[263] _Scalig. de emend. Temp. lib. 6. p. 273._
[264] _Moses Kotsensis fol. 118. col. 1._
[266] _It. præc. Hebr. per Fagium editas._
The last thing considerable in their Feasts, is their _gesture_. In the days of our _Saviour_ it is apparent,[267] that the gesture of the _Jews_ was such as the _Romans_ used. The table being placed in the middest, round about the table were certain beds, sometimes two, sometimes three, sometimes more, according to the number of the guests; upon these they lay down in manner as followeth. Each bed contained three persons, sometimes four, seldom or never more. If one lay upon the bed, then he rested the upper part of his body upon the left elbow, the lower part lying at length upon the bed: but if many lay on the bed, then the uppermost did lie at the beds head, laying his feet behind the second’s back: in like manner the third or fourth did lye, each resting his head in the others bosom. Thus _John_ leaned on _Jesus bosom_, _John 13. 23._ This first is an argument of _special love_ towards him whom the _Master of the house_ shall take into his own _bosome_, John, _he was the beloved Disciple_. Secondly, an argument of _parity_, amongst others, resting in one anothers bosom. _Many shall come from the East and West; and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob_, _Mat. 8. 11._ And where shall they sit? In _Abraham_’s _bosom_, _Luke 16. 22._ that is, they shall all sit at the same table, be partakers of the same glory. Thus _Christ_, he was in the _bosom of his Father_, _John 1. 18._, that is, in the _Apostles_ phrase, _He thought it no robbery to be equal with his Father_. Their tables were perfectly circular, or round, whence their manner of sitting was termed[268] _Mesibah_, _a sitting round_; and their phrase of inviting their guests to sit down, was, _Sit round_: We will not sit round until he come hither, _1 Sam. 16. 11._ Again, Thy children shall be as Olive-plants _round_ about thy table, _Psal. 128. 3._ This custom of lying along upon a _bed_, when they took their meat, was also in use in _Ezekiel_’s time; Thou satest upon a stately _bed_, and a table prepared before it, _Ezek. 23. 41._ And[269] whether this were the custome of the ancient _Hebrews_, I leave to be discussed by others. But unto this also doth _Amos_ allude; They laid themselves down upon cloaths laid to pledge by every Altar, _Amos 2. 8._ that is, the _garments_[270] taken to pledge they use in stead of _beds_, when at their Altars they eat things sacrificed to Idols: Yea, the plucking off their shooes when they went to table, implieth this custom of lying at the Table, to have been very ancient. The plucking off their shooes seemeth to have been generally received, when they were in _Egypt_; for this cause is it that they had a strict charge in eating the _Passover_, to have their shooes on their feet, for greater expedition. The reason why they usually pluckt them off, was, for the clean keeping of their Beds on which they lay. Here, seeing the rule of observing the _Passover_ requireth, that it should be eaten with their shooes on their feet, which argueth rather _standing_ than _lying upon a bed_: it may be demanded, Whether _Christ transgressed_ not against the first Institution thereof, in the manner of his sitting at the table? _Tremelius_ answereth thus; and, in my mind, fully:[271] We must know, saith he, that _Exod. 12._ it was commanded, after what manner they, ready to depart out of _Egypt_, should eat the _Passover_ at that time; for the necessity of that time so required, namely, an hasty eating thereof; but afterward, in the Law, where it is commanded that this Ceremony of the _Paschal_ should be renewed every year, those words are not added. Wherefore all the _Hebrew Doctors_, both ancient and modern, do teach with one joynt consent, that the Commandment of _sprinkling the door-posts with blood_, of _having on their shooes_, of _girding their loyns_, of _taking staves in their hands_, and _eating the Lamb in hast_; did not extend it self to the generations following, but only to have concerned that very night, wherein they departed out of _Egypt_:[272] Yea, it was an ancient tradition amongst them, that when they did in after-times eat the _Passover_, they would sit down, or lean upon a bed, as our _Saviour_ and his Disciples did, in token of their deliverance obtained.