solemnely performed and done openly before all Israel and before this Sunne But if the Altar had crept in then the Bishop had crept in much more for no Bishop was enthronized before his Altar was Consecrated and if the Bishop crept in then I am sure hee himselfe crept in and if he crept in the Sextons might doe well to shew him the way out For without the Church militant and triumphant in earth and in heaven shall bee dogges and whosoever maketh or telleth lyes And with untruth this saying that Altars crept into the Church hath more affinity than I could wish and more than all the water in his Well can wash off if hee make not ignorance his refuge and save himselfe under the shadow of her wings And thus much of the manner of creeping in of Altars CAP. XXII Complying with the Iewes doth not argue the creeping in of Altars The enemies of the Church have long pickt a quarrell at her Altars and her Priests The Councell of Aquisgrane defendeth them At what houre of the day Altars came in Christian Altars came in at Noahs floud and have so continued in the Christian Church ever since Danger to meddle with holy and consecrate things King Iames of blessed memory washed his hands of medling with them The polity of the Christian Church was framed by the patterne of the Iewish Church Sonne of the Church an honourable name The complying of Sabbatarians with the Iewes IN the next place the Author shewes the means wherby Altars crept into the Church and that is By a certaine complying in phrase with the people of the Iewes Now see what a froward or blinde destiny haunted and led the Secretary of this Letter For that very reason which he brings to prove the creeping in of Altars doth cleerly demonstrate that they did not creepe in He tels us what he has read in Kemnitius Gerardus and other sound Protestants yet such as suffer Altars still to stand It appeares he sailed not farre for his gold And the Commodities which he brings are common upon every petty Chapmans stall and such as will be his utter undoing when they come to be rifled into The complying in phrase with the people of the Iewes is the meanes whereby Altars crept in say you But I say and I hope to produce those that will make it good that this complying both in phrase and in other respects is the only assurance that we have that Altars did not creepe in but were brought in or rather continued in the Christian Church of the Gentiles from the Christian Church of the Iewes and were alwayes in both these in honourable and reverend estimation and ought not to be turned off by any Christian so disgracefully There is not any one ancient Father that ever I see who doth not derive the polity of the Christian Church and take their patterne in laying downe the platforme thereof from Gods Church among the Iewes as well before Moses as after as well in externall Rites and Ceremonies as in the internall spirituall and essentiall parts of Gods service I shall take as little paines for this rich and sure commodity as the Author did for the ruine of his cause The Councell of Aquisgrave jâ—st 800. yeares agoe hath furnish me abundantly that I need look no further There were in those times some Factors for the Synagogue of Satan that would not be pleased neither with Priests Altars Oblations Sacrifices nor with the very Churches and Houses of God themselves or any consecrated things but kindly perswaded themselves that some of these they might pull downe and cast out and make the rest their prey These things were made common Table-talke and the food of Conventicles and in the end it was commonly given out Haec non ex authoritate divina constare that all these and the like had but slender or no ground in holy Scripture Sed potius arbitrario cordis nostri say the Bishops imò cupiditate quadam inventione commenta esse but by some slye device of our owne were brought in or as this man speakes crept into the Church These things being by the carefull Spyes and witty Agents at times buzd into the Kings eares The godly and learned Fathers of that Councell think fit to present an humble declaration of the truth concerning these matters and give his Highnesse to understand that if these Objectors and Surmisers would diligently read and seriously weigh what in that writing was contained they would be brought to acknowledge Nos quae Dei sunt ad vestram salvationem ad regni stabilimentum that the things which are established in the Church and which we have delivered are the things of God and such as make for your Majesties eternall salvation and for the establishing of your Kingdomes and Dominions Se verò but those that say that these things crept into the Church Ea quae sunt mundi Dei voluntati usque quaque contraria existunt ad animarum interitum pertinent absque dubio loqui To come home then to the very point whether Altars crept into the Christian Church by a kinde of complying in phrase with the Iewes let the authority of S. Ambrose commend one ground of Christianity to those that hold by that Title Accipe quae dico anteriora esse mysteria Christianorum quam Iudaeorum Christians are more ancient than Iewes so are the mysteries of their Religon their Sacraments Sacrifices Altars more ancient than any of these among the Iewes Therefore the dreame of complying must needs be idle There are twelve houres of the day and in one of these Altars came into the Christian Church They crept not in by complying And the Councell of Aquisgrave will tell us plainly at what houre of the day they came in The Morning of the World was from Adam to Noah saith S. Gregory the third houre from Noah to Abraham the sixth houre from Abraham to Moses the ninth houre from Moses to Christ the twelfth houre from Christ to the worlds end At what houre of the day now did Altars come in Heare these holy Fathers speake True it is say they Religio primum coepit â—ine Altare ab Abel justo Religion at first was without an Altar Altars came not in at Sun rise This man would then have said they crept in under some cloud Well the third houre was from Noah to Abraham And now Arrige aures Pamphile for we are upon the very houre of the comming in of Altars Noah being preserved from the great danger of the floud Non extra Altare sedjam supra Altare holocausta Deo obtulit he offered holocausts upon an Altar And if the Vicar had erected such an Altar the only holocaust needed not to have beene his discretion except he would have beene as prodigall with his discretion as this Author for there were sacrifices of thanks and praise which Noah taught him to offer on an Altar Come we to the
the mystery of iniquity But let the authority of these Decretals be what it will here is some thing to be alledged for the antiquity of Altars but no mention of the name of Communion-Tables in any writing true or forged within 180. years of Christ. Therefore as yet it appeareth not that the name of Table is two hundred yeares more ancient than the name of Altar CAP. III. Of Altars in S. Martialis in S. Irenaeus in Tertullian in Origen in S. Cyprian BVt if the Decretals be of no value the like I hope will not be said of S. Martialis who lived eighty yeares before Pius and maketh mention of Altars Coena Domini offertur in Ara. Now I come to an Authour whom I conceive to be without all exception viz. Irenaeus a Martyr and Scholer unto Polycarpus the Martyr brought up under S. Iohn and therefore knew well what the practice was of holy Martyrs and godly Fathers both in the Greek and Latine Church and was able to speak his mind being chosen Ambassadour to the Bishop of Rome by the Church of France though the Centurists jerk him for his negligent and improper manner of speech This Martyr lived within twenty two yeares of Pius viz. 180. who both mentioneth and alloweth of Altars in Churches and oblations upon them not because Pius and his predecessors so decreed but because it is the will of God to have it so Deus nos vult offerre munus ad Altare frequenter sine intermissione The name of Table then cannot be two hundred yeares more ancient in the Christian Church than the name of Altar For that were to place a table in the Christian Church twenty years before there was a Christian Church Tertullian lived Anno. 203. within twenty three yeares of Irenaeus This learned Writer speaking of confession made by Penitents in the Primitive Church unto Priests saith further that the manner was according to Rhenanus Aris Dei adgeniculari to kneele down before Gods Altar Here is mention made of Altars and of reverence done before them So Origen who lived within twenty three yeares of Tertullian viz. Anno. 226. maketh often mention of Altars and reproveth those that brought not their oblations to the Altar And saith that it was the Lords owne Ordinance that the Priests of the Gospell should participate of the Altar He also mentioneth the contributions that were made ad ornatum Altaris for the decking of Altars The blessed Martyr Saint Cyprian who lived within 14. yeares of Origen viz. An. 240. maketh often mention of Altars and of the use of them in the Christian Church long before his time and the Priests Ab Altari non recedant ought not to be withdrawne from their service at the Altar nor to be otherwise imployed Nisi Altari sacrificiis deserviendo To descend lower to prove the Antiquity of Altars were against reason By this that hath beene said it appeareth that the name of Table is not 200. yeares more ancient than the name of Altar But that the name of Altars and the reverend use of them have beene in the Christian Church long before the name or use of Table and have continued in the Christian Church in honourable repute from the very beginning thereof without interruption for 3943. yeares therefore the name of Table cannot be 200. yeares more ancient in the Christian Church than the name of Altar CAP. IV. Who first objected against Christians that they had neither Temples Altars nor Gods What those Temples Altars and Gods were that Christians had not Of Churches in the Primitive Church WHereas it is said that Christians could have no Altars within two hundred yeares of Christ because they had no Churches in all that space This maketh as much for the overthrowing of Tables as for the removing of Altars For if there were no Churches in all that time then there was no Table Then is not the name of Table two hundred yeares more ancient in the Christian Church than the name of Altar by that reason 2. Those that first made this objection were Heathens whose malicious speeches Christians should not make use of to the prejudice of their owne religion Not Origen but Celsus in Origen nor Minutius Foelix but Caecilius in him do object against Christians Quod tanquam athei nulla haberent Templa nec Deos nec Altaria 3. Those Heathens that say we had no Altars do not say we had Communion-Tables two hundred years before there were Altars in the Christian Church Wherefore this authority borrowed from Heathens will not furnish this man with a Table two hundred yeares before there were Altars 4. It is true Christians in the Primitive Church had no Temples that is such magnificent Temples as were dedicated to Heathen gods but they had Churches from the beginning of Christianity Neither had they Altars to sacrifice beasts on but they had Altars for the offering up of their Christian Sacrifices Neither did they worship Heathen gods but a God that made Heaven and Earth Deos vestros saith Tertullian colere desâ—imus ex quo illos non esse cognoscimus yet are we not Atheists for all that but quod colimus Deus unus est c. verbo quo jussit ratione qua disposuit virtute qua potuit ex nihilo expressit in ornamentum majestatis suae The like answer is given in sundry places to Celsus by Origen The Heathen therefore did them wrong to charge them with Atheisme because they departed from their Idolatry and renounced their Temples Altars and gods For God they worshipped and Altars they had as both Origen and Tertullian before him and Irenaeus before them both do plainly witnesse Now that Christians had Churches and Altars for Christian Sacrifices from S. Pauls time till the time of Constantine the Great notwithstanding the many and bloudy persecutions raised against them is so cleere a truth that I wonder any man of learning should deliver the contrary For what service they can doe the Church in maintaining an untruth I cannot imagine True it is some Christians in the Apostles times and after till Constantines raigne and when he was gone also were forced first for feare of Heathens and after for feare of Hereticks were constrained sometime to meet in private houses and vacant places and as the Apostle saith wandred in Desarts and Mountaines and Dens and Caves of the Earth yet for all that the greatest part of Christians had both Churches and Altars all this time And their Churches were distinct from private houses Have yee not houses to eate and to drink despise ye the Church of God These Churches were common houses of great receipt Here Men and Women unbelievers as well as believers learned and unlearned Here much people assembled and were taught In these Churches Women were not permitted to speake but in their owne houses they might speake and ask their Husbands questions Here men might not be covered
such as were fallen to decay by age Anno 221. And before them all Saint Clemens his command both for building and Consecrating of Churches maketh it apparent that there were Churches The words of his Epistle to St. Iames are these Ecclesias facite per congrua loca quae divinis precibus sacrare oportet These testimonies of Roman Bishops the Centurists suspect and brand the Dedication of Churches with the Mystery of Iniquity But who delivered them the keyes of the bottomlesse pit to condemne whom they list Or what Mercury conveyed Saint Peters keyes into their hands to shut out nay thrust out of heaven and to let in thither whom they list No blessed Martyr holy Father or godly man before themselves durst nay would forget their owne piety so much as to tax the Dedication of Churches for a Mysterie of Iniquity But some of all these sorts have allowed commended and practised the Dedication of Churches Where then the Doctrine and Decrees of Popes and of the first and best times are confirmed by the doctrine and constant practice of the holy Catholicke Church it seemes great boldnesse and impiety in three or foure men to condemne and to brand their authority with the Mysterie of Iniquity It appeareth by the testimonies of Eusebius Athanasius Basil Nazianzen alledged by the Centurists Gent. 4. cap. 6. and of S. Austin Prosper and Sidonius alledged by them Cent. 5. c. 6. and if they had beene disposed they might have added to these S. Chrysostome Sozomen S. Ambrose Greg. Magnus and diverse others in all ages that have approved and with great devotion and piety practised the Dedication of Churches O then that there should be a mouth opened to such blasphemy But to let them stand to their owne Master whether the worke were good or bad it is confessed on all hands that there were Churches dedicated within 200. yeares of Christ therefore the Centurists will helpe to cry downe their opinion that say there were none built in all that space Secondly the use of the keyes and the exercise of the discipline of the Church in excommunication abstention giving absolution and receiving Penitens into the Church all which were of famous and frequent use within 200. yeares after Christ doe manifestly declare that there were Churches built within that space For how Deliquents should be excommunicated out of Dens Forrests or private houses or solemnely admitted into them againe is beyond any common understanding If we cast our eyes upon the discipline used in the Primitive Church in casting out and receiving men againe into the Church we shall finde that it was executed so solemnely gravely and impartially yet with such pitty and fellow-feeling of humane infirmities as made the same very awfull and reverend and struck the mindes aswell of those that stood as of such as had fallen with griefe and terrour None that had fallen into any notorious crime to the publike scandall of their brethren and to the wounding of weake consciences were admitted againe into the Church before they had done open penance in sackcloth and ashes with fasting and prayer Thus was the Young-man who had committed many notorious robberies received againe into the Church by S. Iohn Anno 100. So those simple Women led captive by Marcus the Valentinian and by him corrupted both in body and minde made open confession of their faults Lugendo lamentando Weeping and wailing before they were received into the Church So by the sentence of Hyginus Cerdon à religiosorum horninum conventu abstentus est and was not received into the Church before he had performed his penance exomologesin faciens Anno 151. So Marcion and Valentinus were cast out of the Church by blessed Eleutherius saith Tertullian and when Marcion confessed his fault and submitted himselfe to take penance he was received to peace with this Proviso that he should reduce those to the Church whom he had perverted Now in what sort Penitents performed their penance and made confession the act it selfe will discover Is actus saith Tertullian this act which usually and most commonly is expressed by a Greek word exomologesis est wherein we confesse our fault to God not as though he were ignorant thereof but â—o far forth as by this confession Satisfactio disponitur the minde is set in readinesse for satisfaction pâ—enitentia nascitur our repentance springeth out of it and pâ—enitentia Deus mitigâ—tur by our penance GOD is appeased Therefore Exomologesis prosternenti humâ—â—ifâ—e andâ— hominis disciplina est penance is a discipline used for the humbling and casting downe of men conversatione in injungens imposing withall such a manner of conversation as may move pitty and commiseration De ipso quoque habitu atque victu mandat This Exomelogeâ—is giveth law both to our food and raiment Saccâ— câ—nere incubare and ordereth men to lye in sackcloth and ashes to have the beauty of the body in no honour to fill the soule with sorrow Plerunque verò jejuntis preces aleâ—â— to feed our prayers with fasting to weepe waâ—e and mourne night and day unto thy God Presbyteris advolvi aris as Rhenanus reads the place Dei â—dgeniculari to humble your selfe before the Priests and to fall downe upon your knees before Gods Altars to sue unto al the brethren for their prayers in your behalfe Haec omnia exomologesis penance worketh all this Ergo cum te ad fratrum genua protendis Christum contrectas Christum exoras when you fall downe at your Brethrens knees you catch hold of Christ you over-intreat Christ to be good to you And when your Brethren weepe for you Christus patitur Christ is troubled and affected Christus Patrem deprecatur Christ becoms your intercessor to his Father Facitè impetratur semper quod filius postulat a sons request is â—oone granted by a Father Some saith he think they shall performe a speciall benefit and afford an acceptable reliefe to their modesty by concealing their faults As if forsooth because our cunning will helpe us to bleere mens eyes proinde Deum celabimus wee shall be inabled thereby to keep our faults from Gods notice An melius est damnatum latere quà m palam absolvi had you rather be damned so no body know of it than to have your sins pardoned before the face of all the world Miserum est sic ad exomologe sin pervenire hee is in a miserable case that makes such a kind of confession But besides modesty which you hope to preserve by concealing your faults you may perhaps feare other inconveniences and disgraces that you make the body lyable unto quod inlotos quod sordulentos that you have neither your face washed nor your hayre kemb'd nor your clothes brusht and are shut up from all pleasure and delight in asperitudine sacci horrore cineris oris de jejunio vanitate feeling nothing but rough sackcloth galling the sides seeing nothing but head
say the people ran round about the Altar where it stood and where the Diptychs were read and that is not only in the Presbytery but in sacrario in the most holy place of all the Chancell and not in the body of the Church among the people which he would make us believe by englishing Diptychs by Lessons and Chapters This I am sure is not true for lessons and Chapters were taken out of the word of God But Diptychs contained the Catalogue of Generall Councells or of such holy and Catholicke Bishops who had derived themselves their Faith and Religion from the Apostles or Apostolicke men that faithfull men who desired as they in the Councell of Chalcedon make profession iter ambulare Regium to keep the King of Heavens hiâ—-way might daily see what guides to follow and what paths to shunne This was the holy and profitable use of these Diptychs much unlike that List of persons censured by holy Church called with some reproach of truth and Christian Religion Catalogus testium veritatis and as unlike a Calendar that I have seene wherein the Holy Martyrs and Confessors of Iesus Christ who not onely had place sometime in these Diptychs but whose names are written in heaven are rased out and Traitors Murderers Rebels and Hereticks set in their roomes that if Penry Hâ—cket or Legate had come in time they might have challenged as Orient and Scarlet coloâ—â—ed a Die as some of them These Calendars were as unluckily made as these Diptychs were alledged by the Author for his purpose to make the people and marre the Altar and â—eâ—ace the ancient forme of Gods true Service which is by naming of them utterly made voyde and frustrated For it appeareth hereby and by the fifth Councell of Constantinople that the Altar did stand in the Presbytery and not in the midst of the Church among the people And so I come to his next authority CAP. XVII Whether the Quire may be found in the body of the Church out of Durandus and Platina That Boniface the second divided the Quire from the people how to be understood How long this was done before the fifth Councell of Constantinople Of the Priests turning about at the Altar IF Durandus examined the cause why the Priest turneth himselfe about at the Altar and found Scripture for it medio Ecclesiae c. he did more than the Author of this Epistle did in examining Durandus or Platina either For if from Durandus and his reason hâ—e can inferre the Quire was then in the body of the Church from examining Platina and his testimony he shall finde that the Quire did not stand in the body of the Church Platina saith that Boniface the 2d. though the Author tell us not so divisit populum à Clero cum celebraretur hee divided the people from the Clergy in the administration of the Eucharist He saith not he was the first that so divided them This is put in by the Author and is not true For 300. yeares and upward before Boniface was borne even in Saint Cyprians Tertullians and Irenaeus his time they were so divided And if in 300. yeares a disorder crept into the Church he did no more than his duty in dividing the people from the Clergy when the Sacrament was Celebrated In the same manner it may bee said in time to come that our Diocesane divided the people from the Clergy by setting a rayle to enclose the Lords Table yet is not he the first in these latter times that began to conforme his Diocesse to the practice of the Primitive Church in that respect Neither can ages to come reason in this sort as this man doth that therefore the Quire was in his time in the body of the Church For we know this is not so Secondly That which Platina reporteth of Boniface the 2d. was about Anno. 525. The people then were divided from the Clergy and this was about 800. yeares before Durandus could examine causes of the Priests turning about So that if the Author allow what Platina saies he must disallow what himselfe saies that the Quire was in Durands time in the body of the Church For wee are sure out of Platina that neere 800. yeares before Durandus was borne the people were divided from the Clergy at the Celebration of the Sacrament Therefore in all that time the Quire was not in the body of the Church Thirdly Boniface the 2d. was foure yeares before the particular Synod of Constantinople under Menna and Agapetus and almost twenty yeares before the fifth Generall Councell of Constantinople under Iohn the Patriarch and Vigilius which Councell this Author bringeth here to prove that the Altar stood in the body of the Church among the people because cucurrit omnis populus circum circa Altare Now this Author assures us out of Platina that Boniface had divided the people from the Clergy Anno. 525. Therefore hee must needs confute himselfe and tell us that in the fift Councell of Constantinople Anno. 545. the Altar did not then nor 20. yeares before stand in the body of the Church among the people for Boniface made a separation twenty yeares before Haud commodè haec divisa sunt temporibus Wherefore if this man will examine his owne Authors as Durandus did the cause of the Priests turning about hee must say that the Quire was not then in the body of the Church when Durandus lived nor for 800. yeares before that and when he is come so high S. Cyprian and others will lift him up so much higher that he may looke 300. yeares further and never finde the Altar in the body of the Church among the people but alwayes inclosed at the upper end of the Chancell and the people ever divided from the Clergy cum celebraretur as himselfe tells us out Platina Fourthly Let it be granted that the Priest turnâ—th himselfe about at the Altar and that this reason is yeelded for the same In medio Ecclesiae aperui os meum doth it therefore follow that the Priest and the Altar stood in the body of the Church among the people Could not the Priest turne himselfe about at the Altar and say I opened my mouth in the midst of the Congregation but the Altar must needs thereupon stand in the midst of the Church When supplication intercession consecration and giving of thanks unto God the Father were finished by the Priest with his face unto the East and the next office to be performed being to blesse the people is it not fit he turne him after reverence done towards the holy Altar and with his face into the West blesse the Congregation of the Lord and doe it upon this ground aperui os in medio Ecclesiae but this Author will conclude that therefore the Quire stood in the body of the Church among the people David praised God In medio ecclesiae yet no man can from thence inferre that he stood in the Sanctum Sanctorum where the Lord
things hence or that the complying of these holy Fathers with Gods people the Iewes is in this respect any argument of their secret and undue creeping in or not rather a forcible argument to warrant and justifie the bringing of them into the Christian Church and the due honouring of them being no worse things than such as the types whereof were shewed Moses in the Mount and are themselves with their Priests and holy service performed about them visible types of the triumphant Church in heaven and for this cause as chiefly because they are the seats and Chaires of estate where the Lord vouchsafeth to place himselfe amongst us as Optatus speaketh have beene in all ages so greatly honoured and regarded of the most wise most learned and most blessed Saints of God So that he which saies Altars crept into the Church by a kindâ— of complying with the people of the Iewes may with as good reason say that the orders of Archbishops Bishops Priestâ— and Deacons with their severall offices and degrees with their attyre habits and vestments together with oblations tythes glebe lands and maintenance crept into the Christian Church by a kinde of complying with the Iewes and are therefore alike and altogether to bee cast out of the Church as Iudaicall Ceremonies But God forbid that any sonne of the Church as this man intitles himselfe or Vniversity either should shew so little good affection and learning as to speake or thinke the worse of any of these for their complying with the people of the Iewes herein and cast them out as Iudaicall ceremonies For what the Patriarchs and people of the Iewes practised by the law of nature or the rule of right reason or by inspiration of Gods Spirit many hundred yeares before the Ceremoniall or Leviticall Law was given are not to be ranked among Iudaicall Ceremonies which were fulfilled in our Saviour Christ and were by him taken away and nailed to his Crosse. The Councell of Aquisgrane and the Fathers whom they follow take us out another lesson For then making of vowes singing of Psalmes and spirituall Songs keeping of Feasts observing of Fasts dedicating of places for Gods Worship ordayning and maintaining of Priests and Deacons as well as Altars should all be cast out from the face of this man and his abettors as Moses was from the presence of Pharaoh beware thou see my face no more thou art crept in among us that are the sons of the Church under a Vizard made of a kind of complying with the Iewes whose Mosaicall ceremonies we renounce But it is to be hoped that he that weares the name of the Sonne of the Church will not to her wrong under that ensigne advance the party of Donatus Nihil honorificentius quà m ut Imperator Ecclesiae filius esse dicatur sayes Saint Ambrose a sonne of the Church is a name for Kings and Emperors the nursing Fathers of the Church and it were sacriledge to steale it away from them and convey it to their and her enemies But if this man be a sonne of the Church then may we say with Iacob deliver me ô Lord I pray thee from the hand of my brother from the hand of Esau lest he come and smite the Mother upon her Children He had shewed himselfe more likâ—â— sonne of the Church if he had said that the name of Sabbath had crept into the Church in a kinde of complying in phrase with the people of the Iewes and that in a shadow of things to come as if Christ were not come in the flesh against the Apostles express doctrin and charge Col. 2. and from hence would have sought to have cast out that old leaven out of our Church which hath sowred the affections of too many towards the Church and disturbed the peace and hindred the pious devotion thereof CAP. XXIII The conceit of a Dresser unworthy a Divine Suting Psychicus in Tertullian The Patriarch and Bishops in the fifth Councel expresse a different apprehension thereof Christs first institution of the Sacrament no rule to us in matters Circumstantiall An Altar confessed by the Author Saint Paul did and the Church may order things otherwise than Christ used The Eucharist to be received Fasting THe Authour hath much busied himselfe to pull downe disgrace and cast out Christian Altars as ever did Abraham Isaac or Iacob or the old Christians before Moses or Moses David Salomon or any of the Patriarches before CHRIST or any blessed Martyres holy Saints of God and zealous Christians since Christ have beene to build consecrate adorne and honour them Whose Factor he is and of whom he is to receive his pay the enemy of Altars that befriended him with this inspiration best knowes But if his pay must be proportioned noâ— by his good will but by his good successe then can it not be good The man I thinke was borne when all good starres had their backes toward him And if he bare not Sisera's minde why do the Stars fight against him in their order for that wherin he thinkes to winne a reputation by disgrace of Altars brings them honour and him confusion at every turne Such is the proud mans destiny In eo deijciuntur in quo extâ—lluntur sayes Saint Austin their table is their snare their prosperity their ruine they hope to leane on a wall and adders sting them Sicut fumus peribunt The higher smoake mounteth the further from heaven the neerer to nothing So hath it fared with this man from the beginning hitherto The higher he built his hopes upon old writers or new the lower is he beaten with their fall upon his head It is found by his owne Authors that Altars were in the Christian Church within lesse than 200. yeares after Christ that they did not stand in the body of the Church that they did not creepe in that their complying confuteth their creeping Hitherto wee are gone already and now comes forth a reason against the setting of the Lords Table Altarwise made of such stuffe that if he had studyed all his life long to honour Altars in the opinion of good Christians and to fill his owne face with shame he could not I thinke find any comparable to this fulsome and nasty conceit of a Dresser The Country people would suppose them Dressers I confesse unfainedly that this speech was so scandalous and offensive to me and I perswade my selfe it is no lesse to any Christian apprehension and trencht so close upon blasphemy that I could not choose but take up such stones as lay neere mee to cast at it And I cannot but wonder how any man I will not say in holy orders meditating on the holy Eucharist Consecrated upon the most holy Altar standing no otherwise than it ever did in the holy Catholicke Church but any man of gentle extraction liberall education and virtuous disposition could have so unhallowed and degenerate a thought come into his mind fitter for Epicurus or one of Bacchus Priests than