use of a table is to eate upon Reasons c. 1550. Vide Acts Monumâ—nts pag. 1211. Pag. 74. The Church in her Liturgie and Canons calling the same a table onely do not you call it an Altar Pag. 17. The Church in her Liturgy and Canons calling the same a Table onely do not you now under the Reformation call it an Altar Pag. 74. In King Edwards Liturgie of 1549. it is every where called an Altar Pag. 17. In King Edwards Liturgie of 1549. it is almost every where called an Altar Pag. 74. The people being scandalized herewith in Countrey Churches first beats them downe de facto then the supreme Magistrates by a kinde of law puts them downe de jure Pag. 17. The people being scandalized herewith in Country Churches first it seemes beat them downe de facto then the supreme Magistrate as here the King by the advice of Archbishop Cranmer and the rest of his Counsell did Anno 1550. by a kinde of law put them downe de jure 4. Ed. 6. Novemb. 24. Pag. 74. And setting tables in their roomes tooke from us the children the Church and Common-wealth both the name and the nature of former Alters Pag. 17. And setting these tables in their roomes tooke away from us the children of this Church Common-wealth both the name and the nature of those former Altars Pag. 75. It is in the Christian Church 200. yeares more ancient than the name of an Altar as you may see most learnedly proved out of S. Paul Origen and Arnobius if you but reade a booke that is in your Church Pag. 18. It is in the Christian Church at the least 200. yeeres more ancient than the name of an Altar in that sense as you may see most learnedly proved beside what we learne out of S. Paul out of Origen and Arnobius if you doe but reade a booke that is in the Church Pag. 76. That your table should stand in the higher part of the Chur you have my assent already in opinion but that it should be there fixed is so far from being Canonicall that it is directly against the Canon Pag. 18 19. That your table should stand in the higher part of the Chancel you have my assent in opinion already And so it was appointed to stand out of the Communion orders by the Commissioners for causes Ecclesiastical 1561 But that it should bee there fixed is so far from being the onely Canonicall way that it is directly against the Canon Pag. 77. This table must not stand Altar-wise you at the North end thereof but table-wise and you must officiate at the North end of the same Pap. 20. This table without some new Canon is not to stand Altar-wise and you at the North end thereof but table-wise and you must officiate on the North side of the same by the Liturgy Pag. 78. And therefore your Parishioners must bee judges of your audiblenesse in this case Pag. 20. And therefore your Parishioners must bee Iudges of your audiblenesse in this case and upon complaint to the Ordinary must be relieved Thus have I shewed in briefe your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your tricks and artifices whereby you seeke to varnish a rotten cause falsifying the very Text which you are to comment on that it may fit your notes the better A pregnant evidence that there is no faire dealing to be looked for from you when you shall come either to repeate your adversaries words or cite your Authors But faire or foule we must goe through with you now we have begun and so on in Gods name CHAP. II. Of the Regall power in matters Ecclesiasticall and whether it was ever exercised in setling the Communion table in forme of an Altar The vaine ambition of the Minister of Linc to be thoâ—ghâ— a Royalist His practise contrary to his speculations The Doctor cleared from the two Cavils of the Minister of Linc touching the Stat. 1. Eliz. The Minister of Linc â—alsifieth both the Doctors words and the Lo Chancellour Egertons The Puritans more beholding to him than the King The Minister of Linc misreporteth the Doctors words onely to picke a quarrell with his Majesties Chappell A second on-set on the Chappell grounded upon another fâ—lsification of the Doctors words Of mother Chappell 's The Royall Chappell how it may be said to interpret Rubricks The Minister of Linc quarrels with Queene Elizabeths Chappell and for that purpose falsifieth both his forraine authors and domestick evidences Not keeping but adoring images enquired into in the first yeâ—re of Queene Elizabeth That by the Queenes Injunctions Orders and Advertisements the Table was to stand where the Altar did The idle answer of the Minister of Linc to the Doctors argument Altars and Pigeon-houses all alike with this Linc Minister The Minister of Linc false and faulty argument drawn from the perusers of the Liturgy the troubles at Franck â—ort and Miles Huggards testimony Of standing at the North-side of the Table The Minister of Linc produceth the Pontificall against himselfe His idle cavils with the Doctor touching the Latine translation of the Common prayer Book The Parliament determined nothing concerning taking downe of Altars The meaning and intention of that Rubrick The Minister of Linc palters with his Majesties Declaration about S. Gregories A copy of the Declaration The sâ—mme and substance of the Declaration Regall decisions in particular cases of what power and efficacy PLutarch relates of Alexander that he did use to say of his two chiefe favourits Craterus and Hephestion that the one of them was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one a lover of Alexander the other of the King Hephestion loved his person as a private friend Craterus his estate and Monarchy as a publique Minister Princes are then best served when these affections meet together when those that either are about their persons or under their dominions do CrateruÌ„ cuÌ„ Hephestione confundere and love them not alone as men but Princes whom they doe most truly love Both of these parts this Some-body whom I am to deale with would faine seeme to act and he doth act them rightly as a player doth in a disguise or borrowed shape which he can put off when he lists the play be ended But yet for all his vizard it is no hard matter to discerne him his left hand pulling downe what his right hand buildeth all that authority and regard which he bestowed upon the King in the speculation being gone in 〈◊〉 as they say when it should be reduced to practise Of the originall of the Regall power you tell us very rightly that it is from God that the Kings of England have had the flowers of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction stuck in their Imperiall garlands by the finger of Almighty God from the very beginning of this Christian Monarchy within this Island and that the Kings Majesty may command a greater matter of this nature than that the
the particular fancie of any humorous person but to the judgement of the Ordinarie to whose place and function it doth properly belong to give direction in that point both for the thing it self and for the time when and how long as he may finde cause These are his Ma ties words indeed mentis aureae verba bractcata as you rightly call them but they oppose not any thing that the Doctor saith You finde not in the Doctor that the placing of the holy table or the interpreting of those Canons and Rubricks which concerne it was either left to the discretion of the Parish or to the particular fancie of any humorous person in the same which is the onely thing which that part of his Majesties Declaration doth relate unto That which the Doctor saith is this that by the declaration of his Majesties pleasure in that present businesse there was incouragement given to the Metropolitans Bishops and other Ordinaries to doe the like i. e. to place the holy table in the severall Churches committed to them as it was placed in S. Gregories by the Ordinary thereof This I am sure his Majesties words which you applaud so doe not contradict And on the othâ—r side that the whole Declaration laid together gives that incouragement to the Ordinaries which the Doctor speakes of you might plainly see but that you had no mind that any Ordinarie should be incouraged to so good a work which you deride and scorn throughout your booke as shall be shewn more fully in the next Chapter Mean time that all the world may see how wilfully you shut your eyes and stop your eares against whatever is contained therein which you like not of I will once more set down the said Declaration and after gather thence some few observations either to cure you of your wilfulnesse or to shame you for it At VVhite Hall the third day of November 1633. Present the Kings most excellent Majestie Lâ— Arch B. of Cant. Lo Keeper Lo Arch B. of York Lo Treasurer Lo Privie Seale Lo D. of Lennox Lo High Chamberlain E. Marshall Lo Chamberlain E. of Bridgwater E. of Carlile Lo Cottington M. Treasurer M. Comptroller M. Secretary Cooke M. Secretary Windebank THis day was debated before his Majesty sitting in Counsell the question and difference which grew about the removing of the Communion table in S. Gregories Church neer the Cathedrall Church of S. Paul from the middle of the Chancell to the upper end and there placed Altarâ—wise in such maner as it standeth in the said Cathedrall Mother Church as also in all other Cathedrals and in his Majesties owne Chappell and as is consonant to the practise of approved Antiquity Which removall and placing of it in that sort was done by order from the Deane and Chapter of S. Pauls who are Ordinaries thereof as was avowed before his Majesty by D r. King and D r. Montfort two of the Prebends there Yet some few of the Parishioners being but five in number did complaine of this Act by Appeale to the Court of Arches pretending that the booke of Common-prayer and the 82. Canon doe give permission to place the Communion table where it may stand with most fitnesse and convenience Now his Majesty having heard a particular relation made by the Counsell of both parties of all the cariage and proceedings in this cause was pleased to declare his dislike of all Innovation and receding from ancient constitutions grounded upon just and warrantable reasons especially in matters concerning Ecclesiasticall order and government knowing how easily men are drawne to affect novelties and how soone weake judgements in such cases may be over-taken and abused And he was also pleased to observe that if those few Parishioners might have their wills the difference thereby from the foresaid Cathedrall mother Church by which all other Churches depending thereon ought to be guided would be the more notorious and give more subject of discourse disputes that might be spared by reason of S. Gregories standing close to the wall thereof And likewise for so much as concerns the liberty given by the said Common booke or Canon for placing the Communion table in any Church or Chappell with most conveniency that liberty is not so to be understood as if it were ever left to the discretion of the Parish much lesse to the particular fancy of any humorous person but to the judgement of the Ordinary to whose place and function it doth properly belong to give direction in that point both for the thing it self and for the time when and how long as hee may finde cause Vpon which consideration his Majesty declared himselfe That he well approved and confirmed the Act of the said Ordinary and also gave command that if those few Parishioners before mentioned doe proceed in their said appeale then the Dean of the Arches who was then attending at the hearing of the cause shall confirme the said Order of the aforesaid Deane and Chapter This is the Declaration of his sacred Majesty faithfully copyed out of the Registers of his Counsell-Table Out of the which I doe observe first that the Ordinary did de facto remove the Communion-Table from the middle of the Chancell and place it Altar wise at the upper end Secondly that in the doing of it they did propose unto themselves the patterne not alone of their owne Cathedrall mother Church but of all other Cathedralls and his Majesties Chappell and therewithall the practice of approved Antiquity Thirdly that his most excellent Majestie upon the hearing of the businesse declaring his dislike of all Innovations did yet approve the order of the Ordinary which shewes that hee conceived it not to be any variance from the ancient constitutions of this Church Fourthly that all Parochiall Churches ought to be guided by the patterne of the Mother Church upon the which they doe depend Fifthly that not the people but the Ordinary is to interpret as well the Râ—brick as the Canon touching the most convenient placing of the holy table Sixthly that iâ— pertaineth to the place and function of the Ordinary to give directions in that kinde both for the thing it selfe how it shall stand and for the time when and how long it shall so stand as hee findes occasion And last of all that notwithstanding any thing that was objected from the said Canon and Communion booke his Majesty did well approve the Act of the said Ordinary and not approve it onely but confirme it too giving command to the Deane of the Arches that he should finally and judicially confirme the same if the appeale were followed by the said Parishioners This is I trow a Declaration of his Majesties pleasure not onely in relation to the present case that of S. Gregories then and there by him determined but to all others also of the same nature Hee that so well approved that Act of the Deane and Chapter of S. Pauls would questionlesse approve the like in another Ordinary â—or
the Margin The Table or the Altar were to them such indifferent words that they used both equally 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Eusebius in the tenth and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Eusebius in the sixt Chapter of his fiâ—sâ— de Demonstratione Evangelica Altars saith S. Austin in the tenth and mensa saith the same S. Austin in his 17 de Civitate Gregory Nyssen in one breath doth make use of both and cals the same one thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy Table the undefiled Altar Altars of stone 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this Gregory Nyssen Altars of wood ligna Altaris in S. Austin both used with such indifferency that Nyssen calleth his stone Altar by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Table and Austin calleth his wooden Table Altare Altar So that in all this search into antiquitie wee find a generall consent in the Church of God touching the businesse now in hand the Sacrament of the Lords Supper being confessed to be a Sacrifice the Minister therein intiâ—uled by the name of Priest that on the w ch the Priest did consecrate being as usually called by the name of Altar as by that of Table and you may â—ake this testimony also from the mouth of a Gentile that the Christians called their Table by the name of Altar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in Zozimus lib. 5. Not an improper Altar and an improper Sacrifice as you idly dreame of For Sacrifices Priests and Altars being Relatives as your selfe confesseth the Sacriâ—ice and the Altar being improper must needs inferre that even our Priesthood is improper also And wee may speake in proper and significant termes as the Fathers did without approving either the Popish Masse or the Iewish Sacrifices from which the Doctor is as farre as either you that made the booke or hee that licensed it though you have both agreed together to breed some base suspition of him as if he meant somewhat else than for feare of our gracious King he dares speake out The Doctor I assure you dares speake what hee thinkes though you as I perswade my selfe thinke not what you speake and will now tell you what hee thinkes to bee the Doctrine of this Church in this present businesse of Sacrifices Priests and Altars that wee may see shee is no flincher from the words and notions no more than from the Doctrines of most orthodox Antiquity And first beginning with the Priesthood in case you are not growne ashamed of that holy calling you may remeÌ„ber that you were admitted into holy Orders by no other name Being presented to the Bâ—sh at your Ordination you did require to bee admitted to the Order of Priesthood and being demanded by the Bishop if you did thinke in your heart that you were truly called according to the will of our Lord Iesus Christ and the order of this Church of England unto the Ministerie of the Priesthood you answered positively that you did if you thought otherwise than you said as you doe sometimes you lyed not unto men but unto God Looke in the Booke of Ordination and you shall finde it oftner than once or twice entituled the Office of Priesthood and the holy Office of Priesthood the parties thereunto admitted called by no other name than that of Priests Or if you thinke the Booke of Ordination is no good authority to which you have subscribed however in your subscription to the Articles look then upon the Liturgie and the Rubricks of it by w ch you would perswade the world that you are very much directed in all this businesse Finde you not there the name of Priest exceeding frequent especially in that part therof which concerns the Sacrament The Priest standing at the North side of the Table Then shall the Priest rehearse distinctly all the tenne Commandements Then shall the Priest say to them that come to receive the holy Communion Then shall the Priest turning himselfe to the people give the absolution Then shall the Priest kneeling downe at Gods Boord c. Infinitum est ire per singula It were an infinite labour to summe up all places of and in the Rubricks wherein the Minister is called by the name of Priest which being so as so it is and that your own sweet selfe hath told us that Altar Priest and Sacrifice are Relatives the Church of England keeping still as well the Office of Priesthood as the name of Priest must needs admit of Altars and of Sacrifices as things peculiar to the Priesthood But not to trust so great a matter to your rules of Logicke wee will next see what is the judgement of the Church in the point of Sacrifice Two wayes there are by which the Church declares her selfe in the present businesse First positively in the Booke of Articles and that of Homilies and practically in the Booke of Common prayers First in the Articles The offering of Christ once made is that perfect redemption propitiation and satisfaction for all the sinnes of the whole world both originall and actuall and there is no other satisfaction for sinne but that alone This Sacrifice or oblation once for ever made and never more to bee repeated was by our Saviours owne appointment to bee commemorated and represented to us for the better quickning of our faith whereof if there be nothing said in the Booke of Articles it is because the Articles related chiefly unto points in Controversie but in the Booke of Homilies which doe relate unto the Articles as confirmed in them and are though not dogmaticall but rather popular discourses a Comment as it were on those points of doctrine which are determined of elsewhere wee finde it thus That the great love of our Saviour Christ to mankinde doth not only appeare in that deare-bought benefit of our redemption and satisfaction by his death and passion but also in that he hath so kindly provided that the same most mercifull work might bee had in continuall remembrance Amongst the which meanes is the publick celebration of the memorie of his preâ—ious death at the Lords Table our Saviour having ordained and established the remembrance of his great mercie expressed in his passion in the Institution of his heavenly Supper Here is a commemoration of that blessed Sacrifice which Christ once offered a publick celebration of the memorie thereof and a continuall remembrance of it by himselfe ordained Which if it seeme not full enough for the Commemorative sacrifice in the Church observed the Homilie will tell us further that this Lords supper is in such wise to be done and ministred as our Lord and Saviour did and commanded it to be done as his holy Apostles used it and the good Fathers in the Primitive Church frequented it So that what ever hath beene proved to bee the purpose of the Institution the practise of the holy Apostles and usage of the ancient Fathers will fall within the meaning and intention of
your master-peece and therefore I will tell it in your very words because it s your desire wee should marke it well You say that Austin the Apostle of the Saxons placed his first Altar in the Cathedrall Church at Dover dedicated to S. Peter and S. Paul and that he placed this Altar in medio sui pene almost in the very midst thereof and dedicated it to the honour of S. Gregorie the Pope and that the Priest of the place doth on that Altar every Sabbath day perform the agends of this Austin and S. Gregorie Hereupon you inferre as by way of Triumph And shall we beleeve that no Church of all the English nation did imitate herein her first Metropolis It is impossible it should be so Impossible indeed if it bee true as you have told us but for our comfort there 's not one word true in all this storie Nor doe I think that you intended it for any thing but a winters tale to drive away the cold within a chimney corner when thâ—re is no fire For so ridiculous a confidence have you told it with as they have the hap to heare it auditum admissirisum and you know what followes will catch themselves an heat with laughing To take a view thereof per partes Where I beseech you did the man ever heare of a Cathedrall Church at Dover the Author whom you follow doth call it Doroverni Canterburie in that very Chapter and Regia civitas the Regall citie lib. 1. cap. 33. Secondly the Cathedrall Church at Canterbury was not dedicated to S. Peter and S. Paul but as your Authour tels in nomine sancti Salvatoris Dei Domini nostri Iesu Christi unto the honour of Iesus Christ our Lord and Saviour and is called Christs Church to this day As for the Church you meane dedicated to S. Peter and S. Paul that was a Monasterie Church and no Cathedrall which from the founder afterwards was called S. Austins Thirdly it is not said in Beda that Austin the Apostle of the Saxons did place this Altar in that Church but only Habet haec in medio sui pene Altare that in that Church there is an Altar placed almost in the middle of it but by whom God knowes the Church not being finished when this Austin died Fourthly your Authour doth not say that the said Altar was S. Austins first Altar no such matter neither the placing of that Altar was no leading case but only habet haec Altare that Edition and no otherwise In the body of the Church or of the Chancell p. 206. I see your fingers are so nimble here can nothing scape you Then for the body of the Church however it was put unto the Question in the Bishops letter that being the Rubrick saith the Table shall stand in the body of the Church or of the Chancell whâ—re morning and evening prayer he appointed to be said and being that morning and evening prayer be appointed to be said in the body of the Church as in most country Churches we see it is where should the Table stand most Canonically yet you recant it in your book You tell us that the Writer of the letter did never imagine that the Table should stand most Canonically in the bodie of the Church but onely that the Canons allow it not to be fixed to the end of the Quire but to bee made of moveable nature to mâ—et with those cases in the law in which without this transposing thereof upon occasions the Minister cannot be heard of his Congregation This is but small amends save that you let us therin see you are irresolute in your selfe and know not unto what to trust It 's true the Rubrick sounding one way and the continuall practice of the Church another way it might perplex as wise a man as I know who is to find out the intention of the Rubrick and the reason of it Yet would you give me leave to use a briefe conjecture and not upbraid me for it in your next assault I should make bold to tell you my opinion in it Bucer a moderate and ingenious man in his survey or censure of the first Liturgie observed that all divine Offices were celebrated in the Quire or Chancell In chorotantum sacra representari which he conceived to be a Popish custome perhaps because it might ascribe unto the place and Priest some inherent sanctitie and wisheth that a sharp and sudden remedie should be provided for the same Hereupon in the second Liturgie the appointing of the place for morning and evening praier was left unto the Ordinary and as it seemeth by this Rubrick the holy Sacrament was to be there administred where he so appointed Whether it hath been practised accordingly I cannot positively say but if at all it was aut raro aut nunquam a thing seldome seen and possibly the very Order might as much take off the opinion of inherent sanctitie if that were then the matter questioned as the execution Which were it so the reason of the law being ceased the law ceaseth also But this I onely offer as a Consideration and no more than so Then for the 82. Canon there it is said that in the time of the Communion the Table shall bee placed in so good sort within the Church or Chancell as therby the Minister may more conveniently be heard of the Communicants in his prayer and ministration and the Communicants also more conveniently and in more number may communicate with the said Minister Now hereunto the Doctor answered that this was a permission rather that so it might be than a command that so it should be and a permission onely in such times and places where otherwise the Minister cannot conveniently be heard of the Communicants The writer of the letter seemes to grant as much where hee affirmeth the placing of the Table Altar-wise is the most decent situation when it is not used and for use too where the Quire is mounted up by steppes and open so that hee which officiates may bee seene and heard of all the congregation If so then certainly the Canon is not binding for all times and places for then there was an Altar Fiftly you finde it not in Bedâ— that the Agenda of Pope Gregorie and the said S. Austin were celebrated by the Priest of the place every Sabbath day as you meane Sabbath day and would have ignorant people understand your meaning but onely every Saturday per omne Sabbatum It had been very fairely done had you expressed your Authors proper Latine in as proper English and called it Saturday as you ought to doe speaking in English to the people who as they are not all Geometricians so are they neither all such Latinists as to descrie your falsehood in it But we must take this for another of your Helenas to please the Puritans who now are furnished with an Argument to prove that the Lords day was called the Sabbath
essay of those fine stories and inventions which we are like to finde within One that conjectured of the house by the trimme or dresse would thinke it very richly furnished The wals thereof that is the Margin richly set out with Antique Hangings and whatsoever costly workmanship all Nations of these times may bee thought to bragge of and every part adorned with flourishes and preâ—ty pastimes and gay devices of the Painter Nor is there any want at all of Ornaments or Vtensils to set out the same such specially as may serve for ostentation though of little use many a fine and subtile Carpet not a few idle Couches for the credulous reader and every where a Pillow for a Purâ—tans Elbow all very pleasing to the eye but slight of substance counterfeit stuffe most of it and wrought with so much fraud and falshood that there is hardly one true stitch in all the Worke From the beginning to the end our Minister is still the same no Changeling Servatur ad imum Qualis ab incoepto processerit et sibi constat And yet if all these piae fraudes for so they must be thought in so grave a Minister did aime at nothing else than to advance the reputation of his holy Table the answering of his worke were more proper for another Adversary The holy Table hath no enemies in the Church of England and therefore he is faine to flie to Rome to finde out some that are ashamed of the name of the Lords Table But so it is that under the pretence of setting up his holy Table this Minister hath dispersed throughout his booke such principles of faction schisme and disobedience that even that Table also is made a snare to those who either out of weaknesse or too great a stomacke doe greedily devoure what ever is there set before them So venomous a discourse requires an Antidote a timely and a present Antidote before the malignitie of the poyson bee diffused too far and therefore I thought fit to provide one for you for you the learned religious Clergie of the Diocesse of â—â—nc for whoÌ„ for whose use alone that worthy Work of his whosoever hee bee must be pretended to be printed yet so hat any others may be made partakers of it whose judgment and affections have been or are distempered by so lewd a practiser who cares not if the Church were in a combustion so hee may warme his hands by the flame thereof The Author what he is is not yet discovered all that is openly revealed is that hee was a Minister in Lincoln-shire as in the Title some Minister of the Diocese as the Licence cals him The booke if wee beleeve the Title-page was writ long agoe in answer unto Doctor Coal a judicious Divine of Queene Maries dayesâ— but what the Author meanes by Queene Maries dayes is not so easie to determine If hee speakes properly literally and anciently as in the first part of the Title he would same be thought hee may perhaps meet with a Doctor Coal in Queene Maries dayes but then that Doctor Coal would not serve his turne because hee had no hand in the Coal from the Altar but if he meane the present times and reckon them in the ranke of Queene Maries dayes as if the light in which we live proceeded not froÌ„ the cleer Sunâ—shine of the Gospell but the fierce fire of persecution I would faine know what could bee said more factiously to inflame the people whom he and others of that crew have every were affâ—ighted with these dangerous feares Q. Maries dayes we blesse God for it were never further off than now religion never more assured the Church better setled nor the Divines thereof more leaâ—ned and religious than at this time under the most auspitious Raigne of our Gracious Soveraigne And therefore they that practise with all art and cunning to cast such scandals on the State and such foule slanders on the Church are utterly unworthy of those infinite blessings which by the sword of God and Gideon the favour of the Lord and our religious Soveraigne they enjoy in both So that the supposition of a booke written long agoe in answer to a Doctor of Queene Maries dayes is at the best a factious figment and a pâ—rnicious Imposture to abuse the people and onely for that cause invented This factious figment thus rejected all that is left us to find out this Author must bee collected by the style and argument though that perhaps will give us but a blinde discovery The argument both in the maine and on the by shewes that hee is a true descendant of those old Ministers of Lincoln shire which drew up the Abridgement in King Iames his time in case hee bee not some remainder of that scattered company which hitherto hath hid his head and now thrusts out with Bastwick Prinne and Burton to disturbe the State The stile composed indifferently of Martin Maâ—â—e-Prelate and Tom Nash as sâ—â—â—rillous and full of folly as the one as scandalous and full of â—action aâ— the other was which howsoever it may please young heads and such as are affected as the Writer is yet it gives just offence to the grave and learned who would have serious matters handled in a serious manner They that can finde him â—ut by either of thâ—se Characters must have more knowledge of the Diocesse than I dare pretenâ— to who am pronounced before-hand and by way of challenge to be none of the Voisinage and consequently no fit man to be returned of the Inquest Onely I have made bold out of my care and zeale to the commonâ—good to give you this short notice of him that if by chance you should encounter with him any where in his private◠〈◊〉 you may take heed lest hee seduce you by his practiâ—es and in the meane time be forwarned lest he misguide you by his writings For comming in the habit of a neighbâ—ur Minister especially being recommended to you for one so Orthodox in doctrine and consâ—nant in discipline to the Church of England you might perchance be apt to give credit to him and lend too credulous an eare to his slie temptations Therefore to save that title which the Church hath in you and to preserve that interest which it claimes in your best affections I have adventured to put in this Caveat in the Churches name which if you should neglect as I hope you will not I must bee forced in maintenance of her right and interest to bring my double quarrell Bookes of a popular argument and followed in a popular way are commonly much cherished by that race of men who love to runne crosse to all publick-order And therefore it concernes all Churchmen and you especially of that Diocese for which that worthy Woke was printed to have a wise and timely care that those which are committed to your severall charges be rightly ballanced and not invâ—igled and abused by the neate subtleties of those who onely labour
Altars as not able to shelter theÌ„selves from their pursuers they flye as to their last refuge and most impregnable fort to the Kings Chappell pag. 165. Every Parish Church is not bound to imitate in all outward circumstances the patterne and forme and outward embellishment and adorning of the Royall Chappell pag. 33. Why should subjects think to compare with the King in the state of his Royall family or Chappell there being many things in the Kings Chappell which were presumption to have in ordinary Churches pag. 165. It is not therefore his Majesties Chappell but his Lawes Canons Rubricks and Proclamations which we are to follow in these outward Ceremonies p. 34. The worship and service of God and of Christ is not to be regulated by humane examples but by the divine rule of the Scriptures pag. 165. This Table without some new Canon is not to stand Altar-wise and you at the North-end thereof but Table-wise and you must officiate at the North-side of the same by the Liturgie pag. 20. The externall rites and ceremonies in the Church are limited by Act of Parliament prefixed to the Communion booke and no more to be added or used in Churches pag. 166. Doctores legendi sunt cum venia The Doctors must bee pardoned if they sometimes slip in their expressions p. 91. Their works are not without their naevi or spots so as they that reade them must margaritas è coeno legere gather pearles out of the mud pag. 112. I should therefore reasonably presume that this good worke in hand is but a second part of Sancta Clara and a frothy speculation of some few c. p. 85. The booke of Franciscus S. Clara which hath beene now thrice printed and that in London as they say and is much applauded by our Innovators c. pag. 117. And so the Bishop of Norwich must bee ever sending forth letters of persecution because Iohn Fox observeth that one of them did so p. 98. So hot is the persecution against Gods faithfull Ministers people in those Counties of Norfolke and Suffolke c. pag. 25. that in all Queen Maries time there was not so great havoâ—ke made of the faithfull Ministers of God c. pag. 65. S. Cyprian aggravates the offence of these Testators that by making Church-men executors and over-seers of their last wills Ab altari sacerdoâ—â—s ministros volunt avocare will needes withdraw ministers from their Ecclesiasticall functions with no lesse offence than if under the law they had with-drawne the Priests from the holy Altar pag. 167. When Clergy men dare in affront to Gods word to Christs doctrine and example c. usurpe and take upon them to meddle in the managing even of the highest and weightiest affaires of Princes States and temporall kingdomes which is incompatible with the Ministeriall function Epistle to the Nobility pag. 22. If the Ordinaries now command where there is no law or former Canon in force it layeth a grievance on the subject as a thing unjust and consequently of a nature whereunto obedience is no way due pag. 66. And herein we have â—ause to blesse the name of God who hath raised up many zealous and couragious Champions of his truth I mean faithful Ministers of his word who choose rather to lose all they have than submit themselves to their unjust and base commands pag. 83. This fellow jumbles againe the King and the Bishop tanquam Regem cum Regulo like a Wren mounted upon the feathers of an Eagle pag. 91. Little Pope Regulus playeth such Rex in Norwich Diocesse And in the Margine It signifieth both a little King a Wren c. So farre the Parallel holds betweene them in their words and writings And I pray God there be not a more unseene Parallel at least in their ends and aimes between this Lincolnshire Minister and Prinne and Bastwicke as well as betweene him and Burton What thinke you now of this consent and harmony betweene the Minister of Lincoln Diocesse and H. B. of London Thinke you not that they hold intelligence with one another and by their weekly packers give and receive advertisements both what they meane to write of and how to follow it Certainly this must needes bee done by mutuall correspondence and combination at least non sine numine divûm not without speciall influence of the same ill spirit Yet I must tell you by the way that of the two the Minister of Lincoln is the most adventurous who befides all that here is said hath a long studied discourse in maintenance of sitting at the holy Sacrament which good Master Burton never winched at But now upon the stating of the question by this man of Lincolnshire some of the latter libells of which wee have had many since the Ministers booke have brought in that too and made it one of the disparities or Antitheses betweene our Saviour and the Prelates And yet the brethren may doe well not to give too much credence to him For howsoever hee hath strained so much to gaine their favour and set them out with a long Catalogue of graces as vigilant sober blamelesse modest learned hospitall and I know not what pag. 191. Yet at another time he flings them off as if they had no reference to him For if they will expresse no reverence at their approach unto the holy Table as you know they will not take them Donatus for him they shall be â—ever written in his Calendar for the children of this Church pag. 99. 100. Or if they doe dislike the callings of the Reverend Ordinaries of this land as you know they doe He wisheth them presently with M. Cotton in the new as unworthy of that most happy government which by the favour of God and the King all the Laity and Clergy doe here enjoy in the old England pag. 64 65. And thus he deales with Calvin also whom he endeavoureth to save harmelesse all he can from having any hand in changing the English Liturgie yet saith he was a Polypragmon pag. 144. a man pragmatically zealous pag. 145. And thus he feeds them as you see with a bit and a knock altera manu piscem ostendens altera lapâ—dem and will be sure to keepe them under how much so ever he advance them But O le quid ad te What makes all this to me may this Minister say who am nor named nor glanced at in his holy Table or at least named no otherwise then amongst those Authors which were selected purposely to adorne his Margin It is true the Minister as if he knew not whom to pitch on for the Coal from the Altar layes about him blindefold and like the naughty boy he speaks of he flings his stones abroad where he sees most company not caring whom hee hit so hee hit at some body Yet generally the needle of his compasse points unto the North and he drives much at one or other that was not of the voisinage but an inhabitant of
a remote and another province pag. 3. who used to travaile Grantham Roade p. 71. and was a friend unto the Vicar pag. 110. Iohn Coal as hee is called by name pag. 88. New-castle Coal as from the place and parts of his habitation pag. 114. A man whose learning lay in unlearned Liturgies pag. 85. and used to crack of somewhat unto his Novices pag. 122. but to be pitâ—yed for all that in being married to a widdow pag. 168. Who the man aimes at in these casts is not here considerable It is possible hee aimes at no body but at have amongst you However all this while that I may keepe my selfe unto my Accidence Petrus dormit securus and may sleepe safely if he will for none of all these by-blowes doe reflect on him Done with much cunning I assure you but with ill successe For now he least of all expects it I must draw the Curtaine and let him see his Adversary though he hide himself Me me adsum qui feci in the Poets words I am the man that never yet saw Grantham Steeple though for the Churches sake I undertooke the Patronage of the poor dead Vicar The letter to the Vicar being much sought after and by some factious hands spread abroad of purpose to hinder that good worke of uniformity which is now in hand did first occasion me to write that answer to it which passeth by the name of A Coal from the Altar Now a necessity is laid upon me to defend my selfe and with my selfe that answere also from the most insolent though weake assaults of this uncertaine certaine Minister of the Diocesse of Lincoln who comes into the field with no other weapons than insolence ignorance and falsehood In my defence whereof and all my references thereunto I am to give you notice here that whereas there were two Editions of it one presently upon the other I relate onely in this Antidote to the first Edition because the Minister takes no notice but of that alone The method which I use in this Antidotum shall be shewn you next that you may know the better what you are to look for The whole discourse I have divided into three Sections Into the first wherof I have reduced the point in controversie as it relates to us of the Church of England following the Minister at the heeles in his three first Chapters touching the state of the question the Regall and Episcopall power in matter of Ceremony and in the fourth bringing unto the test all that he hath related in severall places of his booke touching the taking downe of Altars and alteration of the Liturgie in King Edwards time The second Section comprehends the tendries of the Primitive Church concerning Sacrifices Priests and Altars together with their generall usage in placing of the Altar or holy Table and that containes foure Chapters also In which we have not only assured our cause both by the judgement and the usage of the purest Ages but answered all those Arguments or Cavils rather which by the Minister have been studied to oppose the same The third and last exhibites to you those Extravagancies and Vagaries which every where appeare in the Ministers booke and are not any way reducible to the point in hand wherein wee have good store of confident ignorance falâ—â—fications farre more grosse because more unnecessary and not a little of the old Lincolnshire Abridgement And in this wise I have diâ—posed it for your ease who shall please to reade it that as you are affected with it you may end the booke either at the first or second Section or else peruse and reade it thorowly as your stomack serves you In all and every part of the whole discourse as I have laid downe nothing without good authority so have I faithfully reported those authorities which are there laid down as one that cannot but have learned by this very minister that all fals dealing in that kinde however it may serve for a present shift yet in the end 〈◊〉 both shame to them that use it and disadvantagâ— to the cause Great is the 〈…〉 the last though for a while suppressed by mens subtile practises Nor would I that the truth should fare the worse or finde the lesse esteeme amongst you because the contrary opinion hath been undertaken by one that calls himselfe a Minister of Lincoln Diocesse You are now made the Judges in the present controversie and therefore it concernes you in an high degree to deale uprightly in the cause without the least respect of persons and having heard both parties speake to weigh their Arguments and then give sentence as you finde it Or in the language of Minutius Quantum potestis singula ponderare ea verò quae recta sunt eligere suscipere probare And that you may so doe and then judge accordingly the God of truth conduct you in the wayes of truth and leade you in the pathes of righteousnesse for his owne names sake Westminster May 10. 1637. PErlegi librum hunc cui titulus est Antidotum Lincolniense c. in quo nihil reperio sanae doctrinae aut bonis moribus contrarium quâ— minus cum utilitate publicâ imprimatur Ex Aedibus Londin Maii die 7. 1637. Sa Baker The Contents of each severall Section and Chapter contained in this Treatise SECTION I. CHAP. I. Of the state of the question and the occasion of writing the letter to the Vicar of Gr. The Author of the Coale from the Altar defended against him that made the holy Table in respect of libelling railing falsifying his authorities and all those accusations returned on the Accusers head The Minister of Lincolnshires advantage in making his own tale altering the whole state of the question The Vicar cleared from removing the Communion Table of his own accord as also from a purpose of erecting an Altar of stone by the Bishops letter That scandalous terme of Dresser not taken by the writer of that letter from the countrey people The Vicars light behaviour at bowing at the name of IESUS a loose surmise The Alderman and men of Gr repaire unto the Bishop The agitation of the businesse there The letter written and dispersed up and downe the countrey but never sent unto the Vicar The Minister of Lincolnshire hath foulely falsified the Bishops letter A parallel betweene the old and the new Editions of the letter CHAP. II. Of the Regall power in matters Ecclesiasticall and whether it was ever exercised in setling the Communion Table in forme of an Altar The vaine ambition of the Minister of Linc to be thought a Royalist His practise contrary to his speculations The Doctor cleared from the two Cavils of the Minister of Linc touching the Stat. 1. Eliz The Minister of Linc falsifieth both the Doctors words and the Lo Chancellour Egertons The Puritans more beholding to him than the King The Minister of Linc misreporteth the Doctors words onely to picke a quarrell with his Majesties Chappell A
removing the Communion Table of his owne accord as also from a purpose of erecting an Altar of stone by the Bishops letter That scandalous terme of Dresser not taken by the writer of that letter from the country people The Vicars light behaviour at bowing at the name of Jâ—SUS a loose surmise The Alderman and men of Gr repaire unto the Bishop The agitation of the businesse there The letter written and dispersed up and down the countrey but never sent unto the Vicar The Minister of Lincolnshire hath foulely falsified the Bishops letter A parallel betweene the old and the new Editions of the letter IT was an old but not unwitty application of the Lo Keeper Lincolns when he was in place that as once Tully said of Plato In irridendis Oratoribus maximus Orator esse videbatur so he might also say of N. appointed speaker of the Parliament for the house of Commons that with great eloquence he had desired to be excused from undertaking that imployment for want of eloquence The same may be affirmed as truely I am sure more pertinently of this Non-nemo M r Some body some Minister of Lincolne Diocesse Charging the Doctor whom hee undertaketh with libelling hee hath shewed himselfe the greatest libeller accusing him of railing he hath shewed himselfe the veriest railer and taxing him for falsifying his Texts and Authors hath shewed himself the most notorious falsifier that ever yet put pen to paper And first hee chargeth him with libelling upon a new but witty Etymologie of the Lo Chauncellour S. Albans that a libell was derived from two words a lie and a bell of which the Doctor made the lie and sent it for a token to his private friend the bell being put to by that friend in commending it to the Presse and ringing it abroad over all the Countrey p. 1. Nor is it placed there onely in the front to disport the Reader but it is called a libell p. 21. and p. 60. The whole booke nothing but a libell against a Bishop p. 58. and that you may perceive he is no changeling but ad extremii similis sibi the same man throughout a libell it is called againe towards the latter end p. 220. Here is a libell with a witnesse a libell published by authority a licenced libell printed with licence as himselfe confesseth p. 4. For whosoever made the lie you make his Majesty in effect to be the author of the libell because you cannot but conceive that no man durst have printed his Declaration in the case of S. Gregories Church without his Majesties expresse consent and gracious approbation Or if you would be thought so dull as not to apprehend a thing so cleere yet must the publishing of this libell rest in conclusion on my Lord high Treasurer at whose house the book was licenced Which is so high a language against authority against the practice of this Realm for licencing of books and finally against the honour of the Star-Chamber on whose decree that practice and authority is founded as was never uttered and printed with or without licence by any subject of England before this time But this concernes not me so much as the higher Powers I onely touch upon it and so leave it and with it turne the libell back on this uncertain certaine Minister who daring not to shew himselfe in the Kings high way was faine to seeke out blind paths and crooked lanes in them to scatter up and downe those guilty papers which are indeed a libell both for name and nature For if a libell bee derived from a lie and a bell it serves this turn exceeding fitly First M r. Some-body this some Minister makes the lie telling us of an answer writ long agoe by a Minister of Lincolnshire against a booke that came into the world but the yeere before and then hee sends it to the Lord Bâ— of Lincolne Deane of Westminster who forthwith puts a bell unto it an unlicenced licence and rings it over all the country And it did give an Omen of what nature the whole book would prove by that which followeth in the Title Printed for the Diocese of Lincolne Whereas indeed it was not printed either for that Diocese or for any other but calculated like a common Almanack for the particular Meridian of some one discontented humour with an intent that it should generally serve for all the Puritans of Great Brittain Or if you are not willing it should be a libell to gratifie you for this once let it be a Low-belt A thing that makes a mighty noise to astonish and amaze poore birds that comming after with your light you may take them up and send them for a token to Pere Cotton or carry them along with you when you goe your selfe with the next shipping for New-England But being a low-bell and a libell too take them both together Vt si non prosint singula juncta juvent Your second generall charge is Rayling Oyster-whore language as you call it p. 98. And being some minister some great man such a one as Theudas in the Acts who boasted of himselfe that he was some body you think it a preferment to the Doctor to weare your livery which you bestow upon him with a badge that you may know him for your owne and call him scurrilous railer p. 140 Railing Philistin p. 191. and Railing Doctor p. ult Where do you finde him peccant in that peevish kinde that you should lay such load upon him What one uncivill much lesse scurrilous passage can you deservedly charge him with in his whole answer to that letter which you have tooke upon you to defend maugre all the world The worst word there if you finde any one ill word in it was I trow good enough for your friend I. C. a Separatist from this Church at that time perhaps a Se-baptist by this time who by the Answerer is supposed to be the writer of that letter and might have beene supposed so still for ought you know had not you told us to the contrary and got your Ordinaries hand to the Certificate But be hee what hee will pray Sir who are you that you should quarrell any man for railing being your self so ready a master in that art that howsoever your fingers might perhaps be burnt your lips assuredly were never touched with a Coale from the Altar Quin sine rivali I will not seeke to break you of so old a trick which I am very well contented you should enjoy without any partner Onely I will make bold to deale with you as Alexander did with his horse Bucephalus take you a little by the bridle and turne you towards the Sunne that other men may see how you lay about you though your self doe not Hardly one leafe from the beginning to the end wherein you have not some one Title of honour to bestow upon him which without going to the Heralds I shall thus marshall as I
finde them Poore fellow p. 2. and 61. Animal pugnacissimum Gander Common Barretter p. 3. Wrangler p. 4. Haughty companion p. 5. Doughty Doctor p. 21. This animal p. 24. Scribler p. 26. Cumane creature and fawning Sycophant p. 35. Animal ratione risibile a most ridiculous creature for his reasoning p. 42. Pamphletter p. 58. and poore pamphletter 85. Firebrand p. 62. most injudicious and trifling Novice p. 65. Iudicious Rabbi p. 76. A divine of Whims and singularity p. 77. Mountebank and madman p. 88. Impostor p. 94. Calfe p. 103. Squeamish gentleman p. 120. Poore Doctor p. 132. and 158. A thing that cannot blush p. 141. Mushrom and audacious companion p. 150. This man of rags p. 154. Bishop Wouldâ—bee p. 159. Impudent companion p 188. Blinking Doctor p. 190. Base sycophant p. 191. Whifler p. 203. Braggard p. 227. and to conclude with Railing Doctor p. ult He manus Trojam erigent Is this the meanes to save your Troy from ruine of which you tell us p. 60 No other way to shew your Zeale unto the cause but by forgetting all good manners Such stuffe as this till you and your confederate M r H. Burton came in print together hath not beene set to open sale since Walgraves presse in London and that of T. C. which you wot of in the City of Coventry have been out of work Burton you the onely two that have revived that kinde of language which since old Martin Marre-Prelates daies hath not seen the Sun but being now brought again into the world and on a thorow perusall confirmed and licenced you may proceed for your part Cum privilegio none dares touch you for it Fortunate man whose very railings are allowed of as being most orthodoxe in doctrine and consonant in discipline to the Church of England and therefore very fit to be printed there is no question of it Nobis non licet esse tam disertis For us poore fellowes as wee are it is not our ambition to looke upon that height of eloquence which you so prosperously have attained to Or could we reach it being I think a matter feasible we should be sure to have a check for it not an approbation But I will â—ase you of that feare Non tractabo ut Consulem ne ille quidem me ut consularem however it was Tullies plea shall bee none of mine I must remember who I am not what you merit and therefore in my answers to your sleights and cavills I will reply ad rem and not ad hominem You have some Coales upon your head already In using you thus gently I shall heape on more which is an honester revenge than you ever studied and better than you have deserved The first two faults you charge him with were only criminall in which the Star-Chamber or the Guild Hall might afford you remedy but that which followes in the last is Capitall clipping the Kings owne coine and such as is made currant within this kingdome a generall falsifying of his Majesties Declarations Lawes Injunctions of all bookes either printed here or imported hither The whole booke as it is a libell against a Bishop so every leafe thereof is a malicious falsification of some Author or other p. 58. Quaerisne aliquid dici brevius Could any man have spoke more home and used fewer words In case this bee not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing ever was What not one leafe without some falsification and a malicious one to boote of some Author or other Assuredly if so you may justly call him false-fingred gentleman bold man a nibler at quotations what else you please There is not a friend hee hath but will thanke you for it But if your challenges bee but such as those you mention p. 23. in calling Ploydon Judge being but a Counsellour at Law no such malicious falsification if you marke it well and setting downe Sir Robert for Sir Edward Coke a mistake onely of the Printer have you not made your triumph before the victory The Author saw those errors and saw them mended too before you observed them both of them being corrected in the second edition which followed close upon the first within one fortnight and which you cannot but have seene though you dissemble it onely to make your brethren merry when you meet together For in your 90. pag. encountring with a passage of Bishop Latimers you cite it from the author as in p. 16. and so it is indeed in the second edition whereas those words of Bishop Latimers are p. 15. in the first This is no honest dealing to beginne with yet this is that which wee must looke for Par my par tout as you know who say And for the sacriledge you complaine of had it been the Authors as it was not of all men else you have least reason to accuse him having your selfe offended in the self-same kinde by taking from him his name given in Baptisme For in your 88. pag. you call him Iohn Coal as if you knew him from his cradle which if the Church book may be trusted and those which are yet living that affirme the same was not the name given by his Godfathers and Godmothers though you may finde it in your Accidence if you seeke it there And yet it is no wonder neither that it should be thus it being in some places a received custome that children when they come for Confirmation do change the names which they had given them at the Font Sufficient ground for you to deale thus with the Author and by what name soever he was called in Baptisme to have him entituled by your owne You tell us of some other things wherein hee doth both faine and faile as you hunt the letter but what you say you say without booke For upon examination it will soone appeare that he hath fained in nothing whatsoever you say nor failed in any thing which you say he faines And were it tolerable in another to runne the wild-goose chase upon words and letters which is a sport you much delight in I have a friend in store should follow this train-scent with you for your best preferment and give you three for one in the bargaine too But for your fainings and your failings whatsoever other falsifications you can charge upon him we shall see more hereafter when you bring them forth Mean time you may be pleased to know how ill this office doth become you You know who said it well enough Thou which teachest another teachest thou not thy self Thou that preachest a man should not steal dost thou steal And being that you came so lately from your Accidence you cannot but remember the first example in Verba accusandi damnandi which you are most perfect in if not I le tell you what it is Qui alterum incusat probri ipsum se intueri oportet This is so easie to be Englished that you need no
construing booke and tells you who had need be told it that it behoves you to take care that every thing bee well at home before you come into the Court to accuse another Otherwise you will prove such a Censor morum as was Manutius Plancus in the Romane storie Qui nil objicere posset adolescentibus quod non agnosceret senex most guilty in your doting daies of those very crimes which you have charged on them of the younger sort Which said in generall wee meane to lay before you plainly without welt or guard your jugling in the cariage of this businesse as it relates unto the state of the question and other the Contents of your first Chapter and after all those manifest and most notorious falsifications and impostures which you have put upon the world in your holy table The holy table never was so made an Altar as you have made it in that booke by offering on the same such spotted maimed and most illegall sacrifices to your faire Laverna First for your stating of the question you have an excellent advantage could you hold it fast in making as you doe your owne case your own evidence and your owne authorities The principals in this businesse were the Vicar of Grantham the Alderman thereof and my Lord Bishop of the Diocesse the only Accessary thereunto the Bishops Secretary Of all these there is none that either can or will confute you in any thing you say say you what you will The Vicar hee is dead and you may use him as you please for mortui non mordent as the saying is But yet take heed and say a friend advised you to it what you lay upon him For though he cannot answer to your slanders now hee may bring you to answer for them another day The Alderman being set forth unto us for a discreete and modest man as the letter tells us A prudent and discreet man as your booke informes us did never shew his wisdome and discretion more than that he was affraid to offend the Bishop And being if he be alive as prudent and discreet as ever must needs be now as much affraid to offend the Bishop as before he was and therefore you may say your pleasure and call the Alderman and the Aldermans letter to witnesse what you please to say you are sure of that As for the Bishop from whose mouth you must have the storie hee hath good reason to confirme and justifie his owne relation that it may set him off the better and give the world a full accompt of his most moderate proceedings in a point so agitated Then for the Secretary being wee finde not in the storie that he was any more imployed than sitting up with his Lord that night fetching the booke of Martyrs out of the hall and borrowing Bishop Iewels workes from the Parish Church and giving out the letters as his Lord directed he was but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a living instrument and if examined can say nothing that will doe you hurt So that in case the Bishop can but keepe your counsell as no doubt hee will and M r Alderman hath not lost his ancient prudence and discretion which God forbid you may stand forth and tell your tale and tell it with as high a confidence as if wee were obliged to take all for Gospell This you conceive at least goe on accordingly not thinking that in some main points those of the voisinage the same Province can detect you or that there is no way to bring truth to light but by confession of the parties Now in your storie of the businesse you tell us that the Vicars head was full of â—rotchets First turning out of the towne the Lecturers there being two grave and painfull preachers as you set them forth For being salaried by the Parish to which the Bishop was so good a friend you cannot but extoll them whatsoever they were or what just cause soever the poore Vicar had to rid the towne of them Then for the second Crochet that was you say the removing of the Communion table from the upper part of the quire where it was comely placed before and had stood time out of minde unto the Altar-place as he called it and telling M r. Alderman who out of his discretion must needs question the Vicar for it that he had done it and would justifie it What proofe have wee for this for of the other you bring none I meane that the Communion table stood in the upper part of the Quire in such a comely fashion for so long continuance and that it was removed by the Vicar onely without consulting with the Chancellour or perhaps the Ordinary For proofe of this we are referred to M r Aldermans letter Then that the Vicar called the Communion table by the name of Tresle saying that he would build an Altar of stone at his owne charge and that the rude people made reply that hee should set up no dressers of stone in their Church What proofe have we of that M r Aldermans letter Next that he used light gestures in bowing at the name of Jesus so as sometimes his booke fell down and once himselfe to the derision of those that were not so well affected to that religious Ceremony What evidence to make that good M r Aldermans letter These are the most materiall things in the whole relation so farre as it concerned the ground of the whole proceeding and for the proofe of all we must take your word aswell as M r Aldermans letter For what if M r Alderman writno such letter or if he writ it on the Post-fact only to make good your tale or if you make more of it than he mentioned in it as who can tell but you may deale with M r Aldermans letters as you have done throughout your booke with the Aldermans better Or what if M r Aldermans letter say as much as you would have him why would you have us credit M r. Aldermans letter to the discredit of the Vicar especially as things stood betweene them the Alderman being most apparently not a party only but dux partium the leader of a party against his Minister For you your selfe have told us that M r Alderman being nor Bishop Chancellour nor Surrogate as I conceive him commanded his owne officers Sergeants and Beadles and such fellowes to remove the Table to the place where it stood before Which being done accordingly he cries out first and makes complaint unto the Bishop when he had no cause but that hee thought it an high point of wisdome being so prudent and discreet a man as you say hee was to make sure worke there and then a fico for the Vicar So that the Alderman being both a partie and the Plaintife too is not to be admitted for a witnesse also except it be by some new order of your owne devising and like to be a
invented it himselfe Adeo mendaciorum natura est ut cohaerere non possint said Lactantius rightly Your tresle and your dresser then may both goe together ultra anni solisque vias to your deare brethren in New Engl. and their great Patriarke there your good friend I. C. who as they care not now in what place they dispose of the holy table so will they care as little in a little while by what name they call it Of the same peece is that last observation made out of M r Aldermans letter touching the Vicars light behaviour in bowing at the name of Jesus his booke sometimes falling downe and once himselfe Which were it so why doe you think that that should make your friends of Grantham deride the ceremonie when not the ceremonie but the Vicar was in fault if such fault there was Have you not seene some men behave themselves so apishly in the Pulpit that others and those good men too have smiled to note it And yet I hope you will not thinke that therefore they derided that religious ordinance of preaching when not the ordinance but the Preacher was the sole object of the merriment Or if the men of Gr. or rather the rude people there were so profane and impious as upon that or any other such occasion to deride the ceremony the writer of the letter might have spent his pains to better purpose in writing to them somewhat more at large than he hath used to expresse himselfe in that kind to bring them to a better understanding of their Christian duties And you the Champion of the letter had done a better office as I conceive it to have reserved your selfe for the defence of that and the tenor of it if any Puritan in the pack should have writ against it than thus to have disturbed your selfe with so little profit But what if wee joyne issue with an Absque hoc and tell you there was no such falling either of the booke or man as you please to say For tell me of all loves where was it in the Reading pew or at the Communion table or in what place else If in the reading pew the deske and seat were able to have saved them both from falling and so was the Communion table if it had beene there If not there say man where it was and wee will have a melius inquirendum about it presently This is a trick of yours to disgrace the Vicar on whom elsewhere you have left a staine for taking his mornings draught before he went about it p. 62. As if the man not onely were not alwaies right in the head peece and squirrell-pated which might be some infirmity of nature but that hee came unto the Church disordered with drinke and inter pocula told the people quid dia poemata narrant of the name of JESUS and so fell downe and worshipped in stead of bowing In the remainder of the storie you put an excellent speech into the mouthes of those of Grantham partly commendatory of themselves that they were all pâ—aceable and quiet men save that they fought once in the Church about removing of the table conformable in all things to the Kings lawes â—cclesiasticall save that they could not but deride the ceremonie of bowing at the name of Iesus and willing to submit themselves to any Order which his Lp should appoint concerning the situation of the Lords table so it might stand according as they would themselves And it was also partly accusatorie of their Vicar for putting down their weekly Lecture and partly of their owne ill fortune that they should live in the midst of Recusants who did begin already to deride and jeere this new alteration not withouâ—â—ome reflexion on his sacred Majestie for placing over them a chiefe Governour of that religion His Majesty was much to blame there is no doubt of that for not consulting with the Alderman about the fittest man to be Ld Lieutenant of the County but more the Papists to deride that decencie and situation of the Lords boorde there which they approve of elsewhere in all our Churches And I could tell you did I thinke you would thanke me for it that the conformity of our Church in this particular according to the practice of approved Antiquity doth more amaze the Papists than ever it did those of Grantham as knowing better than they doe that the more neere we come to the ancient practice the lesse they can upbraid us and our Church with novelty which is now made the chiefest weapon that they fight withall As for the putting downe of Sermons wherewith they were much scandalized as your booke informs us that was the very marrow-bone of the matter the thing that most displeased the people who must have Chaplaines of their owne or else non vult fac And had they had their tale of Sermons it may bee probably conjectured that M r Alderman had never removed the table but rather left it for a text on which the stipendarie Lecturers there might shew their store of zeale and want of wisdome But to goe on The people having ended and the Bishop forward in his speech about the indifferencie of the matter it was the Vicars Q. to enter who came in pale and wanne and staring obstupuit steterantque comae as you know who saith was by the Bishop used with all lenity and sweetnesse and at last having told his L p being very earnest to get it out of him who it was that set him on these alterations his L p spake aloud that all might heare him that hee had supped on that which the Vicar told him It is an old saying and a true audacter calumniare necesse est ut aliquid haereat by none more practiced than your selfe For though you leave us in a wood and tell us that it is not knowne particularly what they there discoursed of yet by this blinde discovery you make men suspect that some great man to whom the Vicar did retain incouraged him at the least to â—rect an Altar if not to say Masse on it when it was erected Well then the Bishop being gone betakes himselfe unto his study where as you say he sate up most of the night and in the morning as you tell us came abroad this filia unius noctis this letter to the Vicar which is now in question addressed unto the Vicar being then in the house if you tell us right but sent to the Divines of the Lecture of Gr. and by them shewed unto the Vicar A letter of so strange a making that it would puzzle the best Lecturer there to tell exactly what it was digested in the former part into the fashion of a letter but not so figuredly and distinctly in the latter directed to no body nor subscribed by any body In all which story there is nothing true but that the papers were not sent unto the Vicar but to
holy Table should be placed where the Altar stood An excellent Royalist verily in your speculations But look upon you in your practicks and then you tell us in your corrected copy of the Bishops letter that the Table without some new Canon is not to stand Altar-wise which is directly contrary to that before I trow you are not ignorant that the Church makes Canons it is the work of Clergy men in their Convocations having his Majesties leave for their conveening and approbation of their doings His Majesty in the Declaration before the Articles hath resolved it so the late practise in K. Iames his raigne what time the booke of Canons was composed in the Convocation hath declared so too If then the Table may not be removed placed Altar-wise without some new Canon his Majesty may command it for ought I see by you and yet goe without Or if you mean that any order from his Majestie or intimation of his pleasure shall be as forcible with you as any Canon of them all why doe you so much slight his Majesties Declaration about S. Gregories For neither can the man indure it should be called an Act of Counsell which yet the Doctor never calls it to his best remembrance or that it should have any influence beyond that one particular case which first occasioned it in no respect that it should have the operation of Canon either to force obedience or induce conformity So that in fine you deale no otherwise with his Majesty than did Popilius Lenas with the great King Antiochus qui regeÌ„ circumscripsit virgula as the storie hath it You draw a ring about him with your willow scepter as if you meant to conjure him into a circle and so keepe him there Thus deale you also with his person for you would very faine be taken for Hephestion as well as Cratâ—rus You tell us of his heavenly expressions used in that Declaration before remembred and yet think scorn to follow what he there allowes of talke of his sacred Chappell and the Saint of that Chappell and in the same breath tell us that Parish-Churches are as little bound to imitate the forme and patterne of the one as you conceive your selfe obliged to imitate the piety and true devotion of the other Saint of the Chappell Lord how the man bestowes his holy water when he hath a mind to it Spargere rore levi ramo felicis olivae Lustravitque virâ—s in the Poets language Yet no such Saint I trow as Ferdinando the third of whom you say both in the text and in your margin that in his long raigne of 35. yeâ—râ—s there was no touch of hunger or contagion There was a Saint indeed fit to be shewne unto the world as a publike blessing in reference to whom and his most fortunate Empire these wretched times have nothing whereof to glorie Sir that Parenthesis of yours as it comes in impertinently so it lookes suspiciously and it had shewne more wisdome in you to have passed it by than it can make for ostentation of your reading so to take it up But let your practice goe and come we to your speculations in which you have said much and produced good proofe to shew the true originall of the right of Kings Vtinam sic semper errasset said once the learned Cardinall of Calvin It had been well if you had never handled any other argument But good Sir let the poore man live and grow up under you if you please whom you expose so much to the publick scorne and tantum non endite of treason against his Majesty Assuredly the poore soule meant well when he attempted to free the Statute 1. of Eliz. from some perhaps some Ministers of Lincolnshire who had restrained it to the person of the Queene that was and that it could not any way advantage the King that is If he hath failed in any thing I pray you let him have your pitty and not your anger Alas good Sir you know it is impossible nos illico nasci senes that wee should all of us be experienced Statesmen at the first dash We must first serve our time and weare out our Indentures before we come to those high mysteries which any schoole boy might have taught you from his Deus Rex Thinke you that no man ever knew till you found it out that Kings had their authority from God alone or finde you any thing in the Doctor which affirmes the contrary the Doctor as before was said thought fit to cleere the Statute 1. of Eliz. from those that went about to restraine all authority of ordaining rites and ceremonies unto the person of the Queen because there is no mention in that clause of her heires and successors To cleare which point he brought in sixe severall Arguments borrowed as hee tells you there both from the common Law and the Act it selfe The foure first as it seemes you are content should stand without further censure save that you tell him that the fourth was taught him by some Iustice his Clerk and make your selfe merry with the fift and â—ixt How justly let the Reader judge when he heares the businesse The question was whether the King lost any thing of that power which was acknowledged by that Statute to be inherent in the Queene when she was alive for want of these few formall words her heires and successors And it is answered fiftly from a resolution in the law in a case much like it being determined by that great Lawyer Ploydon for so the last edition calls him that if a man give lands to the King by deed inrolled a fee-simple doth passe without these words successors and heyres because in Judgement of Law the King never dyeth This is an argument à comparatis And what see you therein with your Eagles eyes the Doctor being but a blinker as you please to style him that you should fall upon him with such scorne and laughter and tell him that he doth deserve but a simple fee for his impertinent exâ—mple of this fee-simple The Argument was good to the point in hand which was not what the King could doe by his power Originall that which he claimes onely from the King of Kings which was never questioned but how far hee might use that Statute if occasion were for the ordaining of such rites and ceremonies as he with the advice of his Metropolitan should think fit to publish You may call in your laugh again for ought I see yet but that you have a minde to shew your teeth though you cannot bite But his next pranke you say is worse where hee affirmes most ignorantly and most derogatorily to his Majesties right and just prerogative that the Statute 1. of Eliz. 2. was a confirmative of the old law whereas his Author hath it rightly that it was not a Statute introductorie of a new law but declaratorie of the old This
Churches to which his Majestie in his times of Progresse repaires most frequently for hearing and attending Gods publike service leaving the privacy of his owne Court and presence to set a copy to his people how to performe all true humility and religious observations in the house of God If you see nothing yet and that there must be something which hath spoiled your eye-sight it is the too much light you live in by which you are so dazeled that you cannot see this part of piety or else so blinded that you will not And we may say of you in the Poets language Sunt tenebrae per tantum lumen obortae Then to goe forwards descendo can you remember any Metropolitan of and in this Church and gather all your wits about you which hath more seriously endeavoured to promote that uniformity of publike Order than his Grace now being His cares and consultations to advance this worke to make Hierusalem if such as you disturbed him not at unity within it selfe are very easie to be seene so easie that it were sensibile super sensorium ponere to insist long on it The very clamours raised upon him by those who love nor unity nor uniformity and have an art of fishing with most profit in a troubled water are better evidence of this than you have any in your booke to maintaine the cause Nor heare wee any of the other bels which are not willing for their parts to make up the Harmony but that great Tom rings out of tune For when did you or any other know the Prelates generally more throughly intent upon the work committed to them more earnest to reduce the service of this Church to the Ancient Orders appointed in the Common-prayer booke It is not long since that we had but halfe prayers in most Churches and almost none at all in some your friend I. Cottons for example See you no alteration in this kinde Is not the Liturgie more punctually observed of late in the whole forme and fashion of Gods service than before it was Churches more beautified and adorned than ever since the Reformation the people more conformable to those reverend gestures in the house of God which though prescribed before were but little practised Quisquis non videt coecus quisquis videt nec laudat ingratus quisquis laudanti reluctatur insanus est as the Father hath it This if ingratitude to God and obstinate malice to his Church hath not made you blinde you cannot choose but see though you would dissemble it And if you see it do you not thinke it a good worke and is there not a piety of and in these times which more inclines to the advancement of that worke than of the former would any man that onely weares a forme of godlinesse make this his May-game and scornefully intitle it the imaginary piety of the times and the Platonicall Idea of a good worke in hand Take heed for vultu lâ—ditur pietas Laughed you but at it in your sleeve you had much to answer for but making it your publick pastime you make your selfe obnoxious to the wrath of God and man both for the sinne and for the scandall And as for the good worke in hand in case you will not help it forwards as I doubt you will not doe not disturb it with your factious and schismaticall Pamphlets Having made merry with your friends about the inclination of these times to piety and the advancement of so good a worke as the uniformity of publick order you pass I know not how to the Acts and Monuments and the examination of such passages as were thence taken by the Doctor Perhaps you are a better Artist than I take you for And being it is Art is celare artem you meane to tender to the world such an Art of writing as hath no art in it But the lesse cunning the more truth as we use to say If we could find it so it were some amends and though I see but little hope yet I meane to trie The Doctor told you in his Coale from the Altar that not a few of those which suffered death for opposing the grosse and carnall doctrine of transubstantiation did not onely well enough indure the name of Altar but without any doubt or scruple called the Lords Supper sometimes a sacrifice and many times the Sacrament of the Altar So that if they indured it well enough in others or used it themselves without doubt or scruple it is as much as was intended by the Doctor And for the proofe of this he first brings in Iohn Fryth relating in a letter to his private friends that they his adversaries examined him touching the Sacrament of the Altar whether it was the very body of Christ or no. These are you say their words not his Why man whose words soever they were in the first proposall doth not he use the same without doubt or scruple finde you that he did stumble at them or dislike the phrase Had he beene halfe so quarrelsome at the phrase as you are he might have testified his dislike in a word or two the Sacrament of the Altar as they call it Your selfe informe us from him that in some cases at sometimes he used that qualification as viz. p. 308. I added moreover that their Church as they call it hath no such power and authority c. An Argument there of his dissent none here their Church as they call it there the Sacrament of the Altar here no dislike at all You might have suffered the poore man to rest in peace and not have called him to the barre to so little purpose The second witnesse was Iohn Lambert who also used the word or phrase with as little scruple As concerning the other six Articles I make you the same answer that I have done unto the Sacrament of the Altar and no other You quarrell this as that before being you say their words not his and hereunto we make that answer as unto the former They were their words in proposition his in repâ—tition especially the repetition being such as sâ—ewed no dislike But where you tell us of his Answer viz. I neither can nor will answer one word and thereupon inferre Iohn Lambert answers there not one word for you that 's but a touch of your old trick in cutting short quotations when they will not help you Iohn Lambert being demanded not whether he approved the name of Sacrament of the Altar but whether he thought that in the Sacrament of the Altar there was the very body and blood of Christ in likeness of bread and wine replyed I neither can ne will answer one word what ends he there as you have made him no by no meanes I neither can ne will answer one word otherwise than I have told you since I was delivered into your hands which was that he would make no answer of what hee thought till they brought some body
for all his cunning For if wee looke into the Act of Parliament wee shall easily finde that not the language onely but the order forme and fabrick of the divine Service before established is said to bee agreeable to the Word of God and the Primitive Church which I desire you to observe as it is here presented to you Whereas saith the Act there hath beene a very godly order set forth by authority of Parliament for Common prayer and administration of the Sacraments to be used in the mother tongue within this Church of England agreeable unto the Word of God and the Primitive Church very comfortable to all good people desiring to live in christian Conversation and most profitable to the estate of this Realme c. What thinke you on your second thoughts is that so much commended by the Parliament either the very Order it selfe of Common prayer and administration of the Sacraments or the being of it in the English tongue It could not be the being of it in the English tongue For then the Romish Missall had it beene translated word for word without more alteration than the language onely might have beene also said to be agreeable to the Word of God and the Primitive Church which I am sure you will not say And therefore it must be the whole forme and order that godly order as they call it of common prayer and administration of the Sacraments to be used in the English tongue take them both together which they so commended Compare this testimony of the Parliament with that before given of it by the King and see if they affirme it of the language or of the order of the service The King affirmed that it was brought unto that use as Christ left it the Apostles used it and the holy Fathers delivered it the Parliament that it was agreeable to the Word of God including Christ and the Apostles and to the Primitive Church including the holy Fathers Nor did the Parliament alone vouchsafe this testimonie of the first Liturgie Archbishop Bancroft speaking of it in his Sermon preached at S. Pauls Crosse An. 1588. affirmes that it was published first with such approbation as that it was accounted the worke of God Besides Iohn Fox whose testimony I am sure you will not refuse though you corrupt him too if hee come in your way hath told us of the Compilers of that Liturgie first that they were commanded by the King to have as well an eye and respect unto the most sincere and pure Christian religion taught by the holy Scriptures as also to the usages of the Primitive Church and to draw up one convenient and meet order rite and fashion of Common prayer and Administration of the Sacraments to be had and used within the Realme of England and the Dominions of the fame And then hee addes de proprio as his own opinion that through the ayde of the holy Ghost and with one uniforme agreement they did conclude set forth and deliver to the King a booke in English entituled A booke of the Common prayer c. This as it shewes his judgement of the aforesaid Liturgie so doth it very fully explaine the meaning of the Act of Parliament and that it did not as you say relate unto the language onely but the whole order rite and fashion of the Common prayer booke Thus have we seene the aâ—teration of the Liturgie and by that alteration a change of Altars into Tables for the holy Sacrament The next inquiry to be made is how the Table stood and how they called it and that aswell upon the taking down of Altars An. 1550 in some places by the Kings owne Order as on the generall removall of them by the second Liturgie First for the placing of the Table your owne Author tels you that on occasion of taking downe the Altars here arose a great diversity about the forme of the Lords bâ—ard some using it after the forme of a Table and some of an Altar But finally it was so ordered by the Bishop of London Ridley that he appointed the forme of a right Table to be used in all his Diocesse himselfe incouraging them unto it by breaking downe the wall standing then by the high Altar side in the Cathedrall of S. Paul But that it was so ordered in all other Dioceses the Doctor findes not any where but in the new Edition of the Bishops letter which you have falsified of purpose to make it say so as before was noted Nor did the old Edition say that they the other Dioceses agreed at all upon the forme and fashion of their Tables though they agreed as you would have it on the thing it self And therefore you have now put in these words so soone which tells another tale than before was told as if all Dioceses having agreed as well as London on receiving Tables did agree too but not so soone upon the fashion of their Tables For that it was not thus in all other places your owne Miles Huggard tells you and to him I send you to observe it But this diversity say you was setled by the Rubrick confirmed by law What universally There is no question but you meane it or to what purpose doe you say so Yet in another place you tell us that notwithstanding the said Rubrick the Tables stood like Altars in Cathedrall Churches in some of them at least which had no priviledge I am sure more than others had For thus say you In some of the Cathedralls where the steps were not transposed in tertio of the Queene and the wall on the back-side of the Altar untaken downe the Table might stand all along as the Altar did If it did stand in some it might stand in all and if in the Cathedralls then also in Parochiall Churches unlesse you shew us by what meanes they procured that might which could not be attained unto by any others Wee finde it also in the letter that onely to make use of their covers fronts and other ornaments the Tables might be placed in some of the Chappels and Cathedrals of the same length and fashion that the Altars were of Why might not then the same be done in the Parish-Churches which were provided at that time of covers fronts and other ornaments of that nature Your selfe concludes it for a foolish dreame that the State should cast away those rich furnitures of the Chappell provided for the former Altars and sure it is as much a dreame that they should cast away their ornaments of the selfe same nature out of Country Churches And this I am the rather induced to thinke because that in the Statute 1 Elizab. wherein the Common-prayer booke now in force was confirmed and ratified it was enacted That all such ornaments of the Church shall be retained and be in use as was in the Church of England by the authority of Parliament in the 2. of King Edw. 6.
either to baptize or offer or celebrate the sacrifice Where by the way wee may perceive how much the Cardinall was mistaken in that he tels us for a certaine that the Apostles and most ancient Fathers of the Church as Iustin and Ignatius did purposely abstaine from the names of Priest and Priesthood as they did also from that of Temple ne viderentur adhuc durare Iudaicae ceremoniae lest otherwise the Iewish ceremonies might be conceived to be in force It is true that for the most part Ignatius useâ—â— for the minister the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Presbyter from which the French derived their Prebstre and wee thence our Priest but doth not binde himselfe unto it No more doth Iustin Martyr neither for having laid this for a rule that God accepts no sacrifices but from his own Priests only he addes that hee admits of all those sacrifices 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Iesus Christ commanded to bee celebrated in his Name and are accordingly performed of all Christian people in the holy Eucharist of bread and wine Performed in every place by all Christian people as it is an Eucharist a sacrifice of praise and thanks to Almighty God testified in and with a participation of the outward elements but celebrated by the Priest and especially as it is a sacrifice commemorative of the death and passion of our Lord and Saviour who only have a power to consecrate those elements which doe exhibite Christ unto us As for the Canons of the Apostles which if not writ by them are certainly of good antiquitie and for the first 50 above all danger of discarding the Doctor told you in his Coal from the Altar that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did occurre in the third fourth and fifth And now hee tels you into the bargaine that in the third Canon you shall find mention of the sacrifice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the fourth of the oblation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All which assurance in this cause will fall if you compute the time within the first 200. yeeres which you so much stand upon and bate you 50. of your tale So that you will not find whatsoever you say that in the Christian Church the name of Table is 200. yeeres more ancient than the name of Altar both being of an equall standing for ought I can see and both used indifferently Next these succeeded Irenaeus of whom the Doctor told you that he did prove the Lords Apostles to be Priests because they did Deo Altari servire attend the service of the Lord and wait upon him at his Altars What you except against in this we shall see anon Meane time you may take notice here that we have found in 〈◊〉 both a Priest and Altar and thinke you that hee will not finde us a Sacrifice also Looke on him but a little further and he will tell you this that there were sacrificia in populo sacrificia in â—cclesia sacrifices in the Iewish Church and sacrifices in the Christiâ—n church and that the kind or species was only altered The kinde or nature of which Christian sacrifice he tels us of in the same chapter viz. that it is an Eucharist a tender of our gratitude to Almighty God for all his blessings and a sanctifying of the creature to spirituall uses Offerimus ei non quasi indigenti sed gratius agentes donationi ejus sanctificantes creaturam In this we have the severall and distinct Offices which before we spake of a sanctificatio creaturâ— a blessing of the bread for bread it is he speakes of for holy uses which is the Office of the Priest no man ever doubted it and then a gratiarum actio a giving thankes unto the Lord for his marvellous benefits which of the Office both of Priest and people The sanctifying of the creature and gloriâ—ying of the Creator doe both relate unto Offerimus and that unto the Sacrifices which are therein treated of by that holy Father So for Tertullian the Doctor noted that hee tels us of the Altar twice Si ad Aram Deisteteris in his Booke de Oratione cap. 14. In that de poenitentia he remembreth us of those that did adgeniculari aris Dei Standing before the Altar at some times kneeling before the Altar at other times but both before and at the Altar And for the name of Priest however the Cardinall was of opinion that the Apostles and first-fathers of the Church did purposely forbeare it as before was said yet he hath found at last that Tempore Tertulliani in Tertullians time the difference betweene Iewes and Christians being well enough knowne the name of Priest came to bee in use and for the proofe thereof referres us to his Bookes de velandis virginibus de monogamia alibi And therefore thither I referre you Origen next in course of time hath an whole Homilie on the 18. Chapter of Numbers intituled de Primitiis offerendis It is not to be thought that he composed that Homilie of purpose to advance the reputation of the Iewish Priesthood nor doth hee if a man would thinke so give any countenance thereunto And why Pleading expresly for the maintenance of the Ministers of Gods holy Word hee cals them in plaine termes Sacerdotes Evangelii Priest of the Gospell affirming first-fruits to be due unto them at the least de congruo Would you his own words take them thus Decet enim utile est etiâ—m Sacerdotibus Evangelii N. B. offerri primitias Would you the reason of it also Because he saith the Lord appointed that they which preach the Gospell should live of the Gospell and they that Minister at the Altar should live of the Altar Where if you should suspect that hee doth meane the Iewish Altars himselfe shall take you off from that fond suspition Et sicut hoc dignum decens est c. and as saith he it is a fit and worthy thing that it should be so so on the other side 〈◊〉 is unworthy and unfit if not utterly impious that hee which honoureth God and comes into his Church Et scit Sacerdotes Ministros adsistere Aâ—tari and knoweth that the Priests and Ministers doe wait upon the Altar and labour in the Word and Ministerie should not devote unto him the first fruits of the land wherewith God hath blessed him In the whole drift of that which followeth hee drives so clearly at this point that it is needlesse in a menner to looke for more yet in his tenth Homilie on the ninth of Ioshua he is more particular and exact than before he was For speaking of some persons who were meere out-side-men and no more than so he thus describes them viz. That they came diligently to the Church and made due reverence to the Priests attended all Divine offices honoured the sevants of the Lord Adornatum quâ—que Altaris vel Ecclesiae
authority For doe not you tell us that the Phantasticall Vicar called his Communion-Table an Altar as the Papists doe p. 199 and have you not corrupted the Bishops Letter to make it say that Altars onely were erected for the sacrifice of the Masse p. 16 which was not in the Text before But Sir the primitive Christians had their Altars when there was no such thing in being as the Popish Lambe no such blasphemous figments and pernicious impostures as by the Article are charged on the Church of Rome in those by us rejected sacrifices of the Masse So that both I and you may without danger of revoking our subscriptions to the Booke of Articles set the Communion Table at the upper end of the Chancell there where the old Altar stood in Queene Maries time if you needs will have it so and yet no more dreame of the Popish Lambe and those blâ—sphemous figments which the Article speaks of than did the holy Fathers in the Primitive times when neither your said Popish Lambe nor any of those figments were in repum natura Now as you palter with the Article so doe you onely play and dally with the Homilie as one that loves so dearly well whatsoever you say unto the contrary 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make your selfe merry with sacred things You tell us â—rom the Homily that wee must take heed lest the Lords Supper of a memory be made a sacrifice and then proceed What saith the Doctor to this Hee saith that by these words the Church admits of a Commemorative sacriâ—ice Which said you make your Readers even burst with laughter by telling them that the poore man hath found a true and reall sacâ—ifice in the Booke of Homilies but it is a Bull a very strange and hideous Bull which this Calfe makes the Church speake unto 〈◊〉 people in her publick Homilies And what is that As wee must take heed good people wee apply not the Sacrament of the Supper to the dead but to the living c. so must we take especiall heed lest of a Commemorative Sacrifice it bee made a Sacrifice A very pious Bull indeed you speak wondrous rightly but a Bull onely of your owne herd and onely fit for such a Milo as your selfe to carry For tell me doth the Doctor say that by these words the Church admits of a Commemorative sacrifice On with your false eyes once againe and you will finde the Doctor makes no other answer to your objection from the Homily but that the sacriâ—ice rejected in the Homily is that which is cried down in the Booke of Articles which the Epistoler had no reason to suspect was ever aimed at by the Vicar Of a Commemorative sacrifice in those words of the Homilie â—e gry quidem there Indeed the Doctor said before in answer to your argument from the 31 Article that though the Church condemned that other oblation of the Papists as the Letter cals it yet she allows of a Commemorative sacrifice for a perpetuall memory of Christs precious death of that his full perfeft and sufficient sacrifice oblation and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world And for the proofe thereof referred himselfe unto the Prayer of the Consecration which are not sure the words of the Homily or by him cited thence if you marke it well Or had hee said it of those words in the Booke of Homilies had it beene such a strange and hideous Bull with foure Hornes and I know not how many tailes for you to lead by it up and do â—ne the Countrey for â—he delight and solace of your sportfull Readers Could you not paraphase upon it thus We must take heed good people lest the Lords Supper of a memory be made a Sacrifice i. e. leâ—t of a Câ—mmemorative sacrifice it be made propitiatorie No Hee that lookes for ingenâ—ity from such hands as yours must have lesse knowledge of you and more faith in you than I dare pretend to And for your Bull that was but a device to make sport for Boyes Shewing us so much Spanish in the Margin you had a minde to let us see that you did understand as well their customes as their language and therefore would set out a Fuego de Toros a kind of Bull baiting for the Boyes who must be pleased too in this businesse You have not studied all this while populo ut placerent only but now and then ut pueris placeas declamâ—tio fias as you know who said But would we see a Bull indeed a Bull set out with flowers and Garlands readie for the Sacrifice Out of your store you can afford us such a one though not so pious altogether as that you sent unto the Doctor We saw before how well you pleaded against Altars out of the Articles and booke of Homilies and now behold an argument from the Common Prayer Booke which if the businesse be not done already will be â—ure to doe it For you appeale to all indifferent men that pretend to any knowledge in Divinitie if the Reading Pew the Pulpit and any other place in the Church bee not as properly an Altar for prayer praise thanksgiving memorie of the passion dedicating our selves to Gods very service and the Churches Box or Bason for that oblation for the poore which was used in the Primitive times as is our holy Table howsoever situated or disposed Nay you goe further and demand what one sacrifice can be inferred out of the Collects read by the Priest at the 〈…〉 which are not as easily deduced 〈◊〉 of the Te 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 said in the Quire or Reading Pew whether there be no praying praising commemorating of the Passion and 〈◊〉 of our selves no Gods service in those two 〈◊〉 The Fatheâ—s were but 〈◊〉 soures in dreaming of one Altar only in each sevâ—rall Church wheras indeed there are as many as wee please to make Here is the Poore-mans Box the Communion Table the Pulpit and the Reading Pew 〈◊〉 quatuor Aâ—ns foure in a knot land yet not halfe enough for so many sacrifices And therefore every place the Bell-free the Church-porâ—h the 〈◊〉 house the seat of every private person the Vestrie chiefe of all and whatsoever other place a man may â—ancy to himselfe are now turned to Altars This if we doe not yeeld to at the first proposall we are pronounced alreadie to have no knowledge in Divinitie and not to be indifferent men but parties Not so indifferent men as I thinke you are nor so well skilled in this new Lincolnshire divinitie which onely you and one or two more of your deare acquaintance have beene pleased to broach What need we take this paines to looke after Altars when by this Boston doctrine the Communion Table may as wel be spared 〈…〉 meae It alwayes was my hope that howsoever wee lost the Altar I might be confident wee should have a Table left us for the holy Sacrament at least the Sacram 〈◊〉 it selfe But
see how strangely things are carried Rather than heare of Altars we will down with Tables yea with the Sacrament it selfe and let the memorie of Christs passion bee celebrated how it will or where it will in the Pew or Pulpit the Porch or Bell-free Is 't not enough to heare it 〈◊〉 of but we must come and see it acted what are these Sacraments they speake of but signes and figures and by what figure can they make us bee in love with signes Or say that there bee some spirituall sacrifices expected of us by our God may wee 〈…〉 them without materiall Tables yea and without materiall Churches on therefore Westwaâ—d ho for Salem and the free Gospell of New England This is the knowledge in Divinitie you so much pretend to which wheresoever you first learnt it was never taught you I am sure in any of the bookes that you sâ—bscribed to when you came to your place We grant that those two Hymnes you speake of are of excellent use and purposely selected for the setting forth of Gods praise and glory with an acknowledgement of our bounden duties to him for his grace and goodnesse But then the Liturgie hath taught you that the Lords Table is the proper place at which to celebrate the â—emorie of our Saviours passion which the Priest standing at the same and consecrating there the creatures of bread and wine according to Christs holy institution doth represent unto the people And when in testimonie of our common and publick gratitude for so great a mercie we offer our whole selves unto him both soule and body we are enjoyned to doe it at or neere the same place also And here O Lord wee offer and present unto thee our selves soules and bodies here where thou hast been pleased to make us partakers of Christs bodie and bloud and sealed unto our soules the benefits of his death and passion Will you have more The Homilie hath told us that we are bound to render thanks to Almightie God for all his benefits briefely comprised in the deaâ—h passion and resurrection of his dearely beloved Sonne the which thing because we ought chiefly at this Table to solemnize marke you that this Table the godly Fathers named it Eucharistia that is thanksgiving Had I but such a Bandog as your friend H. B. this Puritan Bull of yours might be better haiâ—ed than his Popes Bull was Your Popish lamb and Puritan Bull being both discarded by the Church may goe both together But I must tell you ere we part that that which I suspected is now come to passe viz. that by your principles every Cobler Tinker and other Artizan may take his turne and minister at and on the holy Altar That which you shew us next is but another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a quarrell about words and Phrases touching the difference betweene commemoratio sacrificii and a commemorative sacrifice the first being used you say by Chrysostome K. Iames and Pet. Lombard S. Austin Eusebius and the book of Homilies the later only by this wretched Doctor and such unlucky birds as he the ragged regiment of P. Lombard Which said you presently confute your selfe as your custome is confessing that some few learned men of the reformed Church doe use the name of a Commemorative Sacrifice and yet God blesse them are not brought within the compasse of that ragged regiment But hereof wee have spoke already in the former Chapter For Sacrifices next you cannot possible approve which Protestants and Papists doe joyntly denie that ever materiall Aâ—tar was erected in the Church for the use of spirituall and improper sacrifices Assuredly the Papists have good reason for what they doe and if you grant them this position simply and without restriction you give them all that they desire For by this meanes they gaine unto them all the Fathers who speake of Altars passiâ—â— in their workes and writings materiall Altars questionlesse made of wood or stone And if materiall Altars were not made for improper sacrifices you must needes granâ— they had some proper sacrifices to be performed upon those Altars Besides in case the note be true that never materiâ—ll Altar was erected for a spirituall and improper sacrifice and that the Sacrament of the Lords Supper be but a metaphoricall and improper sacrificâ— as you elsewhere say it may be done as well without a materiall Table and any where as properly as in a materiall Church Did you distinguish as you ought between the mysticall sacrifice in the holy Eucharist commemorative and representative of our Saviours death and those spirituall sacrifices which every Christian man is bound to offer to the Lord at all times and places you would finde the vanitie and weaknesse of these poore Conclusions Yet you goe forwards still on a full careere and having filled your margin with an huddle of impertinent quotations you fall at last on this fine fancie how that God suffered not the first Ages of the world for 1650. yeeres to passe away without prayers and thanksgivings and yet hee suffred it to passe without any Altars May a man take it on your word and not be called for it to an after reckoning Did you not say the Page before that Altar Priest and Sacrifice were relatives and find wee not in holy writ that Cain and Abel brought their offrings to the Lord their God their sacrifices as they are intituled Hebr. 11. 4. if so then by your owne rule doubtlesse there wore Altars also Or if God suffered all that time to passe without any Altars did it not passe away without any Tables or any Churches that wee reade of But see the charitie of the man and his learning too For if the Doctor will but promise not to disturbe the peace of the Church any more this lusty Lad of Lincolnshire will finde him all the severall Altars which have been spoke of by the Fathers for spirituall sacrifices These wee shall meet withall hereafter amongst your impertinencies Meane time I passe my word to keepe covenant with you and promise you sincerely before God and man that as I never did so I never will put my hand to any thing by which the Church may be disturbed You know Elijahs answere unto proud K. Ahab It is not I but thou and thy Fathers house that have troubled Israel From Altars we must follow you as you lead the way unto the Sacrifices of the Altar Whereof though we have spoken before enough to meet with all your cavils yet since you put me to the question where you may reade this terme of mine Sacrifices of the Altar if you reade not of them in the Sacriâ—ices of the Law I will tell you where Looke through the booke of Genesis and tell me if you meet not with many sacrifices and sacrifices done on Altars by Abel Noah Abraham Iacob sacrifices of the Altar doubtlesse and yet not sacrifices of the Law The law you know was
before The Father speakes there onely of spirituall sacrifices and you will turne his horum into hic as if he spoke there onely of the mysticall sacrifice And were it hic in the originall of S. Ambrose yet you are guiltie of another falshood against that Father by rendring it in all this disputation The Fathers hìc if hee had said so must have related to those points which were debated of in the 10. Chapt. to the Hebr. whence the words were cited and those spirituall sacrifices which are there described you by an excellent Art of juggling have with a Hocas Pocas brought it hither and make us thinke it was intended for this hìc this place Heb. 13. 10. of which now we speake and which hath been the ground of that disputation which you conclude with from S. Ambrose Vsing the Apostle and the Fathers in so foule a fashion it is not to bee thought you should deale more ingeniously with their Disciples The servant is not above the Master nor lookes for better usage from you than hee hath done hitherto Having concluded with S. Ambrose your next assault is on the Doctor whom you report to be the first sonne of the reformed Church of England that hath presumed openly to expound this place of a materiall Altar Not constantly you say but yet so expounded it I beseech you where Not in the Coal from the Altar there is no such matter Take the words plainly as they lie you shall finde them thus And above all indeed S. Paul in his Habemus altare Hebr. 13. 10. In which place whether he meane the Lords Table or the Lords Supper or rather the sacrifice it selfe which the Lord once offred certaine it is that hee conceived the name of Altar neither to be impertinent nor improper in the Christian Church Finde you that hee expounds the place of a materiall Altar or that hee only doth repeat three severall expositions of it Now of those expositions one was this that by those words we have an Altar S. Paul might mean we have a Table whereof it was not lawfull for them to eate that serve the Tabernacle If this bee the materiall Altar that you complaine of in the Doctors exposition assuredly he is not the first sonne by many of the Church of England that hath so expounded it The learned Bishop Andrewes doth expound it so The Altar in the old Testament is by Malachi called Mensa Domini And of the Table in the new Testament by the Apostle it is said Habemus Altare which whether it be of stone as Nyssen or of wood as Optatus it skils not So doth my Lord of Lincoln also one of the sonnes I trow of the Church of England Citing those words of Bishop Andrewes you adde immediatly that this is the exposition of P. Martyr mentioned in the letter i. e. my Lord of Lincolns letter to the Vicar of Grantham that as sometimes a Table is put for an Altar as in the first of Malachi so sometimes an Alâ—ar may be put for a Table as in this Epistle to the Hebrewes Next looke into the Bishop of Chichester who plainly tels you that the Lords Table hath beene called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the beginning not as some falsly teach by succeeding Fathers and that S. Paul himselfe may seeme to have given authoritie and warrant to the Phrase Hebr. 13. 10. The Doctor is not then the first sonne of the Church of England that hath so expounded it Or if he were hee hath a second but such a second as is indeed Nulli secundus for some things that I could tell you of even your good friend the minister of Lincolnshire one of the children of the Church that writ the booke entituled the Holy Table For presently upon the Bishop of Lincolns glosse he addes this de proprio than the which solution there may be peradventure a more full but there cannot bee â— more plaine and conceiveable answere I see you can make use sometimes of a leaden dagger though as you tell us throwne away by the very Papists yet not so utterly throwne away as within two leaves after you are pleased to tell us but that it is still worne by the Jesuites Salmeron the Remists à Lapide Haraeus Tirinus Gordon Menochius and Cajetan of which some are yet living for ought I can heare Nor doth your Authour say it is throwne away as if not serviceable to this purpose but onely that non desunt ex Catholicis some of the Catholick writers doe expound it otherwise I hope you would not have all Texts of Scripture to bee cast away like leaden Daggers because Non desunt ex Catholicis some one or other learned man give such expositions of them as are not every way agreeable unto yours and mine Now as the Doctor was the first Sonne of the Church of England so was Seâ—ulius the first Writer before the Reformation that literally and in the first place did bend this Text to the materiall Altar Iust so I promise you and no otherwise Or had Sedulius beene the first the exposition had not beene so moderne but that it might lay claime to a faire antiquity Sedulius lived so neare S. Austin that hee might seeme to tread on his very heeles the one being placed by Bellarmine an 420. the other an 430. but ten yeares after And if the Cardinals note be true that hee excerpted all his notes on S. Pauls Epistles from Origen Ambrose Hierom and Austin for ought I know his exposition of the place may bee as old as any other whatsoever But for Sedulius wheresoever he had it thus he cleares the place Habemus nos fideles Altare praeâ—er Altare Iudaeorum unde corpus sanguinem Christi participamus i. e. The faithfull have an Altar yet not the Iewish Altar neither from whence they doe participate of Christs body blood That is plain enough and yet no plainer than S. Chrâ—sost though you have darkened him as much as possibly you can to abuse the Father Chrysostome expounds it as you say of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the things professed here amongst us for proofe whereof you bring in Oecumenius with his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tenets as it were of Christian men So that if you may bee beleeved the Father and his second doe expound the place of the Doctrine Tenets or profession of the Church of Christ. First to begin with Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The words you see put neutrally and so translated in the Latine Non enim qualia sunt apud Iudaeos talia etiam nostra sunt That is as I conceâ—ve his meaning our Sacrifices or our Sacraments are not such as the Iewish were our Altâ—r not as theirs nor any of our Rites thereunto belonging My reason is because it followeth in the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that it is not lawfull no not to the
from Ignatius must be looked on next And first the Doctor findes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one Altar in his Epistle ad Magnesios You answer first that by Vedelius this is thought to bee a supposititious fragment taken out of the Constitutions of Clemens and yet proclaime it in your margin that this doth not appeare so clearely to you as to rest upon it You answer secondly that this was brought in by the Doctor only to make sport How so Because say you the Altar there is Iesus Christ. In that before you left Vedelius your good friend and helper in all this businesse and here he leaves you to cry quitâ— Searching as curiously as hee could what to except against in all these Epistles hee lets this go by A pregnant evidence that hee knew not what to say against it Runne saith the Father all of you as one man to the Temple of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to one Altar to one Iesus Christ i. e. say you who better understood the Father than he did himselfe runne all of you to one Iesus Christ as to one Altar This is your old trick to abuse your Readers and makâ— your Authors speak what they never meant The Father spake before of prayer of common prayers to bee poured forth by all the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the selfe same place in faith and love And then exhorts them to runne together to the Church to pray as to one Altar to participate as to one Iesus Christ the High Priest of all Had it been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the matter had been cleere on your side But the distinction and repeating of the preposition the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make a different businesse The second place produced by the Doctor from Ignatius was that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where he makes mention of the unity that ought to be retained in the Church of God and then brings in amongst the rest one Bread broke for all one Cup distributed to all one Altar also in every Church together with one Bishop c. To this you answer that in the place to the Philadelphians hee doth expresse himselfe to meane by Altar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Councell of the Saints and Church in generall and not any materiall Altar as Vedelius proves at large And do they so indeed That passage which you speak of is in the Epistle ad Ephesios And do you think he tels the Ephesians what hee did meane by Altar in his Epistle to the Philadelphians This is just like the Germans beating down of Altars because the people here in England were scandalized with them in our countrey Churches Then for Vedelius proves he as you affirme that by Altar here Ignatius meanes not any materiall Altar but the Councell of the Saints the Church in generall In the Epistle to the Ephesians he doth indeed correct magnificat as your own phrase is and play the Critick with the Author making him say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof we shall say more hereafter in our perusall and examination of your Extravagancies But in this place hee deales more fairely and understands him as the Doctor doth for reckoning up foure kindes of Altars in the Primitive Church he makes the fourth and last to be mensa Domini qua utebantur in sacra coena peragenda the table of the Lord used in the â—elebrating of the holy supper Then addes that sometimes by the Fathers this table is also called an Altar and for the proofe thereof brings in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Doctor mentioned So that you have belied the Father and your friend to boot Lastly for that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods Altar in his Epistle ad Tarsenses the whole place is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Those that continue in the state of Virginitie honour yee as the Priests of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those which are widowes indeed in the Apostles language or which uphold their chastitie as your selfe translates it honour ye as the Altars of God These are his words distinctly and what â—ind you here Marry you say some knavish scholler exscribed the passage for him to make sport withall and that the Altar there intended becomes much better the upper end of his Table than the upper end of his Church a plaine widow-Altar Which said you bring in one of your young Schollers with a bawdy Epigramme unfit to bee inserted into any booke of a serious Argument but more unfit to bee approved allowed and licenced by any Ordinarie But Sir however you are pleased to make your selfe prophanely merry in these sacred matters the place is plaine enough to prove an Altar and more than so a reverence due unto the Altar in Ignatius time the men of Tarsus being here advised to honor chast and vertuous widowes as they did Gods Altar And for the widow that you wot of if you have any speciall aime therein as some think you have shee may returne that answer to you which once Octavia's Chamber-â—â—aid gave to Tigellinus which I had rather you should look for in the Author than expect from me The place from Irenâ—eus by which he proved the Apostles to bee Priests because they did Deo Altariservire attend the service of the Lord and wait upon him at the Altar you make to be an Allegory and no more than so But Bishop Montague of Chichester of whom the Doctor as you bid him will thinke no shame to learne as long as hee lives findes more matter in it and saith that Irenaeus lib. 4. c. 20. speâ—keth of the ministers of the new Testament not of the old that they doe Deo Altari deserviâ—e which is the very same that the Doctor said Are not you scitus scriptor a very proper squire to quarrell with the exposition of a man whose bookes you are not fit to carry what may be further said out of Irenaeus for sacrifices Priests and Altars wee have shewn you in the former Chapter Next for Tertullian the Doctor gave you thence two places one from his booke de oratione Si adaram Dei steteris the other out of that de poenitentia Adgenicâ—lari aris Dei Not to say any thing in this place of the Stâ—tions mentioned in the first of those two passages nonne solemnior erit statiotua Si ad aram Dei steteris you answer first unto the first that by this Ara Dei Tertullian in his African and â—ffected stile meanes plainely the Lords Table Why man who ever doubted it What saith the Doctour more than this Tertullian are not these his words hath the name of Altar as a thing used and knowne in the Christian Church as nonne solemnior erit statio tua Si ad aram Dei steteris what finde you there but that the Lords Table in Tertullians
consecrated by Pope Pius the first An. 150. or thereabouts by the name of S. Prudentianae Another Church but somewhat after this doth Platina remember to have been built by Pope Calixtus in regione Transtyberina and dedicated by the name of the Blessed Virgin But for a generall view of their works of this kind we may best take it from Eusebius who speaking of the calme that was between the ninth and tenth persecutions informes us of the Christians that not content with those small Churches which before they had they built them fairer and more large in every citie But take his owne words with you for your more assurance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where you may also see that they had Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as before hee cals them in the former times but meane and small agreeable unto those miserable and calamitous dayes Nor was it long before those Churches built so lately were all againe demolished by Dioclesian and so continued till the time of the Emperour Constantine what time being raised more beautifully than before they had beene they were set out and furnished with all costly furnitures So that when Iulian was in state who next but one succeeded Constantine in the Roman empire and that the treasures of the Church were made a pray unto the spoiler Felix the Proconsul could not chuse but breake out into this expression 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold in what rich utensiles they doe administer to the Sonne of Marie Nor was it ever thought till now in these later dayes that God created such and so many glorious things to be served only with the basest This ground-work laied we may the better see what wee have to say to those objections which are and have beene made out of the Apolâ—geticks of thosâ— times to prove that in those early daies of Christianity there were no Churches And this I will the rather do because the Authors which you have produced against the being of Altars in the Christians Churches conclude aswell that then they had no Churches for religious uses which being examined in this place will more cleerely manifest what kinde of Altars and what kinde of Churches were then enquired of by the Gentiles and in what sence the having of them was denied by the Christian writers Now they that gave the hint unto this surmise lived either in the heat of persecution when as the faithfull were dispersed and neither durst or could be suffered to meet in publick or else considering that their Churches were but mean and poore they did not use to call them Temples as did the Gentiles those magnificent and stately structures which had been consecrated to their Idols When therefore they were chalenged by the Gentiles to render an accompt of their religion and were demanded why they had no Altars they were interrogated also why they had no Churches Not any of those Authors which you have produced but speak of one as well as the other the objection being made of both and the answere unto both set down accordingly Origen mentions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Minutius Felix hath his Templa nulla with his Aras nullas and of Arnobius it was asked cur neque sacras aedes venerationis ad officia construamus as well as non Altaria fabricemus In the reporting of which Authors you leave out whatsoever doth relate to not having Churches as if the Quaere only were of not having Altars in those Churches and therefore cut Minutius off at cur nullas aras not suffering him to come forth with his Templa nulla As for Arnobius you deale worse with him than with Minutius and make the Gentiles put the question why they the Christians built no Altars venerationis ad officia to officiate upon in any kind of divine worship when as the question was not why they had no Altars to officiate on but why they had no Churches to officiate in Is this faire dealing think you in a great Professour Then for the Answers to these Cavils in case they must be understood simply and absolutely as you please to say in the case of Altars then will it follow thereupon not only that they had no Churches but that they ought to have none neither You grant your selfe that there were Altars in the Church in Tertullians time and Churches you must also grant because you finde it in Tertullian who makes mention of them lib. de Idol c. 7. ad uxorem l. 2. cap. 9. de veland virg cap. 3. 13. and also in his book de Corona militis which makes it plain that whereas Origen and Minutius Felix lived both after him and yet reply unto the Quaere of the Gentiles that they had neither Temples nor Altars it must be understood not absolutely and simply as you simply say as if they had no Churches or no Altars in them but with relation to those Temples and those Altars which were so honoured by the Gentiles The like is also to bee said unto Arnobius who living in those very times which Eusebius speaks of wherein the Christians did inlarge their Churches and publick Oratories cannot bee understood so absolutely and simply as you and your Haraldus conceive he may but only in that qualified sence before remembred Churches they had for sacred and religious meetings but no such stately and magnificent structures as were erected by the Gentiles to be the locall habitation of their severall Idols And they had Altars too for that mysticall Sacrifice which had beene constantly continued in the Church of God but no such Altars as the Gentiles had and enquired after which were for bloody sacrifices of Sheep and Oxen. And this you might have seen in Arnobius also but that you use to wink when you meet with any thing you would not willingly observe For presently on this quod non Altaria fabricemus non ar as he addes these words non caesorum sanguinem animantium demus which cleerely shewes what Altars they were said to want by the Inquisitors Thus having found that in the primitive times the Christians had their Churches and in them their Altars our next iuquirie must be this how and in what particular place those Altars were disposed of in the Churches For that they had some proper and peculiar place is not a matter to be doubted Not that I think the Altars were so fixed at first that there was no removing of them if occasion was but that there was some certain place allotted to them which was reserved for the Priest and the Administration of the Eucharist out of which place they were not to bee moved unlesse they were quite moved out of the Church as sometimes it hapned For that they were not fixed at first may be well collected from the condition of the Church which was then still in motion and unsetled the winds of persecution beating as they did so
the midst of the Church so that the people if they would might runne round about it For this you bring no proofe but that you thought the Throne in heaven had beene safe enough and that it needed not a wall to rest upon Why who said it did That in the Revelation was only brought for illustration of the Phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not for the situation of the Altar against a wall But then you say the Angels may as conveniently be thought to compasse it about as to cast themselves into a halfe moâ—ne before the presence of Almighty God and that all interpreters doe so expound it You speake of all interpreters but you name us none which shewes your all is very nothing for where you have a store wee are sure to finde it in the margin how little soever to the purpose But Sir the Doctor speakes there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the manner of men touching the reference which the Prophet had in his description of the Throne in Heaven unto the thrones of Kings on earth And if you speake or apprehend him speaking in that manner it would be very hard for you to untie the knot and shew us how foure beasts though never so full of eyes could compasse round the Throne in a perfect Circle Nor doth that fragment which you bring us from S. Basils Liturgie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say more than what the Doctor told you from the Revelation that all the Angels stood round about the throne Apoc. 7. 11. though Gentian Hervet as you say hath rendred it in orbem which you translate in a ring or perfect Circle For your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in S. Peters Liturgie you might doe well to keepe it by you till the authoritie of that and other Liturgies affabulated to the holy Apostles bee agreed upon And had I thought you would have taken them for currant I would have shewne you more in them for Priests and Altars than you can doe with your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for placing the said Altars in the midst of the Church However by your owne confession we have found an Altar in S. Peters Liturgie and therefore to dispute â—dhominem the name of Table is not 200. yeeres more ancient in the Christian Church than the name of Altar The compassing of the Altar in S. Basils Liturgie is an allusion only to the Phrase in the booke of Psalmes and so is that also in the epistle of Synesius if such thing bee in him you have referred us in your text to one of his Epistles but you tell not which And in your Margin tell us that it is in constitut habita ad Thatalaeum but I find no such thing in his Epistles But so or not so all is one with you and with me too in this particular being thus answered to your hand Last of all for your passages in S. Chrysostomes Liturgie where it is said the Deacon fumes the holy Table 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 round about and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all the circuit or compasse thereof as your selfe translate it that might well be and yet the Altar stand all along the wall Foâ— with a Censer in your hand you could make shift no doubt to cense or fume the holy Table in all thâ— circuit or compasse of it and yet not take the paines to goe round about it even as they doe at this day in the Church of Rome But I must tell you by the way that you have falsified your Authour or at least chopped him off having more to say For p. 64. whither you referre us hee speakes of censing of the Altar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you say well in that but then hee addes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the manner of a crosse which overthrowes your whole designe For take it as the Father meanes it and it is no such impossibilitie as you thinke it is but that a single man may doe it and fume in the Altar in a crosse and therfore the poore Doctors interpretation not so absurd as you would make it The Doctor will stand close enough to his interpretation till you bring stronger Arguments and more faire dealing to remove him from it You shew your selfe on all and on no occasions to have some smattering of the law and therefore cannot chuse but know that in defect of an appearance a Iurie in some cases may be up ex circumstantibus for which see 35 H. 8. c. 6. 2 Edw. 6. c. 32. and 5. Eliz. c. 25. and 14. Eliz. c. 9. And yet I trust you will not say the Iudges that determine in writ of Nisi prius sit in the middle of the towne Hall wheresoever they come because the people are conceived to bee circumstantes None but this Minister of Lincolnshire would commit these follies And yet it is no wonder neither for you have given us centum tales in stead of decem Having made sport to keepe us to your own sweet langugae in the Greeke with tâ—e Councell of Constantinople we must next see you doe as much in Latine with S. Augustine The place from him alleaged by Bishop Iewell is this Christus quotidie pascit Mensa ipsius est illa in medio constituta Quid causae est O audientes ut mensam videatis ad epulas non accedatis i. e. as he translates it Christ feedes us daily and this is his Table here set in the midst O my hearers what is the matter that ye see the Table and yet come not to the meat To this the Doctor answered that mensa illa in medio constituta in not to be interpreted the Table set here in the middest but the Table which is here before you and this according to the Latine phrase afferre in medium which is not to bee construed to bring a thing precisely into the middle but to bring it to us or before us In your reply to this you trifle as before you did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And because every Schooleboy knowes that litterally and grammatically medium doth signifie the middle part or space therefore afferre in medium cannot signifie to bring a thing unto us or before us This said you make another sally to shew your Criticall learning you have such store of it touching the derivation of the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of Scaliger and the latine word Mensa out of Varro which was at first say you called Mesa from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because this Vtensil saith Varro is ever placed in the middle space between us so that according to this great and antient Critick it cannot properly be called a Table unlesse it be placed as Saint Austin reports it in medio in the middle Would you would leave this Criticall learning except you were more perfect in it All that you finde in Varro is no more than this that mensa escaria a boord
for meat is called Cibilla and that it was once square but afterwards made round Et quod a nobis media a Graecis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mensa dici potest Finde you in this that the latine word for a Table was not alwayes Mensa but at the first Mesa So you would make your Readers think that caÌ„not eveâ—y day consult the Author and for that purpose you have falsified him in your margin accordingly and made him say what is not in him viz. Mesa quod à nobis media à Graecis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mensa dici potest But the first Mesa is your own no such thing in Varro and consequently Mesa was not the first Latine word for Table as you have falsified the Author only to place it in the middle Neither doth Varro say that Mensa was derived from the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more than from the Latine and further addes another reason of the name which you would not see and that is quod ponebant pleraque in cibo mensa because that on the Table the meat was served out by measure Every man had his own dimensum as the word still holds So then it may bee called a Table although not placed in the middle Your Grammer learning being showne we must next take a turne in your Divine and Theologicall Philology where we are told of Audientes genuflectentes competentes and intincti severall kinds of Catechumeni in the primitive times as if those names had never beene heard of but amongst the fennes you would be thought to lie at wrack and manger with Lady Philology though you never kist her For had you but the least acquaintance with her you would not runne into those errours which you do continually You tell us of these Audientes that if the Table were in the Chancell they could not be admitted to draw so neere as to see and view it and therefore make Saint Austin say that 's the Lords Table there which you see placed in the midst of the Church Why could they not more easily see it in the midst of the Church than if it had been in the Chancell Were they so Eagle-sighted a far off and could they not discerne it if placed neerer hand This is a mystery indeed above my capacity Perhaps you think that commonly and at other times it stood in the middle of the Church but when the Catechumeni were driven forth and the holy Sacrament to bee administred it was removed into the Chancell And then consider with your selfe how fitly you would have the Table to bee set at other times in the upper end of the Chancell and be brought down in time of the Communion into the body of the Church Next you have made S. Austin say that if these Audientes could but by chance get a glympse of the holy Table they were instantly all discipline notwithstanding to be baptized and yet Saint Austin saith expressely ut mensam videatis that they did see the Tâ—ble though they came not to it nor do we finde they were baptized so presently on the sight thereof Therefore to set the matter right I rather should conceive that the word illae there is of specall efficacie and points not to a Table which was then before them for then haec mensa est ipsius might have been more proper but to some Table further off in the Quire or Chancell made ready for all those that purposed to Communicate which the said Catechumen might see though they came not neere it And so Saint Austin in these words Mensaâ—ipsius est illa in medio constituta must be thus interpreted His Table is that yonder which is now in readinesse What is the matter O you Audientes that you can look upon the Table and yet not fit and prepare your selves to be partakers of the banquet As for your note from Albaspinus that if the Audientes should but get a sight of the holy Table they were all instantly to be baptized you do most shamefully abuse that learned Bishop who was too great a scholler to be so mistaken And therefore take along that passage for a close of all to which you point us in your margin where you shall finde he speaks not of their getting a glympse the holy Table but of the holy mysteries celebrated on the Table Si cui contigisset Catecumeno casu aliquo aut sacrificiis interesse aut occulis sacra illa intueri call you this a Table cum protinus sacro fonte abluendum esse Such a notorious falsifier of all kinde of Authors did man never meet with Next for Durandus it was observed out of him by Bishop Iewell that the Priest turning about at the Altar doth use to say Aperui os meum in medio Ecclesiae which proves not as the Doctor said that the Altar stood in the midst of the Church but that the Priest stood at the midst of the Altar You know this well enough that the Priest doth stand so but you must needs say somewhat what soever you know and therfore bring Durandus to expound himselfe Well then what saith Durandus to it Per Altare Cor nostrum intelligitur quod est in medio Corporis sicut Altare in medio Ecclesiae By the Altar is to be understood our heart which is in the midst of the body as the Altar is in the midst of the Church This is almost the only place you have cited fairly in all your book in congratulation to your selfe for your honest dealing you presently flie out on the poore Doctor as if there were no sensible sacrifice nor materiall Altar because Durandus in his way of Allegories compares the Altar to our heart Iust thus before you dealt with the Panegyrist in Eusebius and too ridiculously in both Therefore to let your Allegories passe as not considerable in this case we must reply unto the words And here I will make bold to tell you that by in medio Ecclesiae here Durandus doth not meane the middle of the Church that is the body of the Church but which I know you meane to laugh at the middle of the upper end of the Quire or Chancell there where the Altar stood in those times he lived and long before him Will you the reason why I say it then look into the former Chapter where hee will tell you of those rayles or barres which part the Altar or the Altar place from the rest of the Quire as it is now in our Cathedrals and many others of this kingdome Cancelli quibus Altare a Choro dividitur separationem significat coelestium a terrenis And so the Altar stood not in Durandus time in the midst of the Church but generally at the end of the Chancell and thus much briefly for Durandus For those exceptions which you make against the testimony produced by the Doctor from Socrates and Nicephorus about the standing of the Altars in
Now fie upon thee that coulâ—st not keep thine owne counsell but must needs blurt out all though against thy selfe And so Ex ore tuo inique Iudex The space you talk of was as you see betweene the Altar and the raile and not betweene the Altar and the wall which was the matter to bee proved The Cardinall was too good an Antiquâ—rie to make so great a distance as you falsly charge him with betweene the Altar and the wall And though he was not sainted as you idely dreame for taking downe those petit Altars in his Church of Millaine yet such a reverend esteeme the Popes had of him that the whole order of the Humiliati was suppressed for ever only because one desperate knave amongst them made an attempt upon his person This said those few particulars which you have to shew might very easily be granted and do no prejudice at al to the cause in hand and it were not amisse to do so but that you falsifie your Authors with so high an impudence in some of those particulars which you have to shew Your instance of an Antient Marble Altar in the middle of the Catacombe wee will freely yeeld you For say you not your selfe that it was a place in which the antient Bishops of Rome were wont to retire themselves in time of persecution If so it was well they had an Altar Those were no times to be sollicitous about the placing of the same as before we told you Next in Saint Peters Church in the Vatican you have found an Altar called Altare Maggiore but the worst is you know not where to place it The Italian Author whom you cite tels you the posture of this High Altar was in the midst of the Quire and yet Chemnitius whom you cite p. 222. and allow of too hath placed it ante Chorum before the very Quire This as you say was not observed by your former Author you say true indeed Your former Author if you report him right hath placed it in the midst of the Quire and therefore could not well observe that it stood before it But stand it where it will what are you the wiser Do you not finde in Walafridâ—s Strabo that in this very Church there are many Altars some placed towards the East and some in others parts thereof Altaria non tantum in Orientem sedetiam in alias partes esse distributa And finde you not also in Chemnitius that in that very Church there are an hundred and nine Altars and then no marvell if some of them stand in the middle of the Quire and some before it Nor doth Chemnitius speak at all of that Altare Maggiore which before you spake of for ought there appeares but only tels you apud Altare ante Chorum that before the Quire there was an Altar And which most cleerely shewes your falshood hee most perfectly distinguisheth that before the Quire from that under the whiâ—h Saint Peter and Saint Paul lie buried which your Italian Author speakes of by the number of Indulgences You might have spared Chemnitius well enough for any service hee hath done you but that you love to clog your margin And for Saint Peters Altar place it where you will either in the middle of the Quire or before the doore you cannot thence conclude that there was no High Altar anciently at the East end of the Church no more than if a man should say there is an Altar in the middle of King Henry the Seventh his Chappell at Westminster ergo there is no Altar at the East end of the Quire From Italy your Bookes transport you into Germany and there you heard another winters tale of that alacrity which Witikind the ancient Saxon found in the face of Charles the Great when hee began to approach that Table which was in the midst of the Church For this you cite Cranâ—zius in Metrop l. 1. c. 24. but there 's not one word that reflects that way in all that Chapter nor indeed could be if you marke it the Emperouâ— Charles being dead and buried Chapt. â—8 That which you meane is Chapt. 9. should 〈…〉 〈◊〉 you for this mistake and there indeed it is 〈◊〉 in this sort Postea vero mensam adierasâ— Templo mediam it a hilari mihi conspectus â—s vultu c. that the good Emperour changed his Countâ—â—ance at his approach unto the Table How â—eated Templo mediam What in the middle of the Church I cannot tell you that For then hee would have said in medio Templi and not Templo mediam The Table Templo media was the High Altar out of question and stood as now it doth at the upper end of the Quire and yet was Templo media just in the middle to the Church or â—any man that comming from the lower end did approach unto it Nor doth Hospinian tell us as you make him tell us that in the Reformation which the Helvetians made at Tigâ—re so great a Clerke as you should have called it Zuricâ— An 1527. they found that in old time the Foâ—t had beene situated in that very place where the Popish High Altar was then demolished 〈◊〉 onely saith Non obsâ—uris not is deprehensum esse that it was so conjeâ—tured by certaine signes And thinke that those signes might not deceive them Besides Hospinian speakes not of the Popish High Altar but cals it onely the High Altar Alâ—aâ—â— summum Popish was â—oysted in by you to make poore men beâ—eeve that all High Altars were ipso facto Popish Altars and therefore ipso facto to be demolished Such excellent arts you have to infuse faction in mens mindes as never any man had more From Germany you passe to France where you finde nothing for your purpose You are informed you say that there they doe not fasten their High Altars to the wall but the lesser or Requiem Altars only I dare bee bold to say no man ever told you so the contrary thereunto being so apparent as I my selfe can say of my own observation So that your generall being false that which you tell us of the rich Table in the Abbie Church of S. Denâ—s will conclude no more than your Cathedrall Church at Dover And yet you tell us false in that too For that the Table is not laied along the wall but stands Table-wisâ— you find not in the Theatre cited in the Margin that you have added of your owne Nor doth the Inscription which you bring prove that it standeth Table wise for the Inscription may as well fit an High Altar now as a Communion Table heretofore Besides how ever it was used before in case it bee not used so now it makes no matter how it stands For if it bee a Table onely a faire rich Table to â—eede the eye and not imployed in any of â—heir religious Offices place it in Gods name how you will and make your best of it having placed it
have brought him in discoursing with the men of Granthâ—m of the indifferenciâ— of this circumstance in its owne nature as in another place you make his Lordships opinion to be very indifferent in the said placing of the Table however the Rubrick of the Liturgie did seeme apparently to be against it Nor is he onely so resolved in point of judgement but hee is positive for the â—etting of it Altar-wise in point of practice the Table as you tell us in his Lordships private Chappell being so placed and furnished with Plate and Ornaâ—ents above any the poore Vicar had ever seene in this Kingdome the Chappell Royall only excepted A strange tale to tell that for the placing of the Table Altar-wise the Rubricke should bee so apparently against it and yet his Lordships opinion should be so indifferent in it his practice peremptorie for the formes observed in the Royall Chappell and yet that you should bee allowed and licenced to write kim kam so flatly contrary to that which in his owne house hee approves and practiâ—eth More strange that you should take this paines to falsifie your Authours and disturb the peace and uniformitie of the Church in matters of so low a nature wherein you would have no man disobey his Ordinarie Were you not taken with a spirit of giddinesse we should have found some constancie in you though but little truth But thus you deale with us throughout your Booke and wander up and downe you know not whither the biasse of your judgement drawing one way and your zeale unto the faction pulling you another way It seemes you have beene much distracted aliudque â—upido mens aliud suâ—det and you are still irresolute what to do or think Though for the present fit like the madde woman in the Poet you set upon the businesse with a video meliora proboque but will deteriorâ— sequi do wee what wee can In which madde mood no wonder if you fall into many impertinencies and extravagancies to which now wee hasten and having made a full discovery of you in them will conclude the whole SECTION III. CHAP. IX A brief survey and censure of the first service of Extravagancies in the holy Table The Ministers extravagancies one of thâ— greatest part of his whole discourse His ignorant mistaking in the Mathematicks concerning the inventions of Euclide Archimedes and Pythagoras The Minister faulters in the originall of Episcopall autority His â—ringing in of Sancta Clara and Sancta Petra for the Iingle onely The Minister mistakes the case of the German Priests His â—â—vils at the â—â—rme of prayer before the Sermon and turning towards the East iâ— the Act of Prayer The Ministers ignorant endevours to advance the autority of the Archdâ—acons The Minister mistaken in the Diaconicoâ— What the Diacony was and that it addes but little to the dignitie of Archdeacons that the old Deacon had the keeping of it The Minister absurdly sets the Deacon above the Priest Poâ—tare Altare not an honour in the first Deacons but a service onely The little honour done by the Minister to the Arch-deacons in drawing down their petigree from the first Deacons The Ministers ignorant mistake in his own wâ—rd utensil The Minister subjects the â—riest to the autority of the Chuâ—chwarden and for thâ—t 〈…〉 Lindwood His ignorant dâ—â—rivations of the present Churchwarden from the old Oâ—conomus The Minister endevows to exclude the Clergie from medling in sacular mattâ—â—â— and to that 〈◊〉 abuseth the autoritie of the â—â—ciâ—â—â— Fâ—thers His ignorance in the Catâ—chisme and confident mistakes in that His heartlesse plea for bowing at the name of IESVS LAertius tel's us of Chrysippus the Philosopher that being a great Writer he took up every thing that came in his way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and swelled his Books with testimonies and quotations more then needed And thereupon Apollodoruâ— the Athenian used to say that taking from Chrysippus writings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that was either not his own or at all nothing to his purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Papers would be emptie of all manner of matter Our Minister of Lincoln Diocese is much like that Autor To make his Book look big upon us hee lâ—ft out nothing that hee met with in his own collections or had beene sent in to him by his friends to set out the worke and that it might appear a most learned piece hee hath dressed up his margin with quotations of all forts and uses But with so little judgement and election that many times he run's away so far from his mayâ— buâ—inesse and from the Argument which he took in hand that wee have much adoe to finde him And should one deal with him according to the hiâ—â— that wee have given us of Chrysippus we should find such a full in the mayn bulk of his discourse that the good man would have a very sorry frame to support his Table Such and so many are his impertinences and vagaâ—ies that the left part of all his worke is the holy Table though that were onely promiâ—ed in the Tâ—â—le and we may say therof in the Poâ—ts language Pars minima est ipsa puella sui the dresse is bigger then the body However that wee might not â—eem to have took all this pains in a thing of nothing I have reduced into the body of this answer what ever of him I could possibly bring in though by head and shoulders leaving the rest of his untractable extravagancies such as by no means could be brought into rank and order to be here examined by themselves In marshalling of the which I shall use no method but that which himself hath taught me which is to rank them as I finde them and as tâ—ey crosse me in my way taking them page by page as they are prâ—sented to my view or dish by dish as hee hath set them before us If you find any thing of the changeling in him or that his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do not proove as full of ignorance and falshood as his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is I should conceive my time ill spent in tracing him up and down in so wild a Labyrinth Besides we have in these extravagancies or vagaries some fine smacks of Puritanisme purposely sprinkled here and there to san ctifie and sweeten the whole performance and make it ad palatum to the Gentle Reader Begin then my dear brother of Boston and let us see what prety tales you have to tell us for entertainment of the time by way of Table-talke for justifying as you do the sitting of some men at the holy Sacrament I must needs thinke you have invited us unto a Common not an holy Table And first to passe away the time till your meate come's in you tell us two or three stories of Eâ—clidâ— and his finding out of the Iacobs staffe of Archimedes and his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when being in a brazen Lavâ—tory he had found the Corâ—net or
Writers But go we after you in your vagaries As you have brought the Priest to be inferior to the Deacon â—o you will do your best to bring him under the Churchwarden God help poore Priests that must be under so many Masters Churchwardens Deacons and who else soever you shall please to set above them But this you say is no new matter Churchwardens having beene of old the Bishops hand to put all mandates in execution that may concerne the utensils of the Church For proofe of this your Margin tels us Oeconomus est cui res Ecclâ—siastica gubernanda mandatur ab Episcâ—pâ— that the Churchwarden is an Officer to whom the government of Ecclesiasticall matters is committed by the Bishop A very honorable office You could not have bestowed a greater power upon the Chancellour himselfe And the Church-wardens are to thanke you that to advance their place and credit sticke not to 〈◊〉 your Authors and to straine your conscience and that too in so foul a manner that in my life I never knew an equall impudence There 's no such thing in Lindwood whom you have â—ited for your Author That adjunct ab Episcopo is yours not his then the Oâ—conomus there mentioned is no Church-warden but either a Farmour or a Bayliffe and last of all the Res Ecclescasâ—ica which is therein mentioned hath no relation unto the utâ—nsils of the Church but meerely to the Tithes and profits I must lay downe the caâ—e at large the better to detect your most shamelesse dealing â—he constitution is as followeth First for the title Rectores non residentes nec Vicarios habentes 〈…〉 That Parsons not being reâ—ident nor having any 〈◊〉 upon their 〈◊〉 shall by their 〈◊〉 be they as they prove 〈…〉 The body of the 〈…〉 in 〈◊〉 though more full in words 〈…〉 Now that we may the better know what is the meaning of the word 〈◊〉 we are thus instructed in the 〈…〉 What 〈◊〉 Episcopo No such matter not one word of that That 's an old tricke of yours and most 〈◊〉 yours of all the men I ever deale with How then why by the Rector onely Is he not called both in the title and the Text 〈…〉 his owne 〈◊〉 So alâ—o in the Glosse Dicitur 〈…〉 And what to do Either to farme their profits of them or to collect and manage their profits for them 〈…〉 sic bona Ecclâ—siastica administrent So that you have at oncâ— imposed foure falshoods â—n your Readers For first here 's no Churâ—hwarden but a Bayliffe or a Farmour nor he appointed by the Bishop but by the Parson and being appoinâ—â—d medleth not in any thing which doth concerne the 〈◊〉 of the Church but the profits of the Parsonage nor finally is here any word of executing 〈◊〉 but onely of maintaining hâ—spitalitie If this bâ— all you have to say I hope the 〈◊〉 may hold his owne without being over-awed by the 〈◊〉 of the Parish how great soever you would make them O but this iâ— not all say you for the Churchwarden iâ— an Ancient Gentleman come of a great pigge-house and coâ—en Germâ—n to the Bishop at most once removed For you conceive our Latine Canons now in force by calling him Oâ—conoâ—us make him relate uâ—to that 〈◊〉 Ecclesiasticall Officer famous in the 〈◊〉 and Latinâ— Councels next that of old he was as now a Lay-man some domesticke or kinâ—â—aâ— of the Bishops that managed all things belonging to the Church according to the direacion of the Bishop still you are out quite out in every thing you say The 〈◊〉 are not now in fâ—rcâ— as to the phraâ—e and Latine of them For they were paâ—â—ed in English in the Convocation and confirmed in English by King Iames the Latine translâ—â—ion of them is of no authoritie of no force at all And if you will needs borrow arguments from an identitie of names you should have first consulted the Civill Lawyâ—â—s who would have told you that Gardiâ—â—â—â— Ecclesiâ— is a more proper appellation of and for the Churchwarden then your 〈◊〉 Nor do the Authors whom you cite informe you that the old Oeconâ—â—â—â— was at first a Lay-man a friend or kinsâ—â—â— of the Bishops but a Church-man meerely 〈◊〉 unto whom you send us tels us plainly that at the first the Bishop hâ—d the absolute and sole disposing of the revenews of the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no man nor friend nor kinsman nor domesticke for ought there appeares being priviâ— to iâ— Which when it brought some â—eandall and complaint upon the Bishop it was ordained in the Councâ—ll of Chalâ—edon Can. 26. that the supreme administration of the Churches treasurie should still remaine in him as before it was but that â—e should appoint some one or otheâ—â—o be of counsell with him in his actions And from what ranke of men should they take that choice Not saith your Author from their domesticks or their kinsmen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but from the Clergie of the Diocesse Finde you in this that anciâ—ntly these Oeconomi were Lay-men of the Bishops kindred I thought you had beâ—ne better at a petigree then I see you are Otherwise you would never have derived our present Churchwardens from those old Oeconoâ—i those Clergâ—eâ—men Churchwardens as you please to call them of which if there be anything remaining in the Church of England you have it in the Treasures of Cathedrall Câ—urches The Deacons and the Churchwardens being thus advanced it is no wonder that the Priest be left to his medâ—tations as one that is no more then a dull spectatour and hath no sphere of activitie to move in O Godblesse say you all good holy Church-men from such a misadventure with contempt enough God blesse them too say I from all such merciâ—esse and hard-hearted men by whomsoever they are licensed who labour to advance in this sort the authoritie of Churchwardens or any other of that nature so high above their Minister Never did Clergie-man so licensed and allowed of speake so contemptiblie of the Ministerie as this man of Lincolnshire who though he bragges else-where of his buenas entranas as the Spaniards speake those good and tender bowels which he hath within him yet the shews little pitie of these poore mens cases which hee exposeth thus unto scorne and laughter But it is true and alwayes was that a mans enemies are those of his owne house and wee may speake it in the words though not the meaning of the Prophet Perditio tua exte est that thy destruction is from thy selfe O house of Israel This crie like that about the Pietie of the times being taken up we shall be sure to meete withall in every corner of your booke as if there were no life in the game you follow if pietie and the true promoters of it should not be kept upon the sent Nay you goe so farre at the last that you disable Clergie-men in a manner from being Executors and Over seers
Altar there was at the same Session an addition made to the Catechtsme and that likewise confirmed by Act of Parliament whereby all Children of this Church are punctually taught to name our two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper Which said you draw up this conclusion So as this judicious Divine was very ill Catechized that dares write it now the Sacrament of the Altar Bringing the Doctor to his Catechisme a man would sweare that you were excellent therein your selfe But such is your ill lucke that you can hit the maâ—ke in nothing For tell mee of your honest word when you were Catechised your selfe who taught you punctually to name the two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords Supper Marrie say you the Catechisme in the Common Prayer booke in the addition made unto it by Queene Elizabeth and confirmed by Parliament I will joynâ— issue on that point and lay my best preferment against yours that you were never taught so in that Catechisme I see it 's good sometimes to have a little learning in unlearned Liturgies You were past age good man to be taught your Catechisme when that addition was put to it Look into all the Common Prayer books of Queene Elizabeths time and if you finde mee that addition to the Catechisme in any of them I will quit the cause Not one word in the Churches Catechisme in all her reigne that doth reflect upon the Sacraments the number of them or the names That came in afterwards upon occasion of the Conference at Hampton Court where you have it thus Next to this Doctour Reynolds complained that the Catechisme in the Common Prayer booke was too briefe for which one by Master Nowell late Dean of Pauls was added and that too long for young Novices to learn by heart requested therefore that one uniforme Catechisme might be made which and none other should be generally received and it was asked of him whether if to the short Catechisme in the Communion book something were added for the doctrine of the Sacraments it would not serve You may perceive by this that till that time Annâ— 1603 there was no such addition to the Catechisme as you idly dream of which all the Children of this Church your selfe especially for one were taught when they were children and required to learn it Nor was this Catechisme so inlarged confirmed by Parliament you are out in everie thing but onely by King Iames his Proclamation which you may finde with litle labour before your Common Prayer book if at lest you have one You are so full of all false dealings with all kinde of Authors that rather then be out of work you will corrupt your verie Primmer Non fuit Autolyci tâ—â— piceata manus Like him that being used to steale to keepe his hand in use would be stealing rushes And now we thought we should have done For seeing after all this entertainment that you were putting your selfe into a posture and began to bow it was supposed you would have said grace and dismissed the companie But see how much we were mistaken The man is come no further then his poâ—tage in all this time His stooping onely was to eat and not to reverence Being to speak of Altars mentioned in the Apostles Canons he call's them Larders Store-houses and Pâ—ntries or if hee speake of the Communion-table placed Altarwise hee call's it dresser Now comming though unnecessarily his Argument considered to speak of bowing at the name of IESVS he cannot but compare it to a messe of pottage and comming so opportunely in his way he cannot choose but fall upon it One would conjecture by his falling to that he did like it very well but if wee note the manner of his eating there is no such matter For marke wee how hee â—all's upon it Giving those proud Dames to Donatus that practise all manner of Curtesies or Masks and Dances but none by any means for Christ at their approach to the holy Table he add's that this come's in as pat as can be How so Marry say you the Doctor was serving in his first messe of Pottage and the Bishop as the saying is got into it and hath quite spoiled it by warning a yong man that was complained of for being a little santasticall in that kinde to make his reverence humbly and devoutly Doth this come in so pat thinke you The Vicar was no prond Dame was he Nor did the Alderman complaine of him for his light behaviour in bowing towards the holy Table but in bowing at the name of IESVS Yet on you run from bowing towards or before the Communion-table to bowing at the name of IESVS as if both were one both warranted or enjoyned rather by the same Canon and Injunction though you had said before that bowing though to honour him and him onely in his holy Sacrament is not enjoyned by the Canon But being falne upon the dish doe you like the relish No You must like no more of it then the Bishop doth The Bishop he must have it done to procure devotion not derision and you will have us keep old Cerâ—â—onies so that we taint them not with new fashions especially apâ—sh ones Would you would tell us what those apish fashions are that wee should avoid or perswade him to tell us what we are to doe to avoid derision of and from the scornfull All our behaviour in that kinde will be accounted apish by such men as you and being ex tripode by you pronounced for apish must needs procure dâ—rision from such men as they A lowly and accustomed reverence to this blessed name we have received you grant from all Antiquitie but when wee come to do that reverence you dislike it utterly Two sorts of bowings you have met with in the Eastern Churches the greater when they bowed all the bodie yet without bending of the knee lowly and almost to the Earth the lesser when they bowed the head and shoulders only But then againe you are not certaine whether that any of these were used in the Westerne Church and by them delivered over unto us So that you like nothing but to make a courtesie and yet not that neither if it be not a lowly curtesie Now to see men and amongst men the Priests make a lowly curtesie Onely by bending of the knee without the bowing of the whole body or the head and shoulders must needs be taken for a new and an apish fashion fit to procure derision onely and not devotion and so you leave no reverence to bee done at all Assuredly you meane so though you dare not say it For having slubbered over so great a point in that slovenly fashion you shut it up with this proportionable close and so much for your preamble that is your Pottage I see you mind your belly and therefore we will step down unto the Hatch and send you up the second course of your Extravagancies which how well you have cooked
will be seene apparantly when wee are come to execute the Carvers Office CHAP. X. The second service of Extravagancies sent up and set before his guests by the Minister of Lincoln The Metaphoricall Altar in the Fathers good evidence for the proofe of Reall Altars in the Church Ignatius corrupted by Vedelius My Lord of Chichesters censure of Vedelius The Minister misreports Saint Bernard and makes ten Altarâ— out of foure A new originall of the Table in the Christian Church from the Table of Shew-bread the Ministers fumbling in the same deserted by those Autors that he brings in for it The Minister pleads strongly for sitting at the holy Sacrament and for that purpose falsifieth Baronius misreports Saint Austin and wrongs Tertullian The Benedictines sit not at the Sacrament on Maundy Thursday Of the Seiur de Pibrac The Minister advocates for the Arians and will not have them be the Authors of sitting at the holy Sacrament and for that cause deals falsly with the Polish Synods which impute it to them Three Polish Synods ascribe the sitting at the Sacrament to the modern Arians The ignorance of the Minister about accipere reservare in Tertullian What the Stations were Lame Giles The Minister slights the appellation of the second Service as did the Writer of the letter and brings in severall arguments against that division The Ministers ignorance in the intention of the Rubriâ—ks Of setting up a Consistory in the midst of service The autority of the Priest in repulsing unworthy persons from the Sacrament defended against the Ministers He sets a quarrell between Cathedrall and Parochiall Churches and mistakes the difference between them The Injunctions falsified Of being ashamed at the name of the Lords Table The Minister ashamed at the name of Altar Of pleasing the people and the Ministers extreme pursuit thereof The Minister falsly chargeth on the Doctor a foolish distinction of the Dyptychs The conclusion NOw for your second course it consists most of Lincolnshire provision such as your own home yields without further search some sorts of fish as Carpes and many a slipperie Eele but fowle abhominable fowle forgeries fowle mistakes fowle dealing of all kindes what ever Nor can I choose but marvell that in such verietie there should be neither knot nor good-wit or any thing that 's rare and daintie all ordinarie fowle but yet fowle enough To take them as they lie in order for I was never curious in my choice of diet the first that I encounter with is a Quelque Chose made of all Altars a stately and magnificent service ten of them in a dish no lesse And this you usher in with great noise and ceremonie assuring us that there we have what ever of that kind the whole world can yield us If any of us have a minde to offer any spirituall sacrifices of one sort or other the ancient Fathers have provided you of severall Altars for them all so many that God neuer required more for these kinde of sacrifices Take heed you fall not short of so large a promise for you have raised our expectation to a wondrous height But such is your ill lucke that vaunting so extremely of your great performances you perform nothing worth the vaunting For neither are these severall Altars which you have set forth nâ—r have you set forth all the Altars that are presented to you by the ancient Fathers and lastly were they either all or severall they conclude nothing to your â—urpose Your purpose is to shew unto your credulous Readers that there is no materiall Altar to be used in a Christian Church and for a proof thereof you maâ—e a muster of all those severall Metaphors and Allegorieâ— which you have met with in old Writers concerning Altars This did you weigh it â—s you ought crosseth directly all your purpose and at one blow casts downe that building which you so labour to erect All Metaphors and Allegories must relate to somewhat that is in being and when a thing is once in being severall wits may descant and dilate upon it as their fancie serves them I hope you will not think that there was no such thing as the Garden of Eden no such particular Vestments for the Priesâ—s or sacrifices for the people because the ancient Writers some of them at lest have drawn them into Allegories or can aâ—â—ord you at fiâ—st word a Metaphoricall Ephod a Metâ—phoricall Pâ—sch or a Metaphoricall Paradise You know what â—â—imme devices may be found in Durand about the Church the Quire the Altar the ornaments and utensils of earth the habit of the Priests the Prelate and whatsoever doth pertaine unto a Church to the very Bell-ropes And yet you would be laugâ—t at by all strangers more then you were when you demanded how the Altar stood in forreine Churches should you affirme that in the Church of Rome whereof Durand was therâ— neither was a Priest nor Prelate neither Quires Altars Churches or any ornaments or utensils to the same belonging Or to come nearer to our selves there is a booke entiâ—uled Catechismus ordinis equitum Periscelidis written long since by Belvaleti the Popes Nuncio here and published in the yeare 1631. by Bosquierus wherein the Author makes an Allegorie on the whole habit of the Order the matter colour fashion wearing to the very girdle And were not you or he that should approve you in it a wise peece indeed if on the reaâ—ing of that booke you should give out that really and materially there is no such habit worne by the Knights of that most honourable Order as vaine men conceive but that their habite is as some made the Saint onely an allegorie a symbol or a metaphore So that if all you say were granted and that your ten tropicall metaphoricall Altars were ten times doubled that would make to the prejudice of that reall and materiall Altar which hath continued in the Church of Christ since the Primitive times Nay as before I said those metaphors conclude most strongly for a reall Altar as the conceits of Belâ—â—aleti Durand and some ancient Fathers do for the realtie of those severall subjects on which they did expresse their fancies This said we might put by this service as not worth the tasting made rather to delight the eye with various shews then to feed the stomacke but we will fall aboard however were it for nothing but to shew what Quelque choses you have set before us Now the first Altar of your ten is Ignatius his Altar the Councell of the Saints and the Church of the first-begotten For this you send us to his Epistle ad Ephesios where there was never any such matter to be found till your good friend Vedelius brought the old Father under his correction and made him speake what ever he was pleased to have him Ignatius were he let alone would have told another tale then what you make him tell betweene you For there he tells you of those
up and downe as one that knows not what to trust to as most an end they do not that propose new fancies For p. 125. you bring in the conceits of two Iewish Rabbins tending you say unto your purpose How fo Ezek. 4. 22. it should be 41. 22. it is thus written And he said unto me this is the Table before the Lord meaning without doubt the Altar of incense You say exceeding right in that the Table spoken of by the Prophet is the Altar of incense but what hath that to do with the Table of Shew-bread This you confirme by that which followeth The question then grows how the Altar is called a Table and you replie unto it from those Rabbins that at this day the Table performes what the Altar was wont to do Where first you blend together the Table oâ— the Shew-bread and the Altar of Incense as if both one thing and next you make the Rabbins speake of the Christian Table as if it did performe what the Altar should whereas they spake it of their owne For why should you beleeve that any of the Rabbins would conceive so honourably of the Christian Tables that since the destruction of the Temple they should become the place of sacrifice and propitiation Assuredly the Iews have no such conceit of the holy Table and it was done but like a Gentile to report so of them Last of all where before you make the holy Table to be exemplified from the long-table of the Shew-bread you shut up this vagarie with this handsome close that the onely utensil you relate unto for the forme and fashion of your Table is the long-square table of the Incense Which as it plainly contradicts what you said before touching the Petigree of the holy Table from the Table of Shew-bread so it confutes the Scripture also which never told you of a Table but an Altar of Incense or if a Table yet a square table certainly for foure-square shall it be saith the very Text Exod. 30. 2. So excellent an invention was your new originall of the Christian Table and so bravely followed But then you say you have some Authors for it so you have for every thing till it is brought unto the tryall Remember what you are to prove and then shew your evidence The point in issue is that the forme and situation of the holy Table in the Christian Church is not exemplified from the square Altars but from the long Table of the Shew-bread that stood in the Temple If you have any of the Fathers that speak home to this we are gone in law but all your witnesses fall short Isidore Peleusiota whom you first bring in speakes neither of the forme nor situation of the Christian Table But when a doubt was moved by Benjamin a Iew touching the new oblation in the Christian Church that it was done in bread and not in bloud as were the sacrifices of the law he makes replie unto the saâ—e that by the law there were both bloudy sacrifices performed without 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the open Court and that withiâ— the Temple there was a tabe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to be looked on by that people whereon bread was placed Then addes that the said Benjamin was one of those and that he did not know that truth which had beene hidden in the law but was now revealed This is the totall of his evidence And this makes nothing for the forme and situation of the Table which was the matter to be proved but onely that as he conceived the Shew-bread did prefigurate somâ—what which afterwards was instituted in the Christian Church And let me tell you as a friend that if you presse this matter hard as if our Christian sacrifice did relate to that you give the Papists more advantage for their halfe Communion then you will gaine unto your selfe about the forme and fashion of your holy Table You say indeed it will be long yer we will bring so cleare and ancient an extruction for the forme and fashion of the Altars in Christianitie though you brought nothing hence for either When we see more we shall know better what to answer To make a transcript of your allegations from Irenaeus and S. Ambrose Origen and Hierome being no more unto the purpose were onely to wast time and paper All that they say is nothing to the forme and situation of the holy table but to the analogy and proportion betweene the bread in the Lords Supper now and the Shew-bread then yet you falsifie your Authors also to make that good You tell us out of Irenaeus that omnes justi sacerdotalem habent ordinem and you say true they are his words But when you say all that are justified by Christ have a Priestly interest in this holy bread though it be true you say had it beene your owne yet you untruly father it upon Irenaeus who in his fourth booke cap. 20. whither you referre us tell 's us no such matter The like may be affirmed of Saint Hierome also whom you have cited twice for the self-same puâ—pose viz. In Epist. ad Tit. c. 1 and in Ezek. c. 44. though neither in his comment on that whole Epistle or in his exposition on Ezek. c. 44. or cap. 41. which was most like to be the place can we finde any thing at all which reflects that way But what need further search be made in so cleere a case and such as doth relate so little to the point in hand Especially since another of your Auâ—hors Cornelius à Lapide from whom you borrowed your quotations in the margin p. 126 out of Saint Hierom in Malach. 1. Cyrill Catech. myst cat 4. and Damâ—scen de orthod fid i. 4. c. 14. takes these interpretations to be onely Allegories as indeed they are Allegoricè mensa panum propositionis significabat mensam corporis sanguinis Christi as in the Tropologicall sence saith hee it signifies the works of mercie Take for a farewell to the rest that if you will derive the forme and situation of your holy Table from the Table of Shew-bread Your table must not stand at all within the Chancell nor in the middle of the Church but on the North side of the Church as you your selfe have placed it out of Philo p. 210. which though it thwarts as well your owne booke as the Bishops letter Yet you proclaime you care not how the Altars stood either in the Iewish or Popish Church your Table being quite of another race And take this with you too for the close of all that if your Table be descended of the race you mean it is more Iewish then the Altar there being Altars doubtlesse before Moses Law but no Tables of Shew-bread Nor can the Altars be more Popish then your holy table there being Altars in the Church when there were no Papists I did before conjecture that you had invited us unto a
owne words are But then you had done well to have told us also how highly hee condemnes it in them and how irreverent he concâ—ived it assidere sub aspectâ— contraque aspectum ejus to sit them downe under the noâ—es as wee use to say of those verie Gods whom they did worship and adore This had been some faire dealing in you could it have stood with your designe of justifying the use of sitting in the holy Sacrament Nay more then so you say of Cardinall Peron that he brings a passage out of Tertullian to prove that some of the ancient Christians did adore sitting and that this position of theirs this sitting Tertullian did not blame Not blame Why man Tertullian mentions it for nothing else but to reprehend it Nor was it then a custome to adore sitting as you say Tertullian never told you that nor the Cardinall neither But adsignata oratione assidendi mos est quibusdam some men assoone as they had done their praiers were presently upon their breech as you would have them now at the praiers themselves Never did any wretched cause meet a fiâ—tâ—r Advocate You would perswade us that there is little feare that here in England the people will clap them dâ—wne upon their breech about our holy Table so I heare you say But by those many libelâ—â—us and seditious Pamphlets that have been scattered up and down since your book came out wee finde the contrary Perhaps the goodnesse of their Advocate makes them more forwards in the cause I hope you know your owne words and in them I speak telling you If you were a scholar you would have beene ashamed to write this Diviâ—itie For forreigne Churchâ—s next you tax the Doctour as if hee did conclude the Ceremonies of so many neighbouring Protestants to be unchristian altogether Where finde you such a passage in him All that the Doctour said is this that it was brought into the Churches first by â—oth the modern Arians who stubbornly gainsaying the Divinitie of our Lord and Saviour thought it no robberie to be equall with him and sit down with him at his Table and for that cause most justly banished the reformed Church in Poland And for the proof of this he saith it was determined so in a generall Synod as being a thing not used in the Christian Church tantumque prâ—priâ— infidelibus Ariâ—nis but proper to the Arians onely This goes extremely to your heart so that you cannot choose but wish that he had spared to abuse that grave Synod to make them say peremptorily haec ceremonia Eccâ—esiis Christianis non est usitata especially as â—ee 〈◊〉 in into English this ceremony is a thing not used in the Christian Church Why how would you translate it were you put to do it The most that you could do were to change the number and render it the Christian Churches for the Christian Church which how it would â—dvantage you I am yet to seek But being so translated what have you to object against it or to make good that he hath any way abused so grave a Synod Marry say you the Synod saith 〈◊〉 ceremonia licet cum 〈◊〉 liberâ— c. this ceremonie howsoever in its owneâ—nature it be indiffâ—â—â—ent and free as the rest of the Ceremonies c. Which you say sweetens the 〈◊〉 very much And so it doth indeed sweetneth it very much to them which have a libertie to use iâ— but not to them who are restrained to another gesture Nor had you noted it being so impertinent but that you would be thought a Champion for mens Christian liberty as before I told you Next you object they doe not say it is a thing not used in the Christian Church that being a corruption of the Doctors but that it is not used in the Christian and Evangelicall Churches nostri consensus which agreed with them in the Articles of Confession If so the Doctour was too blame and shall cry peccavi But it is you that finger and corrupt the Synod The Doctour tooke it as he found it Hâ—â—c ceremonia licet cum caeter is libera Ecclesiis Christianis coetibus Evangelicis â—on est usitata are the very words If you can finde nostri consensus there it must be of your owne hand-writing There is no such matter I am sure in the printed books It 's true that in the former words it is so expressed ne sessio sit in usu ad mensam Domini in ullis â—ujus consensus Ecclesiis that sitting at the Lords Table be not used in any of the Churches of their CoÌ„fession That 's nationall as unto themselves But then the reason followes which is universall Haec enim ceremonia c. because that ceremonie was not used in any of the Christian Churches or Evangelicall assemblies This is the place the Doctour presâ—ed and you can finde no consensus nostri there I am sure of that Nay it had been ridiculous nonsence such as you use to speak somtimes if it had been so Now where you tell the Doctor that he â—â—ole this passage from the Altar of Damascus and having 〈◊〉 it did coâ—rupt it â— hee must needs answer for himselfe that it is neither so nor so The Altar of Damascus doth report the place in terminis as it is extant in the Synod and as the Doctor layed it down in his 〈…〉 Altar Noâ— did he ever know 〈…〉 till you dâ—rected him unto it But â—o or not so all is one in your opinion For both the Altar and the Coale are quite mistaken as you give out in thinking that the Synod did ever say that this ceremony was brought in or used by the 〈◊〉 Arians Neither brought in nor used that were strange indeed What is it then that they intend Onely say you that it is Arianis propria a thing fitter for the Arians who by their doctrine and tenâ—ts placed themselves cheeke by joule with the Sonne of God then for devout and humble Christians compassed about with neighbours so fundamentally hereâ—icall And this you say the Altar espied at last to be the meaning of the Synod that sitting was proper to the Arians not by usage but secundum principia doctrinae suae by the principles of their doctrine onely and so conclude that contrary to all truth of story the Doctor makes it first brought in by the moderne Arians Had you looked forwards in the Synod you had found it otherwise For there it followeth that sitting at the holy Sacrameâ—t first crept into their Churches potiss mum occasione auspicio illorum c. especially by occasion and example of those men which miserably had fallen away and denyed the Lord that bought them Nor was it so resolved in this Synod onely Anno 1583. It was concluded so before in the Synod of Petricone in the yeare 1578. that sitting at the Lords Table was first taken up by them who rashly
are upon a sudden and yet how suddenly doe you fall againe to your former follies That booke as grave and pious as it is was never intended as you say in that which followes to give Rubrickes to the publike Liturgie and therefore howsoever the Fast-booke cals it so grave and pious though it were let never any Country Vicar in Lincolne Diocese presume to call it so hereafter Iust so you dealt before with his Majesties Chappell Having extolled it to the heavens and set forth all things in the same as wisely and religiously done yet you are resolute that Parish Churches are not nor ought not to be bound to imitate the same in those outward circumstances A grievous sinne it was no doubt for the poore Vicar to apply the distribution of the Service in the booke of Fast unto the booke of Common-Prayer and it was very timely to be done to excuse him in it as if he did relate onely to the Book of Fast. Else who can tell but that the Alderman of Grantham and the neighbours there might have conceived he used it in imitation of the two Masses used of old that viz. of the Catechumeni and that of the Faithfull neither of which the Alderman a prudent and discreet but no learned man nor any of his neighbours had ever heard of Great reason to excuse the Vicar from so foule a crime which God knows how it might have scandalized poore men that never had tooke notice of it till it was glanced at in the letter The Vicar being thus excused you turne your stile upon the Doctor for justifying the distribution of the Common Prayers into a first and second service You said even now that you approved the appellation yet here you give us severall Arguments for reproofe thereof For first say you the Order of Morning Prayer is not as the poore man supposeth the whole Morning Prayer but a little fragment thereof called the Order of Matins in the old Primers of King Henry the eight King Edward the sixth and the Primer of Sarum what no where else Do you not finde it in your Common-Prayer book to be called Mattins Look in the Calendar for proper Lessons and tell me when you see me next how you finde it there Matens and Evensong â—aith it there Morning and Evening Prayer saith the Booke else-where which makes I trow the order of Morning prayer to be the same now with the order of Mattins and that in the intention of the Common-Prayer Book not in the Antient Primers onely Not the whole Morning prayer say you but you speake without booke your booke instructing you to finde the full course and tenor of Morning and Evening Prayer throughout the yeare Yet you object that if we should make one service of the Mattins we must make another of the Collects and a third of the Letaâ—â—e and the Communion at the soonest will be the fourth but by no meanes the second service Why Sir I hope the Collects are distributed some for the first and others for the second service there 's no particular service to be made of them And for the Letanie comparing the Rubrick after Quicunque vult with the Queenes Injunctions that seemes to be a preparatorie to the second service For it is said there That immediately before the time of Communion of the Sacrament the Priests with other of the Quire shall kneele in the midst of the Church and sing or say plainly the Letany c. And you may marke it in some Churches that whiles the Letanie is saying there is a Bell tolled to give notice unto the people that the Communion service is now coming on Secondly you object that by this reckoning we shall have an entire service without a prayer for King or Bishop which you are bold to say and may say it boldly is in no Liturgie this day either Greeke or Latine Stay here a while Have you not found it otherwise in your observations What say you then to these O Lord save the King then Endue thy Ministers with righteousnesse Are these no praiers for King or Bishop Those which come after in the Letanie that in the praier for the Church militant â—re but the same with these though more large and full Thirdly say you the Act of Parliament doth call it service and not services therefore for so you must conclude there is no distribution of it to be made into first and second So in like sort say I the Act of Parliament doth call it Common-prayer and not Common-prayers therefore upon the self same reason there is no distribution to be made of praiers for plentie and prayers for peace prayers for the King and prayers for the Clergie prayers for the â—ick and prayers for the sound sic de caeteris Lastly you make the true and legall division of our Service to be into the Common-praier and the Communion the one to be officiated in the Reading Pew the other at the holy table disposed coÌ„veniently for that purpose If so then wheÌ„there is no Communion which is you know administred but at certain times then is there no division of the service and consequently no part therof to be officiated at the hâ—ly table which is expresly contrâ—ry to the Râ—brick after the Communion You are like I see to prove a very able Minister you are so perfect in your Portuis But now take heed for you have drawn your streÌ„gths together to give the poore Doctor a greater blow accusing him of conjuring up such doctrine as might turn not a few Parsons and Vicars out of their Benefices in short time How so Why by incouraging them in a Book printed with Licence I see you are displeased at the licence still to set up a consistorie in the midst of divine Service to examine in the same the worthines of all Communicants The Doctor findes it in his Rubrick that so many as intend to be partakers of the holy Communion shall signifie their names unto the Curate over night or else in the morning before the beginning of Morning Prayer or immediately after From whence and from the following Rubricks the poore Doctor gathered that in the intention of the Church there was to be some reasonable time betweene Morning Prayer and the Communion For otherwise what liesure could the Curate have to call before him notorious evillâ—livers or such as have done wrong to their neighbours and to advertise them not to presume to come unto the Lords Table or what spare time can you afford him betweene the Reading Pew and the holy Table to reconcile those men betweene whom he perceiveth malice and hatred to reigne c. as he is willed and warranted to do by his Common-Prayer Booke Call you this setting up a Consistorie in the middest of Service You might have seene but that you will not that here is nothing to be done in the midst of service but in the
and Cathedrals guilty of some fowle transgressâ—on the better to expose them unto censâ—re also The Doctor charged thus on the Epistolar whosoever he was in his Coal from the Altar and you confesse the action in your holy Table For reckoning it amongst the Doctors faynings that the writer of the Letter would cunningly draw the Chappels and Cathedrals to a kinde of Praemunire about their Communion-tablâ—s you answer that he fayles for the writer confesseth hee doth allow and practice it Allow and practise it What it It is a relative and points to that which went before viz. a cunning purpose and intent to draw Chappels and Cathedrals into a kinde of Praemunire which you acknowledge in plaine termes the writer doth allow and practise Adeo veritas ab invitâ—â— etiaâ— pectoribus â—rumpit said Lactantius truly It seemes your book was not so thoâ—â—wly perused as the Licence intimates for if it had this passage had not bin so left to bewray the businesse Yet you fall fowle upon the Doctor and reckon it as one of his extravagancies that he should charge the writer for making such a difference between the Chappels and Cathedrals â—n the one side and the Parochials on the other in the point of Altars the Lawes and Canons in that point looking indifferently on all Which said you tell him of some speciall differences which he knew before made by tâ—e Canons themselves betweene Cathedrals and Parochiall Churches But Sir the question is not of those things wherin the Canons make a difference as in Copes monethly Communions and such like which there you instance in but in those things wherin they make no difference as in placing of the table And yet you are besides the â—ushion too in stating of those very differeÌ„ces which your selfe proposeth One difference that you make betweene them is in the place of reading the Letany which is officiated as it ought would be found no difference You know that in Cathedrall Churches the Letanie is said or sung in the middle of the Quire where Morning and Evening Prayer are appointed to be said and you may know that in all Parish Churches by the Queenes Injunctions which you have given us for a Canon the Priests with others of the Quâ—re shall kneele in the midst of the Church where Morning and Evening Praier are said and sing or say plainly and distinctly the Letanie set forth in English Another difference that you make is that Cathedrals are excepted from delivering to the Queenes Commissioners the Ornaments and Iewels of their Churches the Articles expresly naming the Church-wâ—rdens of every Parish onely Not to take notice of the sâ—quele which is weak and wrested we will reply unto the Fact and tell you plainly there was no such matter as delivering to the Queens Commissioners the ornaments or jewels of the Parish Churches which you would gladly thrust upon us All that you finde in the Injunction to which you send us is that the Church-wardens of every Parish shall deliver unto the Visiters the Inventories of Vestments copes and other ornaments Plate Books especially Grayls c. apperteining to their Church You see that not the Ornaments themselves but the Inventories of them were to be delivered to the Queenes Commissioners Noâ— had you so expresly falsified the Queens Injunction but that you finde the Piety of the times inclining to adoâ—â—e the Churches and you would fain cast somewhat in the way to hinder the good worke which is now in hand by telling those which love to â—eare it that in the reformation made by Queene Elizabeth all Ornaments were took away as tending unto Popery and Superstition The lowest dish of all as lest worth the looking after is an extravagant wilde fâ—wle which either hath no name or is ashamed of it The Writer of the Letter had â—aid unto the Vicar that he did hope he had more learning then to conceive the Lords Table to be a new name and so to be ashamed of the name This saith the Doctour might have well been spared there being none so void of piâ—tle and understanding as to be scandalized at the name of the Lords Table as are some men it seemes at the name of Altar saving that somewhat must be said to perswade the people that questionlesse such men there were the better to indeere the matter Now you reply to the last clause of being scandalized and ashamed at the name of the Lords table that surely of that kinde there are too many in the world some calling it a profane Table as the Rhemists others an â—yster-boâ—rd and an oyster table the Vicar if his neighbours charged him rightly a Tresle and you know who a Dresser why was that left out This said you fall upon the Author of the Latine determinatâ—on onely to make the mâ—n suspected of bâ—ing ashamed of the name of Table and then upon the Church of Rome as being you say the true Adversary that the letter aymed at for leaving out of her Canon in the Reformation of the Missall by Pope Pius Quintus this very name of the holy Table against the practise of all Antiquitie and precedent Liturgies But Sir consider in cold bloud that that determination came not out till five or six yeares after the Bishops letter Your selfe hath given it for a rule that as all Prophets are not Ordinaries sâ— all Ordinaries are not Prophets and therfore certâ—inly the writer of the letter being no Prophet as you say could not at all reflect on this determination Then for the Church of Rome that comes in as idly just as the Germâ—ns were brought in to beat downe all the Altars there because the Country people here were scandalized therwith in their Parish Churches Whether the Church of Rome be ashamed or not at the name of Table is not materiall to this purpose the letter being writ in English and scattered up and downe amongst English men and therefore had you brought us some of them that had conceived the Lords Table to be a new name or were ashamed thereof you had then done well Which since you have not done but wandred up and downe in a maze or circle 〈…〉 I â—ee you will be served in state your second course being tooke away there is a banquet yet remaining some sweet meats from Placentia and a piece of 〈◊〉 There is a 〈…〉 in the maine discourse and an 〈…〉 in the ordering of it both of them intermixt so artificially that it is hard to be discerned whether of the two bee most predominant But here you give it cleere for the â—t pâ—pulo 〈◊〉 yea and ut magno in populo too to make sure the matter not onely justifying your owne poore endeavours in that kinde but falling foule upon the Doctor because he joynes not with you in the undertaking You tell us that the first Protâ—sâ—aâ—â—s of the Reformation had a better opinion of the coâ—mon people and that the