten or neglected and after the Passeover and at the second Supper There was a strife among them which of them should be accounted the greatest Luk 22.24 Christ answereth in words from vers 25. to vers 30. inclusivè And when those words had not wrought fully enough on them nor humbled them sufficiently Then and upon this occasion as I judge Christ answered them indeede and went a quicker and more piercing way to teach them humilitie knowing their contention came not from God knowing he came from God and went to God Christ riseth from Supper and laid aside his garments and tooke a towell and girded himselfe powreth water into a Bason Joh. 13.4 c. The strife mentioned by S. Luke was before Christ washed their feete saith Salmeron though Barradius saith perhaps the strife arose because S. Peters feete were first washed which speech interferreth with that of Barronius next to be cited That the Apostles never grudged at S. Peters Primacy PAR. 7. THis did Christ beginne about halfe an houre after sixe in the Evening towards the end of the first quarter of an houre in their second Supper to wash their feete and Baronius much erred to say that Christ washed the Apostles feete ante secundam mensam when S. Iohn is expresse that Coenâ factâ the Paschall being ended Christ rose from Supper and washed them therefore it was not before the second Supper but in it one Supper was ended and Christ arose from another Supper Non debemus coenam adhuc factam veluti jam consummatam transsactam intelligere Adhuc enim coenabatur cum Dominus surrexit lavit saith Augustine Tractat. 55. in Johannem We must not conceit of the Supper being yet a eating as if it were consummated and dispatch't for as yet they were at Supper when the Lord arose and washed them he addeth most remarkeably Panis adhuc erat in mensa cùm buccellam dedit suo traditori The bread was yet on the Table when the Lord gave the Sop to him that should betray him But Osiander was mad to say Christ washed their feete before the eating of the Paschall we have proved Christ washed them in the second Supper There is not so much as a shadow of likelihood that Christ washed the Apostles feete before the Paschall and in the second Supper also S. Cyrill in his Booke De Ablutione pedum is in another extreme That our Saviour washed his Disciples after the receiving of the Eucharist But this cannot be for he put on his garments againe and did Discumbere or lye downe againe and entred into discourse and gave his Sop to Iudas all which did precede the Eucharist and not follow after it The truth is the Iewes of those times began their second washing at the beginning of their second Supper but Christ did so in the middle of the second Supper or rather toward the beginning of the Eucharist preparing his Apostles to a worthy receiving both by washing them and giving them good advice and I hold his Conclusion to be good
Christ by bodily prostration after they knew he was humanatus-Deus the Sonne of God yea God in our Flesh He expected it not The occasions did not so permit it He sent them He sate with them He did eate and drinke ordinary food with them He washed their feete At which times bodily adoration was not could not be well performed Christ held it worship enough at some times that they did confesse him to be God and Lord My Lord and my God saith Thomas Joh. 20.28 Thou art Christ the Sonne of the living God saith Peter Matth. 16.16 We beleeve and are sure Thou art That Christ Joh. 6.69 It was well accepted from them That they did worship him in Spirit and Truth Joh. 4.24 If their mindes and soules had gotten an habituall adoration of him the expression of it by continuall prostration was not necessary 1. But first when Christ had newly performed some superhumane workes they did as they were bound Worship him Matth. 17.6 At the Transfiguration when they heard a voyce from Heaven They fell on their faces At the great draught of fishes overlading their ship Peter fell downe at Iesus knees Luk. 5.8 And others might doe so at other times though it be left unmentioned 2. When they begged great matters They worshipped him The woman of Canaan seeking for helpe Worshipped him Matth. 15.25 The mother of Zebedees children craving a boone Worshipped him Matth. 20.20 3. When Christ did actually heale some who were vehemently afflicted They did adore him The healed Samaritan fell downe on his face at Christs feete Luk. 17.16 4. Lastly it was fit to adore him when he extraordinarily conferred on their soules greater blessings to the saving and inriching them with all necessary graces At such times and seasons did they ought they too Adore him And thus did he doe to them when he gave them the consecrated food of his Body and Blood when he instituted a new Sacrament for the good of their soules And therefore I doubt not but they did Then Adore him according as the excellency of the gift required Therefore Kneeling being a Gesture of Piety as M. Hooker fitly tearmeth it an Adorative Gesture and above all Gestures most frequent in use to worship God I conclude with some degree of certainty and with the cleerest probability That when Christ administred the consecrated Eucharist unto his Apostles they Kneeled at least if they did not fall down on their Faces and worship him And yet if they did fall down to the Ground they first fell on their Knees and Kneeling was the way and meanes of their prostration and they arose not up without Kneeling Let any one give me one instance where ever any Church at any time did like or prescribe that any one might receive the blessed Sacrament of the Eucharist Sitting or Lying all along except such as were unable to kneele till these later times of Singularity and Innovation and I shall give them thankes Tertullian de Oratione cap. 12. Irreverens est assidere sub conspectu contraque conspectum ejus quem cum maximè reverearis ac venereris quanto magis sub conspectu Dei vivi Angelo adhuc Orationis astante factum istud irreligiosissimum est nisi exprobramus Deo quod oratio nos fatigaverit It is irreverent among men to sit in his sight and against him face to face whom you do most revere and worship But this is more a most irreverent fact to Sit in the sight of the living God the Angell that heareth and offereth up our prayers Standing still there unlesse we object it against God that prayer hath tyred us And is it likely that the Apostles at the Receiving of the stupendious mysteries from the hands of their Saviour then present blessing the Elements giving Thankes to God working miraculously fore-signifying his Death and Crucifixion with the breaking of his Body and powring out of his Blood and giving himselfe unto them after a new way lastly lifting them up then from consideration of things earthly to the enjoying of things heavenly I say is there so much as a shadow of likelihood that they did not worship him Even Balaam advised Balack to stand at his Burunt-offering whilst Balaam met the Lord further off Num. 23.15 and Balak obeyed him for Behold he stood by his Burnt-offering vers 17. And yet it is likely that Balak did sometimes Sit for vers 18. It is in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surge not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in the Septuagint Balaam as it were dislikeing Sitting in sacred offices Even the unweildly Eglon arose out of his seat when Ehud said to him I have a message from God unto thee Judges 3.20 And he was another King of Moab Gregory Nazianzen in his Oration of the death of Gorgonia his sister saith When she was afflicted with an incurable disease by night she hastened to the Church and lying Prostrate before the Altar so earnestly prayed before the venerable Sacrament that she was presently cured calling upon him who is Worshipped on the Altar And can we think she did not fall down on her knees at least when her selfe received the sacred Food of her soule Eusebius Emissenus Homilia 5. de Paschate saith The Sacrament was instituted ut coleretur Christus jugiter per mysterium That Christ might be continually worshipped by the mystery Origen Homilia 13. in Exodum Nostis qui divinis mysteris interesse consuevistis you who use to be present at the Divine Mysteries do know that when ye receive the Body of the Lord ye heed unto it with all fearefull cautiousnesse and worship least any thing of it fall Again Contra Celsum 8. about the middle of the book With prayers and thanksgiving for the benefits received do we eat the sacred Bread And did they not neele either when they prayed or when they received In the next place followeth the binding argument from the book of Advertisements set forth by Queen Elizabeths command 1584 and printed by Thomas Dawson in the Articles for administration of Prayers and Sacraments We appoint Now follow the words That all Communicants do receive Kneeling and as it is appointed by the Lawes of the Realme and the Queenes Majesties Injunctions Lastly let men consider themselves and their own natures and they shall find that the body of Man was not ordained of God to serve only nor principally for naturall necessities It is indeed as a stranger to percolate our Bread Meats and Drinks but it hath many faire offices and more spirituall The Face framed with erected eyes to look up to Heaven The Heart to meditate on it The Hands being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the instruments of instruments to work righteousnesse and are not the Knees Omni cardine versatiliora more pliable flexible and turning than any hooks or hinges whereby we may easily fall down and worship God and easily arise to prayse him and do him service Let me speak in Tertullians phrases