gracious Lords upon reason of State used some connivence and extended an hand of mercy and sometimes an arme of protection over them We may finde that the Emperours caused sundry edices upon petitions of grace preferred by diverse pious and worthy persons unto them to be issued out in their behalfe as that of Trajan hoc genus non inquirondum This was in the third perâ—ecution Anno. 98. Nerva before eos absolvâ— volâ—it This was Anno. 96. Domitian in contempt of the meane and despicable condition of the brethren of our Saviour did the like tenne yeares before This was in the second persecution Anno. 81. Hence it was that St. Iohn returned againe from banishment and dwelt at Ephesus and remained Bishop there as afore Adrian succeeded these in his favourable edicts in the behalfe of Christians Ne turbentur Saint Iustin putteth Antonius Pius his sonne in minde thereof This was Anno. 117. Antonius Pius upon the petition of this holy man did the like And this was Anno. 138. Melito Bishop of Sardis confesseth it to be true that Nero and Domitian at the instigation of some wicked men persecuted the Christians but that Domitian upon better consideration relented And that the Emperours Ancestours to Antoninus Verus did support and defend them as he also did this was Anno. 161. But Marcus Aurelius as he had just cause not onely defended them but commanded their enemies to bee burnt quicke because by their prayers his Army was refreshed with water in a great famine and drought and his enemyes the Germanes were burnt with firy hayle storme Iulius Capitolinus witnesseth the same Fulmen de coelo pâ—ecibus suis contra hostium macâ—inamentum sc. Legio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dicta extorsit suis pluvia impetrata cum siti laborarent This peace Commodus granted unto the Vniversall Church throughout all the world In his time Bacchylus was Bishop of Corinth and Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus This peace was Anno. 180. And in the seventh persecution Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria in his Epistle to Stephen Bishop of Rome confesseth that all the Christians then enjoyed peace And this was in the eighth persecution under Decius Anno. 256. Galienuâ— granted the like edicts under whom and Valerianus was the ninth persecution This was Anno. 260. Heare now what Tertullian will say to this purpose who was 140. yeares before Eusebius The Lawes made against Christians Trajanus ex parte frustratus est vetando inquiri in Christianos And Hadrian Vespasian Antoninus Pius Antoninus Verus would never urge the execution of them Let saith he M. Aurelius his letter be produced hereby it will appeare that he quit the Christians from all danger of punishment and denounced death to their accusers And gives the reason before specified The name of Christians saith he came in under Tiberius who threatned punishment against all those that accused them Domitian indeed began to persecute them but hee quickly relented Caeterum de tot exinde principibus ad hodiernum Divinum humanumque sapientibus edite aliquem debellatorem Christianorum At nos è contrario edimus protectorem The Christians then it seemes by Tertullian from the time of Domitiam Anno. 81. unto the Raigne of Severus when Tertullian lived found Protectors not all great persecutors this was Anno 193. Nero excepted the Heathen could not shew from the Raigne of Tiberius when Christianity began how any one Emperour sought to root them out but hee could let them see that very many had shewed them favour Christians therefore for feare of Tyrants were not faine for 200. yeares together to live in Woods and Caves under the ground But their Churches were built and frequented and their Bishops well respected and this favour continued till about the nineteenth of Dioclesian Anno. 298. And Dioclesian was the first persecutor that I can finde that caused Churches and Oratories to be broken downe which had beene soone done if Christians had no Churches till above 200. yeares after Christ. CAP. 6. Of the succession of Bishops in their severall Sees S. Ambrose's art to save his Church and Altar standing Synods assembled Power of the Keyes exercised The wealth of the Church of Rome The multitude of Christians a terror to Heathen IT is also manifest that there is a continued succession of Bishops from the Apostles times unto the Nicene Councell And the Catalogue of the foure most famous Sees of Ierusalem Antioch Alexandria Rome appeare in Eusebius And it is probable that the godly Bishops preserved their Churches standing in those dangerous times by the selfesame art whereby S. Ambrose kept his from surprising of Arrian Hereticks Fervebat enim tunc persecutio saith he The art was Christian fortitude and patience Sanè si me vis aliqua abduceret ab Ecclesia carnem meam exturbari posse non mentem potuistis advertere Me you should finde ready Vt si Imperator faceret quod solet esse regiae potestatis ego subirem quod Sacerdotis esse consuevit Quid ergo turbamini volens nunquam jus deseram coactus repugnare non novi I will not willingly betray my Church but submit to what the Emperour will cause to be done Dolere potero potero flere potero gemere Adversus arma milites Gothos quoque lachrymae arma sunt Talia enim munimenta sunt Sacerdotum So our holy Bishops in the ten persecutions commended the preservation of the houses of God who would surely as David did looke unto his owne house when by prayers and teares he was forced so to do Vis haec Deograta A broken and a contrite heart thou canst not despise The Heathen are entred into thine inheritance Lay hand upon the shield and buckler Why pluckest thou not thy right hand out of thy bosome Thus doubtlesse Christians preserved their Churches standing And it is more Christianlike to acknowledge a truth and to give God the glory thereof than to the dishonour of God and shame of Christianity to maintaine a falsehood The Bishops of those times were contented to yeeld themselves to be sacrificed to keepe their Churches from ruine They put on the minde of the Lord Iesus If ye seeke me let these go their wayes This minde Saint Ambrose notably discovered Offeram jugulum meum Vtinam meo sanguine sitim suam expleant Let my life go to save my Church O blessed minde well beseeming a Bishop nay to save the Altars pro Altaribus gratiùs immolabor I would be glad at my heart to be sacrificed for Altars Behold Behold the president of a true Bishop and let him that is bound in conscience to president himselfe by such a paterne be astonished and ashamed if he have betrayed the contrary disposition by word or deed To conclude since there was such an evident succession of Bishops in their severall Sees we may be well assured they had Churches and did not for
humbly and piously according to the godly and holesome Canons and constitutions of their Mother the Church that so from her and her Governours and from the Kings most sacred Majesty they may to their comfort and commendation receive the commendation of modest and discreet men and such as are farre from any humour of Innovation and let this subtile Innovator with his popular devices goe by who with Iudas of Galile and boasting Theudas seekes with faigned words and deceitfull speeches to beguile simple and well meaning soules and to draw much people after him But by reading of the holy Scriptures which now GOD be praised for it almost every one with Timothy knowes of a childe they understand what befell such seducers and their followers and therefore they have no list either in piety or reason to follow them for they as many as obeyed them were dispersed and brought to nought To conclude I desire to make any sober man and indued with common reason my judge whether he would thinke that the Lords Archbishops and Bishops and the whole Convocation house men of singular wisedome piety and learning as their yeares breeding and education gives them should bee at so much trouble and charge to sit so long together to consider of the state of the Church and to consult with the Kings Majesty about the same as by the words in his Majesties Writ may appeare and then to devise and frame Canons and lawes usefull and necessary for the good pious and peaceable Government thereof and that the Kings Majesty also according to his supreme power in all causes Ecclesiasticall as well as temporall should give his royall assent under the broad seale of his kingdom for confirmation of them as all Princes and Monarchs have done in the first sixe generall Councels if after all this is done all such their Lawes and Canons so made and established should be turned into Tennis Balls for Vicars Parsons and Parishioners to tosse and bandy up and down and question at their pleasure and not to have them executed nor allowed before they be maintained rationibus cogentibus I believe otherwise but that I leave to whom it concernes There is one thing more which I cannot choose but touch upon this Author for For mee thinkes that modesty and discretion which he commended in the Alderman of Grantham he hath not reserved for our commendation in himselfe For thus he twitteth the Vicar The Communion you out of the Booke of fast 1. of the King are pleased to call Second Service In my poore opinion modesty and discretion might have taught him to have forborne such petulant language Surely the man could not but know but that the booke of Fast was not compiled nor ordered to be read publikely in every Congregation without the appointment of the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury nor without his Majesties gracious directions and royall Confirmation thereof and if the Vicar having such authority for his warrant doe call the Communion the second Service me thinkes in common discretion and ordinary civility he ought not to have a Ieere cast upon him by a bettter man than this Secretary can bee for the reflection of the jest and scorne you are pleased transcends the Vicars head quite and cleane and strikes hie and aloft upon the toppes of hills and mountaines from whom hee may bee taught to learne to keepe better distance Well the Vicar is pleased having so good authority to call it the Second Service but this man is not pleased Truly I cannot but pitty the Vicar that has met with a man so hard to please When the poore man did president himselfe in his actions and setting the Lords Table Altarwise by the Kings Chappell and Quires in Cathedralls the man is not pleased hee will upon Vmbrages have it ordered otherwise if this feigned Letter deserved any credite when the Vicar performes the reverence appointed by Canon to that blessed Name of Iesus he is pleased So it bee done So and So with such limitations and hedgings and inclosures as the canon never allowed or thought on except it meant to build with one hand and pull down with another otherwise he is not pleased Now he does but conforme his speech to such language as he heares used by the chiefest and most eminent personage in all our Cathedrall Churches and by the Kings Majesty our supreme Governours in all things belonging or in any wise appertaining to matters of the Church whether they bee Rites or Ceremonies words or actions and yet he is not pleased He wil have his Vicar neither doe nor so much as speak as they doe but he will be displeased and lend him a smart jerke for so doing What trow you has put the mans mouth so out of taste that he can in no sort rellish what was done by the Archbishop that then was and what he did by his Majesties authority that now is whom God of his infinite mercy long preserve I hope he hath more learning than to conceive the Second Service to be a new thing and so to be ashamed of the name For besides the Liturgies of Saint Basil and Saint Chrysostome and others used in the Greeke Church and those that have beene used at all times in the Westerne Churches wherein he sees with his eyes both the First and Second Service distinct one from another He may also observe the use hereof in the Primitive Church if he please to consult with Saint Iustin Martyr Tertullian Origen Saint Cyprian Saint Ambrose Saint Augustine or read a Councell which hee will not deny but hee is bound to read the Nicene Councell and hee shall perceive there the first and second service distinguished one from another Hee shall finde one service wherein there was sola Oratio he shall finde a Second service wherein â—â— And I looked and there was none to helpe and I wondred that there was none to vphold Esa. 63.1 But those mine enemies which would not I should raigne over them bring them hither and slay them before me Luc. 19.27 Vnum vos poscimus omnes Cap I. pag. 1.2 3 Cap. II. 3. ad 7. Cap. III. p 7. ad 9. Cap. IV. p 9. ad 15. Cap. V. p. 15. ad 18. Cap. VI. p. 18. ad 22. Cap. VII p. 22. ad 25. Cap. VIII p. 25. ad 29. Cap. IX p. 29. ad 36. Cap. X p. 36. ad 43 Cap. XI p. â—3 ad 60. Cap. XII p. 60 ad 66. Cap. XIII p. 66. ad 71. Cap XIV p. 71 Cap. XV. p 79. ad 84. Cap XVI p. 84. ad 93. Cap. XVII p. 93. ad 97. Cap. XVIII p. 97. ad 104. Cap. XIX p. 104. ad 110 Cap. XX p. 110. ad 115. Cap. XXI p. 115. ad 121. Cap. XXII p. 121. ad 130. Cap. XXIII p. 130. ad 137. Cap. XXIV p. 137. ad 147. Cap XXV p 147. usque ad finem The Letter By that time that you have gained some more experience in the cure of soules you shall
do run about the Priest What the Diptychs were Whether the Quire may be found in the body of the Church out of Durandus and Platina Boniface the second divided the Quire from the people how to be understood How long this was done before â—he fifth Councell of Constantinople The Priest turning about at the Altar doth not argue that he stood among the people no more than the Bishops blessing them argues the standing of the Throne in the body of the Church The consent and Testimony of Fathers ought to be reverenced What office at the Altar was performed by none but Priests Of Sacrifices mentioned in the holy Fathers of the purest times In S. Iustin S. Irenaeas Tertullian S. Cyprian S. Chrysostome S. Ambrose S. Augustine The meaning of the 31. Article delivered What Sacrifices are blasphemous Fables and dangerous deceits The Doctrine of the Church herein delivered by Bishop Mountague Bishop Andrewes Bishop White M. Casaubon Homily of Sacraments The necessity of admitting Christian Altars The standing of the Lords Table Altarwise or having of Altars is not forbidden in the 31. Article under the name of blasphemous figments Abuses of Altars and Sacrifices are condemned by our Church not the things themselves What is the faith of Protestants and Papists In what respect the Masse is not to be allowed The outrage of the people committed in breaking downe of Altars punishable by law The duty of well minded men concerning Altars Altars crept not into the Church Altars consecrated with more ceremony and regarded with more reverence than any part of the Church appeareth out of Bishop Iewel On the Altar stood the Crosse of Christ in the Primitive Church and in S. Chrysostomes time and for some time in Q. Elizabeths raine Steps unto the Altar Altar drawne with Curtaines Archbishops Bishops and all sorts of people do reverence towards them Penitents humble themselves before them Barbarous Souldiers humbly kisse them S. Ambrose willing to be made a sacrifice for them Complying with the Iewes doth not argue the creeping in of Altars The enemies of the Church have long since pickt a quarrell at her Altars and her Priests The Councell of Aquisgrane defendeth them At what houre of the day Christian Altars came in Christian Altars came in at Noahs floud and have continued in Gods Church ever since Danger to meddle with holy and consecrate things K. IAMES washed his hands of them The whole of the Christian Church was framed by the patterne of the Iewish Church Son of the Church an honourable name The conceit of a Dresser unworthy a Divine or morall man Suting Psychicus in Tertullian The Patriarch and Bishops in the fifth Councell of Constantinople expresse a different apprehension of the Altar Christs first institution of the Sacrament no rule to us in matters circumstantiall Those that have Altars may call them Altars The Author confesseth we have an Altar S. Paul did and the Church may order things otherwise than Christ used S. Augustines determination herein The Eucharist is to be received fasting Of the Table whereupon our Saviour did institute his last Supper The posture of the partakers lying or leaning Iudith and Hesters banquet M. Beza describeth how they leaned one upon another The name Table how used in Scripture not such a Table as the Church wardens provide Of that Logick axiom Sublato relativo formali manet materiale tantum ill applied to consecrate things No relation can alter the nature of things dedicated to God though they be not not used or abused Canons of the Church need no private mans confirmation Rationibus cogentibus Persons ill affected will take liberty to disturbe Church and Commonwealth and renounce all obedience if they may require proofe of what is commanded rationibus cogentibus The edicts of Princes Articles of our Creed petitions of the Lords Prayer Bookes of holy Scripture our baptisme Eucharist will be questionable and unsetled if men may require to have these maintained rationibus cogentibus Authority Ecclesiasticall and Temporall cannot receive so much prejudice by the railing and malicious writing of her professed enemies as by her seeming friends that will allow to have it disputed and proved rationibus cogentibus The distresse the Vicar is in being put to maintaine the Canon touching bowing at the Name of IESVS rationibus cogentibus The Author ill advised to make a jeere of the first and second Service The first and second Service have continued in the Church 1636. yeares Perlegi Tractatum hunc Theologicum cui Titulus est Altare Christianum c. in quo nihil reperio sanae doctrinae aut bonis moribus contrarium quò minùs summâ cum utilitate imprimatur ita tamen ut si non intra quinque menses proximè sequentes Typis mandetur haec licentia sit omninò irrita Ex Aedibus Lambethanis Feb. 21. 1636. GUIL BRAY Reverendissimo in Christo Patri Domino D. Arch. Cant. Sacellanus Domesticus ALTARE CHRISTIANVM CAP. I. Of Christian charity Of verity Which of the twaine is most to be regarded What Pilate preferred Which obtaineth the prime place with the Pen-man of this Letter HE that made the poore Vicars plea I dare say look'd for no fee in this world And he that makes the dead Vicars plea must stay for his till the world to come But Truth is a Centurion of great command whom that bids go he goes and if that bid speak who can hold his peace Having therefore my knowne imperfections and disabilities thus over-mastered something I will say by his assistance who is Truth it selfe in zeal to the Truth whose I am and whom I serve As the fort of Iebus was manned with the lame and the blind so is this mans letter maintained to keep his owne phrase rationibus non cogentibus I will not therefore be affraid to assaile it and the rise of my speech I take from the close of that Letter And conceive that if that be true that there is no such ceremony as Christian charity it is as true that there is no such substantiall way for sound Christians to walke in as Divine verity If two walk hand in hand together out of this path their kind complying in errour is nothing lesse than trechery Their mutuall love I may not call piety for he who is love and truth hath intituled sanctification to this and not to that Sanctifica eos in veritate Ioh. 17.17 Love sheweth to all men who are his Disciples In hoc cognoscent omnes c. Ioh. 13.34 but Truth it is that first makes them so Whilest men roave in their opinions though good and reverend some saying Thou art the Baptist some Elias c. Yet quem dicum homines they shew themselves by their errours to be but men But those that he hath chosen to be his Disciples avouch this Truth which their fore-man sayes for them Tu es Christus c. sayes St. Peter
walls and windowes only but of the fixing of the Lords Table which is the maine part of the Chancell considerable in the service of God the ordering whereof is determined in the Rubricke when it is said Chancels should remaine as in times past Now if the Vicar will know from the Author how Chancels have remained in times past and how Communion Tables have stood in the midst of the Church he must read a booke which he is bound to read Iewell against Harding and hee shall be satisfied And so I am fallen upon the second point which I have bound my selfe to speake unto namely to the booke which the Vicar is commanded to read and told that he is bound to read it For the Injunction or command laid upon the Vicar I thinke I may say thus much that for any man to appoint a Priest that is not under his Iurisdiction what book to read is a Prerogative and authority that sideth with Archiepiscopall or Regall rather King Iames of happy memory I wot well sent us his directions to Cambridge Doctor Cary being then Vicechancelor for the reading of Peter Lombard Thom. Aquinas and the Ancient Fathers as may appeare in the Register of that Vniversity Now if the Royall command of his Majesty of happy memory had beene as well observed by all Students of Divinity there as it is doubtlesse safely preserved in the Office the Vicar needed not to bee sent to Schoole and bidden to read a booke of this mans appointment to see how Communion Tables have stood in the body of the Church for he had beene able enough to send his carefull instructer from the River to the Fountaine But he biddeth him read no other book than what he is bound to read and that swelleth not up to the height of a command but is confined within the precincts of a friendly advice to have an eye to what hee is bound to read Such Evangelicall Councell I confesse becommeth Mr. Cotton much better than to arrogate a command and execute his superintendency in that kind For his advice then So farre forth as Bishop Iewel Bullinger Erasmus and the like doe explaine unto us the true and Orthodoxe doctrine of our Church we are bound in reason as occasion serveth not only to have them but to read them The like may be said for the reading of God and the King And if some men read such bookes more and some such as the other lesse I doubt not but they did read such bookes as they are bound to read as well as any of these Well in the Vicars behalfe I have read the booke appointed and therein have satisfied the Authors desire Now I make bold to call upon him reciprocally to make good his ingagement that undertaketh that the Reader shall bee satisfied out of Bishop Iewell how Communion Tables stood in the body of the Church How Communion Tables have stood in the body of the Church I doe not finde in Bishop Iewell But what I finde I will tell you and then tell you me if Bishop Iewell doe not say or prove at least that the Communion Table or Altar did not stand in the body of the Church According to Bishop Iewell the Communion Table or Altar for he useth both words stood in the Quire The Quire was divided with rayles from the rest of the Church This Quire so rayled in was commonly called of the Greeke Presbyterium This Presbyterium was especially appointed for Priests It was shut up from all others for disturbing the holy Ministery This appeareth notably in the story of Ambrose who willed the Emperour Theodosius himselfe to depart forth And by Nazianzenus in the life of S. Basil And for further proofe how the Altâ—r stood Bishop Iewel referreth the Reader to the Councell of Laodicea Can. 19. where it is thus determined That the Catechumeni doe pray apart and that they be dismissed before the Penitents be admitted into the Church by imposition of hands Tunc Fideles orare debent When all these are dismissed then the Faithfull are to performe their devotions Solis autem ministris Altaris liceat ingredi ad Altare ibidem communicare The Ministers of the Altar may only enter within the lists of the Altar and there communicate Lastly saith Bishop Iewel it may be gathered by S. Chrysostome that at certaine times of the Service that place was drawne with Curtaines Now let all this be put together and then resolve whether the Vicar may see out of Bishop Iewel how Communion Tables have stood in the body of the Church 1. The Presbytery was neither in the Greek nor Latine Church taken for the body of the Church no more than Presbyter was taken for a Layman 2. No Laiman neither Catechumenê° nec Poenitens neither Iew nor Gentile Heathen man or Heretick much lesse any Christian Emperour was shut out of the body of the Church 3. The body of the Church was never called SacrariuÌ„ into which none but Priests might enter and there Communicate 4. The body of the Church was never the place set apart for Oblations to be made in 5. The body of the Church was at no time of the Service drawne with Curtaines Therefore the holy Altar that stood in a place that was sometimes drawne with Curtaines that was at all times railed in from the rest that was set a part only for Priests that was ordained for Oblations that was fixed in the Presbytery cannot acccording to Bishop Iewell be set in the body of the Church If then the Vicar stand bound to read this book of Bishop Iewels he is bound to believe the authorities which Bishop Iewell bringeth and not to mistake them as this Penman does but to understand them aright and then he shall see how Communion Tables have not stood in the midst of the Church but in the higher part of the Church wherein the Vicar hath the Authors assent already in opinion though he settle it otherwise for the Men of Granthams sake CAP. XIV The antiquity of Communion Tables Eusebius's authority examined for the standing of Altars in the body of the Church Church of Tyre built by Paulinus Paulinus adjudged to be an Arrian by the Centurists Illyricus hereticall The Altar in Tyre how it stood in the midst of the Presbytery Church in Tyre built conformable to the Temple Foure distinct places in Solomons Temple How the Altar there stood in the middest Gods dwelling in the midst of the people How David and Solomon praysed the Lord in medio ecclesiae The peole did not see the Priest at the Altar in the Temple IN the next place I will examine the Authors out of which he saith the Vicar may know how Communion Tables stood in the body of the Church And he shall give me leave to say that whatsoever he can know out of any of these Authors he shall never know how Communion Tables stood at all much lesse how they stood in the body of the Church
The word used in those Authors is Mensa Domini or Altare not Communionis mensa the Communion Table For though the word Communion Table be a fit and convenient word yet it came not in so soone but it came in I will not impeach the comming in thereof nor speak so unreverently as he doth of Altars and say it crept in but it came in long after the youngest of these Authors went out of the Church Militant into the Church Triumphant Therefore it will be hard to know out of them how Communion Tables stood which he shall never finde in any of them at all nor in any before them nor in the holy Scripture nor in any after them till Anno 1552. For in King Edwards Liturgie saith the Author of 1549. it is every where but in that of 1552. it is no where called an Altar but the Lord's board From whence then we may gesse when Communion Tables came in But if out of these Authors he can make the Vicar know how the Lord's board or holy Altar stood in the body of the Church the Vicar will not stand upon the name of Communion Table any longer Wherefore to take his Authors in their order I begin with Eusebius his words are these Absoluâ—â— Templo ac sedibus excelsissimis ad honorem praesidentium subselliis ordine collocatis ornatâ— post omnia Sancto Sanctorum viz. Altari in medio constituto Out of these words the Vicar must know how the Altar stood not at the upper end of the Quire but in the middest of the Church among the people This Church whereof Eusebius speakes was the Church of Tyre built by Paulinus the Bishop there And to this place I can give a speedy answer by sending the Author as he doth the Vicar to a book which he may take himselfe bound to read and believe as some willing to be deceived do and he shal be satisfied the Centurists In this place Illyricus tels us that Eustathius who was Prolocutor in the Councell of Nice and Patriarch of Antioch was deposed in a Conventicle there onely because hee approved the Councell of Nice and opposed and publikely reproved Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia and this Paulinus Bishop of Tyre and others tanquam Arrianos for Arrians With this tale of the Centurists I suppose the Author rests satisfied that it is no good argument to say the Altar stood in the midst of Arrian and Hereticall Churches therefore it ought so to stand in Catholike or Orthodox and Christian Churches But I will deale more favourably and not cut him off so short nor resolve Paulinus for an Arrian upon their information I wish the Author could say as much to quit some of the Centurists of Arrianisme as may be said in the behalfe of Paulinus in that respect If Paulinus before the decree of the Councel of Nice did leane to Arrius which appeares not but by the report of Arrius who may lie yet after the Councell had determined against him neither Arrius nor any of his friends embarke Paulinus in that frantick ship but the Prolocutor himselfe and Athanasius affirme that all the Bishops Theonas and Secundus excepted assented to the determination of that Councell and condemned Arrius whether in truth and sincerity of heart or otherwise it is hard to say But of Paulinus we may be fully assured that he gave his vote sincerely for the Preacher who made the Sermon at the Dedication of that Church acknowledged our Saviour Iesus Christ to be the naturall and only Son of God and God Himselfe and to be the Creator and not a Creature as the Arrian Councell at Ariminum resolved and made him equall in honour with God the Father This truth tending altogether to the confutation of Arrius the Preacher might have forborne to deliver in that presence if it had not sorted well enough with his Lord Paulinê° But if we may give as much credit to Staphylus a privat man speaking of Illyricus a private man as some yeeld Illyricus against the testimony and doctrine of all ancient Fathers in more things than one then was Illyricus in his opinion no better than a Arrian For hunc inter alia renovasse Arrii doctrinam talemque eum esse ab Academia Whittenbergensi damnatum testatur Staphylus saith Prateolus Hereticall also is that doctrine of his That originall sin is a substance for which cause his brethren and those of his fathers house threw stones at him Wherefore I will make no use of the testimony of a man so branded but take Paulinus for a good Catholik and yeeld that the Altar in his Church stood as it ought to do all things considered But how will it appeare that the Sanctum Sanctorum as the Preacher in Eusebius cals it or the holy Altar stood not at the upper end of the Quire but in the middest of the Church among the people For this is the point which the Author informes the Vicar he shall know out of Eâ—sebius But certainly the Author never read or never weighed the testimony borrowed of Eusebius but came lightly by it and presumed he might play it away and passe it upon the Vicar as it came to him All that the Preacher in Eusebius sayes is this that when all the parts of the Church were finished then the Sanctum Sanctorum or holy Altar was set in the midst not in the middest of the body of the Church among the people that crosseth all antiquity and is supplyed by a friendly hand to the Author but as Bishop Iewell points us very truly to the Presbytery and in the midst that is in the midst of the Presbytery it was set And in reference to the Presbytery it may well be said to stand in the midst though not in the very Centre of the Presbytery but removed a good distance from it and placed at the upper end of the Quire Thus Ioshuah sayes of the Gibeonites In medio nostri est is you are in the middest of us when indeed they were three dayes journey from them Wherefore out of Eusebius the Vicar cannot know how the Altar stood in the body of the Church among the people But were this granted that the Altar stood in the midst of the Church of Tyre yet shall the Author get nothing by the hand for his purpose The Church of Tyre as appeares by the Preachers Sermon was contrived after the patterne of the Temple built by Solomon and after by Zorobabel And Paulinus in his structure endeavoured as much as lay in him to conforme his building to that modell and not to come behinde Besaleel himselfe in expressing the like art and cunning in his workmanship that the Iewes their neighbours might happily take the better liking thereof and be sooner wonne to Christiany Now the City Ierusalem as appears in Iosephus was thought to stand in the midst of the earth and the Psalmist favoureth that situation Deus operatus est salutem in medio
things hence or that the complying of these holy Fathers with Gods people the Iewes is in this respect any argument of their secret and undue creeping in or not rather a forcible argument to warrant and justifie the bringing of them into the Christian Church and the due honouring of them being no worse things than such as the types whereof were shewed Moses in the Mount and are themselves with their Priests and holy service performed about them visible types of the triumphant Church in heaven and for this cause as chiefly because they are the seats and Chaires of estate where the Lord vouchsafeth to place himselfe amongst us as Optatus speaketh have beene in all ages so greatly honoured and regarded of the most wise most learned and most blessed Saints of God So that he which saies Altars crept into the Church by a kindâ— of complying with the people of the Iewes may with as good reason say that the orders of Archbishops Bishops Priestâ— and Deacons with their severall offices and degrees with their attyre habits and vestments together with oblations tythes glebe lands and maintenance crept into the Christian Church by a kinde of complying with the Iewes and are therefore alike and altogether to bee cast out of the Church as Iudaicall Ceremonies But God forbid that any sonne of the Church as this man intitles himselfe or Vniversity either should shew so little good affection and learning as to speake or thinke the worse of any of these for their complying with the people of the Iewes herein and cast them out as Iudaicall ceremonies For what the Patriarchs and people of the Iewes practised by the law of nature or the rule of right reason or by inspiration of Gods Spirit many hundred yeares before the Ceremoniall or Leviticall Law was given are not to be ranked among Iudaicall Ceremonies which were fulfilled in our Saviour Christ and were by him taken away and nailed to his Crosse. The Councell of Aquisgrane and the Fathers whom they follow take us out another lesson For then making of vowes singing of Psalmes and spirituall Songs keeping of Feasts observing of Fasts dedicating of places for Gods Worship ordayning and maintaining of Priests and Deacons as well as Altars should all be cast out from the face of this man and his abettors as Moses was from the presence of Pharaoh beware thou see my face no more thou art crept in among us that are the sons of the Church under a Vizard made of a kind of complying with the Iewes whose Mosaicall ceremonies we renounce But it is to be hoped that he that weares the name of the Sonne of the Church will not to her wrong under that ensigne advance the party of Donatus Nihil honorificentius quà m ut Imperator Ecclesiae filius esse dicatur sayes Saint Ambrose a sonne of the Church is a name for Kings and Emperors the nursing Fathers of the Church and it were sacriledge to steale it away from them and convey it to their and her enemies But if this man be a sonne of the Church then may we say with Iacob deliver me ô Lord I pray thee from the hand of my brother from the hand of Esau lest he come and smite the Mother upon her Children He had shewed himselfe more likâ—â— sonne of the Church if he had said that the name of Sabbath had crept into the Church in a kinde of complying in phrase with the people of the Iewes and that in a shadow of things to come as if Christ were not come in the flesh against the Apostles express doctrin and charge Col. 2. and from hence would have sought to have cast out that old leaven out of our Church which hath sowred the affections of too many towards the Church and disturbed the peace and hindred the pious devotion thereof CAP. XXIII The conceit of a Dresser unworthy a Divine Suting Psychicus in Tertullian The Patriarch and Bishops in the fifth Councel expresse a different apprehension thereof Christs first institution of the Sacrament no rule to us in matters Circumstantiall An Altar confessed by the Author Saint Paul did and the Church may order things otherwise than Christ used The Eucharist to be received Fasting THe Authour hath much busied himselfe to pull downe disgrace and cast out Christian Altars as ever did Abraham Isaac or Iacob or the old Christians before Moses or Moses David Salomon or any of the Patriarches before CHRIST or any blessed Martyres holy Saints of God and zealous Christians since Christ have beene to build consecrate adorne and honour them Whose Factor he is and of whom he is to receive his pay the enemy of Altars that befriended him with this inspiration best knowes But if his pay must be proportioned noâ— by his good will but by his good successe then can it not be good The man I thinke was borne when all good starres had their backes toward him And if he bare not Sisera's minde why do the Stars fight against him in their order for that wherin he thinkes to winne a reputation by disgrace of Altars brings them honour and him confusion at every turne Such is the proud mans destiny In eo deijciuntur in quo extâ—lluntur sayes Saint Austin their table is their snare their prosperity their ruine they hope to leane on a wall and adders sting them Sicut fumus peribunt The higher smoake mounteth the further from heaven the neerer to nothing So hath it fared with this man from the beginning hitherto The higher he built his hopes upon old writers or new the lower is he beaten with their fall upon his head It is found by his owne Authors that Altars were in the Christian Church within lesse than 200. yeares after Christ that they did not stand in the body of the Church that they did not creepe in that their complying confuteth their creeping Hitherto wee are gone already and now comes forth a reason against the setting of the Lords Table Altarwise made of such stuffe that if he had studyed all his life long to honour Altars in the opinion of good Christians and to fill his owne face with shame he could not I thinke find any comparable to this fulsome and nasty conceit of a Dresser The Country people would suppose them Dressers I confesse unfainedly that this speech was so scandalous and offensive to me and I perswade my selfe it is no lesse to any Christian apprehension and trencht so close upon blasphemy that I could not choose but take up such stones as lay neere mee to cast at it And I cannot but wonder how any man I will not say in holy orders meditating on the holy Eucharist Consecrated upon the most holy Altar standing no otherwise than it ever did in the holy Catholicke Church but any man of gentle extraction liberall education and virtuous disposition could have so unhallowed and degenerate a thought come into his mind fitter for Epicurus or one of Bacchus Priests than
Hebrewes because you know who saies it is not maintained rationibus cogentibus You shall lose Saint Iames's Epistle because you know who saies it so farre from being maintained to bee Canonicall rationibus cogentibus that it is verè straminea You shall loose two Epistles of Saint Iohn and also the Revelation for these are not maintained to bee Canonicall say some rationibus cogentibus If Saint Augustine had stood upon these termes he had never beene Catholicke Come we to the holy Sacraments and of two which remaine as generally necessary to salvation wee shall not have one at all left us if they and the rites and ceremonies about them must not be maintained by the Authority practise and tradition of holy Church but with this mans rationibus cogentibus You shall have no God-fathers nor God-mothers no imposition of names no saying of the Creed or Lords Prayer at the Font nor Font neither no vowing in the childs name abrenunciation Satanae Mundo Pompis ejus or to believe in God and keep his Commandements no taking of the childe into the Priests armes no dipping nor sprinkling to omit the signing with the signe of the crosse for in all these sayes S. Basil and before him Tertullian is amplius aliquid quaÌ„ Dominus in Evangelio determinavit The ground of these is the practise and tradition of holy Church say these Fathers and therefore not to be allowed sayes this Author because they are not maintained rationibus cogentibus You shall not have the ten Commandements the Epistle Gospell Constantinopolitane commonly called the Nicene Creed the Lords Prayer Trisagium and other prayers and doxologies read at the administration of the holy Eucharist for these were not read by our Saviour Christ but brought in by certaine Popish Bishops and are not maintained rationibus cogentibus You shall not receive the holy Sacrament in a morning nor fasting nor kneeling nor standing nor walking nor from a framed Table nor in bread cut with a knife nor in the Quire nor in the body of the Church neither with this man because none of all these things are maintained rationibus cogentibus Your Bishops shall have no power of Ordination Consecration or Iurisdiction over Priests neither ought there to be such degrees or names in the Church your Chancellors Commissaries and Officials ought not to keepe Courts to send out Summons Suspensions and Excommunications your Clergie ought not to be maintained by Tythes Offerings or Glebland for these things they will say depend only upon use prescription and authority of the Church and are not maintained rationibus cogentibus And to conclude you shall not bow nor do reverence to the blessed name of IESUS more than to the name of Lord or Christ or Emanuel or God or Iehovah or Saviour or Maker or Redeemer because it is not maintained rationibus cogentibus Thus in three words this man hath laid a plot in case it should be apprehended and concealed from the Bishop of the Dioces and his Officers to do more hurt than all his Predecessors did or could doe For all our old dotards could not devise such an exquisite engine to undoe Church and Common-wealth as our acute and witty Dedalus hath found out Cartwright with his heavie Volumes Martin with his virulent tongue Wigginton and Hacket with their extraordinary spirit Dorrell with his miraculous power of possessing dispossessing and repossessing and trouncing of Devils up and downe and those odde fellowes in a corner with their spirit of prophesie could never fetch about that which this man hath light on All these did but set their mouth and fill their cheeks with winde to blow out the light of the Moone which so long as the Sunne lasteth they will never be able to do Some of these were divided one against another Manasses against Ephraim and Ephraim against Manasses and both agreed against Iudah One allowes not the crosse but the Surplice he esteemes as a fooles coat so can be content to weare it since it is the Kings pleasure to have it so An other casts out that rag of Antichrist but submits to the Crosse as better agreeing with his disposition An other passes not upon these but his knees may not buckle to Baal nor kneele at the Communion An other having his back shored up with his seat will stand at the Gospell but it stands not with his ease in that posture to bow his knee at the name of IESVS But this man allowes all practiseth all this and is so benigne and propitious to the Vicar as to approve his doings in all these And sayes It is well done that you affect decency and comelinesse in officiating of Gods divine Service and that you doe the reverence appointed by the Canon to that blessed Name of IESVS All this while the Vicar stands much beholden to him for his kinde approbation Marry hee had need take heed that he kill him not with his kindnesse For there is a So or two two or three limitations which the Vicar must looke to observe otherwise he loseth his approbation and exposeth himselfe to so much danger as may be imagined in a Counterfeits censure And if he avoide his censure and win his approbation he looseth himselfe and the cause of holy Church He liketh well the reverence done to the Name of IESVS so it be done humbly and not affectedly to procure devotion and not derision of the Parishioners and so he doe not maintaine it rationibus non cogentibus You will say is not this very faire and plausible Yes marry is it Sir therefore I pray you tell me whether it be in the Vicars power to hinder the Parishioners that they shall not say that that is done affectedly which he doth most humbly or that which he heartily intendeth to move devotion shall not move derision both in the better and worser sort of the Parishioners Of the better â—orthere will bee no great doubt but they will bee apt enough to deride him of whom if this feigned Letter were to be regarded they have complayned already as to a Diocesan And the Vicar can looke for small reliefe against their derision if the stroke were in such a mans hands as the Author hath â—eigned himselfe to be in regard that he findes him to commend some of them for discreet and modest men who have complained against the poore man for doing well as this Author himselfe confesseth namely in presidenting himâ—selfe in setting the Lords Table with the forme in his Majesties Chappels and the Quires of Cathedrall Churches Those that will complaine of him for this and goe away with his commendation and approbation therein and have the Table setled if this forged Letter were of any proofe after their wils and contrary to the Vicars good and approved desires are not in all likelihood to receive a check for their derision and scorne cast upon the good man The Vicar then sees by this time in what case he is For if he do
Altâ—â—â— Christianum or The dead Vicars Plea Wherein the Vicar of Gr. being dead yet speaketh and pleadeth out of Antiquity against him that hath broken downe his Altar Presented and humbly submitted to the consideration of his Superiours the Governours of our CHURCH By IOHN POCâ—â—â—â—GTON D. D. Inâ—edige primò priùs coepisse populum Christianum quà m populum Iudâ—â—â—â—â— S. Ambros. de Sacr. l. 4. c. 3. 〈…〉 hoc Alâ—are subrâ—er◠〈◊〉 illum lapidibus obrueretis Chrysost. Hom. 53. ad Populum Antioch LONDON Printed by Richard Badger 1637. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER Good Christian Reader THere is lately come forth a Coale from the Altar and behinde it a Letter to the Vicar of Grantham The Author of either of these is to me utterly unknowne My speech therefore must needs be innocent and my personall reflections none at all Mr. Cotton is marked by the Coale to bee the Father of that Epistle This man I knew well in Cambridge to have humanity-learning of his owne And if I may know him by this Letter then I am sure hee hath taken his Divinity upon trust Hereby he hath made a double forfeiture of the Merchants faith and of his owne and laboured to his owne losse and theirs that beleeve in him if he make not both good It is twenty yeares and upward since he was translated from the body of Emanuel Colledge to be made a member of a new body severed from the ancient Clergy of England as King Iames of famous memory in his Directions speakes to become neither Parson Vicar nor Curat but Lecturer of Boston It is therfore hard to determine which of his Diocesans he doth personate in that Letter Wherefore this Quaere we must leave as the servants did the inquirie after him that had sowen tares and was stept aside to their Masters detection Their Master told them it was the envious man that had done it but named him not whereby they perceived that the apprehension of the malefactor concerned not them so much as the plucking up of the tares The case is ours The tares which the pen-man hath brought out of his treasures of late writers misunderstood the Authour of the Coale hath pluckt up What he hath fetcht from their Elders my endeavour by Gods assistance may in some part weede out Thus having brought you acquainted with my scope I betake my selfe and you both to God and the working of his grace farewell Syllabus Capitum OF Christian charity Of verity Which of the twaine is most to be regarded Which Pilate preferred Which obtaineth the prime place with the Pen-man of this Letter Of the Antiquity of Christians Altar in Scripture in the Decretals Of Altars mentioned in S. Martialis S. Irenaeus Tertullian Origen S. Cyprian Who first objected against Christians that they had neither Temples nor Altars nor Gods What those Temples Altars and Gods were which Christians had not Of Churches in the Primitive Church Of the favour which Christians had with the Emperours out of Eusebius and Tertullian Of the succession of Bishops in their severall Sees S. Ambrose his art to save his Church and Altar standing Of their manifold Synods Exercise of the power of the Keyes Wealth of the Church of Rome The multitude of Christians in Cities and Castles a terrour to the Heathen Sundry Parish Churches or Churches in Villages in the Primitive times Some built Anno 47.97.110.117.150.160.182.193 Churches in Britanny in 183. and in 55. Churches frequented Parish Priests Bookes of Canons sent to be read in Churches Situation of Churches on an Hill Looked toward the East Five distinct places in Churches Church porch a place for Penitents Penance in Sackcloth imposed on delinquents Want of discipline among Hereticks taxed by Tertullian Where the Pulpit stood in S. Cyprians time Places for the Laity and Clergy were distinct at the Communion Where the Communion was celebrated Inthronization of Bishops S. Iames Chaire in Ierusalem S. Peters Chaire in Rome What kept S. Austin in the bosome of the Church Hereticks had no Churches Succession of Bishops from the Apostles necessary in a true Church How S. Irenaeus S. Augustine Tertullian confounded Hereticks A true succession of Bishops in the Church of England Dedication and consecration of Churches by godly Bishops taxed by the Centurists for the mystery of iniquity What penance was performed by Hereticks and Apostates before their admittance into the Church Of Confession and Exomologesis Dayes of penance and absolution Citizens penance Of Schooles of Religion Catechists Degrees in the Church Educati Audientes Catechumeni Intincti Neophyti Hereticks neglected these Orders Libraries Treasuries Offerings at the Eucharist Disposed of by Bishops Corruption among Deacons Timothy directed to take part of Oblations The Emperours brother a Bishop The Altar stood in Sacrario Mysteries of the Eucharist not permitted to be seene of all Chancels how divided Communio Laicorum Priests only stood about the Altar What things were done and consecrated at the Altar Hereticks could not consecrate because they had no Altars Priests not allowed to be Executors nor to be drawne from their daily service at the Altar The Rubrick concerning the standing of the Table in the body of the Church Of the Rubrick concerning Chancels Who hath the appointing of bookes to be read by Priests Peter Lombard and the ancient Fathers appointed to be read Bishop Iewel and others directed to be read Communion Tables according to Bishop Iewel stood in tâ—â— Presbytery The Presbytery is not the body of the Church The an 〈…〉 Communion Tables Eusebius's authority examined for the standing of Altars in the body of the Church Church of Tyre built by Paulinus Paulinus adjudged an Arrian by the Centurists Illyricus hereticall The Altar in Tyre how it stood in the midst of the Presbytery Church in Tyre built conformable to the Temple Foure distinct places in Solomons Temple How the Altar there stood in the midst Gods dwelling in the midst of his people How David and Solomon praised the Lord in medio Ecclesiae The people did not see the Priest at Solomons Altar S. Augustines testimony concerning the standing of the Lords Table in the midst of the Church Five orders of persons distinct 1. Audientes 2. Catechumeni 3. Competentes 4. Neophyti 5. Fideles All these invited but the faithfull only allowed to come to the Lords Table God walked in the midst of the Campe when he went either before or behinde it Audientes and the rest that were invited did all participate of Christs flesh and also of Christs bloud when their severall duties were performed The testimony of the fifth Councell of Constantinople examined touching the standing of the Altar in the body of the Church The people of Constantinople violent to have the Diptychs read forget their duty to the Patriarch and to the Emperour The Archbishop and people adore the holy Altar How David did compasse the Altar How people
the mystery of iniquity But let the authority of these Decretals be what it will here is some thing to be alledged for the antiquity of Altars but no mention of the name of Communion-Tables in any writing true or forged within 180. years of Christ. Therefore as yet it appeareth not that the name of Table is two hundred yeares more ancient than the name of Altar CAP. III. Of Altars in S. Martialis in S. Irenaeus in Tertullian in Origen in S. Cyprian BVt if the Decretals be of no value the like I hope will not be said of S. Martialis who lived eighty yeares before Pius and maketh mention of Altars Coena Domini offertur in Ara. Now I come to an Authour whom I conceive to be without all exception viz. Irenaeus a Martyr and Scholer unto Polycarpus the Martyr brought up under S. Iohn and therefore knew well what the practice was of holy Martyrs and godly Fathers both in the Greek and Latine Church and was able to speak his mind being chosen Ambassadour to the Bishop of Rome by the Church of France though the Centurists jerk him for his negligent and improper manner of speech This Martyr lived within twenty two yeares of Pius viz. 180. who both mentioneth and alloweth of Altars in Churches and oblations upon them not because Pius and his predecessors so decreed but because it is the will of God to have it so Deus nos vult offerre munus ad Altare frequenter sine intermissione The name of Table then cannot be two hundred yeares more ancient in the Christian Church than the name of Altar For that were to place a table in the Christian Church twenty years before there was a Christian Church Tertullian lived Anno. 203. within twenty three yeares of Irenaeus This learned Writer speaking of confession made by Penitents in the Primitive Church unto Priests saith further that the manner was according to Rhenanus Aris Dei adgeniculari to kneele down before Gods Altar Here is mention made of Altars and of reverence done before them So Origen who lived within twenty three yeares of Tertullian viz. Anno. 226. maketh often mention of Altars and reproveth those that brought not their oblations to the Altar And saith that it was the Lords owne Ordinance that the Priests of the Gospell should participate of the Altar He also mentioneth the contributions that were made ad ornatum Altaris for the decking of Altars The blessed Martyr Saint Cyprian who lived within 14. yeares of Origen viz. An. 240. maketh often mention of Altars and of the use of them in the Christian Church long before his time and the Priests Ab Altari non recedant ought not to be withdrawne from their service at the Altar nor to be otherwise imployed Nisi Altari sacrificiis deserviendo To descend lower to prove the Antiquity of Altars were against reason By this that hath beene said it appeareth that the name of Table is not 200. yeares more ancient than the name of Altar But that the name of Altars and the reverend use of them have beene in the Christian Church long before the name or use of Table and have continued in the Christian Church in honourable repute from the very beginning thereof without interruption for 3943. yeares therefore the name of Table cannot be 200. yeares more ancient in the Christian Church than the name of Altar CAP. IV. Who first objected against Christians that they had neither Temples Altars nor Gods What those Temples Altars and Gods were that Christians had not Of Churches in the Primitive Church WHereas it is said that Christians could have no Altars within two hundred yeares of Christ because they had no Churches in all that space This maketh as much for the overthrowing of Tables as for the removing of Altars For if there were no Churches in all that time then there was no Table Then is not the name of Table two hundred yeares more ancient in the Christian Church than the name of Altar by that reason 2. Those that first made this objection were Heathens whose malicious speeches Christians should not make use of to the prejudice of their owne religion Not Origen but Celsus in Origen nor Minutius Foelix but Caecilius in him do object against Christians Quod tanquam athei nulla haberent Templa nec Deos nec Altaria 3. Those Heathens that say we had no Altars do not say we had Communion-Tables two hundred years before there were Altars in the Christian Church Wherefore this authority borrowed from Heathens will not furnish this man with a Table two hundred yeares before there were Altars 4. It is true Christians in the Primitive Church had no Temples that is such magnificent Temples as were dedicated to Heathen gods but they had Churches from the beginning of Christianity Neither had they Altars to sacrifice beasts on but they had Altars for the offering up of their Christian Sacrifices Neither did they worship Heathen gods but a God that made Heaven and Earth Deos vestros saith Tertullian colere desâ—imus ex quo illos non esse cognoscimus yet are we not Atheists for all that but quod colimus Deus unus est c. verbo quo jussit ratione qua disposuit virtute qua potuit ex nihilo expressit in ornamentum majestatis suae The like answer is given in sundry places to Celsus by Origen The Heathen therefore did them wrong to charge them with Atheisme because they departed from their Idolatry and renounced their Temples Altars and gods For God they worshipped and Altars they had as both Origen and Tertullian before him and Irenaeus before them both do plainly witnesse Now that Christians had Churches and Altars for Christian Sacrifices from S. Pauls time till the time of Constantine the Great notwithstanding the many and bloudy persecutions raised against them is so cleere a truth that I wonder any man of learning should deliver the contrary For what service they can doe the Church in maintaining an untruth I cannot imagine True it is some Christians in the Apostles times and after till Constantines raigne and when he was gone also were forced first for feare of Heathens and after for feare of Hereticks were constrained sometime to meet in private houses and vacant places and as the Apostle saith wandred in Desarts and Mountaines and Dens and Caves of the Earth yet for all that the greatest part of Christians had both Churches and Altars all this time And their Churches were distinct from private houses Have yee not houses to eate and to drink despise ye the Church of God These Churches were common houses of great receipt Here Men and Women unbelievers as well as believers learned and unlearned Here much people assembled and were taught In these Churches Women were not permitted to speake but in their owne houses they might speake and ask their Husbands questions Here men might not be covered
for this was against the custome which they observed when they met together in the Church These Churches had their Governours which also had houses of their owne These Governours were Bishops which had power of excommunication and absolution This power Diotrephes abused for he cast godly men out of the Church These Churches had stocks of money belonging to them which were dispensed by the direction of their Bishops to such as were admitted into the Church to be so relieved as Widowes of 60. yeares of age but young and idle Widowes were not to have any such allowance There was in these dangerous times a visible Church There were Bishops and Presbyters to governe it S. Paul himselfe with these Presbyters at Ephesus three yeeres together And it is manifest that they came together into one place to serve God and this one place S. Paul saith is a Church How can it then be said that there was no Christian Church built in the Apostles time but that they met only in private houses I maintaine not the fabrick and endowment of those Churches to be all one with ours Our Churches by God's mercy are a glory to our Religion the fruits not of piety only but of peace and plenty are environed with Churchyards are fairely built of Stone covered with Lead beautified with goodly Glasse-windowes Pinnacles Battlements have their Porches severall Iles Belfreyes Steeples Bels. In the body of these Churches are placed Pulpits Seats Pewes and the Baptisterion or Font towards the West together with the poore-mans-Box To the Chancels belonged the Vestry Lavatory Repository and Reclinatories for hearing confessions Our Churches are endowed with Gleb-lands Tythes Houses Gardens and Orchards for Parsons Vicars Prebendaries Deans and Bishops Our Churches with their Parishes have their severall limits bounds and Precincts Now to imagine the continuance of all these in this compleat and flourishing estate ever since the Apostles times were to build Castles in the aire The piety of Princes and devotion of God's people in aftertimes gave beauty and wealth to Churches But when I avouch the being and use of Churches in the Apostles times I pray conceive I meane true materiall Churches but sutable to the condition of the Apostles and Apostle-like men of those times Those times had Woodden Chalices but Golden Priests The Churches were woodden poore and base but the Church-men were like polished Saphyrs They were poore in earthly revenewes but rich in the heavenly treasure But Churches I am well assured they had in the Apostles time for the Saints of God to meet in at least every Lord's-day made at first of private houses dedicated by the Owners and in such sort consecrated by the Apostles and Bishops their successors to the Lord's service that they could never more returne to their former common use to eat and drink to lye down and sleepe in but were imployed only for the worship of God reading and expounding of Scripture singing of Psalmes for supplications prayers and giving of thanks and receiving the holy Eucharist And all these holy offices were performed in a decent and reverend order some in the first and others in the second service True it is they were the houses of private men which were at first converted into the Houses of God and whether they were Chambers or Parlors upper or lower roomes whether covered with Thatch or Reed Tyle or Slate whether paved with Stone or beaten plaine with the feet of the frequenters I will not take upon me to define But how ever they were made and prepared none I am sure was so irreligious to come into the Lord's-house as then it was especially on the Lord's-day without his oblation which being then by the Priest collected aâ—d put into the Treasury amounted to so good a famine that therewith Captives Prisoners sick and needy persons were relieved Widowes maintained and the Elders that ruled well were doubly honoured These poore and contemptible Churches were at the very first so distinguished that Audientes Catechumeni Believers and Priests yea and Penitâ—nts had their severall places to set them apart one from another These poore Churches shined not with gold or precious stones but were illustrious and glorious by the holinesse of Priests holinesse of Altars where they alone waited and the holinesse of the blessed Eucharist that was thereon and could not elsewhere be consecrated The maintenance and Mansion-houses belonging to these Churches and Church-men persecution made uncertaine to the chiefest of them more than to the rest For unto this very day We both hunger c. thirst c. are naked c. have no certaine dwelling place saith he that knew both how to abound and how to want how to enjoy the revenewes of devotion and to endure the misery of persecution The knees of Camels shewed well that the practise of piety was then performed in kneeling before their Saviour and Redeemer The stooles they had were either none or none but fall-stooles to come and fall downe and kneele before the Lord their Maker Ambition to step up into the highest roomes and seats and there to inclose and inthronize themselves was confined to Pharisaicall Feasts or Synagogues holy men had no such custome sought no such state or ease neither the Churches of God It is plaine enough they had Churches for God's service and as evident it is that they had Altars S. Paul sayes in plaine termes We have an Altâ—â— and distinguisheth it from the Leviticall Altar for hereof they have no right to eat which serve at the Tabernacle Consider what Theophylact sayes Nos inquit Apostolus observationem habemus verùm haud eam qua fit in hujusmodi cibis sed super Altari sive in cruenta hostia vivifici corporis Hujus ut sint participes nec pontificibus quidem legalibus permittitur tantisper dum tabernacula hoc est legalibus umbris serviunt Some expound this place of Christ Himselfe wherefore if any further difficulty should be made in expounding this and the like places of Scripture the practise of the Primitive Church immediately succeeding the Apostles whereof we have already heard and may heare more will make it plainly appeare that Christians in these purest times and in the midst of their persecutions had Churches and in these Churches were Altars and that they are utterly mistaken that say no Churches were built no Altars erected till two hundred yeares after Christ. CAP. V. Of the favour which Christians found with the Emperours in the midst of their persecutions Eusebius and Tertullian witnesses hereof IT may not bee denyed but many and bloudy were the persecutions wherewith the Saints of God were tryed in that fiery furnace whereinto they were cast and continued neere 300. yeares Yet as it was with the Israelites when they served the Philistims God sent them deliverers and gave them favour sometimes in the sight of those that held them in subjection So their
feare run into Woods and Dens and Caves of the earth to administer the holy Sacraments where were neither Baptisteria nor Altaria for so to do was forbidden The Canon is expressed De his qui ad Haereticorum speluncas causa orationis accedunt Hereticks would consecrate and administer the Sacrament in any place in Woods or Dens but Christians only in the Churches and upon Altars even in the heat of persecution under Valens Moreover within the space of 200. yeares after Christ there were made many Assemblies and Synods of Bishops as namely one in Asia at which was present S. Iohn himselfe with the Archbishop and other Bishops Anno 99. There was also a Synode at Ancyra in Galatia against Montanus Anno 163. wherein his opinion was adjudged prophane and the defenders excommunicated Therefore they had Churches But if we take a view of the Canons of that Councell we shall perceive the severall and distinct places appointed in their Churches both for Fideles Catechumeni Audientes Poenitentes And that these Churches had Goods and Lands belonging to them In the yeare 254. there met a very great Synode at Rome under Cornelâ—us when Novatus was cast out of the Church In the yeare 273. a farre greater Synode met at Antioch wherein Samosatenus was condemned and by the Edict of the Emperour Aurelian was cast both out of the Church and out of his house Some of these Churches had so great meanes belonging to them and particularly to the Church of Rome that even in the times of persecution and when their Bishops suffered martyrdome yet the Church as appeares by Cornelius his Epistle to Fabius Bishop of Antioch maintained one Bishop forty six Priests seven Deacons seven Subdeacons forty two Acolythits Exorcists Readers and Porters fifty two Widowes and other poore one thousand five hundred This was the estate of the Church of Rome when Cornelius was made Pope Anno 254. under Decius when the eighth persecution began If Christians had liberty to meet at Synods they might with more liberty meet at Churches And if they duly exercised the power of the Keyes casting out some and receiving others into the Church and if they had such a great number of Priests and Deacons in some one Church it is to be thought that innumerable multitude of Christians resorted to their service all which being put together it cannot be denied with reason but that they had Churches to assemble in Trajan feared more the multitude than the religion of the Christians For as Seneca sayes the superstition of Christians had run through both Cities and Villages and open fields Omnia complevimus sayes Tertullian urbes insulas castella municipia c. And the meaning is not that Christians were clapt up prisoners in these places For the complaint of the Heathen was this obsessam vocâ—ferantur civitatem that they had in effect besieged their Cities in agris in castellis in insulis Christianos omnem sexum aetatem conditionem etiam dignitatem transgredi ad hoc nomen quasi detrimento moerent And Plinius 29. ipsa multitudine was troubled at their number whereupon Trajan made a law full of confusion sayes Tertullian hoc genus inquirendos non esse oblatos verò punire oportere Christians therefore being so many so potent so zealous would not runne out of the Cities whereof they were Masters to pray with Hereticks in Dens and Caves contrary to their discipline and leave their Altars on which only they consecrated the Eucharist CAP. VII Sundry Parish-Churches or Churches in Villages in the Primitive times Some built Annis 47.97.110.117.150.160.182.193 Churches in Britanie 183. and in 55. Churches frequented Parish Priests Bookes of Canons appointed to bee read in Churches BVT to put this matter out of all Peradventure and to make their errour cleerely to appeare that say there were no Churches built till 200. yeares after Christ It is manifest that within lesse than 200. yeares after Christ Christians had some distinction of Parishes though without Parochiall rites which they now have these Parishes had Consecrate ground or Church-yards belonging to them in these Church-yards stood materiall Churches these Churches were distinguished into severall parts and roomes And if all this prove so to be then there were Churches built within 200. yeares after Christ and it is an errour to defend the contrary About the yeere of Christ 47. Eusebius proveth out of Philo who lived under Claudius and had conference with S. Peter at Rome that in every Village there was then a religious House which the Christians called Semnion wherein it was unlawfull to eat or drink but all the time they were present in these houses was spent in reading the Lawes and Oracles of the Prophets and in singing of Psalmes Before this time Theophilus his house in Antioch was consecrated into a Church And there S. Peter set his Chaire About the yeere 97. S. Iohn and diverse other Bishops kept their Synod in a Church This Church stood over against the Hill where the Young-man robbed whom S. Iohn converted Anno 110. Ignatius reprooved Trajan in a Church Anno 160. Polycarpus received the Sacrament in the Church of Rome About the yeare 182. under Commodus Narcissus was Bishop of Ierusalem who absented himselfe so long from his Church that three one after another were created Bishops in his See So long stood the Church of Ierusalem Gajus Anno 121 succeeded Zepherinus and maketh mention of Churches built by the Apostles and of the Tombes of the Apostles there to be seene as Men went to the Vatican Anno 193. Severus allowed the Christians a Church or publike house ad pium usum and before him Anno 117. Adrian had done the like But it is strange that English Men of all other against the Records of English Chronicles and to the disgrace of our English Nation should deny that any Churches were built till 200. yeares after Christ. For Anno 183. Lucius struck with admiration with the Miracle wrought in Germany his neighbour Countrey by the prayer of Christians made sute to Eleutherius ut per ejus mandatum fieret Christianus hoping doubtlesse that the God of Christians being his God he and his Realme should be preserved from all dangerous enemies Hereupon he caused the Temples of the Heathen gods to be dedicated to the worship of the true God and erected 28. Bishops and Archbishops Sees and liberally endowed them and by his Charter confirmed both Churches and Churchyards for Sanctuaries But above a hundred yeeres before Lucius Ioseph of Arimathea in the raigne of Nero and Arviragus had built a Church at Glastonbury Anno 55. Erat haec ecclesia ab ipsis discipulis Domini aedificata witnesseth Hen. 2. in his Charter Anno 66. S. Paul sent Crescens into Galatia who built a Church at Vienna But all this labour might have beene saved for Eusebius alone maketh it
plaine that many Churches were built within 200. yeares after Christ and that the number of Christians was so great and their Bishops so much reverenced that they built very wide and large Churches because the old ones would not receive their Congregations These Churches had Parish Priests as we now call them or Priests which were not Bishops belonging to them for Anno 240. many of these were called out of their Parishes to be present at a Disputation undertaken by Dionysius Archbishop of Alexandria against the Chiliasts Before this time Anno 190. a Decree was made in a Synode of Palestina that Easterâ— should be kept on no other day but Sunday and it was also ordered that this Decree or Book of Canons should be copied out sent to severall Parishes as well as Diocesse there to be read that themselves might not be charged with the errours of their parishioners Thus it appeareth that there were both Cathedrall and Parish or Village Churches within lesse than 200. yeares after Christ. CAP. VIII Situation of Churches on a Hill looked towards the East Five distinct places in Churches Church portch appointed for Penitents Penance in Sackcloth imposed on delinquents Want of discipline among Hereticks taxed by Tertullian Where the Pulpit stood in S. Cyprians time Laâ—cks not allowed to sit in the Church Clergie and Laity divided at the Communion IT appeareth by what hath beene said that there were Churches even from the very Apostles time and that no doubt may be made thereof we have their situation and formes described unto us First for their situation it is evident that they were commonly set upon an Hill or some high and eminent place and looked toward the East Nostrae columbae domus simplex etiam in editis semper apertis ad lucem amat figuram Spiritus Sancti orientem Christi figuram saith Tertullian S. Iustin before him tels that Christians prayed with their faces to the East This custome begun in the Primitive hath continued ever since as may appeare in the writings of the Fathers Secondly for their formes The Centurists tell us of a Canon under the name of Gregory Bishop of Neocasaria and Scholer of Origen wherein mention is made of five distinct places or Roomes in Churches set apart for so many severall uses This Canon hath not gotten the approbation of these Iudges but we had not need to like it the worse for that in regard we doe finde the Observation of these distinct places and their severall uses to bee very ancient and to be so set out and used before either the Scholer or the Master were borne The first of these roomes is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Church Portch where Penitents used to stand or rather to cast themselves downe and in humble manner to desire the faithfull to pray for them as they went into the Church 2. Is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Auditorium this was within the doores of the Church here stood those that were called Audientes and behinde them such Poenitentes as were admitted into the Church after open penance Ad manuum impositionem 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this was a place allowed for the Gatechumeni to remaine in and there to stand and heare Lectionem tractatum which done they were dismissed And the name of the place put them in minde of their duties which was to stand and view some Rites and Ceremonies of the Churches and the place where the fideles were to communicate and to busie their mindes in the contemplation and desire of those holy Mysteries whereof the Fideles were partakers and from which themselves were excluded til after Baptisme 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this was a higher and more eminent place appointed for the faithfull to stand in who after the dismission of the Catechumeni went to the service appertaining to them Behinde these stood such Poenitentes as had received imposition of hands who were permitted to behold the dispensation of the sacred Mysteries but might not partake the same Therefore they stood when the faithfull kneeled 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Communion where the Beleevers communicated and received the holy Eucharist called also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 expletio because after delinquents had perfectly fulfilled their penance they were reconciled to the Sacraments and communicated This distinction of places in the Church is very ancient Therefore their mistake must needs be great that say there were no Churches built till 200. yeares after CHRIST That Churches had Portches where Penitents humbled themselves before the Canon was made ascribed to Gregory of Neocaesarea appeareth plainly because Origen after his fall cast himselfe downe there and prayed all that came into the Church to trample upon him as unsavoury salt Natalius also who made himselfe Bishop of the heresie of Artemon for a salary of 150d. a moneth did the like before Origen did his For he came in sackcloth with ashes on his head fell down before Zepherinus Bishop of Rome Nay pedibus advolutus non Clericorum modò verùm plebis laying prostrate at the feet not of the Clergy only but of the common people he intreated all their prayers and so with much adoe vix tandem admissus hee was at last received into the Church These distinct places continued in S. Cyprians time Lapsis congruit verecundia c. adeant ad limen Ecclesiae sed non utique ut transiliant Modesty say the Clergy of Rome unto S. Cyprian becomes those that have fallen in persecution they may come to the threshold of the Church but not presume to step over mittant legatos pro suis doloribus lachrymas let theÌ„ shew their sorrow by their teares let these be their spokesmen for pardon This discipline was strictly observed before this time by Fabianus who would not receive Philip the first Christian Emperour into the communion of Believers before he stood in Locopoenitentium in that place within the Church which was apointed for Penitents There may also be found very good ground for the distinction of the other places in the Church before mentioned It appeares out of S. Cyprian that the Pulpit stood in an eminent place in the Church yet in such a place where the whole multitude assembled together He had made Celerinus Reader and thinks fit to set him super tribunal Ecclesiae ut loci altioris celsitate subnixus plebi universae conspicuus legat praecepta Evangelii It appeareth also out of him that severall places in the Church were appointed for the Clergy and for the Laity Trophimus a Priest had either sacrificed to Idols in those times of persecution or else was Libellaticus had paid his fine to be freed and had his Ticket or Libell to manifest the same and to free him of further question This man after penance done for this fault was admitted into the Church againe but
found no other favour but Vt Laicus communicet to communicate in the same place that the Laity did and was not permitted Locum Sacerdotis usurpare to approach unto the Altar or take the place of a Priest any more So Cornelius deposed Novatus that was made Bishop in a Taverne and after he had performed publike penance he was received only In communionem Laicorum to communicate with the Laity Now that these distinctions of places were strictly observed in the Catholike Church within 200. yeares after Christ appeareth manifestly out of Tertullian who to the shame and confusion of Hereticks very excellently discovereth the want thereof among them Non omittam ipsius haereticae conversationis descriptionem I will tell you saith he what the fashion of Hereticks is in their meeting how light vaine and base it is issuing out of the earth and the braines of idle men Sine gravitate sine authoritate sine disciplina very sutable to their faith For first of all quis Catechumenus quis Fidelis incertum you shall see no distinction made amongst them of Catechumeni Fideles Pariter adeunt pariter audiunt pariter orant they run in a rout together and so heare and pray all in one place and if Heathen men come in while they are at their Sacrament before these Swine doe they cast their Pearles licèt non veras though they be false Prostrationem disciplinae and when they prostrate discipline in this manner they would be commended for their purity and simplicity Cujus penes nos curam lenocinium vocat the care whereof amongst us they stile the trappings of the Whore of Babylon For the reformation of these grosse and odious abuses and to restore the Church to her ancient and reverend discipline the Councell of Ancyra was assembled Here you shall finde cleerely how Audientes Catechumeni Fideles Clerici Sacerdotes were distinguished by all which their mistake sheweth it selfe that say there were no Churches till 200. yeares after Christ. CAP. IX Where the Communion was celebrated The installation of Bishops The Bishops Throne S. Iames's Chaire in Ierusalem S. Peter's Chaire in Rome What kept S. Austine in the bosome of the Church Hereticks had no Church Succession of Bishops from the Apostles necessary to prove a true Church How S. Irenaeus S. Augustine Tertullian confounded Hereticks The detection of the creeping in of Aereticks A true succession of Bishops in the Ch. of England When Schismaticks crept into it LET us now come to speak more particularly of that place of the Church where the Priests served This was called Presbyterium because it was a place appointed for Priests to administer the Sacrament in Here Anicetus gave the Eucharist to Polycarpus Anno 167. Hither Theotechnus brought Marinus to receive the Sacrament thereby to be encouraged to endure Martyrdome Here were made the inthronizations of Bishops Egesippus sayes that he was present at Rome when Anicetus was installed Anno 167. And many personages of great quality were present at the solemnity of Fabianus his installation All these received their president from the Apostles For S. Iohn went from Ephesus into a Church Constituere Episcopos to ordaine Bishops For this purpose a Chaire or Throne was placed in the Presbytery or Chancell Vrbanus Bishop of Rome Anno 230. speaking thereof sayes that before his time Sedes in EpiscoporuÌ„ Ecclesiis excelsae constitutae inveniuntâ—r ut thronus speculationem potestatem judicandi solvendi ligandi à Domino sibi datam doceat their High-place put them in minde of their high authority given of the Lord to binde and loose And Vrbanus may well say they were found there for there they had continued in the principall Sees even from the Apostles Sublimiorem quandaÌ„ sedem fuisse indicat historia de Cathedra Iacobi that there were such lofty seats S. Iames his Chaire is an evidence say the Centurists out of Eusebius that bare them no great good will The Bishops seat of S. Iames continued in the Church till Eusebius his time Anno 326. which the Brethren there ordinarily have shewed unto all men Such a Seat it was wherein Saint Irenaeus saw Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna sit Anno 180. Such a Chaire S. Austin telleth Petillianus remained both at Ierusalem and Rome from the Apostles dayes till his time Though saith he you slanderously call the Chaire in other Churches Cathedram pestilentiae what cause hath the Church of Rome given you to say so of it In qua Petrus sedit in qua â—odie Anastasius sedet or the Chaire of the Church of Ierusalem In qua Iacobus sedit in qua hodie Iohannes sedet quibus nos in Catholica unitate connectimur to which two Churches we are joyned in Catholick Vnity The succession of Bishops in such a Chaire was one thing amongst others that kept St. Augustine from departing out of the bosome of the Catholicke Church For thus he saith in his answer to the Epistle of Manichaeus Multa in Ecclesiae gremio me justissimè tenent-tenet ab ipsa sede Petri Apostoli usque ad praesemem episcopatum successio sacerdotum The succession of Priests from Saint Peters seat keepes me of right in the Church Tenet Catholicae nomen the name of this Catholick See keeps mee in For whereas all Hereticks would bee called Catholicks yet when they demanded by a stranger be ubi ad Catholicam conveniatur where is the Catholick Church at which they meet Nullus haereticorum vel basilicam sâ—am vel dâ—mum audeat oâ—â—endere there is none of them all that dare undertake to doe that The very note whereby Hereticks were knowne from Catholicks was that Catholicks could shew their Churches and the very Chaires in them wherein there was not onely a Morall succession in purity of faith and manners but a Locall succession of Bishops continued even from the Apostles times which Hereticks could not shew and therefore were hereby convinced to be such and so put to shame and confounded Thus Irenaeus confoundeth Valentinus Cerdon and Marcion We are able saith he to reckon up all those that were appointed Bishops by the Apostles in their severall Churches unto our time But because that was too long a businesse for the worke then in hand therefore he reckons up those that had succeeded the Apostles Peter and Paul in the Church of Rome And to them succeeded Linus then Anacletus 3º loco Clemens Clementi Euaristus Euaristo Alexander then Sixtus deinceps Hyginus post Pius post quem Anicetus Then Soter and now 12º loco Episcopatum ab Apostolis habet Eleutherius By this ordination and succession saith hee the tradition which is from the Apostles received in the Church and the publishing of the faith hath come even to us which we being able to shew confundimus omnes eos qui quoquo modo vel per suam placentiam vel vanam gloriam vel
per coecitatem malam sententiam praeterquam oportet colligunt we put all those to confusion that through vaine glory or ignorance broach new doctrines in the Church For none of all these Heretickes can derive their succession from the Apostles nor shew how their doctrines were received by Tradition from them For before Valentinus there were no Valentinians and he came to Rome under Hyginus and increased his faction under Pius and continued unto Anicetus Cerdon also that was before Marcion came in under Hyginus who was the eighth Bishop and Marcion prevailed under Anicetus which was the tenth So those that are called Gnosticks from Menander Simons Disciple All these sell into Apostacy after the Church had continued a long time Thus Tertullian confoundeth Valentinus Apelles and other Hereticks edant origines ecclesiarum suarum evolvant ordinem sacerdotum ita per successionem ab initio decurrentem ut primus ille episcopus aliquem ex Apostolis vel Apostolicis viris qui tamen cum Apostolis perseveraverit habuerit authorem antecessorem Let Heretickes shew that they had an Apostle for the Author of their doctrine or some Apostolicke man whom they doe succeed as Polycarpus was placed by Saint Iohn in the Church of Smyrna and Clemens by Peter in the Church of Rome Confingant tale quid Haeretici I would faine see Hâ—reticks to set their heads to devise such a pedigree This hee was sure they could not for Valentinus and Marcion saith he came in under Antoninus the Emperour and were cast out of the Church by Eleutherius In this sort doth Saint Cyprian confound Novatian Novatianus in Ecclesiâ nâ—n est nec Episcopus computari potest Novatian is neither Bishop nor member of the Church qui Evangelica Apostolica traditione contempta nemini succedens à seipso ordinatus est because hee cannot prove his succession according to Apostolicall tradition To conclude thus doth Saint Augustine confound the Donatists and Sectaries of his time Numerate Sacerdotes vel ab ipsa sede Petri in illo ordine Patrum quis cui successit videte They that say there were no materiall Churches built till 200. yeares after Christ are more injurious to the Church and unjust to themselves and to all true members of the Catholicke Church than perhaps every one is aware For if in all this time there were no materiall Churches then there could bee no materiall Chaire wherein their Bishops were enthronized and if no Chaire then no reall inthronization then no personall succession from the Apostles whereby the right faith was derived from God the Father to his Sonne whom he hath sent into the world out of his owne bosome nor from the Sonne to his Apostles nor from the Apostles to succeeding Bishops For as Tertullian reaoneth very excellently if we will have the truth to be adjudged of our side it must appeare by this if we walk in that rule quam Ecclesiae ab Apostolis Apostoli à Christo Christus à Deo tradidit which we have received of the Apostles they of Christ Christ of God Those that deprive us of the benefit of this Apostolicall tradition plucke one speciall staffe out of our hands whereby wee stay our selves from falling from the true Catholicke Church and beat all Hereticks out of our Communion Miserable were we if he that now sitteth Arch-Bishop of Canterbury could not derive his succession from St. Augustine St. Augustine from St. Gregory St. Gregorie from St. Peter For hee that remembreth whom hee succeeds will doubtlesse endevour and pray to be heire to their vertues as well as possessor of their places What a comfort is this to his Grace and to all those that receive consecration from him and to all those that they shall ordaine when they remember that this Grace can say Ego sum haeres Apostolorum Sicut caverunt Testamento sicut Fidei commiserunt sicut adjuraverunt ita teneo I am the Apostles heire the Faith which they have by Will bequeathed to the Church that I hold Mea est possessio Olim possideo prior possideo habeo origines firmas ab ipsos authoribus quorum fuit res Here I and my Predecessors have kept possession here are my evidences which I have to shew that I have received the right Faith from the true Owners Vos verò but as for you Marcion and Apelles exhaeredaverunt semper ubdicaverunt the Apostles Christ God Himselfe hath dis-inherited you and cast you out On the other side what a confusion is this to all Hereticks or Schismaticks when the Fathers of our Church and all true children of the Church shall be able to tell them that they have no right of inheritance or portion in their Mother Quando unde venistis Quid in meo agitis non mei tell us when and from whence you come and what you make your selves to doe in the Church that are no sons of the Church We can with Saint Irenaeus point you to the time of your comming in You Cartwright and your brood came in as most Sabbatarians did under Arch-Bishop Whitguift and you Ames and Brightman with your Laodiceans came in under Arch-Bishop Bancroft and you Vicars and our Cotton with his fugitives came in or rather went out under Arch-Bishop Abbot Thus Saint Irenaeus Saint Cyprian Saint Augustine and other holy Fathers have detected the Donatists Marcionists and other Sectaryes of their times and so put them to utter confusion And so by their example are we taught to doe and our duty is to blesse God that wee are able so to doe Cotton therefore or whosoever else is the Author of this Letter shewed himselfe a sly and subtile Merchant when he would make use of the authority of a learned and godly Bishop of our Church against his mind utterly to overthrow the Truth of our Church by making simple people believe there were no Churches nor Altars till 200. yeares after Christ. For if this were so and that he could tell us when our Church came in then there would no be cause but to honour him and his party for a true Church as well as this of ours And it would bee no reproch to him and his adherents to have their comming in detected and thereby themselves discovered to bee no other but such whose comming in may be discovered CAP. X. Dedication and Consecration of Churches used by godly Bishops and taxed by the Centurists for the Mystery of Iniquitie What penance was performed by Hypocrites and Apostata's before their admittance into the Church Of Confession Exomologefis Dayes of Penance and Absolution Citizens Penance I Will passe from the placing of the Bishops Chaire to the dedication of his Church where it was set The dedication of Churches within two hundred yeares after Christ sheweth clearely that there were Churches within that time There is mention of Dedication of Churches under Euaristus Anno 112. and under Hyginus Anno 154. under Calixtus of
such as were fallen to decay by age Anno 221. And before them all Saint Clemens his command both for building and Consecrating of Churches maketh it apparent that there were Churches The words of his Epistle to St. Iames are these Ecclesias facite per congrua loca quae divinis precibus sacrare oportet These testimonies of Roman Bishops the Centurists suspect and brand the Dedication of Churches with the Mystery of Iniquity But who delivered them the keyes of the bottomlesse pit to condemne whom they list Or what Mercury conveyed Saint Peters keyes into their hands to shut out nay thrust out of heaven and to let in thither whom they list No blessed Martyr holy Father or godly man before themselves durst nay would forget their owne piety so much as to tax the Dedication of Churches for a Mysterie of Iniquity But some of all these sorts have allowed commended and practised the Dedication of Churches Where then the Doctrine and Decrees of Popes and of the first and best times are confirmed by the doctrine and constant practice of the holy Catholicke Church it seemes great boldnesse and impiety in three or foure men to condemne and to brand their authority with the Mysterie of Iniquity It appeareth by the testimonies of Eusebius Athanasius Basil Nazianzen alledged by the Centurists Gent. 4. cap. 6. and of S. Austin Prosper and Sidonius alledged by them Cent. 5. c. 6. and if they had beene disposed they might have added to these S. Chrysostome Sozomen S. Ambrose Greg. Magnus and diverse others in all ages that have approved and with great devotion and piety practised the Dedication of Churches O then that there should be a mouth opened to such blasphemy But to let them stand to their owne Master whether the worke were good or bad it is confessed on all hands that there were Churches dedicated within 200. yeares of Christ therefore the Centurists will helpe to cry downe their opinion that say there were none built in all that space Secondly the use of the keyes and the exercise of the discipline of the Church in excommunication abstention giving absolution and receiving Penitens into the Church all which were of famous and frequent use within 200. yeares after Christ doe manifestly declare that there were Churches built within that space For how Deliquents should be excommunicated out of Dens Forrests or private houses or solemnely admitted into them againe is beyond any common understanding If we cast our eyes upon the discipline used in the Primitive Church in casting out and receiving men againe into the Church we shall finde that it was executed so solemnely gravely and impartially yet with such pitty and fellow-feeling of humane infirmities as made the same very awfull and reverend and struck the mindes aswell of those that stood as of such as had fallen with griefe and terrour None that had fallen into any notorious crime to the publike scandall of their brethren and to the wounding of weake consciences were admitted againe into the Church before they had done open penance in sackcloth and ashes with fasting and prayer Thus was the Young-man who had committed many notorious robberies received againe into the Church by S. Iohn Anno 100. So those simple Women led captive by Marcus the Valentinian and by him corrupted both in body and minde made open confession of their faults Lugendo lamentando Weeping and wailing before they were received into the Church So by the sentence of Hyginus Cerdon à religiosorum horninum conventu abstentus est and was not received into the Church before he had performed his penance exomologesin faciens Anno 151. So Marcion and Valentinus were cast out of the Church by blessed Eleutherius saith Tertullian and when Marcion confessed his fault and submitted himselfe to take penance he was received to peace with this Proviso that he should reduce those to the Church whom he had perverted Now in what sort Penitents performed their penance and made confession the act it selfe will discover Is actus saith Tertullian this act which usually and most commonly is expressed by a Greek word exomologesis est wherein we confesse our fault to God not as though he were ignorant thereof but â—o far forth as by this confession Satisfactio disponitur the minde is set in readinesse for satisfaction pâ—enitentia nascitur our repentance springeth out of it and pâ—enitentia Deus mitigâ—tur by our penance GOD is appeased Therefore Exomologesis prosternenti humâ—â—ifâ—e andâ— hominis disciplina est penance is a discipline used for the humbling and casting downe of men conversatione in injungens imposing withall such a manner of conversation as may move pitty and commiseration De ipso quoque habitu atque victu mandat This Exomelogeâ—is giveth law both to our food and raiment Saccâ— câ—nere incubare and ordereth men to lye in sackcloth and ashes to have the beauty of the body in no honour to fill the soule with sorrow Plerunque verò jejuntis preces aleâ—â— to feed our prayers with fasting to weepe waâ—e and mourne night and day unto thy God Presbyteris advolvi aris as Rhenanus reads the place Dei â—dgeniculari to humble your selfe before the Priests and to fall downe upon your knees before Gods Altars to sue unto al the brethren for their prayers in your behalfe Haec omnia exomologesis penance worketh all this Ergo cum te ad fratrum genua protendis Christum contrectas Christum exoras when you fall downe at your Brethrens knees you catch hold of Christ you over-intreat Christ to be good to you And when your Brethren weepe for you Christus patitur Christ is troubled and affected Christus Patrem deprecatur Christ becoms your intercessor to his Father Facitè impetratur semper quod filius postulat a sons request is â—oone granted by a Father Some saith he think they shall performe a speciall benefit and afford an acceptable reliefe to their modesty by concealing their faults As if forsooth because our cunning will helpe us to bleere mens eyes proinde Deum celabimus wee shall be inabled thereby to keep our faults from Gods notice An melius est damnatum latere quà m palam absolvi had you rather be damned so no body know of it than to have your sins pardoned before the face of all the world Miserum est sic ad exomologe sin pervenire hee is in a miserable case that makes such a kind of confession But besides modesty which you hope to preserve by concealing your faults you may perhaps feare other inconveniences and disgraces that you make the body lyable unto quod inlotos quod sordulentos that you have neither your face washed nor your hayre kemb'd nor your clothes brusht and are shut up from all pleasure and delight in asperitudine sacci horrore cineris oris de jejunio vanitate feeling nothing but rough sackcloth galling the sides seeing nothing but head
hands face clothes covered over with ashes have nothing to be seene but a pale face thinne cheekes and a meagre looke And is this the matter that keeps you from Confession Num ergo in Coccino Tyrio pro delictis supplicare nos condecet It were good then to provide Purple and Scarlet to mourne for our sinnes You may perceive by this what strict and severe Penance open offenders were compelled to take before they could be received into the Church And this continued 2 3. somtimes 4. yeares and more together before perfectionem suam reciperent they could be perfectly received into the Communion of the faithfull as by the Canons of diverse Councells may appeare If any fell in the persecution of Licinius placuit Sanctae Synodo the Nycene Councell determined thus That though such were unworthy of mercy yet aliquid humanitatis some favour should be shewed them And the favour was no more but this tribus annis inter Poenitentes habeantur they must doe Penance for three yeares together Anno 325. Indeed we doe finde more severity brought into the Church in the times these Councells were celebrated than can be found in the writings of the Fathers before alleadged The reason is given by Socrates The Novatians were a pure Sect which divided themselves from the Church under Decius Anno. 251. because they conceived the Bishops shewed too much favour to those that fell from the Church by reason of the persecution raised by Decius Hereupon the Bishops made an Addition to the Ecclesiasticall Canon that in every Church a Poenitentiary should be appointed to admit Penitents into the Church after they had done publike penance This kind of Confession Nectarius abolished in the Church of Constantinople after it had continued about 100. yeares upon occasion of an abuse of an horrible nature done to a Lady of that City under colour of Confession by a Deacon True also it is that Saint Chrysostome who succeeded Nectarius doth often give a glaunce at that kinde of publike Confession saying non opus est quasi in theatro that there was no need that men should be set as it were upon the stage to confesse sinnes which none suspected by thâ—m and so make themselves a scorne to the world when they needed not which was the case of this woman Howbeit the Confession whereof Irenaeus Tertullian and Cyprian speake was never abolished but continued in Saint Basils Saint Gregory Nyssens and in Saint Chrysostomes time and ever after So did likewise in the Latine Church and to this purpose a solemne day was set apart for taking of publike Penance for open faults by imposition of hands and sprinckling of Ashes namely Ashwednesday by the Canon of the Councell of Agatha in Gratian. This is the godly discipline wherof our Church speaketh in the Commination of putting notorious sinners to open Penance in the beginning of Lent and wish that it might bee restored againe And as Ashwednesday was appointed for putting notorious sinners to open Penance so was Maundy Thursday set apart for their Absolution Dies quo sese Dominus pro nobis tradidit in Ecclesia poenitentia relaxatur sayes Saint Ambrose So writeth Innocentius to Decennius quinta feria ante Pascha Poenitentibus remittendum Thursday before Easter is appointed for Penitents to receive Absolution This Absolution they tooke upon their knees by imposition of the Priests hands as appeareth in the Councell of Carthage I know this whole discourse touching Penance is not pleasing and that those that read it will say they have therein endured a long Penance For all that hold the Nicene Creed doe not hold the Nicene Canons Hee that prophesieth of Wine and strong drinke is a Prophet for some Palats And hee that will bring you fresh suits of Tissue and Cloth of Gold to doe Penance in every day at some great Feast would be a welcome messenger of humiliation That Ladyes might say to their women to use Tertullians words Cedo acum crinibus distinguendis fetch me my Crisping pinnes to curle my lockes pulverem dentibus elimandis and Powder to turne my boxen teeth into Ivory si quid ficti nitoris prepare me some excellent new Fucus to restore my complexion to a cleerer nitour praeterea exquirito balneas prepare me a sweet perfumed Bath to clense the Cutis Adjicito ad sumptum be-speake me a banket of all choice Rarities at the Confectioners quumque quis interrogârit cur animae largiaris and if some inquisitive Dames aske you what meanes this preparation of these dainties of this exquisite Ceruse this precious Fucus this rare dentifrice this curiously prepared Pomatum Deliqui dicitâ— in Deum tell them I have sinned against GOD periclitor in aeternum perire and runne a dangerous hazard of eternall perdition Itaque nunc pendeo maceror excrucior ut Deum reconciliem mihi therefore I take this sore Penance and do torment and macerate my selfe as you see to procure my peace and pardon with Almighty GOD. Oh that there were not too many now a dayes that willingly would not thinke of any other Penance But if any such be they deserve as much to be pittied as such Guides as the Author of this Letter to bee censured For I pray you tell mee if these kinde of men intend not utterly to overthrow the godly discipline of the Primitive Church by denying that there were any Altars or Churches within 200. yeares of Christ. For if this were granted to bee true which is palpable unto mee then all that hath beene said concerning the godly discipline constantly practised in Churches and at Altars would vanish into frivolous fancies and idle dreames CAP. XI Of Schooles of Religion Catechiâ—ts Degrees in the Church Educati Audientes Catechumeni Intincti Neophyti Hereticks neglect these Orders Libraries Treasuries Offerings at the Eucharist disposed of by the Bishops Corruption among Deacons Timothy directed to take part of Oblations The Emperours Brother a Bishop WHat should I speake concerning Schooles Libraries Gazophylacia Treasure houses which were built in all Bishops Sees and Metropolitane Cities and belonged to the Church Can any man imagine then that there were no Churches built within 200. yeares after Christ for the Bishop Clergy and people of God to meet in Since the only end why these were built was to fit men for Gods Service in the Church In Saint Iohns time there was a Schoole and Church neere unto Ephesus for himselfe did commend a young man to the Arch-Bishop to be brought up Anno. 100. There was a Schoole in Alexandria where Pantaenus Clemens Alexandrinus and Origen taught one after another Anno. 182. There was a Schoole or Church in Smyrna where Irenaeus heard Polycarpus teach Anno. 180. In Rome there was both a Church and a Schoole For Anthia brought Eleutherius thither to bee brought up under Anicetus Anno. 167. So much the Centurists avouch And we may perceive
they pretend and subtilly malicious as the Goths were violently barbarous As the poore and strangers were relieved and entertained with these stocks of money so likewise were their Priests and Deacons thereby maintained which S. Cyprian cals stâ—pes sportulae And it seemes the meanes belonging to some of their Churches was very great For the Church of Rome in those Pâ—imitive times maintained above two hundred persons members of that Church And as Dionystus Bishop of Corinth witnesseth it was the pious custome of that Church also even from the very beginning to send reliefe far and neere upon all occasions And it seemes that the Church of Rome besides their Oblations had revenues in Land belonging to them whereof mention is made in the Decretals These common Treasuries were found in all Churches and continued even from the Apostles times For as S. Ambrose collecteth the Apostle S. Paul wisheth Timothy to make use thereof and not to war at his owne charges Timothy it seemes abstained à participatione Gazophylacii but the Apostle instructs him otherwise saying that those That preach the Gospell ought to live of the Gospell Whereupon Priùs hunc sumere praecâ—pit qui primus est sic caeteris distribuere The Bishop was the prime man to whom the custody of the treasure was committed who was to make use thereof for keeping hospitality in his owne house and to cause the Deacons to dispense the rest as occasion served who dealt not alwayes so faithfully as they ought to have done for they became sometimes Nummularii and to have pecuniarum mensas such tables and banks of money quas evertet Deus which God would overthrow as Origen sayes The Churches therefore being thus rich it is no marvell if Demetrius brother to Probus the Emperour was content to be Bishop of Byzantium afterward called Constantinople and made his son Probus the Emperours Nephew Bishop after him Though happily it was not the wealth but the holinesse of Bishops that made Princes desire their places for vulgò dici the old saying was by Saint Ambrose his report Imperatores sacerdoâ—ium magis optaverant quà m Sacerdotes imperium If then they were carefull to have and build Treasure houses and were permitted to enjoy their wealth and riches and likewise had houses to give entertainement to Pilgrims and were not molested by their persecutors herein shall we imagine that they would not be much more zealous to build Churches and houses for Gods service wherein as appeares by their Vigiles and continuall Prayers and receiving the holy Eucharist they imployed themselves both night and Day or will wee thinke that their enemies were more malicious against their Religion than covetous of their wealth and therfore they would suffer them to enjoy their Treasure houses and dwelling houses in their prime Cities but would demolish their Churches and drive them into Forrests and dennes and holes of the earth to exercise their Religion in But I take it by that which hath been said that it is more manifest that Christians had Churches within 200. yeares after Christ than either Schooles or Libraries or Treasure houses or dwelling houses of their own though all this be as cleere as the day And this is one note wherby Tertul. distinguisheth Catholicks and true Christians from Schismaticks and Hereticks those had Churches and places of abode but these had none but were straglers and had their Communions in corners You have seene how the Catholicke Church is accommodated with Churches and other useful houses Now cast your eye upon the condition of Hereticks and behold the modell therof in three words out of Tertulliar Plerique nec Ecclesias habent sine matre sine sede orba fide extorres sibi late vagantur Hereticks sayes hee have neither Churches nor houses of their owne to settle in but like unto Caine were Vagabonds and Runnagars over the face of the earth and so the case was with them even to Saint Cyprians time and therefore that blessed Martyr saies plainely The Eucharist cannot be received among Hereticks for the elements must be consâ—rated before they become parts of that Eucharist This Hereticks could not then doe quia nec Altare â—ec Ecclesiam because they had neither Altar nor Church For of necessity sayes Saint Cyprian Eucharistia in Altâ—ri Sanctificatur the Eucharist is Consecrated upon the Altar If then this were true which this unadvised man would make the Vicar believe that there were no Altars nor Churches neither within 200. yeares after Christ it must needs follow that the holy Eucharist was not received by any of the Holy Martyrs and blessed Saints of God in all the Primitive Church or else that they did receive some kinde of Sacrament that was not Consecrated For Eucharistia in Altari Sanctificatur is a ground on which he sets his rest as the Fathers before him and his successours ever did I must needs therefore conclude that if Schismaticks doe not build Altars in the honour of this man for the good service hee hath done them they are very ungratefull For by outing Christians and driving them out of their Churches into Woods and solitary places to Administer the holy Sacraments in hee hath set the very true Character of Schismaticks and Hereticks upon the face of the holy Catholicke Church that now you shall not know the one from the other And what is lawfull for the one to doe shall bee as lawfull for others Neither can derive their Succession nor Ordination nor power of Consecration from Christ and his Apostles Therefore both Sacraments and Sacramentalls may bee administred by all that list and when they list and where they list and as they list and they can shew as good evidence and authority for their so doing as the best of them all that shall controle them And if any shall censure them they must looke to have as good as they bring censure for censure and excommunication for excommunication For in the Primitive Church for 200. yeares together there was haile fellow well-met all equalls no Audientes no Catechumeni no Competentes no Neophyti no Deacons no Priests or if there were Deacons or such Anti-christian names as Priests there were no Sacraments for them to administer no Eucharist to deliver or if they delivered it they gave it before it was Consecrated for they had no Church nor Altar to Consecrate the same upon and Eucharistia in Altari Consecratur wee are sure out of all antiquity that the Eucharist must be consecrated on an Altar These then being the inconveniences which must necessarily follow if there were no Churches nor Altars within 200. yeares of Christ I hope the Author will repeale his assertion and yeeld unto a Truth uncontrollable that there were Churches and Altars not only within 200. yeares after Christ but all those 200. yeares together and were then and ever since in the holy Christian Church And so I have done with that point
CAP. XII The Altar stood in Sacrario The mysteries of the Eucharist not exposed to all Chancels how divided Communio Laicorum Priests only stood about the Altar S. Ambrose admonisheth Theodosius thereof Oblations daily made at the Altar Hereticks could not consecrate because they had no Altar Priests not allowed to be Executors nor to bee drawne from their daily service at the Altar BY that which hath beene said I conceive the Author of this Letter stands convinced in his understanding that there were Churches and Altars within 200. yeares after Christ. The next point to be enquired after is whether it did stand in the upper end of the Quire or in the body of the Church For where it did stand in the Primitive there I suppose it ought to stand if the Canons of our Church have not otherwise ordered it To both these I shall speake briefly and in order Touching the first how the Altar or Lords Board stood in the best times whether in the Quire or in the body of the Church as this Author would have it is in part manifest by that which hath beene already said And the affinity that the placing of the Altar hath with the being of Altars and Churches within 200. yeares of Christ will quit mee of the trouble of a long discourse touching that matter That the Altar did not nor could stand in the Nave or body of the Church commonly called Auditorium these reasons following seeme to be very strong For then it should be exposed to such as were by the censure of the Church abstenti or Excommunicate and to those that were otherwise prohibited as Poenitentes Catechumeni and Audientes Now all these were not only inhibited the use and participation of the Holy Eucharist but also the very sight and beholding of those mysteries Tertullian speaking of a Woman marryed to a heathen saith such an Husband will be inquisitive to know quid secretò ante Orationem cibum gustes which the Wife could not have concealed from him if the Altar had stood in the body of the Church For it was permitted to Heathens and to all that stood not prohibited by the censure of the Church to come into the body of the Church But the Woman received it in Secreto from whence the place was called Secretorium This appeareth also by the History of Numerianus The Emperour being entred into the Church of Antioch desired onely per transennam inspicere mysteria Christianorum but Babylas Bishop there resolutely withstood him and told him plainly that it was unlawfull for him that was defiled with Idols to enter so boldly into the Church divina mysteria contaminat is oculis spectare These divine mysteries therefore were not celebrated in Auditorio for then there was no partition to have hindered the Emperour from the sight of them but in a place correspondent to their holinesse called therefore Sacrarium Secondly The Altar must needs stand in that place which was appointed for the Priests to Officiate in Now the place appointed for them to wait and to administer at was not in the middest of the Chancell much lesse in the middest or body of the Church but in that place of the Presbytery which was called Sacrarium or Sanctum Sanctorum The Presbytery we doe finde thus divided First in the entring in on both sides thereof were Exedrae seats or stalles placed for the Priests Here the Deacons might not sit Secondly above these neere to the upper end of the Quire was placed Cathedra the Chaire or Bishops Throne This seat stood in such convenient distance from the Altar that the Bishop might see what Oblations were there offered the dispencing whereof belonged to his charge Thirdly in the middest of the Quire kneeled the Laicks that were admitted to the holy mysteries and together with them such Priests as after penance were received into the communion of Laicks and not of Priests Fourthly at the upper end of the Chancell was a place inclosed and rayled in from the rest of the Chancell whereunto none neither Priests that were penitents nor Deacons were permitted to enter and there to communicate and officiate in the consecration of the Eucharist or in the administration thereof unto Priests but they themselves This place was called Sacrarium here stood the Altar or Lord's-Table and hitherto none might approach but the Priests themselves The Canon is cleere for it Nulli omnium qui sit in Laicorum numero liceat intra sacrum Altare ingredi no Layman may come within the Altar A dispensation indeed there was for the King to enter in thither when he would Creatori dona offere and this was made good ex antiquissima traditione but stay there he might not Take this cleered in the History of Theodofius his offring when the time came saith Theodoret quo ad Sacrā mensam munera offerrentur surrexit similiter plorans the Emperour rose up and with teares ad Sacrarium accessit he came into the Holy Place where the Altar stood inclosed post oblationem ut consueverat intra cancellos restitit and after his oblation he stood within the rayles as he used to do at Constantinople but S. Ambrose Bishop of Millaine discrimina locorum demonstravit put him in minde of the difference of places and told him Interiora solis Sacerdotibus patent that that part of the Sacrarium within the raile was allowed only for Priests Reliquis verò omnibus inaccessa intacta and no other might enter in thither or so much as touch them Proinde exi communiter cum reliquis assiste hereupon he wisht him to forbeare and to depart The Emperour tooke no distaste hereat but wisht the Priests to let the Bishop know that he pressed not thither out of boldnesse but because at Constantinople he used so to do which custome he brake so soone as he returned thither It appeareth hereby that the Altar stood in Sacrario and that the Sacrarium was railed in from the rest of the Chancell and that none but Priests might enter in thither and that at the Altar were their Oblations made All this may be further proved out of S. Cypriaen Antecessores nostri censuerunt The Bishops my predecessors saith he have ordered Non nisi Altari deservire debere that none but Priests might officiate at the Altar and there and no where else was their service performed Origen before him witnesseth the like the Priests duty was assistere Altari to wait at the Altar and there to receive Oblations which were howerly brought thither for impiū est in ecclesiam ingredi it is impiety to enter into the Church without an offring to the Priest And if any Bishop or Priest fell in time of persecution and sacrificed to Idols Sacerdotium Dei sibi vendicare non possunt nec fas post ar as diaboli accedere ad Altare Dei they were not allowed to come unto the
Altar nec apud Altare consistere nor to stand neere it Nec ulteriùs sancta contrectare nor to handle holy things any more That this distinction of places was kept within 200. yeares after Christ is manifest by the Stations which the Priests kept at the Altar on Fasting-dayes and not on Sundayes in those times as Rhenanus thinketh Tertullian is cleere for it Nonne solennior erit statio tua si ad aram Dei steteris Solemne stations were made at the Altar and so continued to be there made on Wednesdayes and Fridayes from the Apostles times this holy place was also appointed for those prayers which the Priests daily made for the sacred persons of Kings and Bishops And we do not find that high service was performed at that holy Altar by any Deacon or Levite Not only the Liturgies of the Church but the Constitution of the Apostles from whom they had their direction doth order that Priests at the Altar doe pray pro omni Episcopatu for all Bishops and particularly pro Episcopo nostro Iacobo pro regibus and for Kings that they may leade a quiet and peaceable life c. S. Austin distinguisheth inter precationes orationes precationes were called such prayers as were made before that which is on the Lord's board incipiat benedici but Orationes Orizons were made cùm benedicitur sanctificatur when it is blessed and sanctified which kinde of prayer all the Church almost concludeth oratione Dominica with the Lords Prayer Here are those Prayers made which the Priest useth for Kings even for those Kings à quibus persecutionem patiâ—batur Ecclesia that did persecute the Church Prayer for Kings for Bishops for the whole and the Lords Prayer was then oâ—ly said at the Altar by the Priest in the Holy of Holyes At the Altar also were Commemorations made in Saint Cyprians time If a Priest at his death make a Priest his Executor and so cause him to leave the Altar where he ought to serve continually the Canon was that for such an one non offerretur nec Sacrificium pro dormitione ejus celebraretur Neque enim ad Altare Dei meretur nominari in Sacerdotum prece qui ab Altare Dei Sacerdotes ministros Levitas avocare voluit He deserves not to be named in the Priests Prayer at the Altar that is an occasion to withdraw Priests from the Altar Lastly on the Altar were made oblations of first fruits Grapes and Oile as hath bin noted out of Origen and may appeare plainly in the Canons of the Apostles I will not dispute the Authority of these Canons Some doe reject them but the sixth generall Councell approveth 85. of them and saith they were received by their Predecessors tanquam à Deo traditi as delivered of God Howsoever Saint Irenaeus witnesseth that for the point now to bee declared Oblations were made daily and hourely on the Altar God saith hee would have us munus offerre ad Altare frequenter sine intermissione By this that hath beene said it appeareth sufficiently as I suppose that the Altar or Lords Table stood not in the body of the Church but in the Holy place separated and inclosed for Priests only to serve who did there consecrate the Eucharist receive oblations offer up prayers for the sacred persons of Kings and of Bishops and the whole Church and did there and no where else conclude their Prayers and Orizons commonly with the Lords Prayer For none of all these holy Offices belonging only to Priests were performed in the body of the Church where every one might be present and see what was done Therfore the Altar did not in those times stand in the body of the Church and so farre the Vicar is not mistaken The Altar then did stand in the Primitive Church at the upper end of the Qâ—ire and not in the body of the Church and by that Precedent the Vicar might suppose that it ought to stand except the Canons of our Church have otherwise ordered it And this is the next point to be inquired after CAP. XIII The Rubricke touching the standing of the Communion Table in the body of the Church Of the Rubricke concerning Chancels Who hath the appointing of Books to be read by Priests Peter-Lombard and the Ancient Fathers appointed to be read Bishop Iewel and others directed to be read Communion Tables according to Bishop Iewel stood in the Presbytery The Presbytery is not the body of the Church I Will speake first to the Rubricke which all men acknowledge for a Canon then to the booke which the Vicar is bound to read and commanded so to do Touching the Rubricke It is fit we expound one Rubricke by another and what is briefly and obscurely set downe in one to supply and expound out of another The Table shall stand in the body of the Church or Chancell c. saith the Rubrick before the Communion But the Rubrick before Morning Prayer seemes to put in a double exception or Caution 1. Except it shall be otherwise determined by the Ordinary of the place 2. And the Chancels shall remaine as they have done in times past The place of reading of Prayers in the first part of the Rubricke is left to the determination of the Ordinary of the place and upon good reason because some part of those prayers as namely the First Service is to be read in Auditorio or body of the Church And some part againe namely the Second Service ought to be read only in Sacrario if the ancient practise of holy Church be enquired after But the later part of the Rubrick which concernes Chancels themselves and so by necessary consequence the essential parts of the Chancell as in Cathedral Churches the Priests Stals the Bishops Throne and the Lords Table or holy Altar with the railes wherby it is environed to keep it from all manner of prophanation and to preserve it entire and apart for the Priests to officiate in these shall remaine as in times past The ordering of these things otherwise than they were in times past is not referred be it spoken under correction to the determination of the Ordinary of the place much lesse to any Vicar or Parson to make a Daedalus engine of the Lords Table and so to set the Church upon Wheeles and so to run it out of the pious and Reverend practice of holy and unreproved Antiquity The Rubricke allowes no such liberty Let no man therefore invade the Churches right or goe about to remove the ancient bounds in this particular that hee bring not a curse upon himselfe The Church I confesse is indulgent enough to these fancifull and popular men yet it is to be hoped she will not suffer her ancient Land-markes to bee pluckt up and throwne by to please new fangled people withall For hoc ratum fixum Chancels shall remaine as they have done in times past which is not to bee understood of
tales epulas to such a banquet Per istos Dies at this time Christ feedeth us daily Mensa illius est illa in medio constituta his Table is that whith is set in the midst What is the cause then that you that are in the ranke of Audientes and see this Table doe not come to the banquet It may bee you thought within your selves when the Gospell was read what should be the meaning of this my flesh is meat indeed and my bloud is drinke indeed Si volueris erit revelatum if you will it shall bee made knowne unto you Accede ad professionem solvisti quaestionem doe but make profession of your faith and the doubt will bee thereupon cleered Tu autem Catechumenus diceris Audiens surdus es Thou who remainest in the ranke of Catechumeni art called a Hearer but art indeed starke deafe Well what must this Hearer and Catechumenus doe that hee may understand how the bread is flesh indeed and his bloud is drinke indeed Why this doe Ecce Pascha est da nomen ad Baptismam Now the time is Easter give in your name that you may bee Baptized Si non te excitat Festivitas ducat ipsa Curiositas If the solemnity of the time excite you not thereunto let curiosity make you doe it that so you may understand my Text He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud abideth in me and I in him Now let us take a view of what can be extracted out of S. Augustines speech Mensa illius est illa in medio posita his Table is set in the midst The Author would make a Novice of the Vicar and make him believe that the Lords Table was set in the midst of the people that all that would might come unto it and that hee doth invite all his Hearers hand over head to come unto it and reproveth them for their slacknesse in not comming wheâ— they were bidden And that Audientes had no other signification or distinction in those times then now it hath viz. that all sort of people that heare Gods Word are allowed to come and receive the Eucharist But the case is cleane otherwise as may appeare by that which hath beene said For 1. Had these Hearers beene never so willing to come to the Lords Table yet they could not have beene admitted because as yet they were no members of the Church being not Baptized 2. Hee doth invite them to come to that Table set before them but exhorts them to take the benefit of that Feast of Easter which was the appointed time for Baptisme and give up their names to the Bishop that so performing the duty belonging to Competentes they might after the Scrutinie taken be Baptized And being by Baptisme made Neophyti new plants and true members of the Church they might draw neere as it is in our Liturgy and take that holy Sacrament to their comfort 3. It is manifest by that which hath been said Cap. 11. and 12. that the Lords Table did not stand where every one of what ranke soever might see it and be partaker thereof before they were Baptized Now let any man that readeth Saint Augustine and understandeth what hee readeth say whether the Vicar could know out of St. Augustine that Communion Tables stood in the midst of the Church among the people whereunto Audientes all sort of Hearers might resort or rather whether the cleane contrary doth not appeare out of him that neither Audientes before they were made Catechumeni not Catechumeni before they were Competentes nor Competentes before they were Neophyti and Fideles were allowed to approach neere unto the place where the holy Altar stood or so much as see the mysteries belonging to that holy Sacrament Hence it was that none of these but Fideles did understand Saint Augustines Text but let them come and bee Baptized then they might For the Table was set in the midst for all that were Fideles to be partakers thereof Ob. But Saint Augustine saies plainely in mediâ— Constituta it was set in the midst and in the midst it could not stand if all as well one as other might not come equally to it Sol. This phrase implyes no more but that the Altar was so fixed that all those might take the benefit thereof to whom in right it belonged As all know that understand Latine or English Take the warrant of holy Scripture for it God is said to walke in the midst of the Campe of the Israelites yet wee know hee did not walke in the midst of them as this man calls the midst i. Neiâ—ther in the Front Wing or Rere but just in the very midst For hee went before them by day in a Pillar of a cloud and by night in a Pillar of fire Yet hee is as truly said to walke in the midst as hee is said to stand in the midst when the cloud stood over the Tabernacle which was properly in the midst In like manner the Altar may be said to stand in the midst of the Presbytery though it stand at the upper end of the Quire as the Lord was in the midst of the people when he went before them or behinde them Wherfore if the Author desire to know how the Table did not stand in the midst of the Church among the People let him read a booke which he is in reason bound to read before he cite him St. Augustine in the place alledged and he shall be satisfied that S. Augustine makes utterly against his purpose But if hee had lookt well upon Saint Augustine and observed how he invites both Audientes Catechumeni Competentes and Neophyti which we are sure could be neither Priests nor Deacons to give up their names that they might bee Baptized and so bee made partakers as well of CHRISTS bloud as of his body for all these are invited to eate CHRISTS flesh and drinke his bloud and no barre is put in against them though they were Lay-men and could be no other but Lay-men but only that they did as yet remaine in those inferiour orders he might from hence have drawne a necessary conclusion in defence of the practice of our Church that Lay-men in Saint Augustines time did receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in both kindes and so were all alike able to understand his Text touching the eating of Christs flesh and drinking of his bloud By framing this Argument out of Saint Augustine hee might have done the Church true and acceptable service whereas by wresting Saint Augustines words to maintaine a conceit of his owne to humour fancifull people hee doth crosse and confound the practise of Antiquity and disturbeth the holy endeavours of the Governours of our Church that seeke only to conforme the same to the Primitive times and by that meanes brings both his Learning and Piety into question And so I come to his next authority CAP. XVI The Testimony of the Councell of Constantinople examined
sing Trisagium And now marke what did lay these Zelotes and reduce them to order againe when the Quire began to sing Totus populus quievit audiebat attentis auribus Trisagium the people heard Trisagium sung very attentively Et post lectionem sancti Evangelii ex more sacra missa finita the Gospell being read and Service at an end then followes that which gave occasion of this long discourse wherein the proofe lyes That Altars stood in the body of the Church among the people Tempore Diptycorum cucurrit omnis populus cum silentio circum circa Altare all the people ranne with great silence round about the Altar And when the said Diptychs were read as they desired Voce magna universi clamaverunt Gloria tibi Domine they all cried aloud as they used to doe at the reading of the Gospell Glory be to thee O Lord. Now I dare appeale unto the Author himselfe to speake whether this passage was judiciously and to purpose cited yea or no wherein there is not one syllâ—ble that mentioneth or implyeth that the Altar stood in the body of the Church among the people But the flat contrary manifestly appeareth for the Altar stood in that place where all this tumult was made And this tumult was made in the Presbytery are the plaine words of the Councell therefore this Altar did stand in the Presbytery and not in the body of the Church among the people Ob. But it is said The people ran round about it therefore it must needs stand in the body of the Church among the people Sol. True it is the people in this tumult ran round about the Altar yet doth it not therefore follow that it stood in the body of the Church For let it stand as the Governours of our Church appoint it at the upper end of the Quire wherein they have this mans assent in opinion though the Biasse of his practise winde to the humour of the people yet might the people in a disorder run about it Cathedrall Churches were not all cast in the same mold In some of them behinde the Altar was Secretorium a place set apart for the Bishop to repose himselfe after he came from his Throne till the time of consecration Not to travell far for an example In this sort stands our Altar in the Church at Peterborough an hundred men in a tumult may stand round about it yet doth it not follow that it stands not Canonically close to the East wall as our Diocesane doth appoint it much lesse that it stands in the midst of the Church among the people for every one to goe about it that list as they may about the Font which never was nor ought to be so inclosed as the Altar was for unto it both Laymen and Women may approach as well as the Priest The Baptisterium was kept free from making it a burying place or setting Monuments about it other inclosure I know none 2 The people of Constantinople cast off not only all reverence to their Archbishop but even their allegiance to their Princes and will compell their Bishop to read order and settle what they think good in the Church without the command or knowledge of the Prince and doe themselves run rudely and disorderly about the holy Altar therefore this Author thinks fit that our people should do the like and president themselves by this paterne and make the world believe they have the fifth generall Councell for their warrant This inference he must make or repent the bringing in of this instance And this his Predecessors put in practise in Q. Elizabeths time in their Classes 3 Let it be granted that darknesse is light and evill good and that nothing is done here by the people but very regularly and Canonically and in good decent manner yet ill luck still treadeth on the Authors heels for his Circum circa Altare leads him a Wildegoose-chase round about the bush and brings not his purpose about that the Altar did not stand close to the East wall but in the midst of the Church among the people For thus it is S. Gregorie makes this decree Sacerdos missam solus nequaquam celebret There shall no private Masse be allowed Esse enim debent qui Sacerdoti circumstent quos ille salutet à quibus ei respondeatur ad memoriam illi reducenduÌ„ est illud DominicuÌ„ Vbicunque fuerint duo ant tres congregati c. The Priest must of necessity have some to stand about him when he officiates or does Masse Will any man inferre from hence that it was S. Gregories meaning that the people should runne round about him and stand on every side of him when he did administer the holy Sacrament Bishop Iewell tels you the contrary that the people were therefore excluded with rayles left by standing about the Priest they might disturbe the holy Ministery But S. Gregories plaine meaning was this he would not have the Priest administer that holy Sacrament alone but have alwayes two or three at least about him as we use to speake or present at the holy service And this Decree whereby private Masses are overthrowne taketh place at this howre in our Church brought hither from S. Gregory by S. Austin the Apostle of the English as Beda stiles him The Prophet David useth the like phrase of compassing the Altar circundabo Altare yet thereby is meant no more but the humble presenting of himselfe and his prayers and thanksgiving to God before the Altar Psal. 26.6 and 28 2 for it contained too many Cubits for him to compasse or fathome it round about So if these people had come about the Altar in due manner it could have received no other interpretation than Davids compassing the same Lastly can the Author or any man of learning imagine that in this Councell the Altar did stand in the body of the Church among the people because they went about it in such sort as hath been said out of his own mouth issueth the mention of the Diptychs and out of his owne mouth is he thereby condemned The Diptychs are not Lessons and Chapters it were pity this or any learned man should beguile himselfe and others with such a translation Lessons and Chapters were indeed read in the body of the Church among the people out of the Readers Pew or Tribunall as Saint Cyprian calls it and were part of the First Service at which the Catechumeni were present But the reading of Diptychs was part of the 2d. Service and was appointed to be performed at the Altar Prius oblationes sunt commendandae ac tunc eorum nomina quorum sunt oblationes edicenda ut inter Sacra mysteria nominentur Now neither oblations nor holy mysteries were solemnized in the body of the Church among the people but in Sacrario in the Holy place upon the Altar and there were the Diptychs read So that if the Author will hold himselfe to his Diptychs he must
appeared and spake in the midst of the people The Bishop we see daily in our Cathedrall Churches standing in his Throne turneth his face to the people and dismisseth them with the blessing is truly said to open his mouth in medio ecclesiae as Aaron when he did the like at the doore of the Tabernacle of the Congregation yet doth his Throne stand in the Quire for all that and did never stand in the body of the Church among the people notwithstanding his aperuios in medio ecclesiae If this Author would stand to Durandus his determination of this matter he should sooner finde the people shut out of the midst of the Quire than the Quire shut up in the midst of the people if Ordo Romanus be considered which Durandus examined as exactly as any man else So that for a conclusion I may say of this man as the Steward does of those that make a Feast They keep their worst wine till the last so hath he kept his worst arguments till the last If that which he brings out of Eusebius S. Austin and the fifth Councell of Constantinople will not save him from perishing in this cause it will be bootlesse to catch at Durandus or Platina either Let him bring in these and they will pluck Ordo Romanus after them and then has he ordered the matter wel in his Lettered Institutions delivered to the Vicar For certainly if there be good reason that Durandus carry a hard hand against the Vicar if he be for the Penman it is as good reason that the Penman feele it as hard upon him if he speake for the Vicar This Milstone of a consequence the Author has whelmed upon himselfe under which I leave him as Durandus himselfe was once left sub lapide duro and how he will quit himselfe nescio nec ego curo But though this mans proofes borrowed of antiquity faile him for his project in taking away of Altars Or setting them up in the body of the Church among the people yet he may hope of better successe from the Orders and Articles of our owne Church True this is indeed his endeavour but if he have the Father for enemy it is a desperate assay to raise a party for him of his children But I forbeare to censure him and take leave to follow him and behold the issue Thus he writeth to the Vicar CAP. XVIII The consent and testimony of Fathers ought to be reverenced What office at the Altar might be performed by none but Priests Of Sacrifices mentioned in the holy Fathers of the purest times Of S. Iustin S. Irenaeus Tertullian S. Cyprian S. Chrysostome S. Ambrose S. Augustine The Councell of Carthage c. THE purpose of this Author was doubtlesse to astonish the poore Vicar and to cast him into a Trance and to take away the use of his senses that he should not understand nor see any difference betweene having an Altar or setting the Lords Table Altarwise as our Diocesane and the Governours of our Church have ordered the bringing in of that other Oblation which the Papists offer upon their Altars What this other Oblation is he tels us not now nor named before One of the twaine sure had beene requisite for him that meant to deale clearely Thus whether out of ignorance or guile he involves himselfe and perplexeth the poore Vicar For the good man finds himself metamorphosed into a Papist he knowes not how his intention made that other oblation God knowes what The Lords Table set Altar-wise resolved a blasphemous figment and a pernicious imposture and all this done against himselfe by no body but himself under his owne hand when he subscribed to the 31. Article Here is a knack of art dexterously and swiftly performed if it would hold But God forbid that any impostor should make a man what God never made him Though what this man fetcheth about nimbly and invisibly in a refined way of giving satisfaction and advice blunt malice practiseth daily with downright strokes But that the Vicar may keepe his owne shape against all practises of transformation it stands him in hand to have a double guard alwaies about him of the holy Fathers and blessed Martyrs of the Primitive Church and of the learned and godly Fathers of our owne Church Against these two Inchanters have no power charme they never so wisely or rudely The first thing then to be done for the poore mans security against mishapening of him into a Papist is to shew this That in case he had prevailed in his desire to bring in an Altar or to set the Lords board Altar-wise which thanks be to God is now done by our Bishops direction yet neither his Altar nor oblation nor sacrifice would have been condemned for blasphemous figments or dangerous deceits the ancient and holy Fathers and blessed Martyrs being Iudges I hope there is no man but will reverence the authority of these Fathers and not cast any such imputation upon them as to say in the censorious straine of our bold Centurists that they spake not according to the custome of the Scriptures or that they did obscure the true doctrine and right use of the Lords Supper or that by their liberty and impropriety of speech they brought diverse inconveniencies to Gods Church Let such boldnesse be farre from good children to teach their fathers to speake Kemnitius teacheth them more modesty and goodnesse Bonae mentes plurimum moventur consensu testimonio antiquitatis The Fathers of our Church testifie the like reverence not allowing any Preachers doctrine but such as the ancient Fathers have reaped and gathered out of holy Scripture to his hand Let therefore the Fathers themselves speak whether Altars and all manner of Oblations and Sacrifices praises and thanksgiving excepted were had in such abomination that they were esteemed blasphemous figments and dangerous deceits The Prophet Malachi saith S. Iustin Martyr did prophesie de sacrificiis gentium of the Sacrifices which the Gentiles should offer in every place that is De pane Eucharistiae Poculo Eucharistiae It appeareth that S. Iustin that holy Martyr did call the Eucharist a Sacrifice and hath the Prophet for his warrant Anno 150. S. Irenaeus also saith that when Christ tooke the Bread and the Wine he said the bread was his body and confessed the wine to be his bloud novi testamenti novam docuit oblationem and taught a new Oblation of the New Testament which the Church receiving from the Apostles in universo mundo offert Deo doth offer unto God in all the world This saith he is that pure sacrifice offered unto God in every place which the Prophet Malachi spake of before Prayers and almes deeds are a sacrifice acceptable to God as the same holy Martyr sheweth out of S. Paul Phil. 4. yet that is no new Oblation brought in by the Apostles but taught from the beginning of the world in Abels Sacrifice Gen. 4. Anno
180. Tertullian also cleerely sayes that when the body of the Lord in the Eucharist is received on a solemne fasting day two things are performed participatio sacrificii executio officii stationum the sacrifice is received and the fast kept Therefore there is no cause why some should withdraw themselves à sacrificiorum orationibus from the prayers of the sacrifices or of the Eucharist out of a feare to breake the devotion of their Fast before the set time For both may stand together Anno 203. The Priest saith S. Cyprian Sacrificium verum plenum tunc offert in ecclesia Deo Patri si sic incipiat offerre secundum quod ipsum Christum videat obtulisse when the Priest doth use bread and powre wine into the Chalice and doth not consecrate water only without wine he doth offer a pure sacrifice as Christ himselfe did Passio est enim Domini sacrificium quod offerimus our sacrifice is Christs passion because we make mention of his passion in omnibus sacrificiis nostris Nay saith the same blessed Martyr the Priests only duty is Non nisi Altari sacrificiis deservire precibus orationibus vacare And because Geminius did appoint a Clergy man his executor whereby he was withdrawn Ab Altari sacrificiis therefore it was ordered Non offerendum proâ—eo nec sacrificium pro dormitione ejus celebraretur On the other side the same holy Martyr is carefull to have the names of such Confessours as dyed in prison to be brought him and the particular day of their departures Vt celebrenter hic à nobis oblationes sacrificia This he duly and yeerely performed in the behalfe of Celerinus the Martyr and others and takes the whole Clergy and Laity in Carthage where he was Archbishop to witnesse herein For Sacrificia pro iis semper ut meministis offerimuus quoties Martyrum passiones dies anniversaria commemoratione celebramus Anno. 240. Saint Chrysostome also maketh often mention of the Host of Oblations and Sacrifices in the holy Eucharist Quum vides quod Dominus offeratur vides sacerdotem in hostia occupari super hanc preces effundere doe you not conceive your selfe to be wrapt into heavenly meditations c And againe How shall we receive the Sacred Host how shall we be partakers of that admirable mystery with this tongue of ours whereby our soule is defiled How shall we partake the Lords Body with a defiled tongue For this Sacrifice Domini sacrificium est and what communion hath CHRIST with Bâ—lial This Sacrifice the Priest standing at the Altar offereth to GOD for all the world for Bishops for the Church c. Anno. 398. With what feare and reverence saith Saint Ambrose istud divinum coeleste sacrificium est celebrandum Vbi Caro tua in veritate sumitur ubi Sanguis tuus in veritate bibitur ubi summa imis junguntur ubi adest praesentia Angelorum ubi sacerdos sacrificium mirabiliter est constitutum Thus doe I come to thy Altar ô Lord though I be a sinner ut offeram tibi Sacrificium to offer to thee that Sacrifice that thou hast appointed Receive it therefore I beseech thee ô Lord for thy whole Church and for all thy people whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious bloud We have seene saith the same Father the chiefe Hie Priest offering his bloud for us let us Priests follow him as well as we may that we may offer a Sacrifice for the people For though he be not now seene to offer yet is he offered in the earth when Christs Body is offered vae quoque ipsi mihi bonos filios diabolus gestiebat â—ripere pro quibus ego quotidie instauro sacrificium Anno. 374. Saint Augustine saith that his mother Monicha desired only at her death memoriam sui ad Altare tuum fieri unde sciret dispensari victimam anctam qua deletum est Chirographum Here is mention made both of an Altar and a Sacrifice Of the bloud of this Sacrifice none are forbidden to take but hereunto all are exhorted that desire eternall life By the way then it is an injury to forbid Lay-men to partake of the bloud of this Sacrifice For Christ hath changed the Sacrifice of beasts in hostiam secundum Melchisedech qui panem vinum obtulit and this Sacrifice toto terrarum orbe diffusum est And againe the Lord by his Prophet saith sacrificium oblationem noluisti Quid ergo nos jam hoc tempore sine Sacrificio dimissi sumus absit perfecisti enim mihi corpus Ablata sunt signa promittentia quia exhibita est veritas promissa The Sacrifice of Christs body saith the same Father succeedeth all other Sacrifices of the Old Law and for all those Sacrifices and oblations Corpus ejus offertur participantibus ministratur Christ saith he is both the Priest and the Oblation who hath power to make the daily Sacrament thereof to be Ecclesiae Sacrificium That as the Church is offered by him in her Head so is he offered by her as his Body And when this Sacrifice of our Mediator is offered it cannot bee denyed but the soules of the faithfull are hereby eased This oblation the same Father calleth summum verissimum sacrificium and saith that at the memories of Martyrs Deo offertur Sacrificium Christianorum We do not saith the same Father set up Altars to sacrifice to Martyrs but Sacrificium immolamus uni Deo but we offer Sacrifice to God alone both their God and ours Ipsum verò Sacrificium corpus est Christi which is not offered to them for themselves and the body of Christ but unto God For what faithfull man did ever heare the Priest standing at the Altar over the body of a Martyr say thus offero tibi Sacrificium Petre vel Paule vel Cypriane cum apud eorum memorias offeratur Deo True it is saith the same Father the Martyrs suo loco ordine nominantur non tamen à Sacerdote qui sacrificat invocantur Saint Augustine alloweth of Sacrifices but not of Invocation of Saints And for this cause he and Epiphanius condemne Arrius for an Hereticke It appeareth by that which hath beene said that there were Altars and Oblations and Sacrifices which the Fathers allowed and if these be used as they ought to be and as these holy Saints of God used them this man ought not to score them up amongst blasphemous figments and dangerous deceits without wronging the blessed Saints of God that continually behold his presence into whose society God grant both him and me to come To conclude this constant doctrine of the holy Fathers concerning Altars Oblations and Sacrifices is confirmed by the Canons of sundry Councels And in these also we may observe some difference made of Sacrifices There we see Sacrifices which Lay-men might offer as Sacrifices
of Praise Prayer Almes-deeds and the like and there were Sacrifices which neither they nor Deacons neither might offer and such were those Sacrifices whereof the Fathers make so often mention that are offered at the Holy Altar Of such the Nicene Councell speaketh Diaconi offerendi Sacrificii non habent potestatem and the Councel of Carthage Conc. Bracarense and many more All Gods people men and women were allowed to offer some Sacrifices to commemorate the death of Christ upon the Crosse to offer all manner of spirituall and Christian Sacrifices of Fasting Prayer Mortification Almes-deeds praising of God reading and preaching of Gods Word but the Sacrifice of the Altar wherein the Death and Passion of Iesus Christ is commemorated in the Consecration of the Bread and Wine and breaking and delivering them to the Faithfull is the particular function of the Priest to performe Thus wee see Altars Oblations and Sacrifices were in common use amongst the most holy Saints of God that ever lived Therefore farre bee it from this man to condemne these or the like in our Church for blasphemous figments and pernitious impostures Farre be it I say from him even as farre as it was from the mind of those learned and godly Fathers that framed the 31. Article whose meaning may yet more cleerely appeare from the declaration made therof by their successors in place piety and learning whereof we are now to speake CAP. XIX The meaning of the 31. Article delivered What Sacrifices are blasphemous fables and dangerous deceits The doctrine of our Church herein taught by Bishop Mountague Bishop Andrewes Bishop White and Mr. Casaubon Homilie of Sacraments IT is very meet that wee enquire more narrowly into the meaning of the 31. Article For we may be sure that those godly and learned Fathers of our Church that give strict charge to private Preachers that they shall take heed that they teach nothing in their Preaching which they would have the people religiously to believe and observe but that which is agreeable to the doctrine of the Old Testament or the New and that which the Catholicke Fathers and ancient Bishops have gathered out of that doctrine will not censure the constant doctrine of the Fathers and Primitive Church for blasphemous Fables and dangerous deceits nor yet involve and lap Chemnitius Gerardus and other sound Protestants yet such as suffer Altars still to stand as this Author tells us within any plait or fold of that their censure The words of the 31. Article whereunto this lettered man relateth are these The Sacrifice of Masses in the which it was commonly said that the Priests did offer Christ for the quick and the dead to have remission of paine and guilt were blasphemous Fables and dangerous deceits Now let us heare what is the true and Orthodox meaning hereof out of the mouthes of the most learned men of our Church and such as the most learned Prince that ever was in this kingdome King Iames of happy memory allowed and set on worke to deliver the mind of the Church and of himselfe in this very point And in this ranke I begin with Bishop Mountague Bishop Mountague speaking as he saith himselfe in Bishop Mortons words saith thus I beleeve no such Sacrifice of the Altar as the Church of Rome doth I fancy no such Altars as they imploy though I professe a Sacrifice and an Altar And a little after speaking of his adversaries saith thus I have so good opinion of your understanding though weake that you will confesse the blessed Sacrament of the Altar or Communion Table whether you please to be a Sacrifice not propitiatory as they call it for the living and dead not an externall visible true proper Sacrifice but only representative rememorative and spirituall Sacrifice Now if you grant a Sacrifice why deny you an Altar And againe I have used the phrase of Altar for the Communion Table according to the manner of antiquity and am like enough sometimes to use it still nor will I abstaine notwithstanding your agginition to follow the steps and practise of antiquity in using the words Sacrifice and Priest-hood also and yeâ— be further from Popery in that practice than you from Puritanismâ— or any Puritane indeed from true Popery being two birds of one feather It appeareth plainely from hence that our Church doth not condemne the Sacrifice of the Altar mentioned in the holy Fathers for blasphemous figments and dangerous deceits but the Sacrifice of Masses because the common opinion held of them was that they were propitiatory externalâ— visible true and proper Sacrifices for the quick and the dead For had they beene commonly held to be no more but representative rememorative and spirituall Sacrifices our Church would not then doth not now finde any fault with them What the fault is the said most learned and acute Bishop proveth out of Saint Cyprian in this â—ort Nam si Iesus Christus Dominus Deus Noster ipse est â—ummus Sacerdos dei Patris sacrificium Patri seipsum â—btulit hoc fieri in sui commemorationem praecepiâ— utique illâ— Sacerdos vice Christi vere fungitur qui id quod Christus feciâ— imitatur sacrificium verum ac pleâ—um tunc â—ffert in Ecclesia Deo Patri si sic incipiat offerre secundum quod ipsum Christum videat obtulisse You doe not this saith he to the Gagger therefore in Saint Cyprians judgement your Sacrifice is neither full nor true The like doth the Reverend Bishop of Elie avouch turning his speech to the Cardinall and saying thus At vos tollite de missa transubstantiationem vestram nec diu nobiscum lis erit de Sacrificio Memoriam ibi Sacrificii damus non inviti Sacrificari ibi Christum vestrum de pane factum nunquam daturi Sacrificii vocem scit Rex Patribus usurpatum nec ponit inter res novas at vestri in missa Sacrificii audet ponit Take you Transubstantiation out of the Masse and we will not contend with you about a Sacrifice A memory of a Sacrifice we grant but grant we will never that Christ made of bread is Sacrificed The word Sacrifice is in use among the Fathers this the King knoweth well enough and hee placeth it not among Noveltyes as he doth the Sacrifice in your Masse Will you be pleased yet further to heare of the doctrine of our Church in this particular out of learned Doctor White now Lord Bishop of Elie. The things which wee simply condemne in the Popish Masse are these 1. That CHRIST existing in earth covered with formes of Bread and Wine is in his very substance offered to God his Father 2. We reject private Masses in which the Priest eateth alone and undertaketh for a fee to apply the fruit thereof to particular persons 3. That it is of equall force with the Sacrifice of Christ upon the Crosse. 4. That it conferreth grace by the outward worke
pernicious purpose must in reason be in the heart of this Scribe otherwise it was utterly impertinent to scare the poore Vicar with such terrible and astounding words And better had it beene to have kept such mortall bolts as these in store and not to discharge them so soone before discretion had brought him within eye-reach of the right marke Had this man beene so wise as the Vicar was to president himselfe by what he sees done in the Kings or Bishops Houses or Chappels he would have kept these shafts in his Qâ—iver and bestowed them as he sees M. Casaubon and our learned Bishops by the Kings direction doe upon grosse and impious abuses cleerely discovered as well in Altars as in Sacrifices and not therewith to strike through Oblations sacrifices and Altars themselves together with the holy and reverend use and users thereof from whom he hath his Priesthood Orders Faith and Religion too if he have any at all In shooting after this blinde heedlesse fashion not the judgement only and learning but the discretion and piety of the Archer to his Mother the Church and to all reverend antiquity stands in greater hazzard of the shot than the unremarkable actions of a simple Vicar They are not Altars which still stand in the Churches of sound Protestants and may remaine in some of ours or to make use of their Covers and Ornaments Tables may bee placed in their roomes of the same length and fashion the Altars were of as this Author tels us with which practise he also concurreth in opinion they are not Altars I say or Sacrifices or Oblations that true Christians and good Protestants have in execration but the grosse and vile abuses of these Against abuses onely good Christians protested and from thence received they their names This the most learned Bishop in his Apologie for King Iames of happy memory putteth the Cardinall in minde of Salva protestatione hac haud ulla est fides Nostra nisi quae Vestra est vel esse debet vetus 〈◊〉 illa Catholica The Protestant holds the same Catholicke faith which is or ought to bee the same in Rome and over all the Christian world The Protestant hath the abuses and Novelties only which are crept into the Romane Church in detestation not the things themselves no not the name of the very Masse it selfe For as the same Reverend Bishop telleth the Cardinall in the Kings name In missa si missa fiunt quae sum 〈◊〉 antiatione vestra ibi submissa â—unt bono fi loco res essent non valde de nomine litigaret Rex The King would like well enough of the Masse if her Priests would â—hrive her of Transubstantiation the name should beget no reall difference Those therefore were not well advised nor throughly informed of the doctrine of our Church and of pious antiquity that by their violent and unlearned clamours incited the people unto that horrible out-rage committed in breaking downe of Altars and caused them to boggle and spie umbrages and scandals at the things themselves where none at all could have beene found if these Arietes gregis had partaken as much of the mild temper of the sheep as they did of the Rams horne But where simplicity and ignorance is armed nothing can be expected but a violent confusion and the like disorder This disorder committed de facto as the Author speakes the supreme Magistrate thought meet to punish not by a kind of law but by a law yet in force to punish the same de jure in case it should be committed The law was made by Queen Mary and is this If any shall unlawfully contemptuously or maliciously of their owne power or authority pull downe deface spoile or break downe any Altar or Altars c. such person or persons are to be punished as in the law is expressed Queene Mary who made this law did repeale the law made by King Edward for the authorizing of the Book of Common Prayer Queene Elizabeth who did establish King Edwards law for authorizing the Book of Common Prayer did repeale Queene Maries repeale thereof but that part of the Statute which concerneth the punishing of such disorderly people that of their own authority riotously pull down Altars c. the said Queene Elizabeth of famous memory repealeth not but it is still in force that the Magistrate whom it concernes may proceed against delinquents that violate the Lords Table standing Altar-wise or break or deface the pictures of Christ or of Saints in Church-windowes or crosses or the like upon that Statute if any should so offend which God foâ—bid if Sergeant Rastales hand and starre point and lead me not into an errour CAP. XXI Altars crept not into the Church Altars Consecrated with more ceremony and regarded with more reverence than any part of the Church appeareth out of Bishop Iewell On the Altar stood the Crosse of CHRIST in the Primitive Church and in Saint Chrysostomes time and remained there in Queene Elizabeths Raigne sometime steps unto the Altar drawne with Curtaines Archbishops and Bishops and all sorts of people doe reverence towards the Altar Barbarous Souldiers kisse them Penitents prostrate before them Saint Ambrose willing to be made a Sacrifice for them THe drift of the Author in this Epistle is the disgrace of Altars To this purpose he hath framed these words to serve his turne two wayes 1. By the manner of their comming in and that was creeping 2. By the meanes of their creeping in and that was by Complying with the Iewes For as much as the most ancient and holy Fathers of the Primitive Church and the most learned and pious Fathers of our own Church have Christian Altars and Sacrifices in due honourable and reverend estimation there is no cause at all why a man not bigge with selfe love nor made to kindle a faction quae jam plus satis calescit should picke a quarrell first with them then with their name then with their comming in by phrasing it so contemptuously in that terme of creeping whereby is implyed their comming into the Church in some base secret undue and unobservable manner I dare be bold to say that no man of judgement and learning though hee look over Antiquity as the Devill lookt over Lincolne will say and meane to justifie what hee saies by sound proofes out of good antiquity that Altars crept into the Church It were not amisse if this Pen-man would looke the face of his actions in the envious mans tares these he shall finde crept up among the Wheat no man knowing how when the honest Husband-man and his servants thought no hurt but were at rest and asleepe The case is not so with Altars the Husband-men themselves that labour faithfully in the Lords Vineyard the Governours of Christs Church and the true and only successors of the Apostles brought them in by the speciall direction of Gods holy Spirit I shall not need to spend much time in proofe hereof
The least thought of what hath beene said lights up a Candle to shew the truth hereof which no blast of Puritane mouthes set against it is able to blow out though Boreas had made his bellowes in their Cheekes Sure wee are by that which hath beene said that Churches were built and made with the very Cradle of Christianity and when they were made they were consecrated For a man may as lawfully and Christianly administer the blessed Sacrament in a Barne or Towne-Hall as in any place that is not Consecrated to such holy uses And when the Church was Consecrated was not the Altar the chiefest place which with most ceremony and devotion was hallowed when it was hallowed was it not kept more carefully from prophanation than any other part of the Church Levita eligatur sayes Saint Ambrose qui Sacrarium custodiat not the Vestry onely but the Altar belonged to his care Was there not a feast annually kept in a joyfull remembrance of the dedication of every Church and did not the Consecration of the Altar carry the name of that feast doth not St. Augustine say my brethren you know right well that to day consecrationem Altaris celebramus was not the Altar set and fixed in the most eminent place of al the Church The Readers Tribunall stood in the body of the Church in loco editiori in a place exalted above the rest there But was not the Altar set in Sacrario or Sancto Sanctâ—rum in the highest place of all whereunto the Priest ascended by certaine steppes and degrees and when they did so ascend were there not Psalmes of degrees sung called for that cause Graeduals were not tythes of greatest sanctity given to the Altar was it not the only place whither none but Priests might be allowed to come to officiate was not the holy Eucharist there and no where else Consecrated Durst the Priests themselves ascend thither without doing lowly reverence three severall times Was not this holy Altar and the mysteries thereof at some time kept rayled from the eyes of most men doth not KING Edward the 6th call it Sacro-sanctum Altare in his writ to the Bishop doth not Saint Nyssex say Altare hoc Sanctum c. this holy Altar at which we stand is in his owne nature no more but a stone such as our houses are made of but being Consecrated and Dedicated benedictionem accepit and is become meâ—sa Sancta Altare immaculatum quod non ampliâ—s ab omnibus sed à solis sacerdotibus iisque venerantibus contrectatur Veneration towards the Altar was then required and practised Doth not the most holy and blessed Archbishop as the fifth Councell calls him performe his low obeysance toward the holy Altar and exhort all others to doe the like doth hee noâ— say adoremus primum Sacro-sanctum Altare did not the reverence of holy Altars prevaile so farre with the furious Souldiers and barbarous Goths that in all humility they willingly fall down and kisse the holy Altar doth not Tertullian say that in his time Altars were had in that reverence that their Penitents used adgeniculare to fall downe upon their knees doth not St. Chrysostome say dum vides sublata vela tum cogita câ—elum ipsum sursum resâ—rari Angelosque descendere when the Curtaines are drawne by our hearts which even then we are bidden to lift up unto the Lord conceive heaven it selfe to be open to us when Iesus Christ is given to the faithfull Communicant who wee may be sure commeth not alone but with the blessed Spirit attended with his blessed Angels whom hee hath made ministring spirits for their good who shall bee heires of salvation Doth not the same Father say semper in Altari manere solet Christi Crux the Crosse of Christ alwayes used to stand upon the Altar doth not Beatus Rhenanus say out of Tertullian and Lactantius that in those times Christians had no other Images in their Churches praeterquam crucis signum super Aram adorientem versum ut mentem oculosque in coâ—lum ubi Pater est omnium erigerent espansis manibus but only the Crosse of Christ which stood upon the Altar And is it not also said that the Altar which stood in former Princes times continued in Queen Elizabeths Chappell with the Crosse upon it Doth not Bishop Iewell in the place cited by the Author confirme the greatest part of all that hath beene said And are these arguments that Altars crept into the Church If the Governours of the Church had come in to see the furniture of the Church as the good man of the house did to see his guests and had espied there an Altar amongst sundry other Consecrate things would they not at one time or other have questioned some or other for it and have said Friend how came this hither Neither the Altar nor his furniture are such guests or wedding garments as I look to find here and therefore doe you take it and cast it unto utter darknesse There it was bred and so crept in hither and there let it bee buried But the case yee see is quite otherwise they honour reverence and adore towards it for his sake whose Sacrament is Consecrated thereon And this is the first man that I can find that â—aith Altars crept into the Church And if he bee not I hope hee will discover himselfe and â—ell us by whom hee doth president himselfe I am sure not by Kings or Bishops Chappels or Cathedrall Churches or by any true Christian member of them But if Altars crept into the Church I would but know how he and I came in I will begin with my selfe I had my Ordination from Bishop Dove he had his Consecration from Archbishop Whitguift and the Archbishop his from the undoubted successors of Saint Peter and of our Saviour Christ Here is no creeping in all this And I perswade my selfe he crept not into his if he had orders in the Church of England If the Porter or Sexton had led him aside in the night into the Belfrey and had put what belongs to his custody into his hand and so he had stole up to the Chancell this had beene Creeping But Priests in our Church have their Ordination usually at the 4. tempora they prepare or ought to prepare themselves with Fasting and Prayer three dayes before and at the Ordination they kneel upon their knees before the holy Altar The Bishop and they pray before the holy Altar then is given imposition of hands before the holy Altar then the Bishop taketh the holy Gospels from the holy Altar and delivereth the same into the hands of him that is ordained who maketh solemne protestation before Almighty God meekely kneeling still upon his knees before the holy Altar and in the presence of the Bishop and the whole Congregation that hee will read these holy bookes c. Here is no creeping but this holy action is
solemnely performed and done openly before all Israel and before this Sunne But if the Altar had crept in then the Bishop had crept in much more for no Bishop was enthronized before his Altar was Consecrated and if the Bishop crept in then I am sure hee himselfe crept in and if he crept in the Sextons might doe well to shew him the way out For without the Church militant and triumphant in earth and in heaven shall bee dogges and whosoever maketh or telleth lyes And with untruth this saying that Altars crept into the Church hath more affinity than I could wish and more than all the water in his Well can wash off if hee make not ignorance his refuge and save himselfe under the shadow of her wings And thus much of the manner of creeping in of Altars CAP. XXII Complying with the Iewes doth not argue the creeping in of Altars The enemies of the Church have long pickt a quarrell at her Altars and her Priests The Councell of Aquisgrane defendeth them At what houre of the day Altars came in Christian Altars came in at Noahs floud and have so continued in the Christian Church ever since Danger to meddle with holy and consecrate things King Iames of blessed memory washed his hands of medling with them The polity of the Christian Church was framed by the patterne of the Iewish Church Sonne of the Church an honourable name The complying of Sabbatarians with the Iewes IN the next place the Author shewes the means wherby Altars crept into the Church and that is By a certaine complying in phrase with the people of the Iewes Now see what a froward or blinde destiny haunted and led the Secretary of this Letter For that very reason which he brings to prove the creeping in of Altars doth cleerly demonstrate that they did not creepe in He tels us what he has read in Kemnitius Gerardus and other sound Protestants yet such as suffer Altars still to stand It appeares he sailed not farre for his gold And the Commodities which he brings are common upon every petty Chapmans stall and such as will be his utter undoing when they come to be rifled into The complying in phrase with the people of the Iewes is the meanes whereby Altars crept in say you But I say and I hope to produce those that will make it good that this complying both in phrase and in other respects is the only assurance that we have that Altars did not creepe in but were brought in or rather continued in the Christian Church of the Gentiles from the Christian Church of the Iewes and were alwayes in both these in honourable and reverend estimation and ought not to be turned off by any Christian so disgracefully There is not any one ancient Father that ever I see who doth not derive the polity of the Christian Church and take their patterne in laying downe the platforme thereof from Gods Church among the Iewes as well before Moses as after as well in externall Rites and Ceremonies as in the internall spirituall and essentiall parts of Gods service I shall take as little paines for this rich and sure commodity as the Author did for the ruine of his cause The Councell of Aquisgrave jâ—st 800. yeares agoe hath furnish me abundantly that I need look no further There were in those times some Factors for the Synagogue of Satan that would not be pleased neither with Priests Altars Oblations Sacrifices nor with the very Churches and Houses of God themselves or any consecrated things but kindly perswaded themselves that some of these they might pull downe and cast out and make the rest their prey These things were made common Table-talke and the food of Conventicles and in the end it was commonly given out Haec non ex authoritate divina constare that all these and the like had but slender or no ground in holy Scripture Sed potius arbitrario cordis nostri say the Bishops imò cupiditate quadam inventione commenta esse but by some slye device of our owne were brought in or as this man speakes crept into the Church These things being by the carefull Spyes and witty Agents at times buzd into the Kings eares The godly and learned Fathers of that Councell think fit to present an humble declaration of the truth concerning these matters and give his Highnesse to understand that if these Objectors and Surmisers would diligently read and seriously weigh what in that writing was contained they would be brought to acknowledge Nos quae Dei sunt ad vestram salvationem ad regni stabilimentum that the things which are established in the Church and which we have delivered are the things of God and such as make for your Majesties eternall salvation and for the establishing of your Kingdomes and Dominions Se verò but those that say that these things crept into the Church Ea quae sunt mundi Dei voluntati usque quaque contraria existunt ad animarum interitum pertinent absque dubio loqui To come home then to the very point whether Altars crept into the Christian Church by a kinde of complying in phrase with the Iewes let the authority of S. Ambrose commend one ground of Christianity to those that hold by that Title Accipe quae dico anteriora esse mysteria Christianorum quam Iudaeorum Christians are more ancient than Iewes so are the mysteries of their Religon their Sacraments Sacrifices Altars more ancient than any of these among the Iewes Therefore the dreame of complying must needs be idle There are twelve houres of the day and in one of these Altars came into the Christian Church They crept not in by complying And the Councell of Aquisgrave will tell us plainly at what houre of the day they came in The Morning of the World was from Adam to Noah saith S. Gregory the third houre from Noah to Abraham the sixth houre from Abraham to Moses the ninth houre from Moses to Christ the twelfth houre from Christ to the worlds end At what houre of the day now did Altars come in Heare these holy Fathers speake True it is say they Religio primum coepit â—ine Altare ab Abel justo Religion at first was without an Altar Altars came not in at Sun rise This man would then have said they crept in under some cloud Well the third houre was from Noah to Abraham And now Arrige aures Pamphile for we are upon the very houre of the comming in of Altars Noah being preserved from the great danger of the floud Non extra Altare sedjam supra Altare holocausta Deo obtulit he offered holocausts upon an Altar And if the Vicar had erected such an Altar the only holocaust needed not to have beene his discretion except he would have beene as prodigall with his discretion as this Author for there were sacrifices of thanks and praise which Noah taught him to offer on an Altar Come we to the
bee glad to say not only as hee doth already that wee have an Altar in regard of Participation and communion granted to us but tacke about for other considerations also if hee bee well put to it I am sure hee will come off with for an Altar for Sanctuary and preservation and for oblation to offer thankes to God that he that writes in this sort to controle present authority and reverend antiquity may scape with the biting of a flea with the refutation of a poore Vicar I believe also he will imbrace an Altar for vowes that if he may thus come off hee will be lesse peremptory in his commands hereafter to say to the Vicar Doe not you call it an Altar doe not you set the Table Altarwise that your discretion prove not the only Holocaust but be glad to call it so himselfe in moe respects than one or two and not to affront the whole Church of God with his judgment but seeke to reconcile his judgement to his opinion And if the Vicar have his consent in opinion for setting the Lords Table in the highest place of the Quire his judgement may not lead him down to the body of the Church and there set it Tablewise and choose to disquiet the whole Church rather than to trouble the poore Towne of Grantham who ought to have beene taught otherwise than to take offence or Vmbrage at the practice of the Primitive Church and the direction of our Bishop For as we were lately given to understand by our Reverend Diocesane it was ordered in most Diocesses of this kingdome that the Lords Table should bee inclosed and set Altarwise as we conceive it is in his owne Chappell So farre was he and the other Governours of our Church from supposing that the Country people would take them for Dressers But there is one battering blow for a farewell lent Altars or the Lords Table set Altarwise out of Iohn Seton or Peter Ramus choose you whither and that is this The Lords Table must not in any hand stand Altarwise sublato enim relativo formali manet absolutum materiale tantum The Sacrifice therefore which relates to an Altar being taken away the Altar is thereupon demolished his name at least stands forfeited to destruction and now no more Altars but Tables of stone or timber If this be a good and Scholler-like argument then God be with the Lords Table too so soone as the Communion is ended and the Lords service finished and the Priest and people departed For questionlesse relativum formale tollitur according to this mans owne declaration For the use of an Altar is to Sacrifice upon and the use of a Table is to eate upon So that when the eating is done hee will not deny but the formall reference is vanished and the accidentall forme or materiall essence onely remaineth Then may you make the Lords Table a board for mony Changers or a Chopping blocke or a tressell to lay the Beer upon as I have seene it used or a Glasâ—ers board and the Chancell his work-house or an out room to lay up old rotten timber and vile luggage But I believe when the Bishop or his officers come to question such matters as these they will not be answered with Axioms out of Seton or Keckerman either or take such metaphysicall coyne for good pay but the offendors wil be glad to turne over a new leafe and be made to see that Canons Ecclesiasticall will make their Canons Logicall to flie And that their accidentall relations will not stand them in any absolute and substantiall stead For in those things that are dedicated and consecrated to God by the Bishop or made Gods by vow and oblation from his children are his at all times though they be not used at all times nor scarce used at any time as he allowes and as those that vowed or dedicated them intended As for example in Tythes and offerings you may not alienate them or take them away except you will adde a fift part and put a better in the roome the Councell of Aquisgrane and the Fathers whom they follow will teach you that for good Divinity under the Gospell aswell as it was under the Law Leviticall For this law is founded upon nature and right reason There is no reason that any man should take away anothers right much lesse the Lords right or his Priests right The things then that are Gods whether they be Altars or Tables and things dedicated and consecrated upon them much more as Tythes and oblations whether they be used or not used or used otherwise by those to whom in right they do belong as if a Priest should use his tythes and maintenance belonging to the Church to keep hawkes or hounds or dogs or spend it in play at cards or dice which is absolutely against the Canons of the Church yet the right of these is still the Lords and the abuse is to be reformed and such holy things are to be restored to that good and holy use whereunto they were intended and at the first dedicated and consecrated M. Selden nor no man of judgment and learning will affirme otherwise and they do wrong the gentle-man that do wrest his authority to justifie their incroachments upon holy and consecrate things which in my conscience never came into his mind the good old workmen whom he affects cannot easily shape him to this new cut nor can it come into the mind of any pious and godly man except he be prompted to it by this serviceable Logician that the Relativam formale is sublatum and the materiale onely remaines which is all his brethren hawke after And this is the fowle he puts into their hands in an expedite cleanly and thrifty way The plot of setting up Lecturers in every good towne to worke this designe is a chargeable slow and somtimes an uncertain way and proves to be but a dull device of a foggie braine and willing blunderer that light upon it in a mist wherein the brethren were at first involved who truly meant well to their cause but mist of his mark intended But let this Logicians nimble device be received but one such Logick Lecturer be set up in a Diocesse the work is done All the rest may take their ease For thus it is in a word Sacrifices are taken away which is relativum formale and therefore Altars must needs be taken away and nothing remaine but what is materiale tantum tables of wood or stone without any reference at all to the things they belonged unto So in the same manner tolluntur Sacerdotes tolluntur ergo Sacerdotalia Priests are taken away therefore all reference that tythes and other maintenance belonging to Priests had is taken away and that which remaines is materiale tantum corne or hay or a fat Pig and these having their cognizance pluckt off and nothing remaining but their Materiale tantum which they owe to the soile of some Landlord whose should they be
assent which I believe neither of you will ever be able to doe in this Letter the world sees you have not done it Yet are not you or he Master of an other mans understanding and of his will much lesse no more than the Vicar is of his eares in Tacitus as you wittily allude You know he to whom all things were committed gives off when it comes to this with Ego volui vos autem noluistis So it may be probably presumed that some of Gr. and others of that Immercuriall wood may be so knotty sturdy that if you come with your Herculean armes to twine and twist them with your rationibus cogentibus they will cracke in the bending like a gunne and say non persuadebis etiamsi persuaseris Nay give me leave to say thus much that if you had a purpose to prepare and send forth factious seditious schismaticall and hereticall Foxes into the standing Corne of Church and Common-wealth you need tye no other fire brands to their tayles nor inspire them with any other doctrine or afford them any prime Materials or principles so full of spawne and probability to multiply their like for them to hatch and worke upon as this feracious and pregnant Plebiscite that what is by Law custome prescription or prerogative royall appointed and setled shall not be allowed or practised by the men of some incorporation or other before it bee maintained rationibus cogentibus Let this principle be granted behold what a spectacle I shall present unto you withall Let this mans plot take effect that nothing be allowed but what such as he and the Vicar shall maintaine rationibus cogentibus the men of Grantham being Iudges and such Scribes and Pharisees as this man appeares to bee then the orders of Bishops Priests and Deacons with their tythes and maintenance together with the houses of God and all Consecrate things the power of the keyes and all discipline shall be utterly overthrowne and ruinated Then shall the holy Scripture the holy Sacraments the Articles of our Creed and saying of our Lords Prayer bee doubted of and called into question Then shall the power of Kings and Monarchs with their Crownes and dignityes with their Lawes Ordinances and prerogatives be shaken nay racketed up and downe If a decree come from Augustus Caesar that all the world shall be taxed and if Tiberius after him and their successors Princes and Monarchs shall require taxes and tollages Carts and cariages aydes and subsidies of their subjects in never so gracious a manner for the necessary support of the Common-wealth the Crowne and dignity though this power doe belong to Monarchs and that the Kings of Israel and Iudah from the first to the last and all Emperours and Kings heathen and Christian exercised and practised the same and that St. Paul to prove himselfe as Theophylact sayes to be no Galilean impose a necessity of this duty upon all good Christians yee must be subject for Conscience sake and testifie your true subjection by ready payment of customes and tributes and that all holy Fathers resolve that all mens goods even of Clergy men are subject to the impositions of their Princes agreeing herein with Theophylact who delivers the cause of such subjection to Princes qui nisi essent jam omnia olim periissent potentioribus imbecilliores devorantibus yet will Iudas of Galile who as Origen saies against Celsus was a man of great place and account in that Countrey and by his example the men of Galilee stand out till the Emperour maintaine his edict rationibus cogentibus otherwise hee which payes makes himselfe Caesars slave sayes Iudas of Galile as Iosephus reports him pretending the defence of publike liberty Sed revera privatorum lucrorum studio But our Saviour Christ who was a Galilean by habitation and suspected to be tainted with that Galilean leven and tempted accordingly with that question Is it lawfull to pay tribute to Caesar and strongly put to it shall wee pay it or shall we not pay it both under Augustus and Tiberius did submit himselfe to their prerogative and did not stand out till he was convinced rationibus cogentibus For who could frame a better argument for exemption from their authority than that which is included in that question of whom doe the Kings of the earth intimating other Kings as well as Caesar take tribute or poll mony of their sonnes or of strangers and concludes that the children are free wherein his exemption is clearely included yet for all that lest we should be an offence unto them by putting them to maintaine their right as this man counsels and Iudas would doe rationibus cogentibus though the tax was heavy dragma and sometimes Didragma viid. ob and xvd. upon every pol which was the double dayes wages of a labourer and yearely payd yet our Saviour gives present order and rather than a fayling should be with him or his workes a miracle for payment thereof Our Saviour Christ allowes of what is appointed by the edict of a heathen Prince and setled only by right of Prerogative and prescription without requiring to have the same maintained rationibus cogentibus And so ought this author to doe or destroy GODS Ordinance But I beseech you consider what large and spacious floud-gates this man sets wide open to let in a whole deluge of confusion impiety and sacriledge into the Church if the contents of his Letter in this particular might obtaine viz. that the constitutions orders decrees appointed by Canon or received by tradition of holy Church be not of absolute authority and require full obedience but are to be scanned and disputed and not allowed or received before they be maintained rationibus cogentibus You shall neither say nor read the Apostles Creed much lesse the Nicene and Constantinopolitan Creed for Arrius Eutichus Nestorius and an 100. Hereticks more will tell you that the Articles touching the Deity and Humanity of our Saviour Christ and concerning the procession of the Holy Ghost and the true descent of Christs soule into hell the place of the damned are not maintained rationibus cogentibus You shall not believe that the Mother of our Lord was a Virgin ante partum in partu and post partum for you know who have not beene ashamed impiously and blasphemously to write and Preach the contrary and doe hold that it is not maintained rationibus cogentibus you shall not believe the holy Catholicke Church because you know who say it is not maintained rationibus cogentibus the word Catholike being not found in all the Scripture You shall goe nigh to lose two petitions of seven of the Lords Prayer Luk. 13. Fiat voluntas tua libera nos à malo because some may say that it is not maintained rationibus cogentibus that there ought to be more in the Greek than are in the Vulgar translation You shall lose all Saint Pauls Epistles for Ebions sake and especially the Epistle to the