for all his cunning For if wee looke into the Act of Parliament wee shall easily finde that not the language onely but the order forme and fabrick of the divine Service before established is said to bee agreeable to the Word of God and the Primitive Church which I desire you to observe as it is here presented to you Whereas saith the Act there hath beene a very godly order set forth by authority of Parliament for Common prayer and administration of the Sacraments to be used in the mother tongue within this Church of England agreeable unto the Word of God and the Primitive Church very comfortable to all good people desiring to live in christian Conversation and most profitable to the estate of this Realme c. What thinke you on your second thoughts is that so much commended by the Parliament either the very Order it selfe of Common prayer and administration of the Sacraments or the being of it in the English tongue It could not be the being of it in the English tongue For then the Romish Missall had it beene translated word for word without more alteration than the language onely might have beene also said to be agreeable to the Word of God and the Primitive Church which I am sure you will not say And therefore it must be the whole forme and order that godly order as they call it of common prayer and administration of the Sacraments to be used in the English tongue take them both together which they so commended Compare this testimony of the Parliament with that before given of it by the King and see if they affirme it of the language or of the order of the service The King affirmed that it was brought unto that use as Christ left it the Apostles used it and the holy Fathers delivered it the Parliament that it was agreeable to the Word of God including Christ and the Apostles and to the Primitive Church including the holy Fathers Nor did the Parliament alone vouchsafe this testimonie of the first Liturgie Archbishop Bancroft speaking of it in his Sermon preached at S. Pauls Crosse An. 1588. affirmes that it was published first with such approbation as that it was accounted the worke of God Besides Iohn Fox whose testimony I am sure you will not refuse though you corrupt him too if hee come in your way hath told us of the Compilers of that Liturgie first that they were commanded by the King to have as well an eye and respect unto the most sincere and pure Christian religion taught by the holy Scriptures as also to the usages of the Primitive Church and to draw up one convenient and meet order rite and fashion of Common prayer and Administration of the Sacraments to be had and used within the Realme of England and the Dominions of the fame And then hee addes de proprio as his own opinion that through the ayde of the holy Ghost and with one uniforme agreement they did conclude set forth and deliver to the King a booke in English entituled A booke of the Common prayer c. This as it shewes his judgement of the aforesaid Liturgie so doth it very fully explaine the meaning of the Act of Parliament and that it did not as you say relate unto the language onely but the whole order rite and fashion of the Common prayer booke Thus have we seene the aâ—teration of the Liturgie and by that alteration a change of Altars into Tables for the holy Sacrament The next inquiry to be made is how the Table stood and how they called it and that aswell upon the taking down of Altars An. 1550 in some places by the Kings owne Order as on the generall removall of them by the second Liturgie First for the placing of the Table your owne Author tels you that on occasion of taking downe the Altars here arose a great diversity about the forme of the Lords bâ—ard some using it after the forme of a Table and some of an Altar But finally it was so ordered by the Bishop of London Ridley that he appointed the forme of a right Table to be used in all his Diocesse himselfe incouraging them unto it by breaking downe the wall standing then by the high Altar side in the Cathedrall of S. Paul But that it was so ordered in all other Dioceses the Doctor findes not any where but in the new Edition of the Bishops letter which you have falsified of purpose to make it say so as before was noted Nor did the old Edition say that they the other Dioceses agreed at all upon the forme and fashion of their Tables though they agreed as you would have it on the thing it self And therefore you have now put in these words so soone which tells another tale than before was told as if all Dioceses having agreed as well as London on receiving Tables did agree too but not so soone upon the fashion of their Tables For that it was not thus in all other places your owne Miles Huggard tells you and to him I send you to observe it But this diversity say you was setled by the Rubrick confirmed by law What universally There is no question but you meane it or to what purpose doe you say so Yet in another place you tell us that notwithstanding the said Rubrick the Tables stood like Altars in Cathedrall Churches in some of them at least which had no priviledge I am sure more than others had For thus say you In some of the Cathedralls where the steps were not transposed in tertio of the Queene and the wall on the back-side of the Altar untaken downe the Table might stand all along as the Altar did If it did stand in some it might stand in all and if in the Cathedralls then also in Parochiall Churches unlesse you shew us by what meanes they procured that might which could not be attained unto by any others Wee finde it also in the letter that onely to make use of their covers fronts and other ornaments the Tables might be placed in some of the Chappels and Cathedrals of the same length and fashion that the Altars were of Why might not then the same be done in the Parish-Churches which were provided at that time of covers fronts and other ornaments of that nature Your selfe concludes it for a foolish dreame that the State should cast away those rich furnitures of the Chappell provided for the former Altars and sure it is as much a dreame that they should cast away their ornaments of the selfe same nature out of Country Churches And this I am the rather induced to thinke because that in the Statute 1 Elizab. wherein the Common-prayer booke now in force was confirmed and ratified it was enacted That all such ornaments of the Church shall be retained and be in use as was in the Church of England by the authority of Parliament in the 2. of King Edw. 6.
a remote and another province pag. 3. who used to travaile Grantham Roade p. 71. and was a friend unto the Vicar pag. 110. Iohn Coal as hee is called by name pag. 88. New-castle Coal as from the place and parts of his habitation pag. 114. A man whose learning lay in unlearned Liturgies pag. 85. and used to crack of somewhat unto his Novices pag. 122. but to be pitâ—yed for all that in being married to a widdow pag. 168. Who the man aimes at in these casts is not here considerable It is possible hee aimes at no body but at have amongst you However all this while that I may keepe my selfe unto my Accidence Petrus dormit securus and may sleepe safely if he will for none of all these by-blowes doe reflect on him Done with much cunning I assure you but with ill successe For now he least of all expects it I must draw the Curtaine and let him see his Adversary though he hide himself Me me adsum qui feci in the Poets words I am the man that never yet saw Grantham Steeple though for the Churches sake I undertooke the Patronage of the poor dead Vicar The letter to the Vicar being much sought after and by some factious hands spread abroad of purpose to hinder that good worke of uniformity which is now in hand did first occasion me to write that answer to it which passeth by the name of A Coal from the Altar Now a necessity is laid upon me to defend my selfe and with my selfe that answere also from the most insolent though weake assaults of this uncertaine certaine Minister of the Diocesse of Lincoln who comes into the field with no other weapons than insolence ignorance and falsehood In my defence whereof and all my references thereunto I am to give you notice here that whereas there were two Editions of it one presently upon the other I relate onely in this Antidote to the first Edition because the Minister takes no notice but of that alone The method which I use in this Antidotum shall be shewn you next that you may know the better what you are to look for The whole discourse I have divided into three Sections Into the first wherof I have reduced the point in controversie as it relates to us of the Church of England following the Minister at the heeles in his three first Chapters touching the state of the question the Regall and Episcopall power in matter of Ceremony and in the fourth bringing unto the test all that he hath related in severall places of his booke touching the taking downe of Altars and alteration of the Liturgie in King Edwards time The second Section comprehends the tendries of the Primitive Church concerning Sacrifices Priests and Altars together with their generall usage in placing of the Altar or holy Table and that containes foure Chapters also In which we have not only assured our cause both by the judgement and the usage of the purest Ages but answered all those Arguments or Cavils rather which by the Minister have been studied to oppose the same The third and last exhibites to you those Extravagancies and Vagaries which every where appeare in the Ministers booke and are not any way reducible to the point in hand wherein wee have good store of confident ignorance falâ—â—fications farre more grosse because more unnecessary and not a little of the old Lincolnshire Abridgement And in this wise I have diâ—posed it for your ease who shall please to reade it that as you are affected with it you may end the booke either at the first or second Section or else peruse and reade it thorowly as your stomack serves you In all and every part of the whole discourse as I have laid downe nothing without good authority so have I faithfully reported those authorities which are there laid down as one that cannot but have learned by this very minister that all fals dealing in that kinde however it may serve for a present shift yet in the end 〈◊〉 both shame to them that use it and disadvantagâ— to the cause Great is the 〈…〉 the last though for a while suppressed by mens subtile practises Nor would I that the truth should fare the worse or finde the lesse esteeme amongst you because the contrary opinion hath been undertaken by one that calls himselfe a Minister of Lincoln Diocesse You are now made the Judges in the present controversie and therefore it concernes you in an high degree to deale uprightly in the cause without the least respect of persons and having heard both parties speake to weigh their Arguments and then give sentence as you finde it Or in the language of Minutius Quantum potestis singula ponderare ea verò quae recta sunt eligere suscipere probare And that you may so doe and then judge accordingly the God of truth conduct you in the wayes of truth and leade you in the pathes of righteousnesse for his owne names sake Westminster May 10. 1637. PErlegi librum hunc cui titulus est Antidotum Lincolniense c. in quo nihil reperio sanae doctrinae aut bonis moribus contrarium quâ— minus cum utilitate publicâ imprimatur Ex Aedibus Londin Maii die 7. 1637. Sa Baker The Contents of each severall Section and Chapter contained in this Treatise SECTION I. CHAP. I. Of the state of the question and the occasion of writing the letter to the Vicar of Gr. The Author of the Coale from the Altar defended against him that made the holy Table in respect of libelling railing falsifying his authorities and all those accusations returned on the Accusers head The Minister of Lincolnshires advantage in making his own tale altering the whole state of the question The Vicar cleared from removing the Communion Table of his own accord as also from a purpose of erecting an Altar of stone by the Bishops letter That scandalous terme of Dresser not taken by the writer of that letter from the countrey people The Vicars light behaviour at bowing at the name of IESUS a loose surmise The Alderman and men of Gr repaire unto the Bishop The agitation of the businesse there The letter written and dispersed up and downe the countrey but never sent unto the Vicar The Minister of Lincolnshire hath foulely falsified the Bishops letter A parallel betweene the old and the new Editions of the letter CHAP. II. Of the Regall power in matters Ecclesiasticall and whether it was ever exercised in setling the Communion Table in forme of an Altar The vaine ambition of the Minister of Linc to be thought a Royalist His practise contrary to his speculations The Doctor cleared from the two Cavils of the Minister of Linc touching the Stat. 1. Eliz The Minister of Linc falsifieth both the Doctors words and the Lo Chancellour Egertons The Puritans more beholding to him than the King The Minister of Linc misreporteth the Doctors words onely to picke a quarrell with his Majesties Chappell A
second on-set on the Chappell grounded upon another falsification of the Doctors words Of mother Chappels The Royall Chappell how it may be said to interpret Rubricks The Minister of Linc quarels with Queene Elizabeths Chappell and for that purpose falsifieth both his forraine Authors and domesticke evidences Not keeping but adoring images enquired into in the first yeare of Q. Eliz. That by the Queenes Injunctions Orders and Advertisements the Table was to stand where the Altar did The idle answer of the Minister of Linc. to the Doctors argument Altars and Pigeon-houses all alike with the Linc. Minister The Minister of Linc false and faulty argument drawn from the perusers of the Liturgy the troubles at Frankfort and Miles Huggards testimony Of standing at the North-side of the Table The Minister of Linc produceth the Pontificall against himselfe His idle cavils with the Doctor touching the Latine translation of the Common prayer Book The Parliament determined nothing concerning taking down of Altars The meaning and intention of that Rubrick The Minister of Linc palters with his Majesties Declaration about S. Gregories A copy of the Declaration The summe and substance of the Declaration Regall decisions in particular cases of what power and efficacy CHAP. III. Of the Episcopall authority in points of Ceremonie the piety of the times and good worke in hand and of the Evidence produced from the Acts and Monuments The Minister of Linc arts and aymes in the present businesse Dangerous grounds laid by the Minister of Linc for over-throwing the Episcopall and Regall power He misreports the meaning of the Councell of Nice to satisfie his private spleene The Minister of Linc overthrows his owne former grounds by new superstructures protesteth in a thing against his conscience Chargeth the Doctor with such things as he findes not in him Denyeth that any 〈◊〉 tâ—ing may have two knowne and proper names therefore that the Communion table may not be called an Altar also and for the proofe thereof doth faâ—sifie his owne authorities The Doctor falsified againe about the Canons of the yeare 1571. The Minister beholding to some Arch-deacons for his observations Their curtalling of the Bishops power in moving or removing the Communion table to advance their owne The piety of the times anâ— the good worke in hand declared and defended against the impious and profane derision of the Minister of Linc. The testimonies of Fryth and Lambert taken out of the Acts and Monuments cleared from the cavils of the Minister of Linc. The Minister of Linc. cuts off the words of Lambert Fox Philpot and Bishop Latimer and falsifieth most foulely the Acts and Monuments Corrects the Statute and the Writ about the Sacrament of the Altar Pleads poorely for the Bishop of Lincolne and Deane of Westminster in the matter of Oyster-boards and Dressers and falls impertineâ—â—ly foule on the Bishop of Norwich CHAP. IV. Of taking downe Altars in K. Edw. time altering the Liturgie first made and of the 82. Canon The Doctor leaves the Minister of Lincolns Method for this Chapter to keep close to England Altars not generally taken down in the 4. of K. Edw. 6. The Minister of Linc. falsifieth the Bishops letter to the Vicar palters with a passage in the Acts and Mon. to make them serve his turne about the taking downe of Altars A most notorious peece of non-sence in the new Edition of the letter The Altars in the Church of England beaten down in Germany Altars not beaten down de facto by the common people but taken downe by order and in faire proceeding Matters of fact may be made doctrinall sometimes and on some occasions The Order of the King but a kinde of law The Minister of Linc. takes great pains to free Calvin from haâ—ing any hand in altering the Liturgie Land marks and bounds laid down for the right understanding of the story Calvin excepts against the Liturgie practiseth with the D. of Somerset both when he was Protector and after His correspondence here with Bp. Hooper and ill affection to the ceremonies then by Law established The plot for altering the Liturgie so strongly layed that it went forward notwithstanding the Dukes attainder The shamefull ignorance and most apparant falshoods of the Minister of Linc. in all this businesse Calvin attempts the King the Counsell and Archb. Cranmer The date of his Letter to the Archb. cleared from the cavils of the Minister of Linc. the testimony giuen the first Liturgie by K. Edw. 6. asserted from the false construction of the Minister of Linc. as also that given to it by the Parliament Archb. Bancroft and Io. Fox what they say thereof The standing of the Table after the alteration of the Liturgie and that the name of Altar may be used in a Church reformed SECTION II. CHAP. V. What was the ancient Doctrine of the Church concerning Sacrifices Priests and Altars and what the Doctrine of this Church in those particulars That Sacrifices Priestâ— and Altars were from the beginning by the light of nature and that not onely amongst the Patriarchs but amongst the Gentiles That in the Christian Church there is a Sacrifice Priests and Altars and those both instituted and expressed in the holy Gospell The like delivered by Dionysius Ignatius Iustin Martyr and in the Canons of the Apostles As also by Tertullian Irenaeus Origen and S. Cyprian How the Apologeticks of those times are to be interpreted in their denyall of Altars in the Christian Church Minutius Foelix falsified by the Minister of Linc. What were the Sacrifices which the said Apologeticks did deny to be in the Church of Christ. The difference betweene mysticall and spirituall sacrifices S. Ambrose falsified by the Minister of Linc. in the point of Sacrifice The Doctrine of the Sacrifice delivered by Eusebius The Doctrine of the following Fathers of Sacrifices Priests and Altars What is the Doctrine of this Church touching the Priesthood and the Sacrifice The judgement in these points and in that of Altars of B. Andrews K. Iames B. Montague and B. Morton CHAP. VI. An Answer to the â—avils of the Minister of Linc. against the points delivered in the former Chapter Nothing delivered in the 31 Article against the being of a Sacrifice in the Church of Christ nor in the Homilies A pious Bull obtruded on the Doctor by the Minister of Linc. The Reading-Pew the Pulpit and the poor-mans Box made Altars by the Minister of Linc. And huddle of impertinencies brought in concerning sacrifice Commemorative Commemoration of a sacrifice and materiall Altars The Sacrifice of the Altar known by that name unto the Fathers Arnobius falsified The Minister of Linc. questions S. Pauls discretion in his Habemus Altare Heb. 13. 10. and falsifieth S. Ambrose The meaning of that Text according unto B. Andrews B. Montague the Bishop and the Minister of Linc. The same expounded by the old Writers both Greek and Latine The Altars in the â—postles Canons made Panteries and Larders and Iudas his bag an Altar by
removing the Communion Table of his owne accord as also from a purpose of erecting an Altar of stone by the Bishops letter That scandalous terme of Dresser not taken by the writer of that letter from the country people The Vicars light behaviour at bowing at the name of Jâ—SUS a loose surmise The Alderman and men of Gr repaire unto the Bishop The agitation of the businesse there The letter written and dispersed up and down the countrey but never sent unto the Vicar The Minister of Lincolnshire hath foulely falsified the Bishops letter A parallel betweene the old and the new Editions of the letter IT was an old but not unwitty application of the Lo Keeper Lincolns when he was in place that as once Tully said of Plato In irridendis Oratoribus maximus Orator esse videbatur so he might also say of N. appointed speaker of the Parliament for the house of Commons that with great eloquence he had desired to be excused from undertaking that imployment for want of eloquence The same may be affirmed as truely I am sure more pertinently of this Non-nemo M r Some body some Minister of Lincolne Diocesse Charging the Doctor whom hee undertaketh with libelling hee hath shewed himselfe the greatest libeller accusing him of railing he hath shewed himselfe the veriest railer and taxing him for falsifying his Texts and Authors hath shewed himself the most notorious falsifier that ever yet put pen to paper And first hee chargeth him with libelling upon a new but witty Etymologie of the Lo Chauncellour S. Albans that a libell was derived from two words a lie and a bell of which the Doctor made the lie and sent it for a token to his private friend the bell being put to by that friend in commending it to the Presse and ringing it abroad over all the Countrey p. 1. Nor is it placed there onely in the front to disport the Reader but it is called a libell p. 21. and p. 60. The whole booke nothing but a libell against a Bishop p. 58. and that you may perceive he is no changeling but ad extremii similis sibi the same man throughout a libell it is called againe towards the latter end p. 220. Here is a libell with a witnesse a libell published by authority a licenced libell printed with licence as himselfe confesseth p. 4. For whosoever made the lie you make his Majesty in effect to be the author of the libell because you cannot but conceive that no man durst have printed his Declaration in the case of S. Gregories Church without his Majesties expresse consent and gracious approbation Or if you would be thought so dull as not to apprehend a thing so cleere yet must the publishing of this libell rest in conclusion on my Lord high Treasurer at whose house the book was licenced Which is so high a language against authority against the practice of this Realm for licencing of books and finally against the honour of the Star-Chamber on whose decree that practice and authority is founded as was never uttered and printed with or without licence by any subject of England before this time But this concernes not me so much as the higher Powers I onely touch upon it and so leave it and with it turne the libell back on this uncertain certaine Minister who daring not to shew himselfe in the Kings high way was faine to seeke out blind paths and crooked lanes in them to scatter up and downe those guilty papers which are indeed a libell both for name and nature For if a libell bee derived from a lie and a bell it serves this turn exceeding fitly First M r. Some-body this some Minister makes the lie telling us of an answer writ long agoe by a Minister of Lincolnshire against a booke that came into the world but the yeere before and then hee sends it to the Lord Bâ— of Lincolne Deane of Westminster who forthwith puts a bell unto it an unlicenced licence and rings it over all the country And it did give an Omen of what nature the whole book would prove by that which followeth in the Title Printed for the Diocese of Lincolne Whereas indeed it was not printed either for that Diocese or for any other but calculated like a common Almanack for the particular Meridian of some one discontented humour with an intent that it should generally serve for all the Puritans of Great Brittain Or if you are not willing it should be a libell to gratifie you for this once let it be a Low-belt A thing that makes a mighty noise to astonish and amaze poore birds that comming after with your light you may take them up and send them for a token to Pere Cotton or carry them along with you when you goe your selfe with the next shipping for New-England But being a low-bell and a libell too take them both together Vt si non prosint singula juncta juvent Your second generall charge is Rayling Oyster-whore language as you call it p. 98. And being some minister some great man such a one as Theudas in the Acts who boasted of himselfe that he was some body you think it a preferment to the Doctor to weare your livery which you bestow upon him with a badge that you may know him for your owne and call him scurrilous railer p. 140 Railing Philistin p. 191. and Railing Doctor p. ult Where do you finde him peccant in that peevish kinde that you should lay such load upon him What one uncivill much lesse scurrilous passage can you deservedly charge him with in his whole answer to that letter which you have tooke upon you to defend maugre all the world The worst word there if you finde any one ill word in it was I trow good enough for your friend I. C. a Separatist from this Church at that time perhaps a Se-baptist by this time who by the Answerer is supposed to be the writer of that letter and might have beene supposed so still for ought you know had not you told us to the contrary and got your Ordinaries hand to the Certificate But be hee what hee will pray Sir who are you that you should quarrell any man for railing being your self so ready a master in that art that howsoever your fingers might perhaps be burnt your lips assuredly were never touched with a Coale from the Altar Quin sine rivali I will not seeke to break you of so old a trick which I am very well contented you should enjoy without any partner Onely I will make bold to deale with you as Alexander did with his horse Bucephalus take you a little by the bridle and turne you towards the Sunne that other men may see how you lay about you though your self doe not Hardly one leafe from the beginning to the end wherein you have not some one Title of honour to bestow upon him which without going to the Heralds I shall thus marshall as I
both Writ and Statute will hold good against all your Cavills and the poore Doctor may be Lawyer good enough to defend the Writ although there were no Precedents thereof in the booke of Entries You saw the weaknesse of this plea and thereupon you adventure on a further hazard You tell the Doctor elsewhere of his great presumption in offering to correct Magnificat and that being never in such grace as to be made Lord Keeper of the great seale of England he should presume to give a man a call to be a Iudge who died but an Apprentise in the lawes Yet now you fall on both those errours of which you have already pronounced him guilty For you must needs correct the Statute which the whole Parliament wiser I take it than your selfe hath thought fit to stand and tell us of the Writ which yet my Lord B p of Lincoln when he was Lord Keeper had no power to alter that it ought to be issued contra formam Statuti concernentis sacrosanctum Sacramentum corporis sanguinis Dominici whereas the Statute gives no warrant for any such Writ to be issued from the Court of Chancery Had you authority of making either Writs or Statutes I doubt not but your first Statute should be this that it should be lawfull for any man wheresoever or whensoever he saw the holy Table placed Altar-wise to call it a dresser and then a Writ to be awarded against all those that should speak unreverently of your said service of the dresser At least it should and might be lawfull for the rude people so to call it and none so bold as to controule them On them indeed you have trans-ferred it in your new edition of the letter to excuse the Bishop but then you never tell us as you might have done as well in the same Edition how sorely they were reprehended by the Bishop for it Here very unseasonably and by some Susenbrotus figure you have brought it in and seeme exceeding angry as I think you are that it should be so Prynned and pinned on the Bishops sleeve But be not so extreamly angry though mass Prynne may furnish you with as good a note as that when occasion serves and recompence you for the use of your Dresser by some trick of law But where you say that if one Bishop of Lincoln and one Deane of Westminster shall speake irreverently of the Protestants table I thought assuredly it had been the Lords Table calling it oyster-table and oyster-boorde by this new figure of the Doctors all Bishops and Deanes of those two places must till the end of the world be supposed to doe so you make a strange non sequitur which the Doctor meant not Hee knowes there have beene many Bishops and Deanes of either of such a noted piety as no man can suppose it of them All you can thence conclude is this that as there was a Bishop of Lincoln and a Deane of Westminster that called the Lords table standing Table-wise or in the middle of the Chauncell by the name of oyster-boorde so to cry quitts with them there is as you have now discovered him one Bishop of Lincoln and Deane of Westminster that calls it standing Altar-wise by the name of Dresser As for Iohn Fox his marginall notes of the blasphemous mouth of D r Weston the Deane of Westminster calling the Lords table an oyster-boorde pag. 85. and Bishop White then Bishop of Lincoln blasphemously calleth the boorde of the Lords Supper an oyster-table those you may either take or leave as your stomack serves you And sure it serves you very well you had not falne else on the B p of Norwich with so good an appetite and furnished some of your good friends out of the Index of your Author with an excellent note against the next Edition of the Newes from Ipswich But this is not the onely thing wherein H. B. and you have imparted notes to one another as may most manifestly be discerned in that generall Parallel which I have elsewhere drawne betweene you At this time I shall onely note how much you are beholding unto your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the back-doors of your books your Indexes Here we are furnished with a note out of the Index of Iohn Fox touching a Bishop of Norwich his sending forth letters of persecution Pag. 129. you certifie us from the authority of the same learned Index that Bishop Ridley ordered the Communion Table to be placed not Altar-wise but as a Table Nor could you enter into the Fathers but by this back-doore and there you found by chance such good luck you have that Sacrificium Altaris was foysted into the Index of S. Austin by the Divines of Lovaine as into others of the Fathers by the Priests and Iesuites We now perceive what helps you had to clog your margin with such a numerous and impertinent body of quotations as serve for very little purpose but to make a shew a generall muster as it were of your mighty reading CHAP. IV. Of taking down Altarâ— in K. Edw. time altering the Liturgie first made and of the 82. Canon The Doctor leaves the Minister of Lincolns Method for this Chapter to keepe close to England Altars not generally taken downe in the fourth of K. Edw. 6. The Minister of Linc. falsifieth the Bishops letter to the Vicar and palters with a passage in the Acts and Mon. to make them serve his turne about the taking downe of Altars A most notorious peece of non-sense in the new Edition of the letter The Altars in the Church of England beaten downe in Germany Altars not beaten downe de facto by the common people but taken downe by order and in faâ—re procâ—eding Matters of fact may be made doctrinall sometimes and on some occasions The Order of the King but a kind of Law The Minister of Linc. takes great paines to free Calvin from having any hand in altering the Liturgie Land markâ—s and bounds 〈◊〉 downe for the right understanding of the 〈◊〉 Calvin excepts against the Liturgy practâ—seth with the D. of 〈◊〉 both when he was Protector and after His correspondence herâ— with 〈◊〉 Hooper and ill affâ—ction to the ceremoniâ—s then by Law â—stablished The plot for altering the Liturgie so strongly laied that it want forward notwithstanding the Dukes attainder The 〈◊〉 ignorance and most apparent falshoods of the Minister of Linc in all this businesse Calvin attâ—mptâ— the King the Counsell and Archb. Cranmen The date of his Letter to the Archb. cleered 〈…〉 given the first Liturgie by K. Edw. 6. asserted from the false construction of the Minister of Linc. as also that given to it by the Parliament Archb. Bancroft and Io. Fox what they say thereof The standing of the Table after the alteration of the Liturgie and that the name of Altar may be used in a Church reformed HItherto we have followed you up and downe according as you pleased to leade the
which handling of your Author you venture on an affirmation that you have no ground for nay I am sure you know the contrary to what there you say You cite us elsewhere in your booke the third Sermon of B p. Hooper upon Ionah preached before K. Edw. An. 1550. say you An. 1551. saith M r. Prynne whose account I follow And in that Sermon It were well then saith he that it might please the Magistrates to turne the Altars into Tables according to the first institution of Christ to take away the false perswasion of the people they have of sacrifices to be done upon the Altars For as long as the Altars remaine both the ignorant people and the ignorant and evill perswaded Priest will dreame alwaies of sacrifice By which it is apparent that whatsoever had beene done by â— p. Ridley all other dioceses aswell as that of London did not agree on putting downe of Altars and setting up of Tables as you rashly say Nor is it likely that the Altars generally were taken downe throughout the Kingdome untill the second Liturgie was confirmed by Parliament which was not till the yeere 1552 as you say your selfe Next for the manner how they were taken downe you tell us in the Bishops letter that the people being scandalized herewith i. e. with Altars in Country Churches first beats them downe de facto then the Supreme Magistrate by a kind of Law puts them downe de jure Your Copie stilo novo relates it thus as viz. that the people being scandalized herewith in Country Churches first it seemes beat them downe de facto then the Supreme Magistrate as here the King by the advice of Archb. Cranmer and the rest of his Counsell did An. 1550. by a kind of Law put them downe de jure 4. Ed. 6. Nov. 24. This alteration you have made to shift the scene a little and carry this tumultuous breaking downe of Altars which you here describe from hence to Germany For you perceive by this that he relates in the first place to the reformation of Altars beyond the seas because he speakes of Supreme Magistrates which the people began by way of fact before the Magistrates established the same by way of Law And this you say Luther complaines of against Carolostadius that he chose rather to hew down than dispute downe Altars No question but the Angels which removed our Ladies chamber from her house in Bethlem l unto her Chappell at Loretto assisted you in the performance of this miracle It could not possibly be the worke of a mortall man to shift so suddenly a businesse of this weight from England to the parts beyond sea Nec vox hominem sonat Happy man be your dole that are so highly in the favour of your friends and followers that whatsoever you say unto them is received as Gospell You had not else adventured on so fine a Legend but that you can command beleefe even from very Infidels Tam facilis in mendaciis fides ut etiam crediderint alia monstrosa miracula But tell me betweene you and me I will keepe your counsell how can this businesse relate unto those of Germany because say you he speakes of Supreme Magistrates Why man Your owne edition hath it Magistrate not Magistrates and will you flie off from your owne Besides you tell us in the words immediatly before that in K. Edwards Liturgie of 1549. it is almost every where but in that of 1552. it is no where called an Altar but the Lords boord Then you go on and aske why so and presently returne this answer because the people being scandalized herewith in Country Churches first it seemes beat them downe de facto and then the supreme Magistrate c. Kind-hearted Germanes that liking not of Altars in K. Edwards Liturgie would beat them downe at home in their owne Countries because the people which they never heard of were scandalized herewith in England Faith tell mee doe you not thinke them very honest fellowes and that a dozen of Grantham Ale were well bestowed upon them by the Alderman there for doing such an excellent piece of service to promote the cause I need not tell you more of this trim invention which made you falsifie the letter with a long Parenthesis as here the King c. to bring in this Pageant Onely I shall advise you as a speciall friend to take a care you see it entred in the next edition of the Acts and Monuments which every time it comes into the world growes bigger by such hands as yours and will no doubt in time grow great and be Livius ingens Well then the Altars in the Church of England being thus beaten downe by the high-Germanes what did the English doe themselves No doubt but they did beat them downe too and so they did the one in your imagination onely that dainty forge of new devices the other in very deed de facto And then the King came after with his bottle and bag to learne of such good teachers what he was to doe in the case de jure First beaten downe de facto then put downe de jure first by the people after by the King who as the Doctor told you in his Coale from the Altar could not but come too late to carry any stroake at all in so great businesse which they had done before he came I warrant you the King being young could not containe himselfe within doores but must needs runne to see the sport when hee heard them at it and being come thanked his good people for their paines and so sent them home But that your thoughts were taken up amongst the Germans you should have told your storie thus viz. That first the people beat down some de facto and then the King much taken with the example put downe the rest de jure and by publick order Yet had you told it thus the Doctor possibly might have questioned you for the relation desiring you as formerly to tell where you find it either that they were beaten downe or beaten downe de facto by the common people That they were taken downe in the most part of the Churches of this Realme the Kings letters tell us but taking downe implies an orderly proceeding beating downe hath none And the Kings letters say withall that they were taken downe on good and godly considerations which as the Doctor thinks implyes some order and authority from them that had a power to doe it some secret Order possibly from the Lord Protectour or those that after signed the letter who meant to try this way how the thing would relish before they would appeare in it or be seene to act it Or put the case some Bishops now should on some grounds to them best knowne give way unto the Clergie of their severall Diocesses to place the Table Altar-wise and then the King should signifie to the Bishop of Lincoln that it
14. of Oct. after the Duke of Somerset was committed to the Tower and thence released Fâ—br 6. 1550. and on the 8. of Aprill next being before discharged of the Protectourship was sworne Privy Counsellour Meane time on Ian. 22. Commissioners were sent to treat of a peace with France which was proclaimed the last of March next after following An. 1551. Ianuar. 30. Mart. Bucer died The 16. of Oct. after the Duke of Somerset was committed to the Tower and on the first of December following condemned to death An. 1552. Ian. 22. the Duke of Somerset was beheaded and on the morrow next began the Parliament 5. 6. of Edw. 6. in which the second Liturgie was confirmed This said we shall be sure to find how matters went and how far you have lost your selfe by your too much quarrelling The Doctor thus beginneth It seemes that Bucer had informed Calvin of the condition of this Church and the publick Liturgie thereof and thereupon he wrote to the Duke of Somerset who was then Protectour For thus he signifieth to Bucer Dominum Protectorem ut volebas conatus sum hortari ut flagitabat praesens rerum status c and then adviseth Bucer to be instant with him ut ritus qui superstitionis aliquid redolent tollantur è medio that all such rites as savoured of superstition should be took away And how farre that might reach you can tell your selfe knowing the humour of the man as it seemes you doe Nay hee went somewhat further yet bidding him as you note your selfe to take heed of his old fault for fault he thought it which was to runne a moderate course in his Reformations mediis consiliis vel authorem esse vel approbatorem Now Pet. Alexanders letter for calling in of Bucer beares date in March 1549. and Bucer was at Canterbury the Iune next following the first thing that hee did at his comming hither as hee saith himselfe being to make himself acquainted with the English Liturgie Cum primum in hoc regnum venissem c. librum illum sacrorum per interpretem quantum potui cognovi diligenter as he relates it to the Archbishop Of his he gave account to Calvin and as it seemes Dominum Protectorem ut volebas c. desired some letter from him to my Lord Protector Not as you dreame before his comming over hither and before the Liturgie was published though possibly before he had beene seene of the Duke of Somerset the hurly-burlies of those times considered For Calvin tels you in that letter tumultuâ— jam intus sodatos esse confidâ— that hee now hoped that all the tumults and commotions within the Realme were composed and pacified and also that there was a rumour of a truce with France So that this letter must needs be dated about the Autumne after Bucers comming hither the Rebâ—lls not being fully crushed till the end of August and nothing but the newes of our peace within drawing the French men to assent to a truce abroad Then for his letter to the Protector which is herein mentioned cleerely it is the letter printed which beares not date two yeeres before as you with ignorance and confidence enough have beene pleased to say For you may finde the date hereof by a better character being the â—ame with that to Bucer For he takes notice in that letter of those Commotions ingentes illae turbae which had hapned here ab aliquo tempore not long before as also that the alâ—eration of religion was in part the cause thereof quos ex parte mutatiâ— iâ— religionis causa concitabat as himselfe there tels you So that this letter must be written â—alfe a yeere at least after the Liturgie established by Act â—f Parliament and not three yeares before as you ridiculously compute it As for the substance of that letter he there excepteth against Commemoration of the dead which he acknowledgeth however to be very ancient as also against Chrisme and extreme unction which last unctionis ceremonia you have most childishly translated oyle in Baptisme Which said he wisheth illa omnia abscindi semel that all these ceremonies should be abrogated and that withall he should goe forwards to reforme the Church without feare or wit without regard of peace at home or correspondency abroad Such considerations being onely to be had in civill matters but not in matters of the Church in quo nihil non ad Deiverbum exigi fas est wherein not any thing is to be exacted which is not warranted by the Word and in the managing whereof there is not any thing more distastefull in the eyes of God than worldly wisdome ut vel moderemur vel rescindamus c. either in moderating cutting off or going backward but meerely as we are directed by his will revealed Nor were these three and that about Impropriations the onely things on which he toucheth as you please to say He toucheth also there on the booke of Homilies which very faintly he permits for a season onely but not allowes of and thereby gave the hint to others who ever since almost have declamed against them And if you thinke that Calvin never after medled with the Duke about this businesse of the Orders of the Church of England you are exceeding much mistaken For whatsoever crush he had he lost but little of his power though he loâ—t his Office and Calvin still adressed himselfe unto him for the Advancement of the worke Looke in his letter unto Bullinger dated Apr. 10. 1551. which was not quite a yeere before the Liturgie was altered and he will tell you what he did I writ saith he to the most illustrious D. of Somerset to this effect that there was no hope but that the Papists would grow insolenter every day than others nisi mature compositum esset dissidium de ceremoniis unlesse the difference were composed about the ceremonies Composed and how not by reducing the opponents to conformity but by incouraging them rather in their opposition especially by supporting Hooper then B p. of Gloucester the principall leader of that faction and very zealous amongst other things against the Altar's yet remaining as before I shewed For so it followeth in that letter hortatus ergo sum hominem ut Hoppero manum porrigeret which it seemes was done as he propounded For in another unto Bullinger dated the 29. of August following he certifieth to him that Hooper was restored to his Bishoprick Now this being but the yeere before the alteration of the Liturgie Calvin being so intent against the Orders of this Church the Duke so forwards to complie with him and Hooper who had no lesse interest in Dudly of Nâ—rthumberland than Calvin with the Duke of Somerset whereof consult your author the Acts and Mon. par 3. p. 147. being so eager on the chase it is not to be doubted