M. Hardinge. The .21. Diuision.
Dionysius Alexandrinus aboute the yere of our Lorde .200. as Eusebius Caesariensis reciteth, mani∣festly declareth,* 1.1 how that an olde man called Serapion, was houseled vnder one kinde at his ende. This Serapion after that he had laien speechelesse three daies, sent for the Sacrament. The Priest for sick∣nesse not hable to come him selfe, gaue to the ladde that came of that errant, a litle of the Sacrament, commaunding him to weate it, and so being moisted to powre it into the olde mans mouthe. Thus much is expressed by the woordes there, as the Greeke is to be construed.* 1.2 The ladde beinge returned home, moisted with some liquor that diuine meate, to serue the olde man withal, licinge now pantinge for desier to be dimissed hence, and to hast him away to Heauen, and powred it into his mouthe. For that this olde mannes mouthe and throte, had longe benne drie by force of his sickenesse, the Priest, who had experience in that case, prouidently gaue warninge, to moiste the Sacrament with some liquour, and so togeather to powre it into his mouthe. Which was so doone by the ladde, as Dionysius expres∣seth. Now if the forme of wine had then also been brought by the ladde to be ministred, there had been no neede of suche Circumstance, to procure the olde man a moisture to swallow downe that holy foode. And that this was the manner of ministring the Sacrament to olde men at their departinge, it appeareth by recorde of Theodoritus, who writeth in his Ecclesiastical storie, how one Bassus an Archepriest ministred vnto an olde man called Simeones, of greate fame for his holinesse. Bassus, saith he, as he visited his Churches, chaunced vpon holy Simeones that vvoonder of the vvorlde, lieinge sicke, vvho throughe feeblenesse vvas not hable to speake, nor moue.