A Golden Chain

With all it must be remembered to be a Christian duty, even at the table to maintain talk of religion,¹ and of duties of godliness, after the practise of our Saviour Christ: though many upon little ground think otherwise. Tertullian recordeth of the Christians of his time,² that they used in their love-feasts to talk together, as considering with themselves that they had God himself as an ear-witness to them. Chrysostom of this point saith well.³ I would to God (saith he) that in taverns and feasts, and at bathes, men would talk and dispute of hell: for the remembering of hell would hinder a man from falling to hell. And it was the manner of the primitive Church at Dinner and supper to use the reading of the Scriptures.⁴ When ye come to the table (saith Augustine) hear that which is read according to custom, without any stir or striving: that your mouths may not only receive the meat, but your ears may hunger after the word of God. And this ancient custom is to this day retained in the Colleges of the University of Cambridge.

With all it must be remembred to be a Christian dutie, euen at the table to maintaine talke of religion,¹ and of duties of godlinesse, after the practise of our Sauiour Christ: though many vpon little ground thinke otherwise. Tertullian recordeth of the Christians of his time,² that they vsed in their loue-feasts to talke togither, as considering with themselues that they had God himselfe as an eare-witnesse to them. Chrysostome of this point saith well.³ I would to God (saith he) that in tauerns and feasts, and at bathes, men would talke and dispute of hell: for the remembring of hell would hinder a man from falling to hell. And it was the manner of the primitiue Church at Dinner and supper to vse the reading of the Scriptures.