came of Eleazer And the government held out in some sort till Herod the first overthrew it by thrusting out the lawful Priests and substituting at his pleasure unworthy men The like was done by the Roman Governors then were the Levites deprived of their tiths by the chief Priests The singers were permitted by Agrippa the younger to wear a linnen garment as well as the Priests they retained then some Priests and Levites they had also Scribes and Lawyers who exercised Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction with the Elders of the people They had also Synagogues of their profession abroad in Alexandria Cilicia and other places Acts. 6. 9. and in Iudea too whither the people met to pray and hear the Law and Prophets read The Synagogues had their Rulers Acts 13. 15. who did interpret the Law they were also called Prophets Scribes and Lawyers but the Government of the Jewish Church was much pestered by the Samaritans Esseans Sadduces and Pharises Nazareans who rejected the books of Mojes Hemerobaptists who washed themselves daily and the Herodians who held that Herod was Christ the Esseans contemned marriage and thought themselves holier then other men therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saints they would have had all things equal The Samaritans rejected all Scripture except the Pentateuch and were the sworn enemies of the Iews The Pharisees were so called from Separation for they separated themselves from other men accounting all profane but themselves They placed all Sanctimony in outward shews The Sadduces so called from Justice denied providence subjected all things to our will denied the souls Immortality Angels and the Resurrection The Scribes perverred all by their sophistical glosses on the Law Of these things see Sigonius Bertram Iosephus and others Q. But what Church government have the Iewes at this day A. In Rome Venice Worms Mentz Frankford on the Moen Fridburg Amsterdam and in divers places of Poland Bohemia and elsewhere they have their Synagogues where they use to pray together and to hear the Law read Before they come thither they wash themselves and scrape their shooes with an iron fastened in a wall before the Synagogue They enter with great reverence bowing themselves towards the Ark where their Law is kept and are tied to a set form of prayer which they must read in their books they that cannot read must hearken diligently and say Amen though they understand not what is read for their Liturgy is the old Hebrew which they generally understand not They utter divers brief benedictions and after them some short prayers and because they cannot sacrifice being banished from Ierusalem the place appointed for sacrifice therefore in stead thereof they read the Law concerning sacrifices and offerings and some Expositions thereof out of the Thalmud which they understand not They pray in particular for the rebuilding of Ierusalem and their return thither which they dayly expect for which they expresse great joy and vociferation Then they read a long prayer collected out of the Psalms with some part out of the first Book of the Chronicles ch 30. Then they conclude with singing these words of Obadiah vers 17. But upon mount Sion shall be deliverance and there shall be holinesse and the house of Iacob shall possesse their possessions c. And the house of Esau shall be stubble c. And Saviours shall come upon mount Sion to judge the mount of Esau and the Kingdom shall be the Lords Other Songs also they sing much to this purpose and when they sing or say these words Hearken O Israel the Lord our God is one God they turn their heads to the four corners of the world intimating thereby that God is every where King There be some of their prayers which they are bound to say every day twice standing strait thinking that thereby they shall merit But when they utter these words of Isai. 6. 3. Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Sabbath the Earth is full of the Glory they leap three times They hold that whosoever doth speak whilest they are praying shall eat burning coales when they are dead After this they utter an execrable praver against all Christians and baptized Jews Then they pray for peace bowing their head to the left then to the right hand and depart out of the Synagogue with their faces stil towards the Ark like crabs going backward They use also to go slowly out of the Synagogue lest by making haste they might seem to be weary of praying When they mention the adoration which is given to Christ by Christians they spit on the ground in detestation thereof Q. What circumstances do the Iews now observe in praying A. They pray being girt standing upright with their faces toward Ierusalem laying their hand on their heart and bowing their head They hold it a great sin in praying to belch yawn spit or break wind because they hold the Angels to be there present but if any be necessiated to break wind he must beg pardon of God who hath made him a body so full of holes he that prays must make no interruption though a Serpent should bite him or the King of Israel speak to him They are bound to utter an hundred blessings every day In praying they must not touch their naked skin They hold sneezing in prayers to be a good signe but breaking wind to be ominous and they beleeve that whosoever saith heartily Amen to their prayers hasteneth their Redemption Q. What is the time and order of their Evening prayer A. About five in the afternoon the Door-keeper of the Synagogue with a hammer knocks at their doores warning them to repair to Evening prayer When they are come they sit down and begin their service with these words of the 84. Psalm Blessed are they that dwell in thy house Then the Precentor having said or sung some Psalms and half that holy prayer called Kaddesh the whole Synagogve saith eighteen prayers according to the number of bones in a mans back And then the Praecentor comes down from his Pulpit and falls upon his knees before the Ark after the example of Ioshuah Iosh. 7. 6. and layeth his left hand under his face because it is said Cant. 2. 6. His left hand is under my head This the people do likewise and with their faces covered and towards the ground they say the sixth Psalm Having ended their Evening Prayer and pawsed a while they begin their night prayers which they should say after supper but because it would be inconvenient to return late to the Synagogue and many times they are drunk after supper therefore before they depart they say some prayers but if any have a quarrel with his neighbour he takes the Liturgy-book and shuts it clapping his hand upon it intimating hereby that he would pray no more till his neighbour were reconciled to him Q. Why do the Iews beside the Sabbath keep holy the Monday and Thursday A. Ezdras appointed that the people should meet three times
the house of Iacob for ever to this City of the Church shall the Kings of the earth bring their glory and honour in that day he that is feeble shall be like David and the house of David shall be as God See Isa. ch 2. ch 55. and ch 65. Ier. 16. Ezech. 21. Dan. 2. Zach. 12. Luke 1. Rev. 21 and many more places which speak of the Churches felicity under the Gospel but not a word of a millenarie Reign Q. 9. Wherein doth the vanity of the Millenaries opinion consist An. 1. In giving to Christ a temporall Kingdome of a thousand years whereas his Kingdome is eternall it shall stand fast for ever of his Kingdome shall be no end saith the angel 2. In giving him an earthly Kingdome whereas his Kingdome is heavenly My Kingdome saith he is not of this world It is not from hence it is within us 3. In making his Kingdome to consist in earthly pleasures in eating drinking fighting c. all which are directly against the nature of his Kingdome which as the Apostle saith Rom. 14. 17. Is not meat and drink but righteousnesse peace and joy of the Holy Ghost the end of his coming was to fight with no other weapon but with the two edged sword of his word proceeding out of his mouth he was the prince of peace the dove that brought the olive branch in his mouth he brought peace in his birth he preached peace in his life and recommended peace to us at his death and as Saint Austin saith pacem nobis reliquit iturus ad Patrem pacem nobis dabit perducturus ad patrem his peace he left with us and his peace he will bring again to us 4. In this their imaginary Kingdome they bring Christ down from heaven before his time for the heavens must contain him till the restitution of all things which cannot be till the last Judgement it is an Article of our Creed that Christ shall come down from heaven to judge the quick and the dead which shall not be till the last day 5. He is to sit at Gods right hand untill be hath made his enemies his footstâ—â—l Ps. 110. 1. But these men will bring him from thence before he hath obtained this conquest and triumph which is not to be obtained till the last day and consummation of all thing 6. They are injurious to Christ to bring him from his place and condition of glory to play the part of a butcher and executioner in murthering of men with the sword here on earth an office ill beseeming him and no wayes suitable to his glorious condition and mercy who came to save sinners and not to destroy them 7. The Scripture mentioneth no other Resurrection of the bodies but such as shall rise at the last day Iohn 6. 39 40 44. in the end of the world when he shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God 1 Cor. 15. 22. where we shall be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the aire and shall be ever with the Lord 1 Thes. 4. 15. but this Millenarie Resurrection is long before the last day and end of the world neither in it shall we be ever with the Lord if we are with him but a thousand years 8. The Scripture doth not speak of three comings of Christ but of two onely the first when he came in humility the second when he shall come in glory unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation Heb. 9. 28. let them shew us out of Scripture a third coming and we will believe them 9. Christ tells us Iohn 14. 2. that in his Fathers house that is in heaven are many mansions thither he is gone to prepare a place for us that where he is there we may bâ— but he is in heaven in his Fathers house there doth he prepare a place for us and not here upon earth for so we shall not be where he is but he will be where we are which is repugnant to his own words 10. They make the time of Christs second coming to Iudgement certain in affirming it shall be at the end of their thousand years but this is repugnant to Christs words who faith that his coming shall be sudden secret and unexpected like the coming of a thief in the night like the coming of Noahs stood or the fire of Sodom so that of that day and 〈◊〉 knoweth no man no not the angels in heaven nor Christ himself as he is man 11. Whereas the condition of Christs Church here on earth is mixed consisting of Saints and reprobates of sheep and goats of good and bad fishes of wheat and chaffe of corn and â—ares they give Christ such a Church as is without sinne or sinners as need no preaching nor Sacraments no Pastors and Jeachers no Advocate with the Father no Christ to appear for us in the presence of God and lastly such a Church as is not subject to persecution affliction sufferings and trouble all which is directly repugnant to Gods word and condition of the Church miâ—â—tant here which is subject both to infirmities and afflictions 12. Antichrist shall not be destroyed till Christs second coming to Iudgement as the Apostle sheweth 2 Thes. 2. 8. That Christ shall destroy him with the brightnesse of his comming but the millenaries will have him to be destroyed before the beginning of their thousand years which is flat against Scripture 13. They do exceedingly wrong the Martyrs in bringing their souls down from heaven where they have the fruition of God and his angels to reign here on earth and to enjoy carnall and sensuall pleasures the meanest of the Saints in heaven must be in a far better condition than the greatest martyr in this earthly Kingdome 14. The reward that is promised to the Saints after this life is not a Kingdome here on earth but the Kingdome of heaven a house made without hands eternall in the heavens a mansion in our heavenly Fathers house to sit with Christ in his throne to be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and to be ever with the Lord to be with Christ in Paradise to enjoy life eternall c. 15. Whereas they dream that Ierusalem shall be rebuilt and the Iewes shall reign in Iudea a thousand years with christ is directly also against Gods word which Ezech. 16. 53. 55. sheweth that the Iews shall be restored to their former estate when 〈◊〉 and Sodom shall be restored which will never be and Gen. 49. 10. The Scepter shall depart from Iuda when Sâ—iloh cometh Ierusalem saith Saint Hierom est in aetornos collapsa cineres fallen into everlasting ashes and never to rise again 16. Whereas they dream that in the millenarie Kingdome sacrifices circumcision and all other Iewish ceremonies shall be used 't is plainly to deny that christ ever came in the flesh or that he offered himself a propitiarory sacrifice to put an
end to all Iewish rites which wâ—re but shadows of christs sufferings the substance being come the shadows were to vanish therefore the Apostle saith Gal. 4. 9. That they who turns to these beggarly elements again desire to be in bondage again and in the next chapter he tells the Galathians that if they be circumcised Christ shall profit them nothing Lastly this millenary kingdome of eating drinking and sensuall pleasures was fitly devised by Cerinthus the heretick as best suiting with his swinish disposition for he was noted for a person given to gormandizing and libidinous sports Q. 10. What other Sects and Opinions are there now stirring amongst us A. We have Anti-trinitarians or Polonian Arrians which sprung up in Poland Anno 1593. These deny the Trinity of Persons the Divinity of Christ and of the Holy Ghost that Christ was the Son of God essentially but in respect of his dominion and say that the eternal generation of the Son is against truth and reason We have also Millenaries the spawn of Cerinthus the Heretick these dream of a temporary Kingdome bere on Earth which they shall enjoy with Christ a thousand years But indeed they aim at the enjoyment of the temporal estates of such as they call wicked who as they think have no property in their estates We have Traskits so called of one Trask who would have no Christian Sabbath kept but the Jewish Laws observed and their Sabbath or Seventh day to be perpetually kept holy till the worlds end Others we have who will keep no Sabbath at all these we call Anti Sabbatarians We have likewise Anti-Scripturians who reject all Scriptures as mans inventions there are amongst us Divorcers who hold that men may put away their Wives upon small occasions VVe have also Soul-Sleepers who with the Arabick Hereticks hold that the soul dieth or sleepeth with the body whose souls I think are asleep before the body dieth Amongst other professions we have of late Seekers or Expeâ—â—ers who deny there is any true Church or Ministery and therefore they are seeking one But they know not where to find this Church except it be in the Land of Utopia There was one Hetherington a Box maker who rejecting all Church discipline published that the Sabbath of the Iews was abolished by Christ and that every day now is a Sabbath that the books of Esdras were canonicall Scripture and in other opinions agreed with the â—amilists Q. 11. What Opinions in Religion are held by Theaurau John Ans. He cals himself Priest of the Iews sent as he saith from God to convert them his wilde whimsies are these 1. He cals it nonsence and a lie to say that God is Father of us all 2. That we Gospellers as he cals us worship the Devill because saith he the spirit of man is a Devill 3. That it is a Monster and absolute blasphemie to say the godhead dwelt in Christ bodily 4. He wonders how he that created all could be born of a woman by which we may plainly see he is a circumcised Iew. 5. He saith that the child which the Virgin brought forth is love as if the generation of christ were altogether mysticall and not reall 6. He saith That Mary is christ and christ is Mary and that these are but names of one thing 7. He denyeth That Christ was properly born or that he was born in one or that he was begotten or that be could be flesh properly or that he did descend into our flâ—sh but into our spirits onely or that he could be included in the Virgins Wombe and withall he belyeth us in saying That we have brought the humanity to be very God whereas we say the same person is God and man one not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh but by taking of the manhood into God One altogether not by confusion of substance but by unity of person 8. He calls the English clergy thieves robbers deceivers sounding from Antichrist and not from the true christ in which we see the Impudent spirit of an heretick who can no other wayes defend his lies and blasphemies but by railing 9. He prateth That the Gospel cannot be preached by another but by it self so that mans voyce or outward sound is a lye and Antichist 10. That our Ministers are not christs ambassadors but that their call is a lye for 't is learning and learning is that whâ—re which hath deceived the Nations and compleated the work of Antichrist See the impudence and boldnesse of this blind ignoramus 11. He denyeth that the Priests tips can preserve knowledge though the Scripture is plain for it but by the Priest he understands knowledge it self and so he will make the Holy Ghost to speak Tautologies in saying knowledge shall preserve knowledge here we see the fruits of ignorance 12. He makes the spirit of man to be a quintessence abstracted out of the elementarie motions such is his dull philosophie 13. Out of his kind respect to the Devil by whose instinct he writeth he affirms That he with the false prophet shall receive mercy at last because God with not punish a finite thing infinitely but here be again bewrayes his ignorance for the devil is infinite a posteriore both in regard of his essence and of his desire in sinning besides that God whom he offendeth is infinite 14. Hâ— ignorantly saith That â—e who confâ—rs Gods gift is as great yea greater than God himself is so then it must follow that the Apostles were greater than God when they gave the gifts of the Holy Ghost by imposition of hands 15. He impiously saith that Saint Paul wrote many things which he understood not 16. And as impiously doth he say that in them books which we call Scripture is the lye as well as in other books 17. After his ignorant manner he câ—â—founds the gift of prophesie with the Prophet himself in saying man is not the Prophet but the light in man from God 18. He will not have us to seek for Antichrist abroad for man in darknesse is Antichrist I deny not but every man in darknesse is in some sort an Antichrist yet there is one great Antichrist to be sought for abroad 19. The Trinity which he acknowledgeth is God the Sonne and Man this Trinity is hatched in his crasie 〈…〉 20. He is so mad that he saith he can make one word bear forty significations so he can make 〈◊〉 thou stand for dark or light or hell or heaven or sea or land or angel or Sunne or the devil 21. He will not have Christs body that suffered to be our Saviour nor Christs body for christs body saith he is obedience thus he would fain make christ our Saviour a 〈◊〉 allegorie and therefore in plain termes affirmeth that true Christ hath not nor cannot have any true corporall body for he is a spirit and a spirit is free from flâ—sh as if forsooth a spirit flesh could not be united in the same person
Book Christian Reader I Understand that some Momes have already past their verdict upon this Book affirming that seeing the world is pestered with too many Religions it were better their names and Tenets were obliterated than published To whom I answer that their assertion is frivolous and the reason thereof ridiculous for the end wherefore these different opinions in Religion are brought into the light is not that we should embrace them but that we may see their deformity and avoid them Shall Logick be rejected for setting down all the waies of fallacious arguments Or Philosophy for teaching what are the different poysons in Herbs Roots Minerals c. The Scripture nameth many sins idols and false gods must it therefore be reproved of impertinency the Sea Coast is pestered with many Rocks Shelves and Quick-Sands must they therefore be past over in silence in the art of Navigation Were Irenaeus Epiphanius S. Austin Theodoret and other eminent men in the Church fooles for handling in their Books all the hereticall opinions that infested Christianity both before and in their times Do not these Censorious Momes know that truth though comly in it selfe is yet more lovely when compared with falshood how should we know the excellency of light if there were no darknesse the benefit of health if there were no sicknesse and the delights of the spring if there were no winter Opposita juxta se posita clarius elucescunt The Swans fethers are not the lesse white because of their black feet nor Venus the lesse beautiful because of her Mole The Stone is set out by the file and the picture by its shadow To infer then that because the world is pestered with too many Sects and Heresies therefore we must not mention them is as much as if they would say the way to heaven is beset with too many theeves therefore we must not take notice of them But how shall we avoid them if we know them not and how shall we know them if concealed its true the world is pestered with too many Religions and the more is the pitty yet this Book made them not but they made this Book He that detects errors makes them not They that informed the Israelites there were Gyants in the Land did not place those Gyants there But now I will let these men see the ends for which I have undertaken this task of presenting all Religions to their view and they are grounded on the divers uses that may be made thereof 1. When we look upon the multitude of false Religions in the world by which most men have bin deluded are not we so much the more bound to the goodnesse of Almightie God who hath delivered us out of darknesse and hath caused the day Star of his truth to shine upon and visit us who having suffered the World round about us to sit in the Valley of the shadow of death and to be overwhelmed with worse than Egyptian darkness hath notwithstanding in this our Goshen aboundantly displayed the light of his truth but how shal we seriously weigh or consider this great mercy if we do not as wel look on the wretched condition of other men as on our own happinesse which we cannot do if we know not the errors which make them wretched What comfort could the Israelites have taken in their Land of light if they had not known that the rest of Egypt sate in darkness 2 When we look upon the different multiplicity of Religions in the world how that in all times and in all places men though otherwise barbarous have notwithstanding embraced a religion and have acknowledged a Divinity I say when we look upon this do we not admire the impudency of those Atheists in this age who either inwardly in their hearts or outwardly in their mouths dare deny the Essence or else the providence of God and count all Religions but inventions of humane policy How can those Atheists avoid shame and confusion when they read this book in which they shall see that no Nation hath been so wretched as to deny a Deity and to reject all Religion which Religion is a property no lesse essential to man and by which he is discriminated from the Beasts than rationality it selfe 3. In the View of all Religions we may observe how the Children of this world are wiser in their Generation than the Sons of God for they spare no paines and charges they reject or slight nothing commanded them by their Priests and Wizards they leave no meanes unattempted to attaine happinesse See how vigilant devout zealous even to superstition they are how diligent in watching fasting praying giving of almes punishing of their bodies even to death sometimes whereas on the contrary we are very cold carelesse remisse supine and luke-warme in the things that so neere concerne our eternal happinesse They thought all too little that was spent in the service of their false gods wee think all is lost and cast away which wee bestow on the service of the true God They reverenced and obeyed their Priests wee dishonour disobey and slight ours they observed many Festivall daies to their Idols we grudge to give one day to the service of the true God They made such conscience of their Oaths taken in presence of an Idol that they would rather loose their lives than falsifie these Oaths But wee make no more scruple to take the name of God in vaine to sweare and forsweare than if we worshiped Iupiter Lapis meer stocks and Stones such reverence and devotion they carried to their Idols that they durst not enter into their Temples nor draw near their Altars till first they were purified they did not onely kneel but fall flat on the ground before their feigned Gods they knock their breasts beat their heads to the ground teare their skines wound and cut their flesh thinking thereby to pacifie their false gods Whereas we will not debarre our selves of the least pleasure or profit to gaine Heaven and so irreverent is our behaviour in the presence and house of Almighty God Before whom the Cherubims and Seraphims dare not stand but with covered faces as if he were our equal and not our Lord or Father for to speak in the Prophets words Malach. 1 6. If hee bee our Father where is his honour and if hee bee our Lord where is his fear Doubtlesse these false worshippers shall stand up in judgement against us who know our Masters will but doe it not is not their zeal in the practice of religious duties to be preferred to our carelesnesse and their ignorance to our knowledge which without practice will but aggravate our damnation for he that knoweth his Masters will and doeth it not shall he beaten with many stripes Wee are in the right way to Heaven they are in the wrong way but if we stand still and walk not they will be as neer their journies end as we They worship Idols we commit sacriledge But is not a sacrilegious
take it down whilest it was movable they were distinguished according to Levies three sons into the Gershonites Cohathites and Merarites the first carried the hangings and coverings The second the chief things of the Sanctuary the third had the charge of the wood-work In Davids time some were Judges some Treasurers some Singers and some Porters 1 Chron. 23. 26. The Singers and Porters were divided into 24. orderâ— 1 Chron. 25. 26. The elder Levites were to oversee and teach the younger Who from the thirtieth year of their life till the fiftieth did bear about the Tabernacle Under them were the Gibeonites or Nethinims whose office was to draw water and hew wood for the house of God Q. What were the Prophets Scribes and Pharises A. Not only were they called Prophets to whom God revealed himself and his purposes in an extraordinary way but those also that expounded the Scripture they were also called Fathers Doctors of the Law Disputers Wise men and Rabbies from their greatness in knowledge Which title the Pharisees did appropriate to themselves their Scholars were called children and sons of the Prophets The name of Scribes was given to Scriveners and publick Notaries these were called Scribes of the people Mat. 2. 4. and likewise those that did write and expound the Law such a Scribe was Esdras Esdr. 7. 6. these were called Doctors of the Law The Pharisees were so called from separation and by the Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Sepaâ—â—rists for they separated themselves to a strict kind of life and to the study of the Law having no commerce with other people nor communicating with them in dyet apparrel nor customs They held a fatal necessity with the Stoicks and transammation with the Pychagoreans hence they thought that either the soul of Iohn Baptist or of Elias or of Ieremy had animated Christs body They preferred Traditions to the written Word and placed most of their holiness in washing counting it a less sin to commit fornication then to eat with unwashed hands from their daily washings they were named Hemero-Baptists they always washed when they returned from the market thinking themselves polluted with the touch of other people They are noted Mat. 9. 11. for holding it unlawful to eat with sinners and Mark 7. 4. for their superstitious washing of cups pots brazen vessels and tables and Luke 18. 12. for fasting twice in the week and Mat 23. 5. for their broad Phylacteries which were scrolls of partchment wherein the law was written so called from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to keep or reserve for by these they kept the Law in their memory they are noted also for their large borders and fringes Mat. 23. 5. they wore their Phylacteries on their foreheads and left arms and Hierom observeth in Matth. 23. that they used sharp thorns in their fringes that by the pricking thereof they might be put in minde of the commandements Q. What were the Nazarites Rechabites and Essenes A. The Nazarites were votaries Numb 6. so called from Nazar to separate for they separated themselves from wine and strong drink from coming neer the dead and from the rasor some were Nazarites for their life as Sampson Iohn Baptist c. others only for a time to wit thirty days as Absolom who cut his hair the thirtieth day of his vow such a Nazarite was Paul Act. 21. 24. Nazareth was a village in Galilee where Christ was conceived and bread and therefore was called a Nazarite Mat. 2. 23. and his Disciples Nazarites Acts 24. 5. but indeed he was the onely true Nazarite because he was pure holy and separate from sinners but he was no legal Nazarite for he drunk wine and went neer the dead These Hereticks were also called Nazarites who taught that with the Gospel should be joyned the Law of Moses Acts. 15. 2. Of the Rechabites so called from Rechab their Father We read Ierem. 35. 2 3 4 c. these neither drunk wine nor lowed seed nor built houses nor planted vineyards but like strangers lived all their days in Tents The Essenes so called from their skill in curing of diseases for they were much given to the study of Physick in their opinions were Pythagoreans ascribing all things to fate offering no sacrifices but of inanimate things shunning oathes pleasures and wine contenting themselves with water only and mean apparrel their garments were white and had all things in common amongst them They worshipped towards the East observed the Sabbath more strictly then others kept seven Pentecosts every year to wit every seventh week one and generally they abstained from marriage yet some did marry for procreation They were superstitious in preserving the names of Angels they were much given to silence with the Pythagoreans chiefly at table none were admitted into their Society without four years probation there were some of these Essenes contemplative only and lived in gardens or remote villages who contented themselves with bread and salt others were active and gave themselves to manual labours these lived in Cities and fared better and eat twice a day Q. What were the Sadducees and Samaritans A. The Sadduces were so called either from Isedek justice because they would be accounted the onely just men in the world or from Sadock the Author of their Sect who was the scholar of Antigonus Socheus these rejected all Traditions and Scriptures except the five books of Moses denied the Resurrection paines or rewards after this life Angels and spirits fate likewise or destiny ascribing all to mans freewill They held also that the soul died and perished with the body The Samaritans held with the Sadduces that there was no Scripture but the Pentateuch that there was no Resurrection nor life Eternal nor any Traditions to be admitted yet they dissented from the Sadduces in acknowledgeing Angels in worshipping only upon mount Garizim whereas the Sadduces worshipped also in Ierusalem and kept faire correspondency with the other Jewes whereas the Samaritans and Jewes did so hate and abhor each other that there was no commerce between them but did curse and excommunicate each other Of these Jewish Sects see Iesephus Philo Drusius de trib Sect. Munster Sigonius Buxtorsius and others Q. How did they anciently observe their Sâ—bbath A. The day before was the preparation of the Sabbath called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which began about the sixth hour that is our twelfth That day they might not travel above twelve miles least by comming home too late they might want time for preparation to the Sabbath which began in the evening and which for the excellency thereof was called the Queen of Feasts and gave denomination to the whole week on the Sabbath they must not travel above two thousand paces or cubits for so far was the distance of the Ark from the Camp They were so superstitious in the keeping of their Sabbath that they would not fight that day and so suffered Ierusalem
to be taken twice Whereas they knew that God commanded them to encompass Iericho seven times that day and that works of charity necessity and of Religion were to be done that day the preparation for the Sabbath was proclaimed by sound of trumpet and to shew their zeal to that day they would keep some more hours then were enjoyned which additament they called Sabbathulum They would not dresse meat that day because then it did not rain Manns in the desart besides the seventh day which was the Sabbath or rest for men and beasts they had every seventh year a Sabbath wherein the ground rested and their great Sabbath in the end of seven times seven called the Iubilee in which debters prisoners and morgagers of lands were made free when the Passeover fell upon the Sabbath this was called the great Sabbath Iohn 19. 31. and then there was a preparation for the Passover Iohn 19. 14. but there was no preparation due to the Passeover but in respect of the Sabbath which had this priviledge above all other festivals because God had particularly sanctificed this day for his service being both a memorative day of Gods rest from the works of creation and figurative of our rest in Heaven this day is abolished in respect of the ceremonial and judicial part thereof but in respect of the morality it remaineth still Q. How did the Iewes observe their Passover A. They eat the first Passeover standing with their loyns girt shooes on their feet and staves in their hands to shew they were in haste to be gone but afterward when they were secure out of danger they eat the Passeover sitting or leaning after the Roman manner which posture our Saviour observed when he eat the Passeover The beast that must be eat was a Lamb or Kid as being cheapest and because it must be eat up at one time this Lamb was to be kept four dayes to wit from the tenth day till the fifteenth that they might have the longer time to think on their deliverance by looking on the Lamb and withall to search if any defects were in it for the Lamb must be without blemish but this custome did not hold long it must be also a male and not above a year old There must not be fewer then ten at the eating of the Lamb. it was killed between the two evenings that is between three of the afternoon till sun-setting which was the first and from thence till day light was quite spent which was the second evening This killing of the Lamb was rather a Sacrament then a Sacrifice as not being performed by a Priest but by private men and not in the place appointed for sacrifices but in private houses The blood of the Lamb was sprinkled on their thresholds this ceremony was used but only the first Passeover as I can find the Lamb was roasted not boiled for the more expedition and nothing of it must be left least it should hinder them in their journy and it must be eat with sower herbs to put them in minde of their bitter servitude in Egypt the bread that was eat with it was unleavened to shew their haste in removing thence the whole solemnity from this was called the feast of unleavened bread and likewise the Passeover Albeit properly the Passover was only the first day yet the whole eight days were so named This sacrament was a true representation of Christ the immediate Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world who is the true Passover because the devouring Angel of Gods wrath hath past over our sins he was killed and roasted by the fire of his Fathers wrath he is our true food whom we must eat with sowr herbs and our loyns girt to shew how ready we must be to undergo the bitterness of afflictions and to subdue our carnal lusts we must eat him without leaven that is without pride and hypocrisie now is the time to eat him by faith for this is the evening of the world in which our Passover was sacrificed for us The first and last day of this feast were the two great days but the days between them were only half holy days Other ceremonies of this feast we will see anon in the observation of Easter by the Moderne Jewes Q. What were the feasts of Pentecost and Tabernacles A. Pentecost was kept in memory of the Law given on Sinai fifty days after the Passover The first day of the Passover was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first Sabbath after this second day was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the second first Sabbath Luk. 16. 1. and because their harvest began at Easter and ended at Pentecost therefore they are commanded Levit. 23. 10 to offer a sheaf of the first fruits of their harvest upon the morrow or second day of their great feast and on the Pentecost to offer two wave-loaves the first offering was to sanctifie their harvest the second was in token of thanks to God for the finishing of their harvest The feast of Tabernacles was kept in memory of their fourty years aboad in the wilderness when they lived in Tents and by day were shadowed by a cloud The first and last days were the chief days especially the last called therefore the great day of the feast Iohn 7. 37. and in these long feasts the first and last days are called Sabbaths In this feast their custome was to hold in their hands branches of trees which they called Hosanna with this Hosanna they honoured Christ they made booths therefore the feast was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the open air in which they lived seven days together except in time of rain weak and impotent persons were excused and exempted from these booths which were made up of Citrine trees Palmes Mirtles and Willows The next day after the feast they compassed the Altar seven times with Palmes in their hands in memory of the encompasâ—ing of Iericho During the time of this feast many bullocks were offered as may be seen Numb 29. on the last day of the feast they read the last Section of the Law and began the first and drew water out of the river Siloah which in the Temple they delivered to the Priests who poured it with wine on the Altar the people singing with joy shall you draw water out of the wells of Salvation Isa. 12. 3. This feast was kept the fifteenth day of Tisri the seventh moneth but Ieroboam kept it the fifteenth day of the eighth moneth some think that this feast was kept as a thanksgiving to God for their Vintage and Plutarch calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bearing about of Thyrsi that is of Spears wrapped about with Ivy in honour of Bacchus But of these passages see Hospinian de orig fest Munster in Calendar and on Leviticus Fagius on Leviticus the Thalmud tract de tabern Scaliger de emend temp Iosephus in antiq
Buxtorfius Tremellius c. Q. What were their new Moons and Feasts of Trumpets and Expiation A. Every new Moon was a festival among the Jews in which as on the Sabbath people repaired to the Prophets for instruction 2 Kings 4. 23. then it was not lawful to buy or sel Amos 8. 4 yet the first new Moon in the beginning of their seventh moneth called Tisri according to their Ecclesiastical account but the first moneth in their civil computation was called particularly the Feast of Trumpets for though at other feasts they sounded trumpets yet at this feast there was more sounding to wit all the day not so much in memory of Isaacs deliverance from death on mount Moriah nor for the Law given with sound of trumpets on mount Sinai for the feast of Pentecost was instituted for that but for the greater solemnity of the new year from whence they reckoned their Sabbatical years and Jubiles and dated all their deeds and bargains This sounding then of trumpets was a solemn promulgation of the new year and a preparation for the three ensuing feasts that moneth to wit of Expiation the tenth day of Tabernacles from the fifteenth to the one and twentieth and the great feast on the two and twentieth day but I think this was no particular feast but the conclusion of the feast of Tabernacles Of the sacrifices to be offered in the new Moons read Numb 28. 11 15. as for those words of David Psa. 81. 3. blow the trumpet in the new Moon they are most likely to be meant of the first new Moon or feast of Trumpets The feast of Expiation was kept the tenth day of Tisri and it was so called because the high Priest then entred into the Oracle to expiate his own and the peoples sins for himselfe he took a young Bullock and a Ram for the people he took a Ram for a burnt offering and two hee Goats for a sin offering the two Goats he presented at the door of the Tabernacle before the Lord one of these lots being cast was sent into the wildernesse this was called the Scape-Goat upon whose head the Priest laid all the sins and evils of the people to be carried away by the Goat into the wilderness The other Goat was sacrificed On this day was their great fast Act. 8. 9. wherein they abstained from all kind of work and delights so that they might not kindle fire nor dresse meat notwithstanding their afflicting themselves the joyful Jubile was this day proclaimed Of the rites used at this day by the Moderne Jwes we will speak hereafter Q. What was their Sabbaticnl yeare and their Idbile A. Every seventh year was a Sabbath or rest for then the land did rest from plowing and sowing then poor debtors that were native Iewes and not Proselytes or strangers were released if they were not able to pay by this God would exercise the charity of his people to the poor and have them rely on his providence who gave such increase to the sixth year that it brought forth provision enough for three years and therefore all things were this time held in common and they lived as Adam did in Paradise or as people in the golden age when the earth spâ—nte sua of its own accord brought forth all things omnis tulit omnia tellus Of this years fertility see Levit. 25. 20. The Hebrew servants were this year to be set free Exod. 21. 2. and the Law to be read publickly Deut. 31. 10. The Jubilee so called from Iobal a Ram because of the sounding of Rams horns at that time was instituted Levit. 25. 8. for the comfort of prisoners servants and debtors for then all things were brought back to their former estate and therefore perhaps it is called Jubilee from Iobhel to deduce or bring back all lands that had been sold or morgaged were restored to the right owners by which meanes Families and Tribes were preserved entire without commixtion or confusion and their ancient inheritances remained whole This feast was kept every fiftieth year but was proclaimed the forty ninth on the day of expiation and was a type of that great liberty and delivery we have by Christ which is begun in this world and consummated in that which is to come where we shall enjoy eternal rest and shall obtain remission of all our debts and the possession of that ancient inheritance prepared for us before the foundation of the world This year of Jubilee also was to put them in minde of their deliverance from the captivity of Egypt As in the Sabbatical year so likewise in this all things were common the servant whose ear was bored is now set free and the slave that was sold for six years is now dismissed although those six years were not yet ended The beasts also had liberty to feed where they pleased But as the Jewes did keep no Jubilee in the captivity of Babylon neither have they kept any since Christ. As for their feasts of Purim and dedication or renovation called therefore in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we will speak anon These were all the Festivals kept by the Iewes the three chief besides the Sabbath were the Passover Pentecost and Tabernacles in commemoration of three great benefits without which no Society or Common-wealth can subsist to wit Liberty Laws and Defence or Protection Now for diverse reasons God instituted so many feastival days First because he would have his people keep in mind the benefits he bestowed on them Secondly to give him thanks which they solemnly did chiefly at Easter by offering their first fruits at Pentecost by offering Loaves at the feast of Tabernacles by sacrificing in that they had now gathered in all their fruits Thirdly by these festivals the love and amity of Gods people were the more preserved in their often meetings Fourthly and so was their devotion the oftner exercised in sacrifices by which the Levites and poor were releeved Fifthly unity of Religion was also by this means preserved Sixthly and their obedience also in this was tried Seventhly but chiefly Christ the promised Messiah was in these Feasts represented for every sacrifice and oblation did shadow forth his death and passion by whose blood alone and not by the blood of Goats and Rams we have obtained eternal redemption Q. What sorts of Excommunication was used among the Iews A. At first they excluded the delinquent out of their Synagogue John 9. 22 but not quite out of the Temple for he might stand in the gate in time of Divine service this censure lasted thirty days and more if the party repented not and if he died without repentance he wanted the ceremonies of common burial and a stone was laid on his coffin signifying he deserved stoning They had a higher degree of excommunication which Saint Paul calls a giving over to Satan 1 Cor. 5. 5. by the Greeks the partie so excommunicate was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and such
killed poysonable creatures and sacrificed Of these Persian Rites see Herodotus Athenaeus Pausanias and others Q What was the Old Scythian Religion A. They worshipped first of all Vesta then Iupiter Apollo Venus Mars and Hercules they had neither Images Altars nor Temples for any of their gods except for Mars whose temples they erected of bundles of twigs heaped up together In stead of his Image they set up an old iron sword to which they offered yearly sacrifices of cattel and horses and of men every hundreth Captive with whose blood they besprinkle Mars his sword Then they cut off the right shoulders of the slain men and sâ—ing them into the air They used to wound first and then to strangle the beast which they sacrificed praying to that god to whom they offered the beast they kindled no fire of wood for the Country yielded none but they burned the bones of the beast to boyl the flesh withal if they want a vessel they boyl the flesh in the beasts paunch they use no Vows nor any other ceremonies Their chiefest sacrifices were Horses But of this see Herodotus and others Q. What Religious discipline had the Tartars or Cathaians A. They worshipped the Sun Stars Fire Earth and Water to whom they offered the first fruits of their meat and drink each morning before they eat and drink themselves They beleeve there is one God maker of all things yet they worship him not nor pray to him They place Idols at their Tent doores â—o preserve their cattel and milk To these silk and felt Idols for of such materials they make them are offered the first fruits of milk meat and drink the hearts also of beasts which they leave before them all night and then eat them in the morning they offer horses to the Emperours Idol which none afterward must ride they do not break but burn the bones of their Sacrifices by their discipline they must not touch the fire with a knife nor meddle with young birds nor pour milke drink or meat on the ground nor break one bone with another nor make water within their Tents and divers other such traditions which if violated are punished with death or else redeemed with much money They believe another world but such as this is When one dieth he hath meat set before him and mares milk his friends eat a horse and burn the bones thereof for his soul they bury also with him a Mare a Colt and a Horse bridled and sadled his gold and silver also and they set upon poles the horse hide that was eat that he may not be without a Tent in the other world they use to purifie every thing by making it passe between two fires When they pray they are injoyned by their Discipline to lift up their hands and smite their teeth three times They use to feed the Ghosts or Spirits with Mares milk cast in the air or poured on the ground They have their religious Votaries and Monasteries amongst which there is an Order called Senscin which eat nothing but bran steeped in hot water They worship not Idols nor do they marry but they hold transanimation and divers other ridiculous opinions as may be seen in Iohannes de Plano Carpini whom Pope Innocent Anno. 1246. sent Embassadour to the Tartarian Court. See also M. Paulus Venetus Vincentius Bellouack in specbist Math. Paris and others There is one thing commendable in their Discipline that they force no man to embrace their Religion But Ortelius mentioneth a strange custom amongst them that their Priests on high trees preach to them and after Sermon besprinkle their auditors with blood milk earth and cow-dung mixed together and no lesse strange it is that they do not bury their dead but hang them on trees Q. Had the Pagans any knowledge of the Creation A. It seems by these Tartars and divers other Gentile Idolaters of which we are to speak that many of them had some knowledge of the beginning of the world which they learned not from the Jewes with whom they had no commerce but from the heathen Philosophers and Poets and these were led to believe this truth by the guide of natural reason for when they considered the continual vicissitudes in the world the alteration generation and corruption of things the nature of motion and of time whereof the one presupposeth a Chief Mover for nothing can move it selfe the other consisteth in Priotity and Posteriority which depends upon motion and suteth not with Eternity when they observed also the Harmony Order and Beauty of things how every motion and mutation aimed at a certain End they concluded that this great Universe could not be ruled or have existence by chance but by providence and wisdom and that therefore this must needs have a beginning otherwise we could not know whether the Egge or the Bird the Seed or the Plant the Day or the Night the Light or the Darknesse were first And seeing the world consisteth of corruptible parts how can the Whole which is made up of such Parts be Eternal They found also that it was repugnant to reason for so many Eternals and infinite Entities to exist actually together for every Entity in the world must be Eternal if it selfe be eternal Besides that it is against the nature of Eternity to admit magis minus degrees auction or diminution which it must needs do if the world be eternal for if there have been infinite annual revolutions of the Sun and infinite monethly revolutions of the Moon there must needs be something greater then Infinity for the revolutions of the Moon are far more then of the Sun by these reasons they were induced to acknowledge a beginning of the world of which Merc. Trismegistus in Poemandra speaketh plainly in saying That God by his word made and perfected the world dividing the Earth from the Heaven and the Sea from the Land c. Orpheus in his Argonaâ—tes singeth How Jupiter hid within his breast the world which he was to bring forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the pleasant light c. this same song is sung by Hesiod Homer AEschilus Sophocles Euripides and other Poets Pythagoras as Plutarch and Laertius testifie taught That the world was made by God Thales Empedocles Anaxagoras and the other ancient Philosophers ascribe a beginning to the world some from one element some from another The Platonists alwayes held the creation of the world and the Aristotelians affirming there is a first mover must conclude that the world which is moved had a beginning they say also that the world doth depend upon God how then can it be Eternal seeing dependance and eternity are incompatible Aristotle in his Book de mundo and in his Metaphysicks saith That God is the cause and Author not onely of living creatures but also of nature it selfe and of the world Cicere in his Books of the nature of the gods confesseth That every thing had a beginning and that
man was not created by chance but by a supream power Seneca Macrobius Virgil Ovid and other Latine Poets except Lucretius affirm the same Doctrine The Stoicks also asserted the original of the world and so did the Epicures though these held a beginning fortuital not providential ascribing the original of things to chance not to counsel This same doctrine of the creation is at this day beleeved by Turks Arabians Persians Armenians the most barbarous people of both Indies as we may see in the progresse of this Book and the greatest opponents to this doctrine of the worlds creation as Pliny Lucretius Galen and others are forced sometimes to doubt the truth of their own Tenets Q Were all the Tartars of one Religion or Discipline A. No For that vast Country containeth several Nations who were and some of them yet are of several Religions Some Christians some Mahumetans and others Pagans among whom also are divers Sects and Religions In Sachion they have divers Monasteries of Idols to whom they dedicate their children and on festival days sacrifice Rams to these Idols for their childrens preservation the flesh whereof they eatâ— but reserve the bones as holy reliques the Priests Fee is the skin with the head feet and inwards and some part of the flesh also Before the Corps of any great man be buried they set a table before it furnished with all sort of meats with the odour of which they think the departed soul is refreshed and heartned against the burning of the body They cast into the fire with the body pictures of his men women horses and other things to serve him in the other world In Tangoth they worship Idols with many heads and hands they have Monasteries where the Monks are walled up In Succuir they make perfumes of Rheubarb for their Idols In Caindu they prostitute their wives sisters and daughters to strangers as an honour due to their Idols In Cathai and Mangi the sick vow to offer their blood to their Idols if they recover their Sorcerers also cause them to offer to these Idols sacrifices of Rams with black heads which with spiced drinks they eat up merrily with singing and dancing and fling the broth of the sacrifice in the air In some Provinces of Cathaia the Monks wear strings about them full of nut shells on which they are still praying they worship still towards the north but keep their Church doors open towards the south Of these see Paulus Venetus and Will de Rubruquis who both travelled in these Countries Q. Of what Religion are the Northern countries neer the Pole A In Nova Zembla as the Hollanders who travelled thither relate there is no Religion prescribed by Law but they worship the Sun so long as he is with them and in his absence the Moon and north Star To these they offer yearly sacrifices of Deer which they burn except the head and feet they sacrifice also for their dead The Samodyes which are subject to the Muscovit are much addicted to witchcraft and idolatry among them each kindred have their Temple where they sacrifice their Priest is he that is eldest whose ornaments are small ribs and teeth of fishes and wilde beasts hanging about him with a white Garland on his head in his divine service he doth not sing but howse and that so long till he become like a mad man and then falls down as if he were dead but riseth again or dereth five Deere to be sacrificed and then thrusts a sword half way into his belly still singing or howling rather the sword he takes out again heats it in the fire and then thrusts it in at the Navel and out at the Fundament then he lets two men standing by him pull off his head and left shoulder with a small line by which they pull the head and shoulder into a kettle of hot water but he reviveth again and cometh out whole as he was before with such jugling illusions do they deceive the people But of these see Richard Iohnsons relation in Hakluit tom 1. Q. How many ways can Satan delude men by such false miracles A. Three wayes 1. By local motion suddenly removing one object from the eye and substituting in stead thereof another thus are we deceived in many supposed transformations as when we think we see Women transformed into Cats or Hares or any other creature the Woman is suddenly conveyed away and the Cat put in her place such were these transmutations of Vlysses fellows into beasts and of Diomedes his company into birds 2. By darkning the Medium or Aire that we cannot see the object or by condensing of it so that the object appeareth bigger then it is or by altering of it so that the object appeareth quite other then it is as we see strange things through some glasses or lastly by working on and disturbing of the fancy which is no hard matter for Satan to do being a subtile spirit of long experience and full of knowledge 3. By working on the outward sensitive organ either by altering situation thereof thus by elevating or depressing the eye we see things double and otherwise then they are or by disturbing the visive spirits or by casting a mist before the eye By such tricks the Egyptian Sorcerers made the people beleeve they had done the same miracles that Moses did And so the Witch of Endor deluded Saul by presenting to him the resemblance of Samuel whereas it was not in the power of Satan to disturb the soul of any just man and to take it from that place of rest and happinesse where it is under the immediate protection of the Almighty yet many learned men are of another opinion that Samuel did truly appear God so permitting that Saul might be convinced of his wickednesse and desertion from God by the same Prophet whose counsel he had heretofore despised Now though Satan deludes oftentimes with false miracles yet I deny not but that sometimes by Gods permission he doth strange wonders by the help of natural causes as he can raise storms so he did against Iobs Children he can carry his Witches in the Aire so he did carry Christ to the pinacle of the Temple and thence to an high Mountain so the Angel carried Habakkuk he can also make beasts to speak by guiding their tongues so the Angel made Balaams Asse to utter certain words but he can do no miracle that is he cannot produce such effects as exceed the activity of natural causes so he cannot raise the dead or give them life again he cannot restore sight to the blinde where there is a total privation nor can he transform men into beasts being the body of a beast is not capable of an humane soul nor can the soul of man animate a beasts body there being no relation betweene the matter and form nor is there any disposition appetite or aptitude in that matter to receive such a form This is onely the work of God who
from Wine and strong drink and women and lie on skins Their Gymnosophists were Philosophers who accustomed their bodies to endure all hardnesse and their eyes to gaze on the Sun from morning to evening Of the Indian Religion see Alexander ab Alexandro Pliny Bâ—emus c. Q. What is the Religion of Siam A. This kingdome of the East-Indies except where the Moors inhabit and some Christians is also idolatrous But especially they worship the four Elements and accordingly there be four differâ—nt Sects Each one desireth to be buried in that element which he worshippeth hence some are buried some burned some hanged in the Ayr and some drowned in the Water They hold that God made all things that the good are rewarded and the wicked punished That each man hath two spirits waiting on him a good and a bad That the world shall stand 8000 yeers and then shall be burned into ashes whence shall come forth two eggs and out of them one man and one woman who shall again replenish the Earth Their religious Orders are so strict that it's death among them to speak to a woman They feed on Rice onely and herbs which they beg from door to door They must not buy nor sell nor take Rents They are tyed to rise at midnight to pray to their Idols They go still bare-footed and in poor cloaths Every King of this Country at his Coronation is bound to erect a Temple with high Steeples and multitudes of Idols Their priests go in yellow being a sacred colour resembling the Suns light They may not nourish any female thing not so much as a hen He that drinks Wine is stoned to death See the discourse of China Boterus Maginus and others Q. What is the Religion of Pegu A. The religious Ceremonies of this kingdom consisted in multitudes of Temples Images and begging preachers who are still preaching and begging Their Alms are brought to them in the Pulpits whilst they are preaching The people when they enter into their Churches at the dore wash their feet and by lifting up their hands to their heads salute the preacher first and and then the Sun When any enters into that Order of Talipâ—n or preacher he is first carried in solemnity about the streets on horse-back with Pipes and Drâ—ms then upon mens shoulders to his house which is without the Town They keep holy day every New-Moon They believe multitudes of gods worlds succeeding each other that this world hath been governed by four gods already who are gone the fift is not yet come after whose death the world shall be burned After this life they hold some shall live in carnal pleasure some in torment and others shall be aunihiarid They hold Transanimation and are bound to fast thirty days every year They know no women for whom they allow Nunneries The People drink the water wherein their Preachers wash themselves coâ—nting it holy They feed the Devil each morning with baskets of rice that he may not hurt them that day When they are sick they build him Altars and pacifâ—e him with flowers meat and musick Their Idols are honoured with divers festivals in which wax lights are burned all night and the gates stand open that all those may see and have accesse to the idol who bring presents with them Q. Of what Religion are the people of Bengala A. They are not content to worship the River â—ahges but to its image also they give divine honours The River is visited by many Pilgrims who think themselves happy if they can wash themselves in it If any can drink of the water thereof at the point of death he thinks presently by the vertue thereof to obtain heaven There is also a Well which they adore in If they wash away all their sins and are all clean both without and within if they wash in it and drink thereof They carry away the sand of this Well as a sacred Relique and in recompence leave flowers behind them in the Well For fear Ieast their idols should saint with too much heat there are some who with fans blow the wind for refrigeration All are bound to enter bareâ—ooted into the idol-Temples The more horrid and ugly the idol looks the more he is worshipped Sick people are brought and laid before the idols which are honoured with lights continually burning before them Their marriages are made in some Water wherein the Priest and the married couple hold a Cow with her Calfe by the taile and poure water upon it then the Priest tieth the maâ—ried persons cloaths together then going round about the Cow aud Calse the Ceremony is ended The Priest hath for his Fee the Cow and Calf the poor some Almes and the idols some Money About Iemena they use to pray naked in the water and to do pennance by lying flat on the ground 〈◊〉 the earth holding up their hands to the Sun and turning themselves about fourty times Who deâ—ire more of this stuff let them read Linschoten R. Fitzh 〈…〉 Q. Of what Religion is the kingdom of Magor A. They are for the most part Pythagoreans holding Transanimation they acknowledge one God but have many fabulous conceits of him as that he hath appeared in the world in divers monstrous shapes to wit of a Fish a Snail a Hog a Monster resembling Woman in the lower part and a Lyon in the upper They worship divers idols one chiefly representing a Woman with two heads and many hands to this image neâ—r the City Tahor repair many Pilgrims The King worshippeth every morning the image of the Sun and of Christ also the Son of righteousnesse which he sets on the crown of his head See Oranus in his Narration of Magor Q. What is the Reiigion of Cambaia A. The people here are so superstitiously Pythagoreans that there are among them some religious orders who are afraid to kill a Gnat or Worm They are much addicted to fasting and almes-giving Their religious persons called Verteus leave no hair on their heads and faces but a little on their crown They will not drink their water cold fearing least thereby they should slay the soul of the water which is quickened by boyling The people here redeem birds and beasts appointed to be slain and if any bird be sick or hurt they carry it to the Hospital They redeem also Malefactors condemned to dye and sell them for slaves For fear least they should tread upon Ants they will rather go out of the way then goe neer their Hills They drink no Wine nor will eat Eggs least there should be blood in them Neither will they eat of Radishes Onyons or any herb that hath red colour in it See Maffaeus Linschoten and Purchas Q. What is the Religion professed in Goa A. Here are Christians Jewes Mahumetans and Pagans who pray to the Sun and Moon and worship divers idols of horrible Aspects but their custome is to pray to the first thing they meet with
run with as great alacrity to war against Christians as to a wedding beleeving if they die in that war they shall immediatly possesse Paradise which is indeed the generall belif of all Turks See Les Estats du Monde Boterus Leo c. Q. What Religon is professed in Guinea A. Gentilism for they adore strawen rings instead of God Of whom they speak blasphemously calling him evill and black and the Author of their miseries And that they are no wayes beholding to him for what they enjoy but to their own industry They put within their Rings Wheat Water and Oyle for their god to feed upon Such Rings are worn by many as preservatives against danger Their Priests use to preach to them on festival dayes and after Sermon to besprinkle the infants with Water in which a Newt doth swim They consecrate to their Idol the first bit and draught of their meat and drink But I believe this black god they rail against is the devill whom their cunning Priests represent to that ignorant people in some black and ugly shape Sometimes of a black dog If they paint themselves with Chalke they think they do good service to their God When he is angry with them they use to bribe the Priest with gold so fishermen use to do when they have no successe at sea The Priest with his wives walks in Procession knocking his breast and clapping his hands then hanging some boughs from the trees on their necks and playing on a Timbrel the Priest flings Wheat into the sea to appease the angry God They have certain trees in great veneration consulting with them as with Oracles using divers foolish ceremonies They worship a certain bird which hath feathers like stars and a voice like a Bull. The Tunie is a sacred fish with them and not to be touched So are the mountains whose tops they daily feed or the Priests rather with meat and drink When one dieth the Priest makes gods of straw to accompany the dead in the other world wine and good cheere are sent with him and servants with his wives if he be the King these are slain to wait upon the King and their heads advanced upon Poles round about the grave They hold it a sin to spit on the ground The Tuesday is their Sabbath They use circumcision and some other Turkish ceremonies See G. Arthus Dantiseanus Mercator Bertius c. Q. Of What Religion were the African Ethiopians antiently A. Gentiles for they worshipped some immortall gods as the Sun Moon and the World some mortal as Iupiter Pan Hercules But some of them who dwelt neer and under the line did not worship but curse the Sun still when he rose because his excessive heat offended them When their Queen went to Solomon she being instructed by him in the knowledge of the true God upon her return planted the Jewish Religion in her country but the Eunuch of Queen Candace being baptized by Philip brought home with him the Christian Faith which hitherto they have retained See Diodorus Boemus Strabo Sardus Damianus a Goes c. Q. What Religion do these Aethiopians or Abyssins professe A. Christianity yet Gentilisme is retained in some part of Prestor-Iohns ample Dominions The Christians circumcise both male and female on the eighth day in memory of Christs circumcision The males are baptized fourty days after and the females eighty They abstain from certain meats and use some Mosaical Ceremonies They are very rigid in their Fastings they begin their Lent ten days before ours some Fryers eat no bread all the Lent some not in a whole year but are contented with Herbs without Salt or Oyl They keep a fast of three days after Candlemasse in memory of Ninevehs repentance Some Fryers all that time eat nothing and some Nurses give their Children suck but once a day He that marrieth three wives is excommunicated Queen Candace after her conversion consecrated the two magnificent Temples of the Sun and Moon to the Holy Ghost and the Crosse. Afterward these two Temples were given to the Monkish Knights of Saint Anthonies Order with two large Monasteries The Abyssins in their Liturgy mention the three first general Councils but not that of Chalcedon because they are Eutychians or Jacobltes Their Patriarch is onely a Monk of Saint Anthonies order and so is the Patriarch of Alexandria by whom the Aethiopian is consecrated and is in subjection to the Sea of Alexandria They observe here both Saturday and Sunday with equal devotion In the Eucharist the Priest administers leavened bread except on the Thursday before Easter for then it is unleavened because that day Christ instituted the Supper Anâ— the Deacon gives the Wine in a Spoon They receive all standing and in the Church onely all that day after they must not spit till Sun set They give the Eucharist to Infants immediately after Baptisme They believe traduction of Soules They are careful to confesse their sins to the Priest and still after confession receive the Eucharist The Patriarch onely excommunicates and none but murtherers usually Inferiour Priests and Monks labour for their maintenance but the Bishops Deanes and Prebends have large revenues and benefices They permit their Clergy to marry once and have pictures in their Churches but not images Betwixt Easter and Whitsuntide they eat flesh on Fridays Every Epiphanie day they baptize themselves in Lakes or Rivers So do the Muscovites in memory of Christs baptisme the same day They use no Confirmation nor Extream Unction See Damianus a Goes Alvarez in his Aethiopian History and others Q. What is the Religion of the lower Aethiopians A. These were not known to the Antients but they are found by Navigators to be for the most part Gentiles though divers Moors live among them Yet some of them worship but one God They superstitiously observe divers days of the Moon They feast the dead with bread and boyled flesh They punish witchcraft theft and adultery with death They may marry as many wives as they please but the first is the chief and the rest are her servants They pray to the dead in white garments In Monomotapa and some other places thereabouts the Jesuites have converted divers to Christianity many whereof are fallen back again to Gentilisme See Eâ—anuel Acosta of the Eastern affaires and Boterus c. Q. What is the Religion of Angola and Congo A. In Angola they are all heathens In the midst of their towns they worship wooden Idols resembling Negroes at whose feet are heaps of Elephants teeth on which are set up the skulls of their enemies killed in the wars They believe they are never sick but when their Idol is angry with them therefore they please him by pouring at his feet the Wine of Palmes They use to wash and paint and new cloath their dead and bury with him meat drink and some of his goods at whose grave they shed the blood of Goats They are much addicted to divination by
Doctrin of the Trinity was not unknown even by the light of nature to the Gentile Philosophers Poets and Sibylls Zoroastres speaketh of the Father who having perfected all things hath delivered them to the second Mind which Mind saith he hath received from the Father knowledge and power Here is a plain testimony of the first and second person Concerning the third he saith that the Divine love proceeded from the Mind or Intellect what else is this Divine love but the Holy Ghost The Chaldaean Magi which were their Philosophers acknowledged three beginnings to wit Ormases Mitris and Ariminis that is God the Mind and soul Mercurius Trismegistus taught his Egyptians that God who is life and light begot the Word who is the other Intellect and maker of all things and together with him another who is the firie God or Spirit here the three persons are distinctly named He sheweth also that the subtil intellectual Spirit by the power of God did move in the Chaos this is consonant to the words of Moses the spirit of God moved on the waters Orpheus singeth the praises of the Great God and of his word which he first uttered Pythagoras and his Schollars were not ignorant of this Mystrey when they placed all perfection in the number of three and made love the Original of all things Zeno the Stoick confesseth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word is God and the Spirit of Iove Socrates acknowledgeth God to be the Minde or Intellect that the Essence of God is his Idea which he begets by the knowledge of himself and by which he made the World Numenius the Pythagorean Plotinus Iamblichus and others do write very plainly of the three Hypostases or Persons in the Trinity so that no Christian can write more fully as may be seen in their own words as they are alleadged by Du-Plessis in his Book of the truth of Christian Religion who citeth also certain Oracles of Serapis the Egyptian chiefe Idol or Devil and of Apollo out of Suidns by which we may see how the evil Spirits are forced to confesse the Trinity I could also alledge the testimonies of the Sybills to the same purpose but because I study brevity and these heathen testimonies and Sibyllin verses are cited by Clemens Alexandrinus Origin against Celsus Cyril against Iulian Eusebius in his preparation Saint Augustine in his bookes of the City c. I forbear to insist any more on this subject And as the Gentiles gave testimony to this plurality of persons so did the Jewes also though now they reject this doctrine thinking that we by worshipping the Trinity do worship three Gods but their ancient Rabbins do prove the Trinity out of the Old Testament as Rabbi Simeon the Sonne of Iohai brings a place out of Rabbi Ibba upon Deuteronomy 6. Hearken O Israel the Lord our God is one God In the Hebrew thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehovah Elohenu Iehovah Echad He shewes that the first Iehovah is God the Father the second word Elohenu our God is God the Son for so he is called by the Propher and Evangelist Emanuel God with us The third word Iehovah is God the holy Ghost And the fourth word Echad that is One is to shew the Unity of Essence in this plurality of persons Many other passages I could alleadge out of the writings of the ancient Rabbies to confirme this truth but this is already performed by Galatinus in his books de arcanis catholicae veritatis Q. 6 Who were Simons principal Scholars and what were their opinions A. 6. Menander a Samaritan also and a Magician He flourished at Rome in the time of Titus about 49. years afser Christ. He held the same impious opinions that Simon did but differed from him in saying that himself and not Simon was the Saviour of the world and that therefore all should be baptized in his name and not in the name of Simon or Christ and that all such should in power excel the Angels and should live immortally here so he denied the Resurrection of the flesh To him succeeded Saturninus and his fellow Scholar Basilides about the fifteenth year of Adrian the Emperour and after Christ the hundreth Saturninus was of Antioch and infected Syria with his poyson as Basilides did Egypt Saturninus held the same impieties with Simon and Menander but differed from them in saying that the world was made onely by seven Angels and not by all against the Will and Knowledge of God He taught also that some men were naturally good and some naturally evil and that nothing must be eat that hath life in it which was the Doctrine afterward of the Manichees And impiously affirmed that some of the antient Holy Prophets spake and were sent by Satan Basilides also was a Simonian Heretick but differed from him in holding there were so many Heavens as dayes in the year to wit 365. the chiefe god he called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the letters of which name are contained 365. He held also that this inferiour world and man was created by the 365th or last Heaven He taught also that the superiour god Abraxas begot the Minde this the Word Of the Word came Providence and of Providence Wisedome Of Wisdom the Angels were begot the last of which was the God of the Jewes whom he calls an ambitious and a turbulent God who had attemped to bring all Nations in subiection to his people He said that Christ was sent by Abraxas to oppose the turbulent God of the Jewes and doth not call him Iesus and Saviour but Goal a Redeemer He held it unlawful to suffer Martyrdom for Christ He permitted Idolatry and taught that no voluntary sin was pardonable and that Faith was not the gift of God but of Nature as also election The other errours which this Egyptian held for he was of Alexandria were the same that Simon maintained Q. 7. What was the Religion of the Nicholaitans and Gnosticks A. The Nicholaitans so called from Nicholas one of the seven Deacons Act. 6. and whose works Christ hated Rev. 2. gave themselves to all uncleannesse and sflshly lusts teaching that men ought to have their Wives in common They made no scruple of eating things offered to Idols At their meetings or love Feasts they used to put out the lights and commit promiscuous adulteries with each others wise They taught that the world was made by the copulation of light and darknesse out of which Angels Daeâ—ons and Men were procreated Mans seed and menstruous blood were with them sacred and used by the Gnosticks in their divine service whereby they brought an odium upon Christianity They would not have God but Angels creators of this inferiour world which Angels they called by divers barbarous names Nicholas the father of this Sect was by birth an Antiochian whose doctrine began to spread about the beginning of Domitians reign after Christ 52 yeers before S. Iohns banishment into Pathmos The professors of this
Saint Austins Monks and of his Eremites He as we said before wore on his naked body a Coat of Males his bed was a hard board without either straw or coverlid with often kneeling kissing of the ground and beating it with his forehead and nose he made his hands and knees hard like a Callus or Corn and his nose crooked This order at first was ruled by a Prior afterward Pope Iohn 22. gave them an Abbot The Carthusians or Charter Friers were instituted by Bruno born in Collen and professor of Philosophy in Paris about the year of Christ 1080. upon this occasion 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 suddenly sitteth up in the Beer and crieth out I am in Gods just judgements condemned these words it uttered three several days at which Bruno was so affrighted that a man held so pious was damned what would become of himself and many more therefore concluded there was no safety for him but by forsaking the world hereupon he with six of his scholars betook themselves to a hideous place for dark woods high hills rocks and wilde beasts in the Province of Dolphinie neer Grenoble the place was called Carthusia whence his Monks took their name and there built a Monastery having obtained the ground of Hugo Bishop of Grenoble who also became a Monk of that order By their rule these Monks should wear sack-cloth or a hair shirt next their skin a long white cloth-coat loose with a hood and a black cloak over when they walke abroad The Lay-Brothers wear a short coat to their knees They eat no flesh at all they buy no fish but eat them when offered they eat branny bread and drink wine mingled with water On the Lords day and fifth day of the week they feed onely upon cheese and egges On the third day or Saturday on pulse or pot-herbs on the second fourth and sixth upon bread and water onely Every one dresseth his own meat they eat apart and but once a day Yet on the chief Festivals of Christmasse Easter Whitsuntide Epiphany Purification the twelve Apostles Iohn Baptist Michael Martin and all-Saints they eat twice a day and together at one Table and then may talk together at other times they must keep silence every one hath his own cell wherein they pray read meditate and write books and in these cells they observe the Canonical hours but their Mattins and Vespers they keep in their Churches and have Masse on these days wherein they eat twice They are not suffered to go abroad except the Prior and Procurator and that upon the affairs of the Covent They are limited to enjoy a certain quantity of land a certain number of sheep goats and asses which they must not exceed They must admit no women into their Churches nor were they to have in one Covent above twelve Religious meâ— besides the Prior and eighteen Converts or Lay-Brothers with a few servants who are not to come into the Quire where the Prior and his brothers sit but these are in a lower Quire by themselves They never admit any again into their society who once leaves them These were the ancient rules to which they were tyed but in some things are fallen off now the Monks of this order have a meeting or chapter yearly at Carthusia about their own affairs hither two Monks out of every Cloyster do repaire where they stay fourteen days this order was confirmed by Pope Alexander the third An. 1178. they came into England An. 1180. and seated themselves at Witham neer Bath Q. 4. What were the Monks of Saint Anthony of Vienna the Cistertians Bernardins and Humiliati A. About the year of Christ 1095. Saint Anthonies Monks of Vienna were set up by Gastho and Gerondus two Noble men of that place and were to live according to Saint Austins rule of which we have already said The Cistertians began about the year 1098. by one Robert Abbot of Molismenia who as we have said taking offence at the loose lives of the Benedictines by the perswasion of Steven Harding an Englishman forsook that society and being accompanied with one and twenty other Monks came to Cistertium in Burgundy where they erected their Covent Here they resolved to stick close to the rule of Saint Bennet and to cut off all the superfluities of apparrel and dyer introduced by the loose Monks of that order and because they did not find that Saint Bennet ever possessed Churches Altars Oblations Tythes and Sepultures or that he had Mills Farmes or that he ever suffered Women to enter into his Covent or that he buried there any except his own Sister therefore they meant to abandon all these things and to professe poverty with Christ they would not suffer their Monks to meddle with Husbandry or any secular affairs and with Saint Bennet they ordered that their Monastery should consist but of twelve Monks and an Abbot They must keep silence except it be to the Abbot or Prior. If any Monk run away from his Monastery he must be forced back again by the Bishop The Cistertiant must be contented with two coats and two hoods they must work with their hands and observe strictly their fasts they must salute strangers by bowing their head and body and in imitation of Christ must wash their feet No Fugitive is to be received into the Covent after the third time The Abbots Table must be furnished for strangers This order was confirmed by Pope Vrban the second An. 1100. and came into England An. 1132. Their colour was gray whence in the beginning they were named Grisei The Bernardines so called from Saint Bernard Abbot of Clarivallis were the same with the Cistertians but that as we said before they wear a black coat over a white cloak Yet on festivals they wear the Cistertian habit to shew whence they came The Bernardines and Cistertians are not subject to Advocats or Bishops And Pope Alexander the third ordered that if the Bishop refused to blesse the Abbot he may receive benediction from his own Monks The Humiliati arose in Germany about the year of Christ 1164. in the time of Frederick Barbarâ—ssa who in his Wars against Lambardie brought captive thence into Germany multitudes of men with their Wives and Children these growing weary of their long exile cloath themselves in white and approaching to the Emperour fall down at his feet begging pardon for their delinquency from this posture they were called Humiliati the Emperour being moved with their tears and habit gave them leave to return home into their Country who being returned resolved to live a Monastical life therefore they built Monasteries in which they gave themselves to prayer fasting meditation and making of cloth Innocent the third did first ratifie this order and then their succeeding Popes They wear a plain coat a Scopular and a white
dispersed Anchorites into one body and built them a Monastery on the top of the Hill near the Well of Elias by which stood an ancient Chappel of our Lady Perhaps from this Chappel the Carmelites were called the Virgins Brothers The same Almericus translated into Latine the Book concerning the institution of the first Monks written in Greek by Iohn Bishop of Ierusalem for the benefit of these Carmelites and placed over them a Latine Governour in the time of Pope Alexander the third who began this Popedom Aâ— 1170. The Governours name V as â—ertholdus Aquitanus some think this Order was instituted 40. years after to wit in the Papacy of Innocent the third Their second Governour was Brochard of Ierusalem who made them a rule much after the rule of Saint Basil which in the year 1199. was abridged and confirmed by Albert Patriarch of Ierusalem who tied them to fasting silence and canonical hours and the Lay-Brothers to Peter the Eremites Beads or Prayer and to our Ladies Psalter They were as yet tied to no Vow but that of obedience to their Superiour They came into England about the year 1240. Ralph Fresburn was their first Governour here and Hunfrid Nektâ—n the first Carmelite that read School Divinity in Cambridge and was of that order the first Doctor of Divinity This order came into Lituania Anno 1427. Whilst they were in Syria their Garment was a striped cloak of party colours which they say was used by the Prophet Eliah but Pope Honorius the third or as some say the fourth took from them this habit as not beseeming or agreeable to Religion and instead thereof gave them a white cloak and a white hood and under a coat with a scapulary of hair-colour The use of the white cloak was confirmed by Pope Nicholaus the fourth Whilst they used the former habit they were highly esteemed by the Egyptians and maintained by the Sultan but when they began to wear the Popes new Livery he expelled them out of Egypt and burned down their Monastery and Chappel Honorius the fourth exempted them from the jurisdiction of Princes and Bishops Gregory the ninth forbade them to injoy possessions or revenues but to beg from door to door Honorius the fourth will have them called instead of Carmelites Brothers of the Virgin Mary Alexander the fourth allowed them prisons to punish their apostates and Iohn 23. took them into his immediate protection and by a vision was warned to keep them 〈◊〉 of purgatory Many of the Carmelites fell off from their first strictnesse of life and gave themselves to all 〈◊〉 and voluptuousnesse whereupon they were divided into two Sects the one were called Observantes the other Non Observantes to undertake this order is hâ—ld meritorious and three years indulgence is promised to him that shall at any time call them brothers of Saint Mary In many of their Cloysters they have the picture of Iohn Baptist in their habit because he is named Eliah and they say that Eliah did wear this habit they have changed now I mean the Non Observantes their hair-coloured coat into black Q. 13. What were the Dominicans A. These were so called from Dominicus a Spaniard their first Author they sprung out of the Humiliali and were instituted by Innocent the third Anno 1205. the chief end of their institution was to write expound and preach the word of God whence they are named Praedicantes or Praedicatores Dominicus was by Pope Innocent the third Anno. 1207. imployed with twelve Abbots of the Order of Cisterâ—iaeâ—s to preach down the Doctrines of the Aâ—â—igenses He by his preaching so incensed the Princes against them that they took arms and killed above One hundred thousâ—nd of them Dominicus with twelve more accompanied by Fulce Bishop of â—oledâ— went to Rome where he petitioneth Innocent the third to confirm his order who was somewhat averse till he dreamed that he saw Dâ—minicus supporting with his shoulders the Church of Lateran that was ready to fall down hereupon he adviseth Dominick to pitch upon some rule and he would ratifie it Dominick returns presently to his Disciples being sixteen together acquaints them with the Popes intention they all resolve to professe the rule of Saint Austin the preacher In the interim Innocent dieth Honorius the third succeeded 〈◊〉 confirmed their rule and institution Dâ—â—inick added some things to Saint Austins rule He divided his Monastery into three parts one for himself and contemplative Brothers the other for contemplative Sisters the third was for both sexes that were given to the active life these were called Brothers and Sisters of Saint Dominick or the Souldiers of Jesus Christ for as Dominick with the spirituall so these with the corporal sword were to subdue Hereticks The Dominicans are tied to reject all kinde of wealth money and possessions that their work of preaching may not be hindred To hold every year a general Chapter To fast seven moneths together namely from holy 〈◊〉 day in September till Easter and at all other times on Friday to abstain from flesh except in times of sicknesse To lye in Blankets not in Sheets nor on Feather-beds To be silent To wear a white coat under a black cloak which they say was prescribed by the Virgin Mary to one Rheginaldus in his sicknesse To have low-built Monasteries answering to their poverty and humility To be content with the title of Friers Praedicants whereas before they were stiled Friers of the blessed Virgin Mary To celebrate on every Saturday the Office of the Virgin Mary except in Lent and on Festival days To disperse themselves through all parts of the world for preaching the Gospel To choose them a Generall Master whose subordinate Prelates should be called Priors but not Abbots The first that was elected Master Generall was Dominious himself Anno 1220. who died the next year after The 〈◊〉 do not promise to live according to their rule or to keep it because not to performe such a promise is a mortall sin but onely to obey according to the rule because in this case omission or transgression obligeth not to the sin but to the punishment as they think For Dominick's good service against the 〈◊〉 he is made by Hâ—â—â—rius the third Master of thâ— sacred Palace And so the Dominicans are ordinaâ—â—â—â— mâ—sters of this place And because a Dominican poysoned Henry the seventh Emperor in the Eucharist therefore the Pope inflicted this punishment on thâ—â—â—der that their priests should ever after in the Eucharist use their left hand Antoninus writes that Dominick received a Staff from Peter and a Book from 〈◊〉 with â— command to preach the Gospel every where hereupon his disciples dispersed themselves into all parts Dominick himself went to Rome where by the concession of the Pope and Cardinals he gathered together in one Covent all the Nuns dispersed through divers places of the City where they had the Church of Saint Sabina assigned them 44 of them met together
may be heard and seen But they must do nothing without the leave of the Abbatesse and some witnesses except in time of confession Priests must not enter the Nunnery except to give the Sacrament in the agony of death and that with some witnesses all the Priests and Brothers may enter to perform Funerall obsequies The Bishop of the Diocesse must be the Father and Visitor of the Monasteries and Nunneries the Prince of the Territory shall be the Protector and the Pope the faithful Guardian without whose will no Covent shall be made Let there be a hole like a grave still open in the Covent that the sisters may pray every day there with the Abbatesse taking up a little dust between her fingers that God who preserved Christs body from the corruption of the grave would also preserve both their bodies and souls from the corruption of sin Let there be a Beer or Coffin at the Church-door with some earth that all commers in may remember they are dust and to dust shall return to the observers of this rule Christ promiseth his aid who revealed himself to Saint Briget and counsels her to convey it to the Pope to be confirmed So goeth the story as it is set down by Hospinian who translated it out of the German into the Latin tongue this order came into England An. 1414. and was placed at Richmond There be few of these elsewhere except in Sweden Q. 21. What was the Order of S. Katherine and of S. Iustina A. Katherine born at Senae in Tuscany in her Childhood vowed Virginity and in a dream saw Dominick with a Lilly in his hand and other religion-founders wishing her to professe some of their orders she embraced that of Dominick in which she was so strict that she abhorred the smell of flesh drunk onely water and used no other cheer but bread and raw herbs She lay upon boards in her cloathes She girt her self so close with an Iron Chain that it cut her skin she used to watch whole nights together and scarce slept half an hour in two days in imitation of S. Domimick She used to chastise her self three times every day with that Iron Chain for an hour and half at a time so that the blood run from her shoulders to her feet One chastisement was for her self the other for the dead and the third for those that were alive in the world Many strange stories are recorded of her as that Christ appeared and married himself to her with a Ring that he opened her side took out her old heart and put a new one instead of the former that he cloathed her with a bloody coloured garment drawn out of the wound in his side so that she never felt any cold afterwards and divers other tales to this purpose Some say this order began Anno 1372. others Anno 1455. The Nuns of this order wear a white garment and over it a black Vaile with a head-covering of the same colour The order of Saint Iustina was instituted by Ludevicus Barbus a Venetian Anno 1409. after the ancient discipline of Benedict This rule was enlarged by Eugenius the fourth and confirmed by Iohn 24. The Monks of this order are carefull not to eat out of the Covent with seculars and to wash the feet of strangers Q. 22. What were the Eremites of Saint Hierom of Saint Saviour the Albati Fratricelli Turlupini and Montolivetenses A. Saint Hieroms Eremites in Spain under Saint Austins rule was instituted about the year 1366. in Vibinum a City of Vmbria in Italy in the time of Pope Gregory the nineth and was confirmed by Gregory the twelfth Of this order there are in Italy five and twenty Covents They differ in their habit and other things little or nothing from the other Monks of Saint Hierom. The Canons of Saint Saviour were instituted also in Italy neer Senae in a place called Scopetum whence they are named Scopetiâ—i They follow Saint Austins rule Their Author was one Franch of Bononia Anno 1366. in the time of Pope Vrban the the fifth and were confirmed by his successor Gregory the eleventh Anno 1370. They wear a white cloak with a white hood above a white linnen gowne Albati were so called from the white linnen they wore these in the time of Pope Boniface the nineth Anno 1399. came down from the Alpes into Lucâ— Flaminia Hetruria Fisa and other places of Italy having for their guide a Priest cloathed in white and carrying in his hand the Crucifix he pretended so much zeal and religion that he was held a Saint These people increased to such a vast body that Boniface the nineth grew jealous their Priest aimed at the Popedom therefore sent out some armed men against them apprehended their Priest and put him to death upon which the whole multitude fled every man returning to his house These made profession of sorrow weeping for the sins and calamities of those times they eat together in the High-ways and slept all promiscuously together like beasts they are by most reckoned among the Hereticks and not religious orders and so are the Fratricells or Beghardi who would be counted the third order of Franciscans they were called Fratricella Brothers of the Cells and Caves where they dwelt Their Women were named Beghinae and Beguttae These sprung up Anno 1298. they went with their faces covered and their heads hanging down their lives were â—â—agirious and their opinions heretical as we have already shewed among the Heresies therefore they are condemned by Boniface the eight Clemens the fifth and Iohn the twenty second yet Gregory the eleventh and Eugenius the forth defended such of them against whose life and faith no just exceptions could be taken Gregory about the year 1378. Eugenius Anno 1431. The Turlupini also though they would have been thought a religious order were heretical in their Teners and therefore condemned and burned Anno 1372. Montolivetenses or Monks of Mount Olivet began Anno 1407. when the Church was divided between three Popes In this distracted time many of Sene betook themselves to the next Hill which they called Mount Olivet and cloathed themselves in white professing St. Bennets rule They were confirmed by Pope Gregory the twelfth There were others of the same name loug before these but Boniface the eighth Anno 1300. put them down and executed their Author at Viterbium he only wore a linnen cloth about his wast the rest of his body naked Q. 23. What were the Canons of Saint George the Mendicants of Saint Hierom the Canons of Lateran Order of the Holy Ghost of Saint Ambrese ad Nemus and of the Minims of Jesu Maria A. The Canons Regular of Saint George called also Apostolici were instituted by Laurence Iustinian Patriarch of Venice Anno 1407. they were confirmed by Gregory the twelfth They wear a linnen surplesse over their garments and a black hood but out
of the Cloyster they wear a black cloak with a black hat There be two orders more of this name the one wear white the other blew they abstain from flesh except in their sicknesse and are not tied by vow to their profession The Mendicants of Saint Hierom were iustituted by Carolus Florentinus Anno 1407. and are confirmed by Gregory the twelfth They professe Saint Austins rule they wear dark-coloured cloathes and over their coat a pleated cloak divided they use a leathern girdle and wooden shooes The Canons of Lateran make Saint Austin their Author these were expulsed Saint Iohn Lateran by Pope Calixtus after they had been seated there by Eugeuius the fourth who expolled the Seculars thence but Paul the second called back the Regulars and by degrees expelled the Seculars Their cloak Scapulars and hood are black The order of the Holy Ghost was instituted neer Venice by Gabriel of Spâ—letum Anno 1407. they use the same habit that the Canons Regular doe wear The Brothers of Saint Ambrose ad Nemus were instituted at Milan and confirmed Anno 1433. They wear dark-coloured cloathes and profess Saint Austins rule The Minimi of Iesu Maria were instituted by one Francis Paula a Cicilian Anno 1471. he made three rules one for the brothers another for the Sisters and the third for both Sexes called Tertiarii He would have the Brothers to be called Minimi and the Sisters Minimae to teach them humility They were enjoyned to keep the Ten Commandements to observe the Church Laws to obey the Pope and to persevere in their Vowes of Chastity Poverty Obedience and Fasting This order was allowed by Iulius the second Innoceâ—â— the eighth Sixtus the fourth Alexander the sixth and Leo the tenth They abstain altogether from flesh they wear onely corse linnen and wander up anâ— down bare-headed and bare-foote Q. 24. What Orders of Knighthood were there erecteâ— in Christendome after the year 1400 A. The Knights of the Annunciation of Mary by Amadeus the fifth Earle of Savoy and first Duke thereof Anno 1420. of this order we have already spoken The ordâ—â— of Maurician Knights was instituted by Amadeus the seventh Anno 1490. to the honour of Saint Maurice whose Ring was delivered to Peter Earle of Savoy that by him it might be conveyed to his successors as a badge of their right to and soveraignity over that Country The Knights of the Golden Fleece were instituted by Philip the good Duke of Burgundy and Father to Charles whom the Switzers defeated and flew This Philip on his wedding day with Isabel the King of Portugals daughter erected this order Anno 1429. which he called by the name of the Golden Fleece in memory of Iason and those other worthies who ventured their lives for that Golden Fleece to encourage Christians to venture their lives like couragious Argonautes for the defence and honour of the Catholike Church There were appoynted thirty one Knights of this order the chief whereof was the Duke of Burgundy now the Kings of Spain are chief in right of that Dukedome Of these Knights we have spoken already in our History of the world in the impression by me owned as before is mentioned The Knights of the Moon were instituted by Reiner Duke of Anjou when he obtained the Kingdom of Sieily Anno 1464. These Knights wore a silver half Moon on their arme and were bound to defend one another in all dangers and never to fall at variance among themselves The Knights of Saint Michael the Arch-Angel were instituted by Lewis the French King Anno 1469. These wear a Golden Chain at which hanged the image of Saint Michael treading on the infernal Dragon This picture his Father Charles the seventh wore in his banners and it is worne by his posterity in memory of Saint Michael who was seen in the battel at the bridge of Orleans fighting against the English whom he forced to raise their siedge The King appoynted there should be of this order 36. Knights whereof himself should be the first They are tied to hear Mass every day The Knights of Saint Stephen were instituted by Cosmo Dake of Florence and confirmed by Pope Pius the fourth Anno 1561. in imitation of the Knights of Malta They differ from the Ioannites that instead of a white they wear a red Crosse set in Gold They may also marry once which the Ioannites could not do Their seat is in Ilua an Island in the Ligustick Sea They are called Saint Stephens Knights not from Stephen the first Martyr but from Stephen Bishop of Florence who was Canonised or from Pope Stephen The Knights of the holy Spirit were instituted by Henry the French King Anno 1579. Of the Knights of Saint George in England or of the Garter instituted by King Edward the third Anno 1351. and of the Knights of the Star set up by King Iohn the first of France in memory of that Star which appeared at Christs Nativity the Knights also of Jesus Christ in Portugal and of the Knights of Alcanthara in Castile we have already spoken He that wll see more let him read Panuinius in Chron. Sabellicus Enne 9. Crantzius L. 9. Frank in Chron. Polyd. L. 7. Volaterran L. 2â— Girard Hist. L. 15. Balaus Cent. 5. Heuterus L. 4. reâ— Burgund Tilius Hist. Franc. Genebrard in Chron. Hospinian de orig Monach. and the continuation of Sir Walter Raleighs History of the World in the edition by we owned to be sold by I. S. at the Grey-hound in Little Britaine London c. The Contents of the Eleventh Section Of Religions Orders and opinions from the year 1500. till this day 2. The order of Jesuites 3. Of their general rules 4. Of their other rules 5. Of their rules for Provests of houses Rectors of Colledges c. 6. Of their rules for Travellers Ministers Admonitors c. 7. Of their priviledges granted by Popes 8. Of other Orders in the Church of Rome 9. How Abbots are consecrated at this time 10. Wherein the Christian Orders of Knight-hood differ 11. Of other Orders of Knight-hood besides the French 12. of the Orders of Knight-hood in Germany Hungary Bohemia Poland c. 13. The Orders of Knight-hood in Italy 14. Of the Christian Military Orders in the East SECT XI Quest. 1. WHat Religious Orders and opinions in Religion are there sprung up in these latter times that is from the year 1500. till this day in the Christian World A. In the year 1500. started up a new order called Poor Pilgrims these came out of Italy into Germany bare-foote and bare-headed some covered their bodies with linnen others with gray cloth carrying every one in his hand a wooden Crosse but without scrip or bag staff or money drinking neither Wine nor Beere feeding all the week except on Sundays upon Herbs and Rootes sprinkled with salt they abstained altogether from Egges Butter Milk Cheese Fish and Flesh. In
Leyden their King reigned who taught that he had a commission from heaven to take many wives 18 Libertines who make God the author of sin and deny the Resurrection 19. Deo relicti who rejected all meanes and relied onely upon God 20. Semper Orantes who with the old Euchytes are still praying thinking they are tyed to no other duty Q. 2. What are the Tenets of the Brownists A. These being so called from their author Master Robert Brown of Northamptonshire sometimes a School-Master in Southwark hold there is no other pure Church in the world but among them so did the Donatists of old 2. They reject the Lords Prayer in this they are Iewes and agree with the old Hereticks called Prodiciani 3. They will not serve God in consecrated Churches nor will communicate with those they called wicked in this they follow the old Cathari 4. They reject tythes and affect parity in this they are Anabaptists 5. They hold all the Church Ceremonies to be Popish 6. That the love which is in God is not Essential 7. That Ordination of Ministers by Bishops is Antichristian 8. That the Word preached and Sacraments administred by scandalous Ministers are altogethers ineffectual 9. That Church-musick is unlawful 10. That Lay-men and Mechanicks may preach and expound Scripture 11. That set forms of prayers are aboninable in the sight of God whereas notwithstanding we have diverts set forms both in the Old and New Testament at which they quarrel and chiefly at the Lords Prayer 12. There be divers sorts of this profession some Brownists of which we have spoken some Barrowists so called from Barrow their first Martyr He called the Church of England Sodom Babylon and Egypt Some are called Wilkinsonians from Wilkinson their Master who thought that he and his followers were truly Apostles and therefore denyed communion with such as did not give them that title A fourth sort there is of Anabaptistical Brownists who hold themselves the onely true Church and condemn the other Brownists for Pedobaptisme therefore they re baptise such as come to them They that would see more of this Sect let them read the Book called The profane Schisme of the Brownists another called The foundation of Brownisme Master Whites Discovery of Brownisme Doctor Halls Apology against the Brownists Giffords Declaration against the Brownists Pagits Heresiography c. Q. 3. What are the Familists A. The Familists or Family of love are so called from the love they bear to all men though never so wicked and their obedience to all Magistrates though never so tyrannical be they Iewes Gentiles or Turks Their first Founder was one David George of Delfe who called himself the true David that should restore the Kingdom to Israel He held 1. That neither Moses nor the Prophets nor Christ could by their Doctrine save the people but his Doctrine was the onely meanes of salvation 2. That whosoever spoke against his Doctrine should never be forgiven neither in this life nor in the life to come 3. That he would set up the true house of David and raise the Tabernacle of God not by suffering but through love and meeknesse 4. That he was the right Messiah the beloved son of the Father 5. That he should not die or if he did he should rise again His Successor Henry Nicholas of Amsterdam maintained the same Doctrine but in his own name calling himself The Restorer of the World and the Prophet sent of God To the former Tenets he added 1. That there is no other Christ but holinesse and no other Antichrist but sin 2. That the Family of love hath attained the same perfection that Adam had before he fell 3. That there is no resurrection of the flesh 4. That the day of judgement is already come and that this Nicholas is the Judge of the world 5. That there hath been eight great Lights in the world whereof Christ was the seventh but himself the eight and greatest of all 6. That none should be baptized till the thirtieth year of their age 7. That the joyes of Heaven shall be onely here on the Earth and so likewise Hell 8. That they ought not to bury the dead not to give almes to such as are not of their profession 9. That Angels are born of women 10. That every day of the week should be a Sabbath 11. That the Law may be fulfilled in this life 12. That there was a world before Adam was made 13. That there is no other Deity but what man partakes of in this world 14. That such wives as are not of their belief may be rejected for whores 15. That in H. Nicholas dwelleth all perfection holinesse and knowledge and that their illunâ—inated Elders are deified in this life and cannot sin There be also divers sorts of Familists as Castalians Grindletonians of the Mountains of the Vallies of the scattered 〈◊〉 c. which hold with these former opinions that the Scriptures are but for Novices that we ought not to pray for pardon of sin after we are assured of Gods love that wicked men sin necessarily and such more stuff Q. 4. What be the Adamites and Antinomians A. Of the Adamites in Saint Austins time we have already spoken as also of the Bohemian Adamites Of late years there were some of them in Amsterdam where the men and women did pray in their meetings and perform other divine services naked This posture they called the state of innocency and their meetings Paradise In their opinions they were Anabaptists The Antinomians are so called from their opposing and rejecting of the Law which they say is of no use at all under the Gospel neither in regard of direction nor correction and therefore ought not to be read or taught in the Church 2. They say that good works do neither further nor evill workes hinder salvation 3. That the child of God can no more sin then Christ could and therefore it is sin in him to aske pardon for sin 4. That God never chastiseth his children for sin not is it for their sins that any Land is punished 5. That murther adultery drunknesse are sins in the wicked but not in the children of grace nor doth God look upon them as sinners and consequently that Abrahams lying and dessembling was no sin in him 6. That the child of grace never doubteth after â—e is once assured of salvation 7. That no man should be troubled in his conscience for any sin 8. That no Christian should be exhorted to performe the duties of Christianity 9. That an Hypocrite may have all the graces that were in Adam before his fall and yet be without Christ. 10. That Christ is the onely subject of all graces and that no Christian believeth or worketh any good but Christ onely believeth and worketh 11. God doth not love any man for his holinesse 12. Sanctification is no evidence of a mans Justification Of this and such like stuff you may read in
Arnhem Answer They hold that Independency is a beginning of Christs temporall Kingdome here on earth that within five years but these are already expired Christ was to come in the flesh and with an iron sword to kill most of his enemies and then that he should reign here on earth with his Saints a thousand years in all carnal delights 2. That God is not onely the author of sin but also of the sinfulnesse or Ataxie thereof 3. That all men are bound to know God in abstracto without Christ without Grace or Scripture 4. They held extreme unction to be a Sacrament and necessary for the sick and of divine institution so they held the holy kisse of peace a religious and needfull Ceremonie 5. They put down singing Psalmes and set up in lieu thereof singing prophets who are to chant out alone in the Congregation their own hymnes 6. They teach that the soul is mortall 7. That just mens souls go not into heaven till the last day but remain in the upper element of fire whither Enoch and Eliah with the Soul of Christ before his resurrection and the soul of the good thief went and no higher they teach also that the Souls of the wicked go not before the last judgement into hel but remain in the lower region of the air or in the bottom of the sea 8. They say that after the day of judgement all the world shall be hell except that part of heaven where God resides with his Angels 9. In preaching they will have their Ministers covered and the people bare but in administring the Sacrament they will have the people covered and the Minister bare Q. 8. Vpon what grounds do these Millenaries build Christs temporall Kingdome here on earth for a thousand years An. Upon that place of the Revilation 19. 4 5 6. I saw the Souls of them who were beheaded for the witnesse of Iesus and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years but this place proves no such Kingdome for it is mysticall and symbolicall Divinity not argumentative Again in this place there is no mention at all of any earthly presence of Christ nor of any earthly reign with him besides the Kingdome of Christ is everlasting for of his Kingdome saith the Angel there shall be no end therefore here is put a definite number for an indefinite Christ saith his Kingdome is not of this world the Kingdome of Christ is spirituall and within us and if we speak of Christs Kingdome as he is Mediator reigning in his Church by his word sacraments and discipline we must conclude that he hath reigned already above 1600. years and how long more he shall reign here on earth we know not 2. They build their opinion upon Dan. 12. 2. Many of them who sleep in the dust shall arise c. hence they inferre two resurrections in the first many shall rise to reign with Christ here on earth in the second they say all shall rise to Judgement but this interpretations is ridiculous for the first Resurrection mentioned in Scripture is spirituall to wit a rising from the death of sinne of which the Apostle if you be risen with Christ seek the things that are above for as sin is called death you were dead in sinnes and trespasses so the forsaking of sinne is called a resurrection this is the rising of the mind the other of the body Agaiâ— in Scripture many and all are promiscuously taken for the same as here many shall rise that is all So Matth. 4. Christ healed all Diseases that is many Besides the words of Daniel are directly spoken of the second Resurrection to Iudgement and not to a temporary Kingdome for he saith that some of those shall rise to life eternall not to a temporary of a thousand years and others to everlasting shame which yet the Millenaries deny in saying the wicked shall not rise till the expiration of the thousand years and where they say that the Saints shall shine as starres or the Firmament in the first Resurrection but as the sun in the second it is vain for in the second Resurrection shall be degrees of glory as the Apostle sheweth 1 Cor. 15. For as one Star differeth from another star in glory so is the Resurrection of the dead some shall shine as the Sun who is the brightest of all the starres and some shall be lesser starres an glory they do also vainly call their first Resurrection a hidden mystery whereas indeed it is the second Resurrection that is a mesterie and so hidden that the wisest Philosophers understood iâ— not and thought Paul had been 〈◊〉 when 〈◊〉 preached this mystery as Athens that which cannot be apprehended by reason but by faith 〈…〉 â—e truly called a hidden mystery 3. They misapply divers places of Scripture to prove this imaginary reign of Christ here on earth as Psalm 102. 16. when the Lord shall build up Sion he shall appear in his glory This Scripture was fulfilled when Ierusalem was rebuilt after the captivity So they alledge Acts 3. 20. 21. The Heavens shall receive Christ till the times of restitution of all things but this is spoken of the second Resurrection for then shall be a restitution of all things and not before in their thousand years reign for they confesse that then all the Jews shall not rise nor all Christians it must then follow that there shall not be a restitution of all things at that time That place of Rom. 11. 12. concerning the calling of the Jews is impertinent for we deny not but they shall be called to the faith of Christ but that they shall return to build Ierusalem and be under Christs earthly reign 1000. years is not at all spoken in that place no lesse impertinent is that place of 2. Pet. 3. 13. We look for new heavens and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousnesse for this is spoken of the last Judgement wherein all things shall be renewed by fire and not before as the circumstances of the Scripture do shew and all Jnterpreters do agree so without any sense or reason they apply the 65. chapter of Isa. to their Millenary reign which is plainly spoken of the calling of the Gentiles and of Christs first coming to preach the Gospell and to gather a Church which there and elsewhere is called Ierusalem and the Prophets usually under the terms of planting building eating and drinking new heavens and new earth the joy of hills forrests and trees c. do expresse the happy estate of the Church of Christ under the Gospel When the mountain of the Lords House shall be coealted on the top of the mountains and all nations shall flock to it then Jerusalem that is the Church shall be the throne of the Lord. Then out of Sion shall go forth a Law and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem then shall the God of heaven set up a Kingdome which shall never be destroyed Christ shall reign over
passion is read in the Pulpit uncovered the dividing of Christs Garment is represented by the Sub-Deacons much adoration is given to the Crosse. Christs body is carried by two Priests to the Altar which body was consecrated the day before for on this day and on the holy Sabbath the Sacrament is not celebrated because the Apostles those two days were in great fear and sadnesse And so there is no divine office this Sabbath On this day the Agni Dei or Lambs of Wax are consecrated to defend those that carry them from Thunder and Lightning The Paschal Taper is also consecrated and the fire which was put out is renewed by new sparkes out of a flint to represent Christ the true Light of the world and that stone cut out of the mountain on the Taper being lighted are fastned five pieces of frankincense to represent the spices brought by the Women and Christs five wounds The Taper hath three things in it representing Christ. The cotton or week signifieth his Soul the wax his Body and the light his Divinity It also putteth the people in minde of the firie Pillar which went before the Israelites to Canaan The light of the Taper also signifieth both the light of the Gospel here and the light of glory hereafter The Lessons are read without title or tone the Fonts or Baptisteria are also blessed this day to shew that by Baptisme we are buried with Christ the Priest in consecrating the water toucheth it with his hand dips the Taper in it bloweth on it and mixeth the chrisme with it Baptisme is to be administred but twice a year to wit at this time and on the day of Pentecost except in case of necessity besides divers ceremonies used in Baptism the Priest bloweth three times on the Infant gives him chrisme and a white garment Four sorts are excluded from being witnesses in Baptism namely religious Persons Infidels such as are not confirmed a man and his wife together for becoming spiritual parents they are not to know one another carnally any more They say divers Letanies in Baptism Confirmation is done by the Bishop who anoints the child with chrisme on the forehead as the Priest had done on the crown of his head in Baptism The reason why the child is twice anointed with chrisme is because the holy Ghost was given twice to the Apostles once here on earth before Christs ascension and once from heaven in a fuller measure after Christs ascension By the first they received a new birth or regeneration by the second growth strength and perfection Therefore this Sacrament of confirmation is called by the Greek Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perfection or consummation The chrisme wherewith they are anointed is made and consecrated on the day of the Lords Supper because two days afore Easter Mary Magdalen anointed Christs head and feet The Priest must not confirme except by delegation from the Pope this belongs onely to the Bishop because it is an Apostolical Function and Bishops are the Apostles successors Confirmation is not to be given to those that are not baptized because the character of this Sacrament presupposeth the character of Baptisme Neither must children be confirmed till they be able to give an account of their faith Then the Bishop strikes the childe on the cheek with his hand to shew he must be content to suffer for Christ. On the holy Sabbath the Altars begin to be covered again Gloria in excelsis is sung the Bells are rung as preparatives for the Resurrection but before the Gospel incense is carried instead of light to shew that the light of the world was supposed to be yet in the grave by the women that went to embalme him And the Post-Communion is not sung to shew how the Apostles were silent when Christ was apprehended Q. 22. What be their other holy days which they observe A. The chief is the Feast of Easter in which their Churches Altars Crosses and Priests are cloathed in their best Ornaments nothing this day must be eat or drunk without the Priests benediction and signed with the Crosse. In Easter week the custome was in Salutations to say The Lord is risen and to answer thus Thanks be to God and then to kisse each other which custome is yet observed by the Pope to the Cardinals when he sayeth Masse this day The next Sunday to Easter is called Dominica in albis because they that are baptized on the holy Sabbath lay aside on this day their white Garments The second Sunday is called Expectationis the day of expectation or looking for the comming of the Holy Ghost On Easter day before Masse there is a solemn procession of the Priests cloathed in white singing the Resuâ—rection before whom are carried Tapers burning Crosses and Banners There are also Processions all the week after to the Fonts singing in imitation of the Israelites rejoycing for the drowning of their enemies in the read sea Baptism is the sea and our sins are our enemies every day also this week the Neophytes are led to the Church by their god-fathers and god-mothers with wax Tapers before them which on the next Sunday called in albis they offer to the Priests From the Octaves of Easter till Whitsunday are sung two Halellujahs every Sunday and one every working day to shew that the joyes of heaven are represented which the soul onely participates till the Resurrection and after that soul and body together which is a double Hallelujah every day iâ— Easter week hath its peculiar Epistle and Gospel mentioning the Resurrection of Christ and our happinesse in heaven to this same purpose hath every Sunday after Easter its peculiar Masse and service Rogation Sunday which is the fifth after Easter is so called from praying or asking for being Ascension day is neer and we cannot follow Christ corporally into heaven therefore we are taught to follow him by our prayers three days then before Ascension day are Rogations Letanies or prayers both for spiritual and temporal blessings the Letany used at this time is called the Lesser invented by Mamertus Bishop of Vienna in a time when Wolves and other wild Beasts had broke out of the woods and killed divers people the greater Letany was the invention of Gregory the first when Rome was afflicted with a great Plague caused by the poysonable breath of serpents on these Rogation daies there use to be processions with Crosses Reliques and Banners carried before singing also and praying for divers blessings among the rest for the fruits of the earth the Vigil or Eve of Ascension hath its proper Mass on Ascension day is a soleum procession on the Sunday after promises are read concerning the coming of the holy Ghost on Whitsun Eve Baptisme is celebrated as it was on Easter Eve for as we are dead with Christ iâ— baptisme so we are baptized with the Holy Ghost which was accomplished when he came down on the Apostles the Feast of Pentecost is kept seven
days at which time because of baptisme white is worn this colour signifieth that all who are baptized are made Priests to God the Father for the Priests garment is white it sheweth also the innocency and purity that ought to be among Christians and it puts them in mind of the resurrection and glory of the life to come They pray standing in sign of liberty obtained by the Spirit Hallelujah and Gloria in excelsis are sung often this week from Easter till this time no man is bound to fast this feast is observed seven days to shew the seven gifts of the holy Ghost and every day three Lessons are read because all the seven gifts are included in these three Faith Hope and Charity The next Sunday is kept to the honour of the Trinity for as Christmasse was ordained to be kept in honour of God the Father who sent his son into the world and Easter to Christ the second Person and Whitsunday to the third Person so this Sunday was instituted to the three persons together and from this day are named the other Sundaies till Advâ—â—t whereof are twenty six to each of which is appropriated a peculiar Masse with Lessons and Psalms fit for each day Q. 23. What be their canonical hours of prayer A. Their set hours of prayer are called canonical because they are prescribed by the Canons of the Church and regularly observed by devout people These hours they ground upon the practise of David and Daniel who prayed three times a day These hours are seven because David speaketh of calling upon God seven times a day because the gifts of the holy Ghost are seven and the foul spirit bringeth seven spirits worse then himself there be seven deadly sins the walls of Ierico fell down at the blowing of the seven Ram horn Trumpers there were seven Aspersions in the Levitical Law Levit. 14. 16. We read also of seven Lamps and seven golden Candlesticks These canonical hours are not onely for the day but also for the night after the example of David and Christ who spent some part of the night in prayer and of the Church in the Canticles which sought Christ in the night The Prince of darknesse is most busie in the night to assault us therefore we ought to watch and pray that we may not be slaine with the Egyptian first born in the night The Nocturnals or night praises are said at midnight because at that time Paul and Silas praised God and so did David About that time Christ rose from the grave as the Greek Church believeth but the Latine Church holdeth that he arose in the morning The first hour of the day is dedicate to prayer that whilest the Sun riseth we may call upon the Sun of righteousness who bringeth health under his wings About that hour he was mocked spit upon buffeted and at that hour after his resurrection he was seen by his Disciples standing on the Sea shore To whom the first fruits of the earth were offered in old time to him also should the first fruits of the day be offered The third hour is consecrated to prayer because then Christ was crowned with thorns and condemned by Pilate It was the third hour also that the holy Ghost descended on the Apostles The sixt hour is canonicall because then Christ was crucified at that houre Peter went up to the top of the house to pray acts 10. and then it was that Christ asked water from the woman of Saâ—atia The ninth hour is for prayer because then Christ gave up the ghost so Peter and Iohn went up into the Temple at the ninth hour of prayer acts 3. The evening also is a time for prayer then they have their Vespers because the Iewes had their evening Sacrifice then it was that Christ instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist at his last Supper And then was his body taken down from the Crosse. The hour of the Completory about the beginning of the night is Canonical also in memory of Christs buriall And because David would not go up into his bed nor suffer his eye-lids to slumber till he had found out a place for the Temple Then is sung the song of old Simeon Nunc dimittis Q. 24. What else may we observe about these Canonical hours A. That all Priests Deacons and Sub-Deacons are bound to observe these hours so are also Monks and Nuns if they be not Novices But the inferiour orders of Clergy that are not beneficed as they are not debarred from Marriage so they are not tied to these Canonical hours They also that are excommunicate and degraded are to observe these hours for the character is indelible but sick persons and such as have any natural impediment are excused Again these Canonical prayers are not to be said everywhere but in the Church because the multitude of petitioners makes prayers the more efficacious otherways they acknowledge that private prayers may be said anywhere The times also order and reverence must be observed in saying of these prayers and diligent attention must be used without wandering thoughts the attention must be â—ixed not onely on the words and sense thereof but chiefly on God the object of our prayers and devotion must be used both outward in prostrating of the body and inward in humility and submission of the minde But on Sundays and all the time between 〈◊〉 and Pentecost they pray standing to shew 〈◊〉 readinesse being risen with Christ in seeking the things that are above Beneficed men who neglect in six moneths time to say the Canonical prayers are to lose their benefices In the first Canonical hour the Kyrie Eleeson is said so is the Lords Prayer and the Creed but with a low voice to shew that prayer and faith consist rather is the heart then in the tongue In the third hour prayers are said for the dead as well as for the living The sixe hour they say Adam fell and was 〈◊〉 out of Paradise therefore they hold it then a fiâ— time by prayer to enter into Gods favour again The ninth hour Christs side was peirced out of which flowed water and blood the two Sacraments of the Church then the Vaile of the Temple rent asunder the graves opened and Christ descended into hell all which do furnish sufficient matter for prayers and praises that hour In the end of the day are said the Vespers or evening service to signifie that Christ came in the end of the world In the evening Christ washed his Disciples feet and was known to the two Disciples in breaking of bread as they were going to Emaus Five Psalmes are then said in reference to Christs five wounds and to expiâ—â—e the sins of our five sences In the evening is sung the Magnificat to shew that in the evening of the world the Virgin brought forth Christ in whom is our cheifest rejoycing And then are Lamps lighted to put us in minde that with the wise Virgins we should
have our Lamps ready to meet the Bridgroome The Completory is a fit time for prayer because then Christ prayed and swear Blood in the Garden The song of 〈…〉 then sung for as he immediatly before his death uttered these words so should we before our sleepâ— which is a resemblance of death Four Psalmes 〈◊〉 are then said to expiate the sins of our child-hood youth manhood and old age The Creed is said the first hour and 〈◊〉 to shew that all 〈◊〉 workes must begin and end iâ— saith About mid-night are said the Nocturnals because about that 〈◊〉 the Egyptian first borne were 〈◊〉 then Christ was borne then was he apprehended by the Iewes 〈◊〉 are we in greatest danger then is the prince of darknesse most busie in his workes of darknesse Q. 25. What mâ—y we observe concerning their Processions A. They ground their Processions on the practise of David and Salomon when the oâ—e accompained the Ark in Triumph to the Tabernacle the other to the Temple They have four solemn Processions Namely on the Purification of the Virgin on Palm-Sunday on Easter day and on Holy thursday being the fortieth day after Easter and the day of Christs Asension kept in memory of that Procession which Christ made with his Disciples when they walked to the Noâ—ne of Olives from whence he ascended to Heaven as there is a Procession every Sunday in memory of Christs Resurrection so there was wount to be another every Thursday in remembrance of his Ascension but because of the multitude of Festivals this is kept but once yearly solemnly yet every Sunday it is remembred in that days Procession They hold also that these Processions were typified by the Israelits comming out of Egypt For as Moses delivered them from the Tyranny of Pharâ—â—h so hath Christ freed us from the oppression of Satan The Tables of the Law were received on Sinai and carried before the people so the Gospel is taken down from the Altar and carried in their Procession A fiery pillar went before the Israelites and burning Tapers are carried before the people in these solemnities as every Tribe had their armes and colours carried before them so here are carried Crosses and Banners Their Levites hore the Tabernacle and our Deacons carry the Coffer or Pix Their Priests carried the Ark and our Priests carry the holy Reliques In their Procession Aaron followed in his Ornaments and in ours the Bishop in his Pontificals There was the sounding of Trumpets here the noyse of Bells there was sprinkling of Blood here of holy water c. They carry Banners and Crosses in memory of that Crosse seen in the aire by Constantin and which after he always wore in his Banners Besides these triumphant Processions they have also in times of publick calamity mâ—urnfull Processions which they call Rogatioâ—s and the Greeks Litaniae that is prayers of supplications of which there is the great Letanie kept on Saint Marks Feast and invented by Gregory the first in a great Plague at Rome The lesser Letanie is kept three days before the ascension and was invented at Vienna by Mamertus Bishop there in a time when there were great Earth-quakes and Irruptions of Wolves which in France did great hurt this is called the lesser Rogation because it was found out in a lesser City then Rome and by a lesser Bishop then Gregory Yet the lesser is more ancient by 80. years for it was devised in the time of Zeno the Emperor of Constantinople whereas the other was found out in the time of Mauritius who was contemporary with Gregory the great Pope Liberius appointed there should be Letanies when Wars Plague or Famine do threaten which commonly fall out about that time of the year wherein the memory of Christs Ascension is observed Q. 26. Wherein consisteth the Eighth part of their Worship A. In the Worship of the Saints whom they honour with Temples Chappels Altars Images Holy-days mentioning of their names in the Masse reserving and worshiping of their Reliques praying to them c. They divide them into four ranks namely Apostles Martyrs Confessors and Virgins The Festival days of the Saints kept in memory of their martyrdom are called Natales that is birth-days for then they began truly to live when they died for Christ. In the Kalendar these following Saints have their Holy-days Fabian and Sebastian Agnes the Conversion of S. Paul Iulian Agatha the Purification of Mary this day is a Procession in memory of that Procession which Ioseph and Mary made to the Temple this Feast was instituted in the time of Iustinâ—an upon a great mortality which then hapned and candles this day are carried with great solemnity to shew that our light should shine before men that Christ who was this day presented in the Temple is the true light of the world and that like wise Virgins whereof Mary was the chief we should have our Lamps ready the Feast of S. Peters chair is kept in memory of his advancement first to the Bishoprick of Antioch then of Rome the Feast of the Annunciation is kept in memory of the tidings which the Angel brought to Mary of her conception on the first of May is the Feast of Philip and Iames the lesser the son of Alpheus and Brother of our Lord who was the first Bishop of Ierusalem had seen Christs Transfiguration and for preaching Christ was thrown down from the pinacle of the Temple by the Jewes the other Iames called the greater and of Compostella was the son of Zebedaeus and brother to S. Iohn the Evangelist on the third of May is the invention of finding of the Crosse by Helena Constantines mother the Feast of S. Iohn Baptist is kept the 24. of Iune in which are fires made and Torches carried to shew that he was a shining and a burning Lamp the Feast of Peter and Paul is kept the 29 of Iune in memory that they both suffered in one day under Nero on the 25 of Iuly is the Feast of S. Iames S. Iohns brother who preached the Gospel in Spain and returning to Ierusalem was beheaded by Herod the Feast of the seven Sleepers is on the 27 of Iuly these flying from the persecution of Decius hid themselves in a Cave where they slept about 300 years and being awaked thought they had slept but one night the Feast of S. Peters Chaines is kept August the first in memory of Peters miraculous delivery from Herods prison when the Chaines fell from him of their own accord the Feast of S. Laurence is kept August the tenth in memory of his martyrdom under Valerian he was Arch-Decon of Rome after whom none there have had that title the Assumption of Mary is on the fifteenth of August this is her greatest Feast for it is ushered in with a fast and hath its Octave on this day herbes and flowers are gathered and blessed because she is compared to the Rose and Lilly S. Bartholomews Feast is on the 24 of