by Tertullian and others what the reason was why these Schooles were erected namely for education of Youth and Converts in the Catechisme and doctrine of the Church that they might bee fitted to partake the Sacraments of the Church and so in the end attaine to holy Orders as they should bee thought worthy by the Governours of the Church For we must know that there were many degrees for men to passe through before the Church would admit them to the Sacrament of Baptisme and Eucharist or receive them into holy Orders And their Schooles and Libraries were of singular use to fit them for these purposes First they sent their children being come to yeeres of good discretion and such also as took liking to Christian Religion to these Schooles to be brought up under Governors appointed for the purpose These Governours were called Catechistae and entred early into the Church Luke 1.4 Such an one was Origen and those that were before him in the Church of Alexandria The Catechists though they were learned Men yet were not necessarily in holy Orders for Origen was Catechist at 18. yeares of age An. 204. and he came to Caesarea where he tooke Orders Anno 234. thirty yeares after Their Scholers that were admitted to their Schooles to heare Lectures there were called Educati and those that were present at the Homilies and Expoundings in the Church were called Audientes This was a distinct order and knowne by these names from those that follow The next to these were Catechumeni which as Iustin Martyr saith being wonne to a good liking of Christian Religion by that which they heard expounded in the Church were not presently admitted to Baptisme but were permitted to stand in place more honourable than that which was allowed to Audientes which might be Hereticks or Heathen These had the favour both to heare and see more than the Audientes might There was also Ceremonie used at their admission into the rank of Catechumeni whereas none at all was used about Audientes being not esteemed any members of the Church at all The Ceremony for their admission was the signing of them with the signe of the Crosse. So sayes S. Austin Catechumeni non quidem per sacrum baptisma renati erant sed per Crucis signum in utero sanctae matris Ecclesiae jam concepti S. Ambrose said the like before him Credit etiam Catechumenus in Crucem Christi Iesu quia ipse signatur but if he be not baptized he receiveth no remission of sins And all the time quo locum nomen that they had the place and name of Catechumeni they had no other imployment nisi ut audiant quae fides qualis vita debeat esse Christiani to heare what the faith life of a Christian ought to be Therefore he compareth them Embrionibus which are indeed conceived in their Mothers Wombe and so begin to live sed nascuntur postea per baptismum These were not allowed to behold the Mysteries of the Altar but as S. Austin sayes Ecce post sermonem missa est Catechumenis after Sermon these are sent out sed manebunt Fideles but the Fideles remaine still S. Ambrose had taught him that piece of discipline Post lectiones atque tractatum dimissis Catechumenis c. For the Sacraments of the faithful non produntur are not to be betrayd to Catechumeni who are not allowed to see them Non intueri fas est ista non initiatis sayes S. Basil. Therefore sayes S. Austin if you ask a Catechumenus if he believe in Christ he will say Credo I believe Et signat se Cruce Christi portat in fronte non erubescit de Cruce Domini sui But ask him againe do you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink the bloud of the Son of Man Nescit quid dicimus he knowes not what you speake of Nesciunt Catechumeni quid accipiant Christiani But let them passe the Red-Sea be baptized then they will understand what it is to eat this Mannah In the third place were Competentes so called Quia nomina dederunt ad baptismum eum simul petant for giving up their names to the Bishop desiring Baptisme and this was done forty dayes before Easter namely on Ashwednesday in Sackcloth and Ashes from whence that day receives the name And beginning thus to humble themselves Quotidianis jejuniis orationibus expiati they were all Lent long purged with fasting and prayer These were instructed in the Apostles Creed which was done eight dayes before Easter upon Palme Sunday in baptisterio in the place where the Font stood and but once a yeare semel in Anno ad baptisterium aceeditur as the Priest entred once a yeere into the second Tabernacle upon that very day himselfe sayes he did deliâ—â—â— Sâ—â—â—â—olum quibusdam Competentibus in baptisteriis The Creed was not read at the Service whereunto the Catechumeni were admitted S. Austin tels us But now these Competentes were appoined to learne it by heart and to say it morning and evening Quotidie dicite quando surgitis quando vos collocatis ad somnum And for eight dayes together before Easter they were to doe penance to fast to refraine all manner of pleasures though never so lawfull to stand barefoot upon sackcloth and to watch on Goodfriday all night or at least till two a clock in the morning for ante secundaÌ„ horam nobis non licet vigiliam expedire saith the Councell And on Easter-Eve they were appointed to stand in some eminent place and say their Creed and make profession of their faith before the whole Congregation Die Sabbati quando vigilaturi sumus in Dei misericordia reddituri estis non orationem sed Symbolum sayes S. Austin The Creed they were appointed to say but forbidden the Lord's-prayer For how can any one say Pater noster qui nondum renati sunt How can one call Father before he be a Son These Rites being duly performed they were brought unto the Font and asked Credis in Deum Patrem and the party answered Credo mersisti hoc est sepultus es and he was dipped once Then he was asked againe Credis in Dominum nostrum Iesum Christum in crucem ejus and the party answered Credo and he was dipped the second time Then he was demanded Credis in Spiritum Sanctum and he answered Credo and so hee was dipped the third time This was done three times to the confusion of Arrians that denyed the God-head of our Saviour Christ. But where no such are in uno nomine Baptizari oportet hoc est in nomine Patris Filii Spiritus Sancti Marvell not saies S. Ambrose that I call it one name because est una substantia the substance is but one But afterward when the Arrians abused trinam mersionem to signifie
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
the three natures of the three Persons Saint Gregory ordained Vt in Hispania una mersio fieret And the Councell of Toledo confirmed the same And so it is used in our and other Countries For once or thrice dipping is not of the essence of Baptisme as that holy Pope and Councell doe both witnesse After his dipping he was enjoyned to renounce the Devill and all his workes and the Pomps of the world Then was he signed againe with the signe of the Crosse. For nisi signum crucis adhibeatur sive frontibus credentium c. nihil horum rectè perficitur And because the Competentes were persons of full age they received also Confirmation by Imposition of hands Vt pleni Christiani inveniantur And to their confirmation Iejuni veniebant they came Fasting This forme of admitting Catechumeni to Baptisme by Fasting and Prayer is very ancient For Saint Iustin Martyr informeth Antoninus thereof All those that are perswaded and doe believe that the things which we teach are true and will undertake to live accordingly so farre forth as they are able orare jejunantes are commanded to Fast and Pray and to aske God forgivenesse of their sins and we our selves doe Fast and Pray with them Then we bring them where water is and we Baptize them in such sort as we were Baptized our selves Fourthly when they were thus baptized they were called Intincti tyrones Neophyti Saint Paul Heb. 6.2 maketh mention of these three principall things before rehearsed viz. Baptisme Penance and Imposition of hands and St. Augustine sayes haec omnia pertinere ad initia neophytorum satis apertè Scripturatestatur Scripture it selfe plainely testifieth that these Rites belong to Neophyts Being thus initiated they were appointed to learne the Lords Prayer and told that they were to say it openly on Low-Sunday-Eve Ad octo dies ab hodierna die reddituri estis hanc orationem quam hodie accepistis oratio quotidie dicenda cùm Baptizati fueritis for it is said every day in the Church ad Altare at the Altar audiant istam Fideles Being thus instructed they are arrayed in white garments Accepisti post haec vestimenta candida to expresse the effect of Baptisme For if your sins were as Scarlet they should be made white as Snow And being clothed in so rich a Robe Dives insignibus ad Christi Altaria contendit being made a Christian by forgivenesse of sinnes hee goeth up to Christs Altar videns Sacrosanctum Altare compositum and seeing the Holy Altar furnished he cryeth out for joy and sayes parasti in conspectu meo mensam I see a Table prepared for me which I never saw before These white garments the Neophyti used in the Church till the Octaves of Easter even for eight dayes together viz. from Easter till low-Low-Sunday called hereupon Dominica in Albis and Low-Sunday because it was Secundo-primum the next great Sunday after Easter And then sayes St. Augustine peractis his diebus Sanctis ad propria remeare licet they might â—eturne every man to his own place And so they did as may appeare by the story of Curma Curialis Baptized of St. Aug. both in Vision and in Truth Now the reason why the Church caused these Catechumeni and Competentes to take this strict Penance was this viz. that their great humiliation and sorrow might make some amends for that liberty which some tooke to sin whilest they were in veteri homine or remained in the ranke of Catechumeni for as much as they were taught and assured that all their sinnes would be washt away in Baptisme Against this sort of people Tertullian directeth his speech That men doe linger their Repentance and are loath to leave their sinnes praesumptio intinctionis importat the reason is a presumption that they have of their Baptisme Certi enim indubitatae veniae peccatorum for being certaine to receive pardon of their sinnes then till then they will enjoy the pleasure of their sinnes But how fond a thing is it Poenitentiam non adimplere veniam delictorum sustinere to thinke to carry away with us the pardon of sin and not first of all to pay for our commodity The Merchant before hee deliver his wares will looke to your Coyne Ne sculptilis ne rasus that it bee neither washt nor shaved and doe you not thinke that the Lord will looke well to your Repentance and turne it over and over before tantam mercedem perennis vitae you shall deceive him of eternall life Wherefore nemo sibi aduletur quòd inter Auditorum tyrocinia deputatur let no man flatter himselfe because hee is under the rudiments of Auditors and presume thereupon to sinne An alius est intinctis Christus alius Audientibus doth CHRIST trow you love sinne before Baptisme and hate it after Poenitentia prima Audientis intinctio Repentance is the first Baptisme that the party baptized must bring to the Font with him Here you see are diverse degrees for men to passe through before they could be ranked inter Fideles or be admitted unto the holy Eucharist or Baptisme either and much more was required of those that were taken out from these and received into holy Orders For though these Neophyti passed through a very strict scrutiny before they could attaine that degree yet were they not possessed of holy Orders by and by but they must be better approved before they were taken to be either Priests or Deacons For it was utterly unlawfull and precisely forbidden by Canon to ordaine a Neophyte Neophyti vel laici Sacerdotes non fiant was Syricius his decree and before him the Councell of Orleans Ordinari ad Diaconatus vel Sacerdotis officium Neophytum non debere And the Councell of Nice taketh punctuall order herein Some heretofore have beene made Bishops and Priests as soone as they were Baptized but no such thing shall be done hereafter Nam tempus opus est ut sit Cathecumenus post Baptismum multa probatione indiget Evidens namque Apostolicum praeceptum est dicens non Neophytum c. This was the strict discipline observed in the holy Catholicke Church The neglect whereof amongst Hereticks is taxed excellently by Tertullian For Quis Catechumenus quis Fidelis incertum est There is no distinction of places or of names of Fidelis and Catechumenus among them Nay more than so antè sunt perfecti Catechumeni quà m educati they skip into the ranke of Catechumeni before they entred into the rudiments of Educati And touching their manner of taking Orders I pray you see how it was Ordinationes eorum temerariae leves inconstantes nunc Neophytos conlocant now you shall see Neophyts enthroned in the Bishops Chaire nunc seculoâ— obstâ—ictos and by and by a Laick some Basket maker or botcher nunc Apostatas nostros straight way some stragling fugitive of ours Vt
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-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