holy Table in every Church shall be decently made in case the Altars were removed which they left at liberty and set in the place where the Altar stood and there commonly covered as thereto belongeth If in the place where the Altar stood then certainly it must stand along cloâ—e by the wall because the Altars alwaies stood so and that aswell in Countrey Churches as in great mens Chappels all being equally regarded in the said Injunctions as in the Preface to the same doth at full appeare Wheras in case the Table were to stand with one end toward the East great Window as is after said it could not possibly sâ—and in the place where the Altar did as the Injunctions have appointed the Altar taking up much roome to the North and South which the Table placed endlong doth not taâ—e up and contrary the Table taking up much roome to the East and West which the Altar did not However wee may take what is given us heere by the Epistoler where hee affirmes that placing of the Table where the Altar stood is the most decent scituation when it is not used and for use too where the Quire is mounted up by steps and open so that he that officiates may bee seene and heard of all the Congregation and such an one as he â—ad heard the Vicaâ—s Chancell was not Wâ—ether the Chancell at Gra was mounted up by stâ—ps or not is no great matter In case it were not so it might have easily been done without much charge and those of Gra were the more beholding to this Epistoler for taking so much paines to save their purses If it were mounted up by steps and that it were most decent for the Tables to be placed thereon Why not aswell along the Wall as with one end thereof to the East great Window 2. FOr this there are three Reasons given us First because then the Countrey people would suppose them Dressers rather than Tables Secondly because the Queenes Commissioners for Ecclesiasticall matters directed that the â—able should stand not where the Altar but where the steps of the Altar formerly stood Orders 1561. And thirdly because the Minister appointed to reade the Communion â—which hee the Vicar out of the Booke of Fast 1â— of the King was pleased as the Epistoler phraseth it to call Second Service is directed to reade the Commandements not at the end but at the Northside of the Table which implies the End to be placed towards the East great Window Rubrick before the Communion And would the people take the Table if placed Altarwise to be a â—resser not a Table I now perceive from whom it was that Mr. Prynne borrowed so unmannerly and prophane a phrase whereof I thought him formerly to have beene the Author Lâ—me Giles his haltings And from whom also he did borrow the quotations in his Appendix against Bowing at the name of JESUS the mistakes and all â— qq * 4. Viz. Rubrick for the Communion Queene Elizab. Injunctions Injunc for Tables in the Church The Booke of Canons An. 1471. p. 18. I say and the mistakes and all for both with him and this Epistâ—ler it is p. 18. whereas indeed in the old Book which was thâ—â— meant by the Epistoler it is p. 15. which plainly shewes out of whose quiver Mr. Prynne did steale those arrowes Just in that scornfull sort Doctor Weston the then Deane of Westminster did in a Conference at Oxford with Bishop Latimer call the Communion Tables as in King Edwards reigne they had beene placed in some Churches by the name of â—yster-boards Act. Mon. Part. 3. p. 85. and so hee called in a Sermon at S â— Pauls Crosse also p. 95. The like did Doctor White the then Bishop of Lincolne in a Conference with Bishop Ridley where hee doth charge the Protestants in King Edwards daies for setting up an Oyster Table in stead of an Altar p. 497. The Church of England is in the meane time but in sorry case If shee appoint the Lords Board to be placed like a common Table the Papists they will call it an Oyster-table If like an Altar the Puritans and Mr. Prynne will call it a Drâ—sser-beard A slovenlie and scornfull terme as before was said and such as doth deserve no other Answer than what the Marginall notes in the Acts and Monuments give in the one place to the Deane of Westminâ—ter viz. The blâ—sâ—hemous mouth of Doctor Wâ—ston calling the Lords table an Oysterboard pat 85. or what they give in th' other place to the Bishop of Lincolne viz. Bishop White blasphemously called the â—oord of the Lords Supper 〈◊〉 Oyster table pag. 497. I would there were no worse notes in the Acts and Monuments 3. AS for the Orders published by the Queenes Commâ—ssioners An â— 1561. they say indeed as is alleaged thâ—t in the place where the steps were the Communion Table shall stand but then they say withall which is not alleaged that there be fixed on the wall over the Communion board the tables of Gods Precepts imprinted for the said purpose And in the Booke of Advertisemeâ—ts entituled Articles of Advertisement for due order in the publick Administration of Common-praier and the holy Sacraments and published in An â— 1565. it is ordered thus The Parish shall provide a decent Table standing on a frame for the Communion Table which they shall decently cover with a Carpet of silke or other decent covering and with a white linneâ— cloath in the time of the Administration And shall set the tea Commandements upon the East wall over the said Table Which put together make up this construction that the Communion Table was to stand above the steps and under the Commandements and therefore all along the wall on which the ten Commandements were appointed to be placed which was directly where the Altar had stood before And in this wise wee must interpret the said Orders and Advertisements or else the Orders published 1561 must run quite crosse to the Injunctions published 1559 but two yeares before which were râ—diculous to imagine in so grave a State 4. NOr doth it helpe the cause undertaken by the Epistoler that The Minister appointed to reade the Communion is directed to reade the Commandements not at the end but at the Northside of the Table there being no difference in this case betweene the North-end and the North-side which come both to one For in all quadrilaterall and quadrangular figures whether they bee a perfect Square which Geometricians call Quadratum or a long Square as commonly our Communion Tables are which they call Oblongum it's plaine that if wee speake according to the rules of Art as certainly they did which composed that Rubricke every part of it is a side how ever Custome hath prevailed to call the narrower sides by the name of ends When therefore hee that ministreth at the Altar stands at the North-end of the same as wee use to call it hee stands no question at the North-side thereof as
PErlegi librum hunc cuititulus est A Coale from the Altar or An Answer to a Letter c. in quo nihil reperio quò minùs cum utilitate publicâ imprimatur Modò intra tres menses proximè sequentes typis mandetur Sa Baker R. P. D. Episc Londin Sacellanus Domest Maij 5o. 1636. A COALE FROM THE ALTAR OR AN ANSVVER TO A Letter not long since written to the Vicar of GR. against the placing of the Communion Table at the East end of the Chancell and now of late dispersed abroad to the disturbance of the Church First sent by a Iudicious and Learned Divine for the satisfaction of his private Friend and by him commended to the Presse for the benefit of others HEB. 13. 10. Wee have an Altar whereof they have no right to eate which serve the Tabernacle LONDON Printed for ROBERT MILBOVRNE at the signe of the Vnicorne neere Fleet-bridge 1636. THE PRINTER TO THE READER I Am to advertise thee good Reader of some certaine things for thy better understanding of this Treatise First that whereas thou shalt find here three severall Characters Thou wouldst take notice that the Roman is the words of the Author the Italiâ—k matter of Distinction partly but principally of Quotation by him used and that the English letter doth exhibit to thee the words and periods of the Epistle or Discourse which is here confuted Secondly that howsoever the Letter by him here replyed unto be scattered up and downe and in divers hands Yet because possiblie the Copie of the same hath not hitherto been seene of all who may chance cast their eyes upon this Treatise and partly that the world may see that hee hath dealt trulie with the Epistoler and not omitted any Argument or Autority by him produced The very Letter it selfe is herewith Printed and bound together with it though it bee Apocrypha Last of all I must let thee know that whereas the Acts and Monuments otherwise called the Booke of Martyrs being a Booke which the Epistoler makes much use of is of a different Edition in the reply from that which is so often cited in the Letter and that there have beene many Editions of the same That which the Author deales in is the last Edition Printed at LONDON in three volumes Anno 1631. I have no more to say unto thee but wish thee good luck in the name of the Lord And so adieu A COALE FROM THE ALTAR OR An Answer to a Letter not long since written to the Vicar of GR. against the placing of the Communion-Table at the Eastâ— end of the Chancell c. SIR The Introduction I Have read your Letter and cannot but extreamely wonder that you should be so easilie over-weighed as I see you are You say that you were willing once of your owne accord to have removed your Cammunion Table unto the East end of your Chancell according as it is in his Majesties Chappell and generally in all Collegiate and Cathedrall Churches and that you had intended so to doe had you not mett with a Discourse written in way of Letter to the Vicar of GR. and as you have taken it upon common report by a Reverend Prelate of this Church whose Arguments have so prevailed with you that you are almost taken off from that resolution though it be now exacted of you by your Ordinarie It seemes you are not rightly ballanced when you can be so easily induced to change your purposes especially as the Case now is which requires more of your obedience than your Curiositie And should wee all be so affected as to demurre on the Commands of our Superiours in matters of exterior Order and publicke Government till wee are satisfied in the Grounds and Reasons of their Commandments or should we flie off from our duty at sight of every new devise that is offered to us we should soone find a speedie dissolution both of Church and State You know who said it well enough Si ubi jubeantur quaerere singulis liceat pereunte obsequio imperium etiam intercidit Tacit. Hist. lib. 1. Yet notwithstanding since you desire that I would give you satisfaction in the present point by telling you both what I thinke of the Discourse which hath so swayed you and what may be replyed against it in maintenance of the Order now commended unto you I will adventure on the second if you will excuse me in the first You say and probably believe so too that it was written by a Reverend Prelate and indeed by some Passages therein it may so bee thought for it is written as from a Diocesan unto a private Parish Priest in his Jurisdiction and then I hope you cannot justly be offended if I forbeare to passe my censure upon my betters Yet so far I dare give you my opinion of it that I am confident it can bee none of his who is pretended for the Author nor indeed any ones worthy to be advanced I will not say unto so high a dignity in the Church but to so poore a Vicarige as his was to whom the Letter was first written Nay to speake freely to you I should least thinke it his whom you entitle to it on uncertaine heare-sayes of all mens else in that he hath beene generally reported to bee of extraordinary parts in poynt of learning and of most sincere affections unto the Orders of the Church no shew or footstep of the which or either of them is to be found in all that Letter And I dare boldly say that when it comes unto his knowledge what a poore trifling peece of Worke some men the better to indeere the Cause by so great a name haue thus pinned upon him hee will not rest till hee have traced this Fame to the first originall and having found the Authors of it will conne them little thankes for so great an injurie For my part I should rather thinke that it was writ by Mr. Cotton of Boston who meaning one day to take Sanctuary in New England was willing to doe some great Act before his going that hee might be the better welcome when hee came amongst them or by some other neighbouring Zelote whose wishes to the cause were of morestrength then his performance and after spread abroad of purpose the better to diâ—coâ—nâ—enance that Vniforâ—â—â—y of publicke Order to which the piety of these times is so well inclined Further than this I shall not satisfie you in your first desire but hope that you will satisfie your selfe with this refusall For the next part of your request that I should let you see if at least I can what may be said in Answer unto that Discourse which hath so suddainly overswayed you I shall therein endeavour your satisfaction though my Discretion for so doing may perhaps proove the second Holocaust that shall be sacrificed on those Altars which are there opposed And this I shal the rather do because you say that the Discourse or Letter is now much sought after and
their knees from bowing at the blessed name of Jâ—SUS or doing honour to him in his hoâ—y Sacrament those who have kept their hands from paying their Duties to the Priest their eyes from being defiled with looking on prohibited vestments such as have formerly beene abused to idolatrous services Those doubtlesse arâ— the Children of the Church here meant which must not use the name of Altars as if it were the Shibboleth of their profession From us the children of the Church Yes marry Sir Now judge if at the least you know a Cat by her claw if that which I at first suspected be not come about For but with halfe an eye one may see by this of what straine the Epistoâ—er is or else unto what paâ—â—iâ— hee applyes him selfe in all this buâ—inessâ— As for the Children of the Common-wealth it 's time that Criticisme were forgotten and that they were the Children of the Kingdome too Wee live Wee praise God for it in a Monarchie not in a Dâ—mâ—cracie And therefore they that goe about to coyne distinctions betweene the 〈◊〉 of the King and the Common-weale may perhaps passe for subtill Sophisterâ— but never shall attaine the honour to bee thought souâ—â— Sâ—bjects 18. BVt it is time we should proceed and leave these Children of the Church and the Common wealth to their grand Directors who though in other things they are all for Novelties new formes of Praier new Rites and Ceremonies of Religion if they brooke of any new offices in the dispensation of God's Word and Sacrament must yet affect the name of Table even for pure antiquitie the name of the Lord's Table being told them to be no new name and therfore none to be ashamed of it A thing that might have well beene spared there being none so void of Pietie and understanding as to bee scandalized at the name of the Lord's Table as are some men it seemes at the name of Altar saving that somwhat must be said to perswade the people that questionlesse such men there are the better to indeere the matter Nor is the name of Altar so new a name that any man should be ashamed therof as if it were a terme taken up of late in time of Poperie For whereas the Epistoler pleadeth That Christ himselfe did institute the Sacrament upon a Table and not upon an Altar and that the name of Table is in the Christian Church 200. yeares more ancient than the name of Altar as is most learnedly proved out of St. Paul Origen and Arnobius by Bishop Jewell against Harding of Private Masse p. 143 It may bee possible that neither CHRIST our Savours institution will of necessitie infer the use of Tables Tables I meane placed Table-wise towards the East great Window as before was said nor Bishop Iewel 's proofes come home to the point in hand Foâ— howsoever our Saviour institâ—ted this holy Sacrâ—â—ent at a Table not at an Altar yet is the Table in regard of that iâ—stitution but an accessorie and a poinâ— of Circumstance nothing therein of Substance nothing which is to be considered as a Principall For if it were a matter of Substance that it was instituted at a Table then must the fashion of that Table being as it is conceived of an ovall forme be a matter of Substance also and compassed round about with beds as then the custome was for the Communicants to rest upon whil'st they doe receive But herein is the Table no more considerable than that it was first instituted after Supper in an upper chamber distributed amongst twelve only and those twelve all men and those men all Priests which no man is so void of sense as to imagine to be things considerable in the administration of this holy Sacrament And yet should this be granted too that in the having of a Table we must conforme our selves to the LORD's example yet for the situation of that Table I doubt it would be hardly proved by the â—pistoler that the two ends thereof did stand aâ—â—â— and West or that there was a great Windâ—â— in the East end of the Chamber towards the which the Table was placed endlong at the Institution as he would have it now at the Ministration 19. AS little comfort can he find in Bisâ—op Iewell or in S â— Paul Origen and Aâ—nobius by him alleaged Of St. Paul there is nothing said in all that SectioÌ„ it is the 26 of the third Article which concernes this matter nothing that sets forth the antiquitie of the name of Table St. Paul is cited once onely in that whole Section and the place cited then is this Quomodo dicet Amen ad tuam gratiarum Actionem 1 Cor. 14. So that unlesse this Argument be good The people cannot say Amen to Praiâ—rs made in a strange tongue because they know not what is said Ergo the name of Table is 200 yeares more ancient than the name of Altar There is not any thing alleaged from St. Paul which can advantage the Epistoler for the Point in hand Indeed from Origen and Arnobius it is there alleaged that generally the Gentiles did object against the Christians of those times that they had neither Altars Images nor Temples Obijcit nobis quod non habeamâ—â— imagâ—nes aut aâ— as aut templa So Origen contr Cels. 1. 4. Nâ—s accusatis quod nec templa habeamus neâ— iâ—agines nec aras So saith Arnobius lib. 2. contr Gentes But â—nto this objection wee need no better anâ—wer than Bishop Iewel 's owne in the selâ—e same Section viz. That thâ—n the faithfull for feare of Tyrants weâ—e faine to meet together in private houses in vacant places in Woods and Fâ—rrests and Caves under the ground But we will furâ—her â—ay withall that tâ—ough the Christians had some Churches in those perillous times yet were they not so gorgious nor so richly furnished as were the Temples of the Gentiles And so both Origen and Arnobius must be understood noâ— that the Christians in their times had at all no Temples or at the least no Altars in them but thâ—t their Churches were so meane that they deserved not the name of Temples that they had no Altars for bloudy and external Sacrifices as the Gentiles had 20 FOr otherwise it is most certaine that the Church had Altars both the name and the thing and used both name and thing a long time together before the birth of Origen or Arnobius Afer Tertullian who lived in the same age with Origen but sometime before and a full hundred yeares before Arnobius hath the name of Altar as a thing used and knowne in the Christian Church as Nonne solemnior erit statio tua si ad aram Dei steteris Liâ— de oratione cap. 14. Will not thy station or forme of Devotion then in use be thought more solemne if thou dost stand by or before thâ— Altar And in his booke de Poenitentia he remembreth geniculationem ad aras kneeling or bowing of the knee before the Altar Before
booke or Canon for placing the Communion Table in any Church or Chappell with most conveniencie that libertie is not so to be understood as if it were ever left to the discretion of the Parish much lesse to the particular fancie of any humerous person but to the judgement of the Ordinarie to whose place and function it doth properly belong to give direction in that poynt both for the thing it selfe and for the time when and how long as he may finde cause Vpon which consideration his Majestie declared himselfe That hee well approved and confirmed the Act of the said Ordinarie and also gave commandement that if those few Parishioners before mentioned do proceed in their said Appeale then the Deane of the Arches who was then attending at the hearing of the Cause shall confirme the said Order of the aforesaid Deane and Chapter A COPIE OF THE LETTER WRITTEN to the Vicar of GR against the placing of the Communion Table at the East end of the Chancell SIR WIth my very hearty Commendations When I spake with you last I told you that the standing of the Communion Table was unto me a thing so indifferent that unlesse offence and vmbrages were taken by the Towne against it I should never move it or remove it That which I did not then suspect is come to passe Tâ—e Alderman whom I have knowne this 17. or 18. yeares to bee a discreet and modest man and farre from any â—umour of 〈◊〉 together with the better sort of the Towne have complâ—â—ned against it And I have without taking notice of your Act or touching in one â—â—llable upon your reputation â—ppointed the Church Waâ—dens whom it 〈◊〉 doth concerne under the 〈◊〉 to settle it for this time as you may see by this Copy inclosed Now for your owne satisfaction and my poore advise for the future I have written unto you somewhat more at large then I vse to expresse my selfe in this kinde I doe therefore to deale plainely like many things well and disallow of some things in your cariage of the businesse It is well done that you affect decency and comlinesse in the officiating of GOD's Divine Serâ—ice That you president your selfe with the formes in his Majesties Chappels and the Quires of Cathedrall Churches if your Quire as those others could containe your whole congregation that you doe the reverence appointed by the Canon to the blessed name of IESVS so it be done humbly and not affectedly to procure Devotion not derision of your Parishioners and that you do not maintaine it Rationibus non cogentibus and so spoile a good Cause with bad arguments These things I doe allow and practise But that you should be so violent and earnest for an Altar at the upper end of the Quire That the Table ought to stand Altarwise That the fixing therof in the Quire is Canonicall and that it ought not to bee removed to the body of the Church I conceive to be in you so many mistakings For the first if you should erect any such Altar which I know you will not your discretion will proove the onely Holocaust to be sacrificed thereon For you have subscribed when you came to your place that That other Oblation which the Papists were wont to offer upon their Altars is a Blasphemous figment and pernicious imposture in the thirty one Article And also that we in the Church of England ought to take heed lest our Communion of a memory be made a Sacrifice In the first Homilie of the Sacrament And it is not the Vicar but the Church-wardens that are to provide for the Communion and that not an Altar but a faire joyned Table Canons of the Convocation 1571. pag. 18. And that the Altars were removed by Law and Tables placed in their stead in all or the most Churches in England appeares by the Queenes Injunctions 1559. related unto and so confirmed in that point by our Canons still in force And therefore I know you will not change a Table into an Altar which Vicars were never inabled to set up but allowed once with other's to pull downe Injunction of 1â— Elizab. for Tables in the Church For the second point That your Communion Table is to stand Altar-wise if you meane in that place of the Chancell where the Altar stood I thinke somewhat may be said for that because the Injunctions 1559. did so place it And I conceive it to be the most decent situation when it is not used and for use too where the Quire is mounted up by steps and open so that hee that officiates may bee sâ—ene and heard of all the Congregation Such an one I heare your Chancell is not But if you meane by Altar-wise that the Taâ—le should stand along close by the wall so as you be forced to officiate at one end thereof as you may have observed in great mâ—ns Chappels I do not believe that ever the Communion Tables were otherwise than by casualtie so placed in Countrey Churches For besides that the Countrey-people would suppose them Dressers rather than Tables And that Qu. Elizabeths Comissioners for causes Ecclesiasticall directed that the Table should stand not where the Altar but where the steps of the Altar formerly stood Orders 1561. The Minister appointed to reade the Communion which you out of the booke of Fast in 1â— of the King are pleased to call Second Service is directed to reade the Commandements not at the end but at the North-side of the Table which implies the end to bee placed towards the East great Window Rubrick before the Communion Nor was this a new direction in the Queenes time onely but practised in king Edward's raigne for in the plot of our Liturgie sent by Mast Knox and Whittingham to Masâ—er Calvin in the raigne of Queene Mary it is said that the Minister must stand at the North-side of the Table Troubles at Frankford pag. 30. And so in King Edward's Liturgies the Ministers standing in the middest of the Altar 1549. is turned to his standing at the North-side of the Table 1552. And this last Liturgie was revived by Parliament 1â— Eliz. cap. 2. And I believe it is so used at this day in the most places of England What you saw in Chappels or Cathedrall Churches is not the point in question but how the Tables are appointed to be placed in Parish Churches In some of the Chappels and Cathedrals the Altars may be still standing for ought I know or to maâ—e use of their Covers and Ornaments Tables mâ—y be placed in their roome of the same length and fashion the Altars were of Wee knâ—w the Altars stand still in Lutheran Chuâ—ches And the Apologie for the Augustan Confession Art 12. doth allow it The Altars stood a yeare or two in King Edwards times as appeares by the Liturgie printâ—a 1549. and it seemes the Queenes Commissioners were content they should stand as wâ—e may guesse by the Injunctions 1559. But how is this to be understood The Sacrifice of