cum aetate luctatur effugit pueritia sed retrahitur that is 'T is a most insolent custome that a company of Servingmen must stand round about the Table waiting upon their Master whilst he sits at Supper when we are set downe to Supper then one forsooth must tread-out our spitting and spawling another must take up that which the drunkards have let fall under table another carves up the costly foules and carrying about his cunning hand this way and that way disjoynts the legges and the wings unhappy wretch who was borne for none other purpose but to a cunning Carver onely of the two he is the more wretched who doth teach it for pleasures sake more than he that learnes it because of necessitie another waytes on his Master to attend him with wine and he forsooth must be attired like a Virginella that so he may seeme young and contend with age his youth is past but he would faine if it were possible draw it backe againe he intimateth also the censors of the guests obsonatores quibus dominici palati notitia subtilis est To them were added Tasters and carvers analectae servi which tooke up the remainders of Supper or the things which fell from the board more than one Analect whereas almost the meanest housholder had one or more to tend on him at Feasts we cannot imagine that our blessed Saviour and twelve others of his Apostles were without some Administrants It must be acknowledged that as it is not impossible so it is very improbable that thirteene discumbing should serve themselves without any other assistants we can hardly suppose such a thing at our Refections which yet were and are more commodious for such ministeriall subserviency then the discubitory beds of the Iewes or Romanes especially on their feasting dayes and yet more especially on this great Feast by how much sitting with shooes on they can sooner aptlier and easier stand and goe from place to place and move or bring any thing to the Table or carry and remove any thing from it then they could on discubitory beds whence it was harder to arise and more cumbersome to addresse them and put on their shooes if not their cloathes also When our Saviour arose to wash his Apostles feete observe the preparation specialized besides what was omitted as putting on of Sandals or the like He riseth from Supper He laid aside his garments he tooke a towell and with it he girded himselfe Ioh. 13.4.5 and after he had washed their feete he tooke his garments put them on and did sit downe PAR. 7. THe Iewes were appointed to have a company of the yonger and inferiour sort to aske questions and heare the Rememorative Table-talke but this was a fixed Ceremony and therefore Christ omitted it not and whom should he have in all likelihood but some of his 72. Disciples For they were as children in comparison of the Apostles who were as fathers Our Saviour himselfe mentioneth two distinct sorts at the Table at that Table one greater that sitteth at meate and one that doth serve Luke 22.27 and yet even the Servitors were esteemed and called by Crassus the animated instruments of houshold affaires Comiter servum in sermonem admitte in consilium in convictum amicum invenies Seneca Epist 47. Be affable to thy servant in thy common discourses in thy counsell at meate and meale and thou shalt indeere him unto thee and make him thy friend Some servants have beene even to wonder faithfull and carefull of their Masters and have voluntarily shed their owne blood for them So was Eros to Antonius and in the times of the great proscriptions many more Naamans both maid-servants 2 King 5.3 and his men-servants ibid. ver 13. gave him better advice than himselfe and being followed proved benificiall to him above expectation Vertue knowne and alwayes stedfast draweth on the love of all by-standers as the loadstone attracteth iron and if it breede love in others it raiseth admiration in servants They who behold the divine worth the glory of the Creator the love of the Redeemer the sweet refreshing of the Comforter and see it as it were but a far-off cannot be so ravished with it as Gods sons and servants who daily discerne it and feele warmer flames of zeale piety and conformitie to the divine will O Lord I am thy servant I admire and love thee for thy selfe and in my most rectified reason acknowledge thee the chiefest good the onely good such a good as if it were in my power I would not alter nor wish any way altered I meekely praise thee for being as thou art for thou continuest such as nothing can be imagined better either in it selfe or in the common eating its goodnesse of which I have found manifest experience and therefore among other things The Prayer MY God my God I humbly blesse thee that thou hast prolonged my life and sent me such a portion of health that I have made an end of this first Book and I entirely desire thy fatherly goodnesse to continue thy gracious favours unto me that the rest of those Workes which I have undertaken to declare thy truth may be also accomplished and published and that thereby thy great name may be glorified and the soules of the Readers and my selfe edified and that for Iesus Christ his sake Amen PAR. 8. BEhold then the Summe of all that hath beene delivered by me as in a Picture A faire upper-Chamber well furnished A Table almost foure-square in it decently adorned Three Bedsteeds with their furniture one on each of the three sides of the Table the fourth side standing uniclosed and open on which they might either sit or lye downe but most probably they sate and lay not downe at the Passeover which was in a short time dispatched for the first Supper was quickly ended in the first Passeover were no such discubitory-beds Our Saviour and the Apostles washing After washing Vnleavened bread brought in A Lambe An unspotted one A male Lambe Under a yeare old served in in one dish Soure herbes were also set on the Table in all likelihood salt it being the generall Condiment All Consecrated as well as the wine The number of the recipients was thirteene Christ and the twelve Apostles All of the Iewish Church This was all done on the first moneth of the Iewish yeare On the fourteenth day of that moneth Betweene the two Evenings At Ierusalem In one House The Lambe was dressed whole Rost with fire Not eaten greene or rawish but thoroughly rosted No part sodden with water The Head with the legges altogether And with the purtenance altogether So was it eaten and A bone not broken No part of the flesh earried out of the House The Table-talke of our Saviour equall in goodnesse if not better than was commonly appointed No part of the flesh left till morning Or If any was left it was burnt with fire The Servitors or Attendants No certainty who they were
and effect of a minde inwardly sorrowfull or a certaine outward mourning which voluntarily yet by a naturall motion is undertooke whilst the soule mourneth The efficient cause of fasting is saith hee plainly naturall though both will and custome doe some way concurre unto it His conclusion runneth to this ēnd that the torments or macerations of Fastings may and use to arise from great sorrow of the minde from a broken and contrite heart from the humiliation and prostration of the soule Thus much saith hee of the efficient cause of fasting Yet certainly some if not many fast not out of any great precedent sorrow or naturall motion but from the motion of grace from a willing minde to prevent evils either of sinne or punishment to obtaine Gods favour in things they desire to tame their bodies to prepare themselves for prayer and holy exercises of devotion to helpe the afflicted either neere or farre off to shew obedience to the Magistrate and by fasting to humble themselves more than when they began to fast and more than they would have beene humbled if they had not fasted to procure a blessing upon such great and difficult affaires as they intend to compasse and to adapt the minde to spirituall contēmplations Experience proveth all this Fasting-spittle Saint Augustine calleth Virginem salivam perhaps you may terme Virgineam salivam Virgin-spittle and is in it selfe more powerfull than any other spittle PAR. 3. I Would say farēwell high and mightily fed Illyricus butchers cooks musitians bakers brewers taverners will extoll thee perhaps it grew frō thy Doctrine in that Hamborough are 777. Brewers 40. Bakers one Physitian one Lawyer But learned men will think that yee Germans little practise fasting for your selfe confesse your northerne Nations have no such fervent affections and do not grieve so much as others doe and do lesse shew outwardly their affections And therefore yee will put your selves to little or no bodily paine Yee are neate men and will not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 jejunium olere smell of fasting yee have beleeved Plautus rather than Christ jejunitatis plenus anima foetidat Plautus in Mercatore Hee that is given much to fasting doth use to have a stinking breath Plautus in his Comedy intituled The Merchant If Illyricus had much studied the Fathers he would not have spoken so largely against fasting Athanasius in lib de Virginitate saith Qui dicunt tibi ne frequenter jejunes ne imbicillior fias istos Diabolus subornavit The Divell hath suborned those who say fast not often lest yee grow weake An heavy yet true censure in some cases and to some persons See what fasting can doe saith Athanasius ibidem It healeth diseases dryeth up distillations chaseth away divels expelleth evill thoughts makes the minde more neate and the heart more purified Fasting is the food of Angels and he who useth it may be thought to be reckoned among the orders of Angels What saith my crammed and pampered German to this Chrysostome Homil. 1. in Genes sayth God desiring that wee should wash away all our sinnes hath invented this helpe even our fasting which is the mother of all good things the mistresse of Modestie and shamefastnesse and the food of our soules And in the next Homily It is the tranquillity of our soules the ornament of old men the Schoolemaster of youth and the teacher of continencie If Adam had abstained and fasted from one tree death had beene dead or therēfore had not dyed because it never had beene saith the same Saint Chrysost in his first Sermon of fasting The Prophet was slaine by a Lyon for eating and drinking where God said eate no bread and drinke no water 1 King 13.22 Fasting is the imitation of Angels as farre as lyeth in us a contempt of pleasant things a schoole of prayer a bridle for the mouth and a tamer of concupiscence It slacketh fury curbeth wrath appeaseth the insurrection of nature quickeneth reason lighteth the flesh drives away filthy nightly intemperance It hath revoked Gods sentence and stopped the execution of his judgements Fast because thou hast sinned Fast that thou mayest not sinne Fast to receive good Fast to retaine good The prayer of a fasting man is pleasing to God and terrible to the devill sayth Leo Magnus Serm. de Iejunio septimi mensis Iejunium est prima virtus contravitia saith Chrysologus Fasting is the first or chiefest vertue against vices Againe what is of more vertue than fasting saith Leo by observing it we draw neere to God wee resist the Devill wee overcome vice Fasting was alwaies meate to vertue from abstinence proceed chast thoughts reasonable desires wholsome counsels The most effectuall prayer against sinne is Almes and Fasting All vices are by continencie destroyed Whatsoever covetousnesse thirsteth after pride affecteth luxury lusteth for fasting overcommeth From the observation of holy fasting beginne the rules of all vertue Leo Serm. 11. de Quadrages Adest maximum sacratissimumque jejunium The greatest and most holy fast of Lent is now come which all faithfull men are bound to observe for none is so holy that hee may not be holier none so devout that hee ought not to be more devout Much more could I cite from the fathers Who are those new masters which exclude the merit of Fasting saith Saint Ambrose in the aforesaid 82. Epist to the Church of Vercellis who desireth to see more let him have recourse to Bellarmine Tom. 4. de bonis operibus in particulari lib. 2. cap. 11. c. PAR. 4. I Professe I am weary with turning after this Noveller I am sorry it hath hindred so much my maine intentions yet because I finde him an antimonarchicall man a very firebrand and bellowes for sedition a jacke of the people teaching them rather to terrifie the Princes by rebellion than to yeeld any thing for quietnesse sake and that the people should defend their opinions with uprisings commotions and insurrections for which cursed opinions his city of Magdeburge hath justly suffered therefore have I spared him the lesse esteeming him no other than a selfe-willed Epicure The Prayer ON great and just occasions O blessed God hast thou commanded us to fast and in fasting to afflict our soules good Lord grant that I may all my life moderately temperately and soberly demeane my selfe and yet upon just occasions may fast both privately and publikely to serve thee and to procure thy love and thy blessings with thy love for Jesus Christ his sake Amen CHAP. VI. The Contents of the sixth Chapter 1 What severall Evangelists wrote concerning the severall Suppers 2 The Supper of the Lord instituted after the second or common Supper 3 Why there is no expresse mention of a second Supper Consequentiall divinity Proved Approved Creation of Angels and when Infants Baptized Scripture not alwaies tyed to expresse termes John 21.25 expounded reasons thereof rendred 4 Divers reasons why the name of a second Supper is pretermitted PARAGRAPH I. The second Particular of
Corinthinans cap. 11. By Isidore de Divinis Officiis By Bede on Luke 22. By Paschasius de corpore Domini cap 19. and most amply handled by Walafridus Strabo de rebus Ecclesiae cap. 19. So far Pamelius on Cyprian That ill Custome is condemned by Calvin Institut 4.10 But the kneeling in prayers with our hats off he there commendeth and the administration of the Lords Supper not fordidly and unmanerly but sollemnly and reverently More particularly concerning Kneeling in the time of solemne prayers he saith ibid. Parag. 30. That it is so an Humane tradition that it is also a Divine tradition And it proceedeth from God as it is part of the Decency which the Apostle commendeth to us but of this more hereafter PAR. 7. I Now proceed to the twelfth point In the Epistle of Cyprian and of the African Synod to Cornelius as it is in the first volume of the Generall Councels printed at Venice pag. 381. Nos Sacerdotes sacrificia Des quotidiè celebramus we Priests doe daily celebrate the service of God And Augustine in the fore-cited Epistle to Januarius thus Alii quotidiè cōmunicant corpori sanguini Dominico alii certis diebus accipiunt c. Some every day receive the Eucharist some at certaine times only In one place they receive it on the Sabbath and on the Lords day in another they take it only on the Lords day Neither doth Saint Augustine condemne those who take it daily nor them who choose Set-daies nor them who receiue After Supper or Sup After their receiving Faciat ergo quisque quod in eâ Ecclesia in quam venit invenerit Let every one saith he follow the Custome of that Church in which he liveth Which is an holy advice in it selfe but thrusteth through the loynes of all selfe-conceited Singularists who know not or use not that holy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that pliable condescent that humble yeelding that charitable peaceable and candid exposition of things either unknowne or doubtfull which the Fathers of the first Christian times both practised and taught Casaubone commendeth the Fathers for it and wished to find it among the Jesuits and I for my part rather preferre a supple accordance a reconciling and uniting of differences before the drawing and stretching of the rope of Contention by both ends and before the multiplying of alienations or divisions which S. Basil calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Over-earnest desire to draw all things to the contrary part Eudemon Johannes that fierce fiery Divell holds That healing vertue that balme for scissures or ruptures that milde and moderate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be little lesse than the betraying of Truth than the abjuration of all Christian Religion Casaubone justly reproveth the eager and fiery Jesuit Exercitatione 16. cap. 32. And not Casaubone only but the great and learned Rigaltius in his Observations on Tertullian de Oratione commendeth in the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Tertullian aswell as of other Fathers Tanta fuit patribus charitatis cura ut plerosque ritus ratione non bona receptos tolerarent potius quà m rigidâ censurâ vel minimam scissurae occasionem praberent pag. 40. The Fathers saith Rigaltius had so great a regard unto or care of Charity that they did rather beare with diverse Rites though instituted and received upon no good ground than they would by rigid censure administer the least occasion of scissure or division Yet there were ever some who whereas they ought to esteeme or labour to make indifferent things good and good things Better do yet indevour to make good things but Indifferent Indifferent matters to be bad and bad to be worse But as Rigaltius truly observeth Hac erat illo aevo Christianoruni 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In those dayes not only the Fathers but other Christians also used that modest holy complying and condescent Neither God bee blessed hath this latter age had all and only rigid and inflexible Lutherans Jesuits and Puritanes but God hath given unto the Church moderate men of softer metall Calvin himselfe gives good advice to Farellus Though saith he we be free in all things yet let us be servants to peace and concord I cannot but add that most divine temper of Calvin if the same flowed from his heart which flowed from his pen that though Luther called him a Divell a thousand times yet he would never say otherwise of Luther but that he was a chiefe servant of God And I hope the best because in another case where he was much abused yet his complaints were moderate and modest To establish his new-found Presbyterie which was falling to the ground he became the busiest Polypragmon that ever was in the world of his meanes He cryeth downe Tithes giveth all power almost to the Lay-Magistrates of Geneva upholdeth usury culium obsequio petens by flattery and beggery seeking to be reverenced accepteth a slipend of forty pounds annually And when the fixed honorary of Tithes was taken away the unfixed humours of the Laicks appeared They cared not to pay him his ten pound quarterly and if the silly man had starved for his pretty new invention they had not much esteemed Yet doth not he play the Boutefeau he animateth none to rebellion he seeketh not the change of estate though the penurious man in his Commentaries on Gen. 47. and Gal. 6. could not but complaine how slowly and ill he was paid When they received the blessed Sacrament on Good-friday they did forbeare to kisse one another as it was usuall at other times For the Apostle commands it Romans 16.16 1 Cor. 16.20 and 2 Cor. 13.12 in all three places not a Lustfull but a Peacefull An Holy kisse is appointed Greet ye one another with an Holy kisse as it is in all three places But 1 Thes 5.26 it is varied Greet ye All the brethren with an Holy kisse Lastly the Apostle Saint Peter sheweth what manner of Kisse this ought to be Greet ye one another with a kisse of charity peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus 1 Pet. 5.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a kisse of Charity perhaps because it was given and received when they went to their Agapae or Feasts of Charity a Kisse to manifest true Charity a Kisse to settle peace a Kisse to seale up the prayers of Christians one to another and practised duly and reverently it was as appeareth both by the Greek and Latine Liturgies Origen saith this Custome is delivered to the Churches that After prayers fratres suscipiant se invicem osculo the Christian brethren kissed one another Saint Augustine thus divinely and alwayes like himselfe After the Lords prayer they say Pax vobiscum peace bee with you and then the Christians kisse one another with an Holy Kisse which is the signe of peace As thy lips approach to the lips of thy brother so let thy heart come nigh his heart Sermone 83. de diversis So this kisse is called Holy
other do both find by meanes of so great contradiction between their opinions and true principles of reason grounded upon experience nature and sense Which albeit with boysterous courage and breath they seeme oftentimes to blow away yet who so observeth how again they labour and sweat by subtilty of wit to make some show of agreement between their peculiar conceits and the generall Edicts of Nature must needs perceive they struggle with that which they cannot fully master Besides sith of that which is proper to themselves their discourses are hungry and unpleasant full of tedious and irksome labour heartlesse and hitherto without fruit on the other side reade we them or heare we others be they of our own or of ancienter times to what part soever they be thought to incline touching that whereof there is controversie yet in this where they all speak but one thing their discourses are heavenly their words sweet as the Hony-comb their tongues melodiously tuned instruments their sentences meere consolation and joy are we not hereby almost even with voyce from Heaven admonished which wee may safeliest cleave unto He which hath said of the one Sacrament Wash and be cleane hath said concerning the other likewise Eat and live If therefore without any such particular and solemne warrant as this is that poore distressed woman comming unto Christ for health could so constantly resolve her selfe May I but touch the skirt of his garment I shall be whole what moveth us to argue of the manner how life should come by bread our duty being here but to take what is offered and most assuredly to rest perswaded of this that can we but Eat we are safe When I behold with mine eyes some small and scarce discernable graine or seed whereof Nature maketh promise that a tree shall come and when afterwards of that tree any skilfull artificer undertaketh to frame some exquisite and curious work I look for the event I move no question about performance either of the one or of the other Shall I simply credit Nature in things Naturall Shall I in things artificiall relye my selfe on Art never offering to make doubt and in that which is alone both Art and Nature refuse to beleeve the Author of both except he acquaint me with his ways and lay the secret of his skill before me where God himselfe doth speak those things which either for height and sublimity of matter or else for secrecy of performance we are not able to reach unto as we may be ignorant without danger so it can be no disgrace to confesse we are ignorant Such as love piety will as much as in them lyeth know all things that God commandeth but especially the duties of service which they owe to God As for his dark and hidden works they prefer as becommeth them in such cases simplicity of Faith before that knowledge which curiously sifting what it should adore and disputing too boldly of that which the wit of man cannot search chilleth for the most part all warmth of zeale and bringeth soundnesse of beleife many times into great hazard Let it therefore be sufficient for me presenting my selfe at the Lords Table to know what there I receive from him without searching or inquiring of the manner how Christ performeth his promise Let disputes and questions enemies to piety abatements of true devotion and hitherto in this cause but over patiently heard let them take their rest Let curious and sharp-witted men beat their heads about what questions themselves will the very letter of the Word of Christ giveth plaine security that these mysteries do as nayles fasten us to his very Crosse that by them we draw out as touching officacy force and vertue even the blood of his goared side in the wounds of our Redeemer we there dip our tongues we are died red both within and without our hunger is satisfied and our thirst for ever quenched they are things wonderfull which he feeleth great which he seeth and unheard-of which he uttereth whose soule is possest of this Pascall Lambe and made joyfull in the strength of this new Wine This Bread hath in it more than the substance which our eyes behold this Cup hallowed with solemne benediction availeth to the endlesse life and wel-fare both of soule and body in that it serveth as well for a medicine to heale our infirmities and purge our sins as for a sacrifice of thankesgiving with touching it sanctifieth it enlightneth with beliefe it truly conformeth us unto the Image of Jesus Christ What these Elements are in themselves it skilleth not it is enough that to me which take them they are the Body and Blood of Christ his promise in witnesse hereof sufficeth his word he knoweth which way to accomplish Why should any cogitation possesse the mind of a Faithfull Communicant but this O my God thou art true O my soule thou art happy So far M. Hooker The Prayer THou art mercifull oh Heavenly Saviour thou art mercifull to Mankind against the fiery and furious temptations and assaults of spirituall powers sometimes alluring sometimes haling sometimes leading men captive unto sin and under it Thou most graciously hast ordained an Host of Holy Angels to help us to suggest good thoughts unto us to free us to streng then us that we shall not so much as hurt our foot and there are more on our side than against us But in opposition of the allurements from the wicked world and the insurrections and ebullitions of the skittish civill warre betweene the flesh and our soule thou hast provided both preservatives that we fall not and redemptives if we fall even thy powerfull Sacraments replenished with Divine vertue For thine own sake most holy Mediator and Advocate let thy blessed Sacraments work effectually in us be conduit-pipes of grace and conveyers of goodnesse into our soules Let them nourish us up unto true Faith Hope and Charity and let thy sacred Eucharist be our spirituall Food both in Life and Death Amen Lord Jesus Amen CHAP. VII And the eight Generall Wherein is questioned what Gesture the Apostles used in Receiving the blessed Eucharist 1. The Word of God hath omitted to set it down in particular 'T is probable they did Kisse their Right hand and so receive it An evill custome of False complementing by Kissing the hand in Jobs daies In Adoration our hands must be lifted up Our voyce lowly and submisse In great Agonies it is lawfull to Cry alowd and Roare Probable it is the Apostles received the heavenly Sacrament humbly Kneeling on both their Knees Tertullian is punctuall against Sitting even after prayer The Heathen after their prayers and some even at their prayers did use to sit upon their Altars Their Servants had three Sanctuaries to fly unto from their angry Masters Numa's Law to sit at the time of Adoring their false Gods A reason why no passage either in the Evangelists nor Apostles commandeth Adoration at the Sacrament How the Antient Fathers are to