A Quench-Coal, Inquiry 1 (3 of 4)

A Quench-Coal · Inquiry 1 (3 of 4)

p. 80For it termed all righteous men, Preists that attend on God and his Altar, & he sayth, the Apostles were such when they plucked the eares of corne, they then waiting on God and the Altar, which was long before the Communion Table or Lords Supper was instituted, so that here the Altar; if properly meant, is not the Lords Table but the Iewish Altar, and that before the Sacrament of the Lords Supper instituted; If allegorically and spiritually, it is meant only of Christ, our spirituall Altar, Heb. 13. 10. Rev. 65. 9. on whom all the faithfull, who are spirituall Preists, 1. Pet. 2. 9. Rev. 1. 6. doe waste, not of the Lords Table, at which none but Ministers serve and consecrate. So that this makes nothing to the purpose.

What Irenaeus meanes by the Altar, will appeare more evidently p. 81by his owne words. Adv. Haer. l. 4. c. 34. where, as he stiles the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, not the Sacrifice or Sacrament of the Altar, but ggSo he stiles it also l. 5. p. 540. 541.the Eucharist, (with which he joynes no other oblation used among Christians, but only that of prayse and thankgiving, neither of which requires an Altar;) so he writes, that God will have us also offer a gift at the Altar, (to witt the Sacrifice of prayer and prayse) frequently without intermission.

And least any one should here dreame of a materiall Altar here on earth, he explaines himselfe what he meanes by the Altar, and where this Altar is scituated in the very next words, EST ERGO ALTARE IN CAELIS, &c. Therfore our hhSe Aug. de Sanctis Serm. 11. B. Iewells Replie to Harding Artic. 20. divis. 3. p. 440, 441. & Art. 1. divis. 9. p. 18. Euseb. Eccl. Hist. l. 10. c. 4. accordingly, who use this very expression, that the Altar is in heaven, & Christ the Altar.ALTAR IS IN THE HEAVENS: For thither all our prryers are directed.

Irenaeus therfore neither knew, nor spake of any Altar that Christians then had, but of Christ himselfe, who is now in heaven, neither doth he so much as once stile the Lords Table, an Altar, nor make mention of an Altar, whereat the Sacrament was administred throughout his workes. His authority therfore might well have been spared.

The next Father is Tertullian, out of whom two passages are alleadged; One, out of his Booke de Poenitentia, where he remembreth Geniculationem ad Aras. Bowing and ducking to Altars, now much in use. But certainely Altars in that age had not obtained so much dignity, as to be adored & bowed to, since the consecration of them came in long after, in Pope Felix time, asiiReliq. of Rome of Church Goods vol. 3. f. 322. M. Thomas Becon writes out of Sabellicus and Pantaleon, neither can it be proved, that Christians in that age used to bow to Altars.

This authority therfore is suspicious, & to put it out of doubt, Erasmus, Rhenanus, Junius, &kkCensurae Pat … p. 80. M. Cooke prove it, not to be Tertullians but some conterfeit thrust upon him, the phrase being certainely none of his, no nor some things mentioned therein so ancient as his age. This counterfeit authority therfore will not stand the Coale in any stead.

p. 82The second passage is that in his Booke de Oratione c. 14. Nonne solemnior …rit statio tua…si…ad Atam Deisteris? Here is standing only at the Altar mentioned, not kneeling or bowing to, or at it, So that these two Authorities seeme to thwart one another at the first view.

To this I answer, that though this Booke be generally conceived Tertullans, yet I suspect, that the additions after the end of the Lords prayer explained, where in this passage is, are none of his. For I find this passage in them: Sic & die Paschae quo communis & quasi publica jejunij religio est, merito deponiemus of culum, &c. which intimates, that Christians on Easter day did Keep, a common & publike Fast, …nd therfore refused to kisse one another… And it makes Easter day, not to be Stationum dies; a day of praying standing, as the next words prove.

Now it is certaine, that Tertullian in his Booke de Corona Militis, writes, that the Christians in his age thought it a great wickednes to fast or to pray kneeling on the Lords day, being the joyfull day of Christs resurrection, much more then to doe it upon Easter day; and that the Christians did not fast but rejoyce in remembrance of Christs resurrection from Easter to whitsontide.

No Ecclesiasticall writer extant then making mention of any solemne fast or praying kneeling observed by Christians, in that age on Easter day; who thereon ever used to Feast and rejoyce, llSee Greg. Nys. Orat. 3. de resur & all the Fathers on that Text.applying, that of the Psalmist to this day and Feast, Psall. 118. 24. This is the day which the Lord hath made we will rejoyce and be glad in it. This passage makes me suspitious, that the later part of this Booke is none of his.

Adde to this; That Cyprian (ammHierom de scripto. Eccl. with others in the lives: of Cyprian & Tertul. pr…fixed to their workes. great admirer of Tertullian, whom he stiled his Minister) makes no mention of this Booke or of Tertullian, or of any Altar or Stations at the Altar, or Kisse of peace, or other such Customes & Ceremonies, in his Exposition or Commentary on the Lords Prayer, which is probable he would have done, had Tertullian writen any such Booke as this, or had these Ceremonies or Altars been then in use, they being p. 83both Countrymen flourishing successively in the same Church. Moreover, this Booke makes mention of Hermas Booke, intitled the Pastor, by way of approbation, and gives an answer to an objection out of it; when as in his Booke de Pudicitia, he thus censures it as counterfeit; Scriptura Pastoris ab omni Concilio Ecclesiarum etiam vestrarum inter Apocrypha, falsa & adultera judicatur, as thennCookes Censura p. 13. Bookes now passing under his name are accounted.

Moreover, in this very Booke of Tertullian, in his Booke de Corona Militis, & so in S. Cyprian on the Lords Prayer, the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is by both of them, ioyntly stiled, the Eucharist, & both of them interpret, Give us this day our dayly bread, of Christ, who is our living and true bread which came downe from heaven; whose body the Sacramentall bread is esteemed, and on whom we dayly feed in the Sacrament, and Eucharist.

Now both of them stiling the Sacrament, the Eucharist, and speaking not of any Sacrifice or Sacrament of the Altar, but only of spirituall bread to be eaten of us, (neither of a Table) we may doubt this passage to be none of his.

Beside this, that famous ooEusebius Eccl. Hist. l. 7. c. 8.Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria, flourishing but 240. yeares after Christ, very neare Tertullians time, writes thus to Sixtus Bishop of Rome, that an ancient Minister, who was a Bishop long before him (a plaine evidence, that Ministers & Bishops were then both one, and so promiscuously stiled) being present when some were baptised & hearing the interrogatories and answers came weeping and wailing to him, & falling prostrate at his feet confessed and protested that the baptisme where with he was baptised of the heretickes was not true, whereupon he desired to be rebaptized: which he durst not doe, but told him, that the dayly Communion many times ministred might suffice him; when he had been present at the LORDS-TABLE, and had streched forth his hand to receive the holy food, and had communicated, and of a long time had been partaker of the body p. 84and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, I durst not againe baptise him, but bade him be of good cheare, of a sure faith, and boldly to approch unto the Communion of the Sincts. But he for all this morunneth continually, horror with draweth him from the LORDS-TABLE, and being intreated hardly, is persuaded to be present at the Ecclesiasticall prayers.

In which auncient undoubted Epistle to the Pope himselfe, we have not mention at all of any Altar, or Sacrament, or Sacrifice of the Altar, but twice together the name of the Lords Table, & also of a dayly Communion, holy food, ministring and partaking of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ &c. Which being the proper genuine & undoubted language of that age, makes me doubt these passages of Tertullian to be forged or corrupted.

ppDe praes. adv. haer p 182 189. Ad uxorē. l. 2 128 129 130 De Coronr Militis p. …. & … …ent.He, as also qqDiaelogus cum Tryphone and Apol. 2.Justine Martyr, & Clemens Alexandrinus, oft times making mention of the Lords Supper, the Eucharist, bread and wine, receiving the Eucharist at the hands of the Presidents or cheife Ministers, and the Tables to, but never of any Sacrament of the Altar, nor of an Altar, but only here.

Finally, all the forequoted Fathers & Authors expresly determine, that the Christians and Fathers of the Primitive Church for above 250, yeares after Christ had no Temples, Altars, nor Images at all, and that Altars were first brought in by Pope Sixtus the second, about the yeare of our Lord 265. after Tertullians age.

This authority therfore of his, & all others cited in the Coale, &rrSter…at. l. 1. & 4. Cent. Mag. 2. c. 6. De Retibus … Coenā Dominicā. great part of ssPage 43. 44. 45. 46D. Pocklingtons Sunday no Sabbath concerning the Antiquity of Churches, Temples, Altars and Bishops chaires among Christians with in 200. yeares after Christ, must needs be fabulous & Apocryphall. He for the most part taking the name Church and Churches, in the Authors quoted (or in truth misquoted) by him, for materiall Churches, which they meane only of the Christian Congregations, who had then no publike Churches, but only private places in Woods, Chambers, Vaults, Caves, and the like, to p. 85meet in, as ttApol. adv …entes.Tertullian…,uuReplie to Harding Artic. 3. divis. 26. p. 144. Bishop Jewell, and ourxxThe 3. part of the Homily against the Paril of Idolatrie p 66. 67. owne Homilies witnes.

But admit this Booke & Passage to be Tertullians owne, yet then it may be a question; whether Tertullian meanes by Aram the Lords-Table, or that place wherein the Christians mett.yy…e Calep. & Holioke in their Dictionar. Ara. Ara signifying a Sanctuarie, as well as an Altar.

If the place wherein the Christians assembled, as the words preceeding, & drift of the place import, (Sle militer de statlonum diebus, non putant plerique Sacrificiorum Orationibus interveniendum, quod Statio solvenda sit accepta corpore Domini. Ergo denotum Deo obsequium Eucharistia resolvit, an magis Deo obligat? Nonne solemnor erit statio s…ad Aram Dei steteris? (to wit after the Sacrament received) Accepto corpore Domini, & reservatio utrumque salarum est, & participatio Sacrificij, & executio officij: which cannot properly be intended, that Tertullian would have the Christians stand all at the Altar, and not depart from it after they had received Christs body and blood, standing still in the place that they received in: but, that they should not depart out of the place wherein they assembled, till all prayers & divine offices were fully ended.

If I say it be meant only of the place or Sanctuary itselfe, then, it makes nothing to the purpose; if of the Altar or Communion Table itselfe, then it will inevitably follow hence, that the Christians of that age received the Sacrament only standing, not kneeling, and so it more disadvantageth the objector one way then benefits him another

However, it is but a single Testimonie, & therfore ought not to …ver-ballance those many pregnant, weighty, punctuall authorities to the contrary.

The last authority, to prove the name & use of Altars in the Primitive Church before Arnobius & in O…igens time, is S. Cyprians: Three places out of him are quoted in the Coale, but the words not cited.

The first is his zzEpist. l. 1. Epist. 7. in Erasin. & Epist. 74.Epistle to Epictetus and the people of Assuras. As if it were lawfull after the Altars of the Devill, to p. 86approch to the Altar of God &c. whence we behold and beleive this censure to have come from the disquisition of God; ne apud Altare consistere, that they should not persevere, to stand at the Altar, or any more to handle it: And that they should contend with all their might, that such should not returne againe, ad Altaris impiamenta & contagia fratrum, to the polluting of the Altar, and contagion of the brethren.

The second is his aaEpist. l. 1 Epist. 9. Epist. 69. in Pamel.Epistle to the Presbyters, Deacons and people of Furnis. It was long agoe ordained in a Councell of Bishops, that no Clergie man or Minister of God should be appointed an Executor or overseer, of any mans will, since all who are honored with divine Preisthood ought not to addict themselves to any thing, but only to serve the Altar and Sacrifices, and to prayers and orisons.

The Leviticall Tribe which did waite on the Temple, and Altar, & divine service, had no inheritance or temporall portion allotted them among their brethren, but others manuring the earth, they should only worship God, &c. Therfore Victor since, against the forme lately prescribed to Preists in the Councell, he hath adventured to appoint Geminius Faustinus being a Presbyter, a Tutor, non est quod prodormitione ejus apud vos fiat oblatio, aut deprecatio nomine ejus in Ecclesia frequentetur, ut Sacerdotum decretum religiose & necessarie, factum, servetur a nobis, simul & caeteris fratribus detur exemplum, ne quid Sacerdotes & ministros Dei Altari ejus & Ecclesiae vocantes, ad saeculares molestias devocet.

The third is his bbEpist. l. 1 Epist. 12. Apud Pameliū 70. p. 101.Epistle to Januarius. Porro autem Eucharistia & unde baptizati unguntur oleum, in Altari sanctificatur, sanctificare autem non potuit olei creaturam, qui nec Altare habuit, nec Ecclesiam, unde nec unctio spiritalis apud haereticos potest esse; quando constet oleum sanctificari & Eucharistiam fieri apud illos omnino non posse. And in his Oration de Coena Domini, we find only once mention of the Lords Table, & twice of an Altar.

p. 87To these authorities I answer first in generall; that the often mention of an Altar in these places, rather argues the Epistles, & this Sermon not to be Cyprians, then that the Christians, in his time had Altars, which all the forecited Fathers & Authors deny.

2. That many forged workes are attributed to S. Cyprian, and many places in him corrupted, asccBastards of the false Fathers p. 11. to 18 D. James & M. Alexander Cooke have proved, & among the vest they manifest his Sermon de Coena Domini, (which mentions Altars) with other of his workes to be none of his, but Arnoldus Bonavillacensis, ddCensura p. 75. to 82living about the yeare of our Lord 1156. at least 900. yeares after Cyprian: & these Epistles, for ought I know, may be his or some others;eeSe Cookes Censura, D. L…nes & D. Favar. most at least many of the Epistles, or attributed to other of the Fathers and Popes, being spurious.

3. The name Altar is not usuall in any Orthodox undoubted writers of that age; & Dionysius…Alexandrinus (as I have proved in his Epistle, registred byffEccles. Hist. l. 7. c. 8. Eusebius) living about S. Cyprians age, twice termes it only the Lords Table.

4. Pamelius in his Notes on these Epistles, seemes to stagger at them, nor knowing certainly to de fine what time they were written, nor what the parties were to whom, or concerning whom, they were directed.

5. S. Cyprian in many other Epistles that are undoubtedly his calls the Sacrament only the Eucharist, the Lords Supper, the Sacrament of Christs body & blood, & the Table in S. Paules words, only the Lords Table.

And in his ggEpist. l. 2 Epist. 3. in Pamelius Epist. 63.Epistle to Caelicius only concerning the Cup in the Sacrament, which all coufes to be his, he confines all men most punctually to our Saviors institution and example in all things concerning the Sacrament, writing, that Bishops through out the world ought to hold the reason of the Euangelicall truth, and Dominicall tradition, nor to depart from those things which Christ our Master hath both commaunded and done by any humane and novell Tradition; that we ought herein to doe only what the Lord hath done before; that if S. Paul or an Angell from heaven should teach us to doe any p. 88thing, then what Christ hath once taught us and his Apostles preached they are and should be to us an Anathema: That Christ only is to be heard; therfore we ought not to attend what any one before us shall thinke meet to be done, but that Christ who is before all men, hath first done.

Neither ought we to follow the custome of any man, but the truth of God. For if we are the Ministers of God and Christ, I find none whom we ought more or rather to follow then God and Christ.

S. Cyprian therfore tying himselfe and all men thus strictly to Christs institution, & example, in all points and circumstances of the Sacrament: And Christ & his Apostles never administring it at an Altar, nor stiling the Lords-Table, an Altar, & his Apostles never serving nor giving attendance at an Altar, I cannot but from hence conclude, that these Passages certainely are none of Cyprians. But to come to the particular scanning of these authorities.

1. I answer, That the first of them doth not precisly call the Lords-Table, an Altar, nor expresly affirme, that Christians then had Altars, being a meere allusion to the Preists and Altars under the Law, relating to that of 1. Cor. 9. 13. & Exod. 29. 37. 44. as the Text itselfe doth evidence. Which allusions were frequent in our Ministers, Prayers, & Sermons, when we had no Altars in our Church for them to waite at, nor Communion Tables called or knowen by the names of Altars.

2. That it mentions a Canon and Constitution made at least 60. yeares after S. Cyprians time, to wit in the Councell of Anegra An. 314. Canon 1. 2. 3. there being no such Canon extant in any Councell held in his age, which makes it suspuious if not spurious, written long after his decease.

3. If this Epistle make any thing for Altars, then, it makes farre more against our Bishops tenets & power now, since it expr…sly affirmes, that the people have power, & are boundin conscience to reject alwayes, and not to receive any man for their Bishop, or to admit him to enjoy his Bishopricke, who shall p. 89fall away from the truth to heresie, or Idolatrie; that by such a lapse he ipso facto looseth his Bishopricke, and, becomes no Bishop, neither ought to be admitted to his former degree of a Bishop, but the people are to elect a new in his ste…d; the maine, scope & drist of this Epistle.

To the second I answer, that this Epistle mentions, a Canon LONG BEFORE in a full Councell, not in S. Cyprians age, for ought appeares, before whose dayes we read of no such Councell, but long after; Yea Pamelius notes, that this Epistle was written in some Councell, in what he knoweth not, belike in the 1. 3. or 4. Councell of Carthages, an hundreth yeares after that under S. Cyprian; In which Councells thehhConcil. Carthag. 1 Can. 6. 9. & 3. Can. 15. & 4. Can. 18. 20. Constitution mentioned in this Epistle, (written as is evident by the subject of it, after these 3. Councells) was made and decreed; & so not S. Cyprians. And indeed the words, Non est quod pro dormitione ejus fiat oblatio, a…t deprecatio nomine ejus in Ecclesia frequentetur; discover it rather to be some late Popish Friers, then his.

But admit it his, yet the word Altar, and expression herein used, is but an allusion to that of 1. Cor. 9. 13. & doth not expresly define the Lords Table to be an Altar, or so named or reputed in his age, or that the Christians then had Altars.

And if it makes any thing for Altars in that age, yet that expresly condemnes Clergiemens intermedling with any secular offices, or imployments whatsoever, since they ought wholy, yea solely to addict and devote themselves to Gods service, prayer, preaching, and other spirituall duties of their ministeriall function.

A shrowde**Tui opinionem nominis enormiter gravat, quod causas sanguinis agis, quod abjecta Ecclesiarum solicitudine negocijs seculari…us te tott…m occupas, & involuis. Verum tamen tui professio ordini…, nec degeneres saeculi curas, nec saevitiam gladij materialis admittis Apost. dicit. Secularia negotia si habueri…is, eos, qui contemptibiliores sunt inter vos, ad judicandū eligite. Non decet ordinem profeffionis tuae in alea tanti diutius ludere & salute anime spietate ade… damnabiliter secularibus involuere montemque Seir Bariginoso spiritu circumine. Petr. Blesens. Epist. 42. ad Epist. Camoracenj. checke to some of our present Prelates & Clergiemen, p. 90now most zealous for Altars, who dare presume to take upon them temporall offices, honors, imployments, & so farre to ingage themselves in Secular, Temporall, Civill, or State affaires, that many of the… almost wholy neglect their spirituall functions and duties, serving the world and Mammon more then God himselfe.

To the third, I answer that this savors not of Cyprians age, in being not the use of Christians then to consecrate chrisme, or the Sacrament, on an Altar, much lesse the Doctrine of that time, that Chrisme or the Eucharist could not be cōsecrated without an Altar, which doctrine being quite contrary to what this Father delivers in his forecited Epistle to Coelicius, I may farther affirme it, to be a l…e Popish fo…gerie and imposture, then S. Cyprians. And so … all the premises I may now safely conclude, notwithstanding these objected authorities in the Coale, that the Primitive Church and Christians for above 250. yeares after Christ had no Altars, neither did they repute or call the Lords Table an Altar, and so my … 9. Argument still holds good, maugre all those spurious Fathers & newminted evasions. I now proceed to my 10. Argument:

10. Those things and names which the whole Church, State, & most approved writers of our Church of England have censured, abandoned, & condemned upon good, godly, pious grounds, & considerations heretofore, ought not to be patronized, used, written, preached for, revived, or new erected in our Churches now.

But the whole Church, State, & most approved writers of the Church of England have censured, abandoned, and condemned Altars, with their names, and the calling of the Communion Tables, upon iiFox Acts & monum. p. 1211.good, godly, pious grounds & considerations heretofore. Therfore they ought not to be patronized used written for or preached, revived, or new erected in our Churches now; The Major is unquestionable, the Minor evidently proved in, & by the premises, which yet to make more perspicuous, I shall further cleare by these ensuing authorities, kkSe H…d. Cant. O…or l 3 s. 271Osotius,llSee Novells Reproof of Dormans Proofe f. 15. 16. 17. Dormian,mmIn his Preface before his Replie to B. lewell. Harding,nnNotes on 1. Cor. 11. sect. 18. on Hebr. 13. sect. 6.1 Cor 11Heb 13 the p. 91Rhemists,ooSee Reynolds Conf with Hare c. 8. div 4. Hart, andppGarner deEuchar. & others forecited. other Papists, complained of King Edward the 6. Queen Elizabeth, and the Church of England in their time, that they had taken away, broken downe, demolished all the Altars, and cast them out of the Church, setting up prophane Tables or Oister-boards, as they termed them in their steeds, using only such Tables, not Altars, to consecrate the Lords-Supper on; blaming our Church in the selfe same manner,qqDe Eucharistia, or the Sacrament of the Altar. & for the selfe same cause, as the Idolatrous heathens did the Christians in the Primitive Church, for that we have no Altars to consecrate upon.

A cleare Confession and apparant evidence, that the Church of England both in King Edwards, and Queen Elizabeths dayes, abolished and condemned Altars.

Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester scoffingly accused the Protestants in King Edward dayes, that they had no Altars, but Tables and Boardes to eat and drinke at; to which rrPeter Martyr. Defensia ad…. Gard. deEuchar.Peter Martyr Regius Professor of Divinity in the Vniversity of Oxford in King Edwards dayes, returned this answer; What use is there of an Altar, where no fire burnes, nor beastes are slaine for Sacrifices. And concerning bowing to Altars (a Popish Ceremony or rather Idolatry or superstition now much practised, both without Scripture & Canon) he there thus determines; If an Angell from heaven would provoke us to adore either Sacraments or Altars, let him be accursed. I doe not thinke (sayth hee) that any of the Fathers were polluted with so grosse Idolatrie, as to bow their bodyes before Altars, especially when there is no Communion; but if at any time they shall be discovered to have done thus, let none of us be lead by their Bookes, or examples to decline from the strict observation of Gods Law, which peremptorily forbiddeth, the making of Idolls & bowing to them or before them. This was this great learned mans judgment concerning Altars & bowing to them.

William Wraghton in his hunting of the Romish Fox,2. William Wraghton dedicated to King Henry the 8. Basil. 1543. writes thus of the Popish Prelates of England. f. 12, Yee hold still Vestiments, p. 92Popes, incense and ALTARS, organes & crosses in the Church, all which ordinances, Constitutions, & Ceremonies the Pope hath devised & maed, Ergo ye still have the Pope. Receiving Altars among Popish ordinances & Ceremonies in receiving whereof the Pope is still retained.

William Salisbury,3 William Salisbury. in his Battery of the Popes Batter, printed at London Cum Privilegio Anno 1550. & dedicated to the Lord Rich. then Lord Chauncellour of England, spends that whole discourse in condemning Altars, as Heathenish, Jewish, Popish, and unfit to be tollerated in Churches; to the end that the rude and simple people being better persuaded by manifest texts of Holy Scripture, should not have occasion to murmer grudge, or be offended, neither with the godly proceedings of the victorious Metropolitan of England (who as redoubted grand Captine, hath first enterprised, on this most notable feat) nor with any other Bishop or Lawfull Officer, that attempted to plucke downe and remove the Popish Altars out of Christs, Churches and Temples; in the maintenance whereof he was fully persuaded, that all the learned Popist… would stifly continue, as he there professeth in his Preface to the Reader.

In which Treatise, after he had shewed Altars to be Jewish and Heathenish, serving only for Sacrifices & offrings, which ended in and with Christs off…ing up of his body once for all: be concludes thus: So then now if it be a cleare case, and that by the plaine text of Holy Scripture, that since Christ was once offred on the Altar of the Crosse, all carnall Sacrifices, & all manner of offrings, that ever were wont to be offred upon the Altars, be wholly extinguished, utterly voyd and of none effect. And in as much as no man (being in his right witt when he advisedly perceiveth and plainely understandeth, that the cause of the first invention and building of the Altars was for no other purpose, but to burne or to offer Sacrifices & oblations upon, which manner of Sacrifices God will no longer accept) but he will strait wayes acknowledge, that their ought p. 93not any Altar to remaine to any use among us Christians, after the death and passion of our Master Christ; at which time as he protesteth himselfe, saying, Consum…tum est, it is finished; signifying thereby, that Moses Law was not only by him prevented, fulfilled, and finished, but that the same Law or any Commaundment, Rite, Ceremony, or any other part there in contained, (as concerning any burthening or Jurisdiction over the Christians) was to all intents ended, taken away, and fully determined, and the Gospell as it were a new Law, surrogated, confirmed and established in steed of the old.

Therfore Christians thus freed from the Law ought to have no Altars, but Tables; For what husbandman (be he never so simple) will be about to plough his land with a whelebarowe, to harrow it with a slede, or to carry with an harrow? what husbandman, I say is so folish, as to goe about to wede his corne with a sith, to moye his hey with a weeding hoke; and to tedde the same with a rake? Is a leaden Cesterne made for to sayle on the Sea, is a ship, made to be drawne of horses as a waggon upon the Land? do Noble men build sumptuons Palaces for their horses to stand in, and lie themselves in old ruinons stables? or doe men ordeine fetherbeds for their dogges, and lye themselves in kennells? who maketh a Garnar of an Oven, or an Oven of a Garnar? Or who maketh a threshing flore in his dwelling house, and a herth in his barne? who can make a pleasaunt & a brave banketing house, of filthy Schambles, or of a stinking Slaughter house? Yea or who had not rather have his Supper layed on a faire Table before him, then on a bloudy Butchars Cradle.

And so likewise (to apply some of these strong Anagogies and darke sayings to our purpose) is not a Garnar more meete to lay up grain in than an Oven? Is it not more meete to make a threshing flore in a barne then in a mans dwelling house? And to make an herth to kendle fyre on in the middes of a mans house, then by the moyes side in his barne.

p. 94And so who can make the Jewes old slaughter Synagoge to serve for the new Euangelike Banketing Temple? Or who had rather eate the heavenly banket of the Lords Supper on a Jewish, a heathenlyk, or a Popish Altar: then on a decent… & a faire comely Table? The unbeleiving Jew defieth Christes Table and his Supper also. The unfaithfull heathen thinkes scorne of the same. The Pope and his Papists make of it a God or a popet. The Jew abhorreth utterly our religion. The Heathen in no sence can away with it. The Pope is well contented to be called a Christian, yea to be thought to be Christ himselfe, so that he give him leave to live like a Jew or a heathen. And shall we seeke upon them? Shall we be partakers of their damnable Ceremonies, of their execrable Rites, and cursed usages? Or is Christes religion so unperfit of itselfe, so needy and beggerly, that it must borrow imbring Fastes of the heathen, borrow Altars of the Pope, & borrow vestimentes of the Jewes? besides an unnumerable sort of other like baggage, which hath heen weeded now of late out of Christes Religion, and now restored home to the owners thereof.

Therfore let us either render home againe unto the heathen, the superstition of the imbring dayes, and to the Pope his halowed Altars, and unto the Jewes, their Aarons vestimentes: or els let us like good companions joyne together in a league with them, and be tenauntes in Commune, & put our religion with theirs in hotch potche.

After which at the end of the Booke he proceeds thus: S. Paul through the secret advertisment of the Holy Ghost did know before hand, then if he had geven the name of an Altar unto the Lord his Table, that there would be in time to come certaine Jewish teachers that would build and sett up Popish Altars in steed of Tables to serve the Lords Supper upon.

And surely the holy D. S. Augustine, nor any other Godly writer, would never have used this terme Altar, so often; after that sort as they did, if they had had but the least inckeling p. 95in the world of foreknowledge, what absurdity, what inconveniencie, and what mischiefe and abomination have been grounded on their translated termes. And I pray yow what though S, Augustine, or other Doctours used to terme the Lords Supper the Sacrament of the Altar, which if it be as I take it (I take it after the most sound and faithfullist understanding) the unlearned people should not be greatly beholden unto them for their straunge termes being so farre fetched.

For thus I understand them: The Sacrament of the Altar that is to say the signe of the Altar, which Altar betokeneth the Crosse, which Crosse betokeneth the Sacrifice that was offred on the Crolle, or the passion and death of Jesus Christ. Wherfore good Christian brethren, let us that are homely fellowes, not be ashamed of the old Termes, that we have at our home in the text of Holy Scripture, which calleth the reverend and healthfull remembraunce of the Lords death by breaking of bread, by the name of the Lords Supper, or the Communion, & partaking of the body & bloud of Christ. And the thing whereat we**vel propter art… latriam vitandam tutius erit ut sedengenu flectens mensae Dominicae populus accumbere assuescant. They therfore used … sit at the Sacrament in King Edwards dayes to avoyd the peril of adoration. sitt devoutly to eate the Lords Supper, lett us both have it, and call it the Lords-bord, or the Lords-Table, and not a borrowed towell, nor a Popish stone Altar, nor yet a wodden Altar, with a Super-altar. And let us present with so far fetched termes and so dearly bought, the Popes glace, and his faire Ladyes of Rome. Thus he.

John Bale Bishop of Osyris,4. Iohn Bale Bishop of Osyris. in his Image of both Churches, or par…phrase upon the Revelation, as he makes Christ himselfe the only Altar spoken of and intended. Rev. 6. 9. & c. 11. 1. upon whom the full Sacrifice of Redemption was offred: So in his Preface to the first part of his Booke, he reckons up beades, Altars, Images, Organs, Lights &c. among the Ceremonies of the Popish Church, terming them; the very p. 96filthy dreggs of darknes. All which upon the 17. Chapter fol. 162. he sayth shalbe plucked away by the evident word of God, and then no longer shall this Harlot of Rome appeare. For no longer continueth the whore, then whoredome is in price. Take away the Rites and Ceremonies, the Jewels and Ornaments, the Images and lightes, their Lordships and Fatherhodes, the Altars and Masses, with the Bishops and Preists, and what is their Holy whorish Church any more.

Bishop Pilkington in his exposition upon the Prophet Aggeas c. 1. v. 9,5. B. Pilkington. reckons up Altars, Copes, Masses, & Trentals among other Popish abominations, which the Common people thought would bring them through Purgatory for a little Mony, how wickedly soever they had lived.

And c. 2. v. 3. he writes thus: The Popes Church hath all things pleasant in it to delight the people with all: as for the eyes, their God hanges in a rope, Images gilded, painted, carved most finely, copes challaces crosses of gold and silver banners, with Reliques and Altars: for the eares, singing, ringing and Organs piping: for the nose frankincense sweet; to wash away sinnes, as they say, Holy water of their owne holying, and making Preists an infinite sort, Masses, Trentalls, driges, and pardones &c.

But where the Gospells preached, they knowing that God is not pleased, but only with a pure heart, they are content with an Honest place appointed, to resort together in, though it were never hallowed by Bishops at all, but have only a pulpit, a preacher to the People, a Deacon for the poore, a Table for the Communion, with bare walles, or els written with Scriptures, haveing Gods eternall word, sounding alwayes amongst them in their sight and eares; and last of all they should have good discipline, correct faults, and keepe good order in all their meetings.

Learned M. Thomas Becon,6. Thomas Becon. in his workes in Folio, printed at London Cum Privilegio An. 1562. & dedicated by name to both their Archbishops & all the Bishops of England, & by p. 97them approved; hath many excellent passages and invectives against Altars, some whereof I shall transcribe at large. In his Humble supplication unto God, for the restoring of his Holy word, written in Queen Maries dayes vol. 3. fol. 16. 17. 24. 29. He writes thus: Moreover,**Heb. 13. Altars not tollerable among ChristiansHeb 13 heretofore we were taught, to beate downe the Idolatrous and Heathenish Altars, which Antichrist of Rome intending to set up a new Preisthode, & a strang Sacrifice for sinne, commaunded to be built up, as though calfes, goates, sheep, & such other brute beastes should be offred againe after the Preisthode of Aaron,Christ, his Apostles and the primative Church used tables at the ministration of the holy Cōmunion for the sinnes of the people, and to set in their steed in some convenient place a seemly Table, and after the example of Christ, to receave together at it the holy mysteries of Christs body and bloud in remembrance that Christs body was broken, and his bloud shead for our sinnes.

But now the sacrificing …orcerers shame not, both in their private talke, and in their open Sermons spitefully to call the Lords Table an Oysterbord, and therfore have they taken out of the Temples those seemely Tables, which we following the examples of the dearly beloved sonne, and of the Primative Church used. at the Ministration of the Holy Communion, and they have brought in againe their bloodly and butcherly Altars. and upon those they sacrifice & offer dayly,O cruell butchers. say they, that is, they kill, slea and murder thy deare sonne Christ for the sinnes of the people. For as thy Holy Apostle sayth Heb. 9. Where no sheading of bloud is, there is no remission and forgivenes of sinnes. If thorow their Massing, sinnes be forgiuen, then must the Sacrifice that there is offred, be slain, and the bloud thereof shead.

If the Massemonger therfore offer Christ up in their Masses, a Sacrifice unto God for the sinnes of the people,O murtherers. so followeth it that they murder, kill and slea Christ, yea and shed his bloud at their Masses, and so by this meanes we must needes confesse, that bloody Altars are more meet for such bloody butchers, then honest and pure Tables.

p. 98But we are taught in the holy Scriptures Rom. 6. that Christ once raised from death, dyeth no more. Death hath no more power over him. For as touching that he died, he died concerning sinne once. And as touching that he liveth, he liveth unto the God his Father. If Christ therfore died no more, then doe the Papists sacrifice him no more. If they sacrifice him no more, then are they but jangling juglars, and their Masses serve for none other purpose;Masses why they serve. but to keepe the people in blindnesse, to deface the passion and death of Christ, and to maintaine their idle and drafsacked bellies, in all pompe and honor, with the labor of other mens hands, and with the sweat of poope mens browes, so farr is it of, that they with their abominable Massing & stincking sacrificing, put away the sinnes either of the quicke or of the dead, as they make the unlearned & simple people to beleive.

Ah Lord God & heavenly Father, if thou were not a God of long suffring & of great patience, how couldest thou abide these intollerable injuries, and so much detestable blasphemyes, which the wicked Papists committ against thee & thy sonne Christ, in their Idolatrous Masses, at their Heathenish Altars.

As in the dayes of wicked Queen Jezabel,The Lords Table cast out of the Temples Dan. 11.Dan 11 the Altars of the Lord were cast downe, and other Altars were reared, and set up to Baal: even so now the Tables of the Lord, where the Holy Communion was most Godly ministred, are cast downe & broken on peces, and Idolatrous Altars built up to the God Moazim, to Erkenwald, to Grimbald, to Catherine, to Modwyne,1. Cor. 10.1 Cor 10 &c. But ô Lord, bannish out of the Congregation that most vile & stinking Idoll the Masse, and restore unto us the Holy & blessed Communion, that we eating together of one bread, and drinking of one Cup, may remember the Lords death, & be thankfull, to thee.

Purge our Temples of all Popish abominations, of Ceremonies,Ceremonies. of Images, of Altars, of Copes, of vestmentes, of Pixes, of Crosses, of Censers, of Holy waterbuckets, of Holy p. 99bread basketes, of Chrismatories, & above all Idolatrous Preists, and ungodly ignorant Curates.

And in his Comparison between the Lords Supper and the Popes Masse fol. 100. 101. 102. 103. He proceeds thus; Christ in the administration of his most holy Supper,The apparell of the Massemongers. used his common & dayly apparel. The Massemonger like Hickescorner being dressed with scenicall & gameplayers garments, as with an Humerall, or Ephod; with an Albe, with a girdle, with a stole, with a maniple, with an amice, with a chesible,The gesture which the Masse mongers use in their Masse. and the like &c. commeth unto the Altar with great Pompe, and with a solemne pace. Where (it is wonderfull to be spoken) how he setteth forth himselfe, to all Godly men to be lamented & pitied, & to children, even to be derided & to be lauged to scorne, while like another Roscius, with his foolish, playerlike & mad gestures, the poore wretch wrytheth himselfe on every side, now bowing his knees, now standing right up, now crossing himselfe, as though he were a frayd of spirites, now stoping downe, now prostrating himselfe, now knocking on his breast, now sensing, now kissing the Altar, the Booke and Patene, now streching out his armes, now folding his hands together, now making charecters, signes, tokens, & crosses, now lifting up the bread & Chalice, now holding his peace, now crying out, now saying, now singing, now breathing, now making no noise, now washing of hands, now eating, now drinking, now turning him unto the Altar, now unto the people, now blessing the people either with his fingers, or with an empty cuppe, &c.

When it evidently appeareth by the Histories, that the Ministers of Christes churche in times past when they ministred the Holy Sacraments, either of Baptisme or of the Lords Supper, used none other, then their Common and dayly apparell: yea and that unto the time of Pope Stephen the first, which first of all (as Sabellicus testifyeth) did forbidd, that from thence, forth Preistes in doing their divine service should no more use their dayly aray, but such holy garmentes p. 100as were appointed unto that use. This Bishop lived in the yeare of our Lord 260.

Christ simply and plainly, and without any decking or gorgious furniture, prepared and ministred that heavenly banket.

The Massemonger with a marvelous great pompe & wonderfull gay sh…w setteth forth his marchandise.The Masse mongers Trinkets.

For he hath an Altar sumptuously built, yea & that is covered with most fyne and white linnen clothes, so likewise richly garnished, decked and trimmed with divers gorgious pictures, and costly Images. He hath also crewettes for water and for wine, towels, coffers, pyxes, Philacteries, banners, candlestickes, waxe candles, organes, singing Bells, sacry belles, chalices of silver and of gold, patenes, sensers shyppe, frankensence, Altar cloothes, curtines, paxes, basyns, ewers, crosses, Chrismatory, Reliques, jewels, owches, precious stones, myters, crosse staves, and many other such like ornaments, more meet for the Preisthode of Aaron, then for the mynistery of the New Testament.

It is nobly sayd of**Lib 2. Offic. c. 18. S. Ambrose, the Sacraments require no gold, neither do they delight in gold, which are not bought for gold. The garnishing of the Sacramentes is the redemption or deliverance of the captives and prisoners. And verily those are precious vesselles, which redeeme soules from death. That is the true treasure of the Lord, which worketh that, that his bloud hath wrought.

Againe he sayth: The church hath gold, not that it should keepe it, but that it should bestow it, and helpe when need is. For what doth it profitt to keep that, which serveth to no use?

Christ did minister the Sacrament of his body and bloud to his Disciples, sitting at the Table. When the time was now come (sayth Luke) Jesus sate downe, and his 12. Disciples with him. Luc. 22.

The Massemonger, delivered the bread and wine to his p. 101geates kneeling before the Altar. In distributing the mysteries of his body & bloud, Christ the Lord used not an Altar after the manner of Aarons Preistes, whom the Law of Moses appointed to kill and offer beastes, but he used a Table, as a furniture, much more meet to gett, defend, confirme, encrease and continue Frendship.

But the Massemonger as one alwayes desirous to shed bloud, standeth at an Altar, and so delivereth the Communion to his people: when as the Apostle speaking of the Holy banket, maketh mention not of an Altar, but of a Table, saying, 1. Cor. 10. Ye cannot be partakers of the Lordes Table, & of the Table of the Devills.

Neither did the ancient & old Church of Christ alow these Aaronicall and Jewish Altars. For they used a Table in the administration of the Lords Supper, after the example of Christ, as it plainly appeareth both by the Holy Scriptures,Altares. & also by the writings of the auncient Fathers and Doctors.

For the Sacrifices taken away, to what use, I pray yow should Altars serve among the Christians? except ye will call againe, and bring in use the Jewish or rather Idolatrous Sacrifices.

Truly Altars serve rather for the killing of beastes, then for the distribution of the pledges of amity or Freindship;Note. neither doe those Altars more agree with the Christian Religion,Exod. 2….Exod 2 then the cawdron, the fyrepanne, the basen, the sholve, the fleshhoke, the gredyrne, and such like instruments, which the Preistes of Aaron used in preparing, dressing, and doing their Sacrifices.

For unto the Honest, seemly & worthy celebration of the Holy banket, of the body and bloud of Christ, we have need not of an Altar, but of a Table, except ye will say, that the primative Church,When Altars came first into the Church which more then two hundred yeares after Christes ascension used Tables at the Celebration of the divine mysteries: yea except ye will say that Christ himselfe the Author of this most Holy Supper, did dote & was out of his p. 102witts, which not standing at an Altar, like Aarons Preist, but sitting at a Table, as a Minister of the New Testament did both ordaine and minister this Holy & Heavenly food.

For who is so rude & ignorant of antiquities, which knoweth not, that Pope Sixtus the second, about the yeare of our Lord 265. brought in the Altars first of all in the Church forbidding Tables any more to be used from thenceforth at the ministration of the Lords Supper; when notwithstanding from Christes ascension unto that time, the Lords Supper was alway ministred at a Table, according to the practise of Christ of his Apostles, and of the Primative Church? But there is but one only Altar of the Christians even Jesus Christ, the Sonne of God, and of the virgine Mary, of whom the Apostle speaketh on this manner, Heb. 13, We have an Altar, whereof it is not Lawfull for them to eate, which serve in the Tabernacle.

Our Altar is not of stone, but of God. Not Worldly, but Heavenly, not visible, but invisible. Not dead, but living; upon the which Altar whatsoever is offred unto God the Father, it can none otherwise be, but most thankfully and most acceptable.

And like as Christ administring the most Holy mysteries of his body & blood to his Disciples, sat downe at the Table. So likewise his Giustes, that is so say his Apostles, sitting at the same Table receaved that Heavenly food sitting.

But the Massemonger delivereth not the Sacramentall bread unto the Communicants except, they first of all kneele downe with great humility & reverence, that they may, by this their gesture declare & shew evidently to such as are present, that they worship & honour that bread for a God: which is so great & so notable wickednesse as none can exceed, when it is plaine & evident by the ancient writers, that the Geastes of the Lords Supper long and many yeares after Christes resurrection sat at the Table.

So farre is it of, that they either after the manner of the Jewes stood right up: or after the custome of the Papists p. 103kneeled, when they should receave the Holy mysteries of the body & blood of Christ.

So in his Cathechisme f. 484. To the same purpose he proceeds thus:

Father.

What thinkest, thou, is it more meet to receave the Supper of the Lord at a Table,A Table more meet for the ministration of the Lords Supper, then an Altar. or at an Altar?

Sonne.

At a Table.

Father.

Why so?

Sonne.

For our Saviour Christ did both institute this Holy Supper at a Table, and the Apostles of Christ also did receive it at a Table.

And what can be more perfect then that, which Christ and his Apostles have done.

All the primative Church also received the Supper of the Lord at a Table.

And S. Paul 1. Cor. 10. speaking of the Lords Supper, maketh mention not of an Altar, but of a Table. Ye can not be partakers, sayth he, of the Lordes Tables, and of the Devills also.

Tables for the ministration of the Lords Supper continued in the Church of Christ, almost 300. years after Christ universally, and in some places longer, as Histories make mention: So that the use of Altars is but a new invention, and brought in, as some write, by Pope Sixtus the second of that name.

Moreover an Altar hath relation to a Sacrifice. And Altars were built and set up at the Commandement of God, to offer Sacrifice upon them. But all those**Heb. 10….Heb 10 Sacrifices doe now cease, (for they were but shadowes of things to come) therfore the Altar ought to cease with them.

Christ alone is our Altar, our Sacrifice & our Preist. Our Altar is in Heaven, Our Altar is not made of stone, but of flesh & blood: of whom the Apostle writes thus Heb. 13. We have an Altar, whereof it is not Lawfull for them to eat which serve the Tabernacle.

p. 104Furthermore the Papists have greatly abused their Altars, while they had such confidence in them, that without an Altar, or in the stead thereof, a Super-altare, they were perswaded that they could, not duely & truly, and in right forme minister the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ.

And this their Altar and Superaltar, likewise must be consecrate, have prints and charactes made therein, washed with oyle, wine and water, be covered with a cloth of hayer, and be garnished with fine white linnen clothes & other costly apparell, or els whatsoever was done thereon, was counted vaine & unprofitable.

The use also of Altars hath greatly confirmed & maintained the most wicked error and damnable heresie, which the Papistes hold, concerning the Sacrifice of the Masse; while they teach, that they offer Christ in their Masse to God the Father, an oblation and Sacrifice for the sinnes of the people both of the living and of the dead, and by this meanes they greatly obscure and deface that most sweetsmelling & alone true perfect and sufficient Sacrifice of Christes death.

And therfore all the Altars of the Papists ought now no lesse to be throwen downe, and cast out of the Temples of the Christians, then in times past the Altars of the Preistes of Baal.

So far is it of that they be meet to be used, at the Celebration of the Lords Supper. Finally, who knoweth not that we come unto the Lords Table, not to offer bloody Sacrifices, to the preformance whereof we had need of Altars, but to eate and drinke, and spiritually to feed upon him that was once crucified and offred up for us on the Altar of the crosse, a sweet smelling sacrifice to God the Father, yea and that once for all.

Now if we come together to eate and drinke these Holy mysteties, & so spiritually to eate Christes body and to drinke his blood unto salvation both of our bodies & soules, who seeth not, that a Table is more meet for the celebration of the p. 105Lords Supper, then an Altar.

Father.

Thy reasons are good and not to be discommended.Of gestures to be used at the Lords Table. But what sayest thou concerning the gestures to be used at the Lords Table? Shall we receave those Holy mysteries, kneeling, standing or sitting?

Sonne,

Albeit I know & confesse, that gestures of themselves be indifferent, yet I would wish all such gestures to be avoyded, as have outwardly any appearance of evill, according to this saying of S. Paul 1. Thess. 5. Abstaine from all evill apparaunce.

And first of all,Of kneeling. forasmuch as kneeling hath been long used in the Church of Christ, at the receiving of the Sacrament, thorow the doctrine of the Papistes, although of it selfe, it be indifferent, to be, or not to be used, yet would I wish, that it were taken away by the authority of the hier powers.

Father.

Why so?

Sonne.

For it hath an outward appearaunce of evill. When the Papist thorow their pestilent perswasions had made of the Sacramentall bread and wine a God, then gave they in Commandment streight wayes, that all people should with all reverence kneele unto it, worship & honour it.

And by this meanes this gesture of kneeling creept in, and is yet used in the Church of the Papistes, to declare that they worship the Sacrament, as their Lord God and Saviour. (Whence M. Roger Cutchud. in his 1. & 2. Sermon of the Sacrament An. 1552. printed Cum Privilegio, Anno 1560. writes:) Many comming to the Lords Table, doe misbehave themselves, & so doe the lookers on, in that they worship the Sacrament with kneeling & bowing their bodies, & knocking their breasts, & with Elevation of their hands. If it were to be elevated & served to the standers by, as it hath beene used, Christ would have elevated it above his head. He delivered it into the hands of his Disciples; bidding them to eate it, & not to hold up their hands to receive it, & not to worship it: & so delivered it to them SITTING, & not kneeling: Only God is to be so honered with this kinde of reverence, & no p. 106Sacrament: for God is not a Sacrament, neither is the Sacrament God. Let us use it as Christ and his Apostles did. If thou wilt be more devout, then they were, be not deceived, but beware that thy devotion be not Idolatrie.)

But I would wish with all my heart, that either this kneeling at the receiving of the Sacrament, were taken away, or els that the people were taught, that that outward reverence was not given to the Sacrament and outward signe, but to Christ, which is represented by that Sacrament or signe.

But the most certaine & sure way is utterly to cease from kneeling, that there may outwardly appeare no kind of evill, according to this Commaundment of S. Paule 1. Thess. 5. Absteine from all evill appearaunce: Lest the enemies by the continuance of kneeling should be confirmed in their error, and the weaklings offended, and plucked backe from the truth of the Gospell. Kneeling with the knowledge of godly honour is due to none but to God alone. Therfore when Satan commaunded our Saviour Christ to kneele downe before him & worship him: He answered, It is writen; thou shalt worship the Lord, Math. 4.

Standing,Of standing. which is used in the most part of the reformed Churches in these our dayes, I can right well allow it, if it be appointed by common order, to be used at the receaving of the Holy Communion.

And this gesture of standing was also used at the Commaundment of God of the old Jewes, Exod. 12. when they did eate the Paschall Lambe, which was also a Sacrament and figure of Christ to come, as our Sacrament is a signe & figure of Christ come and gone. Neither did that gesture want his mysteries.

For the standing of the Jewes at the eating of the Lords Passeover, signified that they had a further journey to goe in matters of Religion, and that there was a more cleare light of the Gospell to shyne, then had hethereto appeared unto them, which were wrapped round about with the darke shadowes p. 107of ceremonies: againe that other, yea and these more perfect Sacraments, were to, be given to Gods people, which all things were fulfilled and came to passe under Christ, the authour of the Heavenly doctrine of the Gospell, and the institutor of the Holy Sacramentes, Baptisme and the Lords Supper.

Now as concerning sitting at the Lords Table,Of sitting. which is also used at this day in certayne reformed Churches, if it were received by publique authority and common consent, and might conveniently be used in our Churches; I could alow that gesture best.

For as**Note. it is be doubted, but that Christ and his Disciples sate at the Table, when Christ delivered unto them the Sacrament of his body and bloud: which use was also observed in the primative Church, and long after.

So likewise it is most Commonly, that we Christians follow the example of our M. Christ, and of his Disciples. Nothing can be unreverently done, that is done of the example of Christ & of his Apostles. We come together to eate and drinke the Holy mysteries of the body and bloud of Christ; we have a Table set before us, is it not meet and convenient, that we sitte at our Table?

The Table being prepared who standeth at his meat? yea rather who sitteth not downe? when Christ feed the people, he bad them not kneele downe, nor stand upon their feet, but he commaunded them to sit downe, John 6. which kind of gesture is most meet when we assemble to eate and drinke, which thing we doe at the Lords-Table. Neither doth the sitting of the Communicants at the Lords Table want her mystery.

For as the standing of the Jewes at the eating of the Lords Passeover signified, that there was yet to come another doctrine then the Law of Moses, even the preaching of the glorious Gospell of our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesu: & other Sacraments then Circumcision and the Passeover, even the p. 108Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper. So in like manner the sitting of the Christen Communicants at the Lords Table doth signifie, preach and declare unto us, that we are come to our journeyes end concerning Religion, & that there is none other doctrine, nor none other Sacraments to be looked for, then those only, which we have already receaved of Christ the Lord.

And therfore we sitting downe at the Lords Table shew by that our gesture, that we are come to the perfection of our Religion, and looke for none other doctrine to be given unto us: Notwithstanding as I sayd before, gestures are free, so that none occasion of evill be either done or offred.

In all things which we call indifferent; this rule of S. Paul 1. Thess. 5. is diligently to be obeyed: Abstayne from all evill apparaunce.

Father.

I doe not disalow thy Iudgment in this behalfe.Of vestures at the ministration of the Lords Supper. But come of, tell me: what sayest thou concerning the vestures, which the Ministers use at the ministration of the Lords Supper?

Sonne.

In some reformed Churches the Ministers use both a surplesse & a cope, in some only a surplesse: in some neither cope nor surplesse, but their owne decent apparell.

Father.

And what thinkest thou in this behalfe?

Sonne.

When our Lord and Saviour Christ Jesus did minister the Sacrament of his body & blood to his disciples, he used none other but his owne Commone & dayly apparell: & so likewise did the Apostles after him, and the primative Church likewise used that order, & so was it continued many yeares after, tyll superstition began to creep into the Church. After that time, fonde, foolysh fansye of mans idle brayne devysed without the authority of Gods word, that the Minister in the divine service, and in the ministration of the Holy Sacraments should use a white linnen vesture, which we now commonly call a Surplesse.Surplesse.

Untill this tyme the Church of God continued in the simplicity p. 109of Christ & of his Apostles, requiring no paynted visores to set forth the glory & beauty of our Religion: which is then most glorious, and most beautifull; when it is most simple, & none otherwise setforth, then it was used and left unto us of Christ, & of his Apostles.

And contrarywise it is then most obscured & defaced, when it is dawbed over with the vile & vayne colours of mans wisdome, although outwardly never so gorgious and glorious.

Afterward as superstition grew and encreased, so likewise the people began more and more to be liberall in giving to the Church, and in adourning, decking & trimming the Temples of the Christians, yea & that so much the more, because they were now perswaded, that such Temples, and will workes pleased God, deserved remission of sinnes & everlasting life.

By this meanes came it to passe, that the simple and plaine Tables, which were used in the Apostolike and Primative Church, were taken away, and standing Altars set up, and gorgeously decked with sumptuous apparell, & garnished with gold, pearle, & precyous stone. And because that he, which should minister at that gorgeous & sumptuous Altar, should answer in some points to the glory thereof, therfore it was devised, that the minister also should have on his backe **See D. Rainolds conference with Hart c. 8. divis. 4. 5. Haddon contra Osorium lib. 3. fol. 285. M. Nowels Reproofe of Dormans Proofe fol. 66. And Thomas Becons Comparison between the Lords Supper, & the Popes Masse. Bishop Iewel Defence of the Apologie part. 3. c. 5. divis. 1.galant and gorgious apparell, as an Amyce, an albe, a tunicke, a girdle, a fannell, a stole, a vestment &c. whereof some were made of silke, some of veluet, some of cloth of gold, yea & those garnished with Angels, with Images, with birds, with beastes, with fishes, with floures, with herbes, with trees, and with all things that might satisfy and please the vaine eye of the carnall man.

p. 110And all these things being before but voluntary, gre… afterward unto matters of so great waight & importance, yea unto such necessity, that it was made a matter of conscience, yea it was become deadly sinne to minister the Holy Communion without these scenicall, Histrionicall, & Hickescorner like garments; so that now to sing Masse or to consecrate, as they use to say, without these Popish robes, is counted in the Church of the Papists more then twice deadly sinne, so farr is it of, that these Missall vestures are now things of indifferency.

Wherfore in my judgment, it were meet and convenient, that**See Fox Acts and Monum. p. 1873. 1356. 1366. 1384. 1405. 1604. 1781. 1834. 1837. accordingly. 7. Deane Nowell. all such disguised apparell were utterly taken away, forasmuch as it is but the vaine invention of man, & hath been greatly abused of the Massing Papistes? For what hath the Temple of God to do with Idolls? what concord is there between Christ and Beliall: what have the vestiments of a Popish Altar, to doe with the Table of the Lord Christ.

Many such passages are in this Author, which for brevity case I pretermitt.

Reverend M. Alexander Nowell, in his Reprofe of Dormans profe, printed at London Cum privilegio Anno 1565. fol. 15. 16. 17. & 66. writes thus: Touching the name of Altars, which M. Dorman so gladly catcheth hold of here is S. Basill (as he did before in S. Cyprian lib. 3. Epist. 9.) where we call it the Lords Table, we have for us good authority.

First, that Christ instituted the Sacrament at a Table, and not at an Altar, is most manifest: except M. Dorman would have us thinke, that men had Altars in steed of Tables, in their private houses in those dayes, but our Saviour expressely saying, that the handes of him, who should betray him, were upon the Table, taketh away all doubting. Luc. 22. c. 21.

And S. Paule 1. Cor. 10. v. 21. also calleth it Mensam Dominicam, the Lord his Table.

Sure I am that M. Dorman, & all the Papists with him, can not say so much out of the Scriptures of the new Testament, p. 111for their Altars, as I have alledged for the Lords Table, they may goe therfore & joyne themselves to the Jewes, as in multitude of Jewish ceremonies, so in Altars also; as it seemeth indeed, they would both become themselves, and make us too Jewes, rather then Christians.

If S. Basill, & some old writers call it an Altar, that is no proper, but a figurative name, for that as in the old Law their burnt offrings & Sacrifices were offred upon the Altar, so are our Sacrifices of prayer, and thankgiving &c. offred up to God at the Lords Table, at it were an Altar.

But such kind of figurative speech, can be no just cause, to set up Altars, rather then Tables, unlesse they think that their crosses also should be turned into Altars, for that like phrase is used of them, where it is sayed, Christ offred up himselfe upon the Altar of the Crosse.

Now the old**Chrysost. Hom. …18. in 2. Cor. August. Tract. 26. in Ioan. & multi multis locis Doctors doe call it the Lords Table, usually, truly, without figure, and agreably to the Scriptures. Concerning the spirituall worship or service of God, or Sacrifice, if yow will (seeing it is also mentioned in S. Basill) due to be done at the Lords Table, which, as a fore is noted, he calleth an Altar, it is not lacking in our Churches at the Lords Table: that is to say, true repentaunce of heart, which is as the Prophet calleth it, Psal. 51. v. 19. a service & a Sacrifice pleasaunt unto God, the offering up of our prayers & prayses unto God; which service and Sacrifice of prayse, as the Psal. withnesseth, Psa. 50. c. 14. v. 23. doth honour God; & specially that Sacrifice of thankes giving, most peculiar to this Altar or Lords Table, and to that Holy Sacrament, having thereof a peculiar name, being called with the Greekes Eucharistia, to say, thankes giving, for the gratefull remembraunce of that one Sacrifice offered by our Saviour once for all: which Sacrifice of thanks giving we joyntly with other present, doe offer up to Christ our Saviour, in the memoriall by him selfe, and by faith in our heates doe communicate his precious body and blood, a Sacrifice by him selfe offred for us.

p. 112Neither are our oblations, or offrings to the poore lacking, when we come to this Altar, which S. Paul Phil. 4. v. 18. also calleth a Sacrifice acceptable, and pleasant to God, where as yow Papists have no such thing, but only the bare word Offertorium, without any offring for the poore; saving that yow did not forget to receive the offrings for your selves at the usuall offring dayes, and when any Dirige, or Monthes mind did fall.

Thus yow se, M. Dorman, that we have even that same spirituall worship, service, and Sacrifice too (if yow so will) due to be done at this Altar, that is to witt, the Lords Table, which S. Paul speaketh of here, and any other Altar or service he meaneth not, nor knew none.

And were yow not altogether to grosse, S. Basill so oft speaking of spirituall worshipping, and spirituall service, might somewhat reforme your carnall and sensuall understanding? yow se we doe not sticke to grant yow not only a spirituall worship and service, but a Sacrifice too, which yet hath no need of your Altars, framed to your selves, upon this false phantasie, that the body and bloud of Christ are there offred by the Preistes, for the quicke & dead, with the abuse of that distinction of the bloudy and unbloudy offering of Christs body, applied to the same: which altogether is a false fable, & a vaine dreame most meet for M. Dorman.

The Scriptures, Heb. 10. v. 10. 12. 14. & 13. 11. 12. doe thus teach us, that Christ our Saviour once for all offred up his body and bloud upon the Altar of the Crosse, the one & only Sacrifice of sweet Saviour to his Father: by the which one oblation of the body of Christ… a Sacrifice for our sinnes, once for ever offered, and no more to be offered by any man, we be sanctified and made perfit.

Wherfore the Popish Preistes, which doe repeate often the Sacrifice of Christs death, as they doe teach, thereby, as much as in them lieth, doe take away the efficacie and vertue of the Sacrifice of Christes death, making it like to the p. 113Sacrifices of the old Law: the imperfection of which Sacrifices, S. Paul doth prove by the often repetition of the same. For the continuance whereof their Preistes needed also succession: but Christ is a Preist for ever without succession, as the Apostle Heb. 10. plainly teacheth.

Our service and Sacrifice now, is the often and thankfull remembraunce of that only Sacrifice, in the receiving of the Holy Sacrament at the Lords Table, according to his owne institution: Hoc facite in memoriam mei. Doe this in remembrance of me: with spirituall feeding by faith also, upon that his most precious body and bloud, so by him for us offered. Touching the pulling downe of your Altars, I answer: they are justly destroyed, as were those wicked Altars by Asa, Josaphat, Ezechias, Josias, godly Kings of Juda destroyed, 4. Reg. 18. c. 22. 4, Reg. 23. 2. Para. 14. a. 3. 2. Para. 17. b. 6. 2. Para. 31. a. 1. 2. Para. 34. a. 4.

For as abominable Idolatrie was committed on, & before your Altars, as ever was upon, and before those.

If yow require prouses hereof, you shall have them in their due places of the Masse, & of Idolatrie to Images, after which he complaines thus of the Papists: also of Christians we have made us Jewes, and your selves of Ministers of the Gosple have yow made Jewish and Aaronicall Levites, yow have on Aarons robes, yow use his gestures, yow have brought in his incense, his censers, his Altars, his candles, his candlestickes, his belles, and his banner, his gold and his silver into the service and Temple of God.

Of the which beginning of things, S. Hierome Hierom ad Demetriadem, & ad Nepotian.in his time much cōplained. And would to God yow had done no worse, then thus to make us & your selves altogether Juish, by your shadowes imitating and counterfeyting the old Law.

Elegant Walter Haddon8. Walter Haddon. & M. Fox in his answer to Hierom Osorious lib. 3. fol. 271. write thus concerning Altars: Now whereas thou sayest, that Images, signes, Crosses and Altars are cast downe, I suppose that this part of the Complaint doth p. 114not much appertaine to Luther, or the Ministers of the Eua… gelicall doctrine, when as they never put any hands to the pulling downe of them.

Neither is it equall, that those who are but private men, should by force & Tumults take liberty to themselves, to do… any thing in the Common wealth or Church.

But if the Magistrates by their lawfull authority, because they see it agreeable to the word of God, doe piously and quietly doe their office therein, what hath Osorius a private man and a stranger here, either to scould at, or to intermedle with it.

If King Sebastian shall thinke meet to cherish and follow these parts of the Roman Superstition in Altars, in Images, in Pictures, and adoring Images, he hath the voyces of the Scripture on the one side, of Monkes on the other, to which he may chuse whither he will harken, he may doe in his Reipublike, at his perill and pleasure, But on the other side if Elizabeth Queen of the English, the Scripture leading her, shall thinke meet, that these filthinesses of impure superstition, which no Christian may endure without the danger of himselfe, and of his, rightly to be driven from the Empire, & cast out of the Realme, verily shee doth nothing therein, which may not plainly be defended by the perspicuous authority of the sacred Scripture, and by the great examples of the most approved Kings.

Unlesse perchance Osorious shall thinke the memory of Ezekiah, Josiah, Jehosaphat, not much to be appladed, who both destroyed Altars, and Images & Groves, and breake in peeces the brasen Serpent, or then Gedion also who when he was no King cut downe the Grove, and overturned the Altar, what therfore? that which in the Carnall Law was lawfull to the Kings of the Jewes, shall it be lesse lawfull to our governers, Magistrates in the spirituall Kingdome or Christ? Or shall that then which in them was thought worthy of prayse, & reward by the verdict of the Scriptures, be condemned p. 115of impiety in Christian Princes now? After which he proceeds, to justifye this action in breaking downe and abolishing Images & Altars, by Histories, Fathers, and Councells in the Primative times.

D. Fulke,9. D. Fulke in his Confutation of the Rhemist Testament on the 1. Cor. c. 11. sect. 18. fol. 287. determines thus of Altars: But yow proceed & say, for this prophane Tables are removed, and Altars consecrated. Christ and his Apostles were to blame (if it be as yow say) to minister upon prophane Tables, without consecrating of Altars, But who shall beare witnes for consecration of Altars? who but S. Augustine Serm. 255. de tempore. And who shall warrant us that this Sermon is not falsly intituled to S. Augustine (as a great number of those Sermons are?) But admit it be Augustines owne auctority, yet he speaketh only of consecrating of Altars, not for this end to discerne the Lords body and bloud. For that their Tables and Altars were dedicated to the Holy use of ministration, it is not the matter we stand upon, but whither they were consecrated for this end.

They were called Altars unproperly, as the Sacrament was called a Sacrifice, the Ministers sacrificing Preists & Levites, yet were they neither in matter, for me nor use, like unto your Popish Altars of stone, that were set against a wall. For they were Tables of wood, and so commonly were called, as it is manifest by S. Augustine Ep. 50. Bonifacio. And Optatus l. 6. both speaking of the rage of the Donatists, which brake, or shaved, or scraped the boardes of the Altar or Table.**Note, IT STOOD IN THE MIDDEST, THAT THE PEOPLE MIGHT STAND ROUND ABOUT IT. Euseb. l. 10. c. 4. ad Paulin. tyr. ex Aug. de verb. Dom. secund. Joan. Serm. 46. It was removeable & carried by the clerkes August. Quaest. vet. & nov. Test. q. 101. Or otherwise as appeareth by Optatus l. 6. Therfore it is nothing like Popish Altars. So on Matthew 23. fol. 46. sect. 7. he determines thus:

p. 116Popish Altars that are set up to overthrow the Altar of the Crosse, are not Holy but cursed. And so is all that pertaineth to them. Neither have they perfection of the Lords Altar that was in the Temple, which was a figure of Christs only true Sacrifice once offered, & that never can be sacrificed againe, (as S. Augustine Sayth) Neither did the Altars of the temple sanctifie by touching, for then the murtherer vvhichwhich tooke hold of the hornes of the Altar, should be sanctified, whom God commaunded to be drawne from thence & executed, Exod. 21. 14. 1. Reg. 2. 28. Neither if any man had offered any other gift, then that God which commaunded, had the gift been made Holy by touching the Altar, for it was the ordinance of God, by which the Altar sanctified the gift, and not any quality in the Altar. It is like you are sicke of the disease of the Pharisees, which was covetousnes, (as Chrysostome and Theophylact note) by magnifying the gifts of the Altar.

M. James Calfhill,10. M. Calfehill. in his Answer to Marshalls Treatise of the Crosse, London. 1565. the Preface to the Reader, writes thus: Thus Idolls brought in Oratories, Chapels and Altars, Sacrifices, vestimentes & such like, vvhichwhich all be utterly condemned of the Lord. fol. 31. 32. he proves out of Origen, that the primative Christians had neither Images nor altars in their Churches.

And fol. 95. writing against the Popish manner of consecrating Churches, he concludes thus: then they put on their Massing coates, and come like blind fooles, with candles in their handes, at noone daye, and so proceed to the Holy Masse: vvith renting of throtes, & tearing of notes, chanting of Preists, howling of Clarkes, flinging of coales, & piping of Organs. thus they continue a long while in mirth and jolity, many mad parts be played. But vvhen the vice is come from the Altar, and the people shall have no more sport: they conclude their service with a true sentence, Terribilis est locus iste: this place is terrible.

p. 117And have they not fisht faire, thinke you? to make such a doe, to bring in the Devill: O blind beastes, O senselesse Hipocrites, whom God hath geven over unto themselves. that they should not see their owne folly, and yet bevvray their shame, to all the vvorld beside.

Bishop Babington11. Bishop Babington in his Comfortable Notes upon Exodus chap. 27. fol. 307. 308. writes thus upon Altars: Concerning the Altar how it vvas made for matter, height, length, and breadth, the text is plaine in the 8. first verses.

For the use of us we may note two things; First, that it was a figure of Christ, as the Apostle to the Hebrewes expoundeth it, And secondly, that the Altars used in Popery, are not warranted by this example.

But that the Primative Churches used Communion. Tables (as we now doe) of boards and wood, not Altars (as they doe) of stone.

Origen was above two hundred yeares after Christ, & he sayth, that Celsus objected it as a fault to the Christians, Quod nec imagines, nec Templa, nec Aras haberent, that they had neither Images, nor Churches, nor Altars.

Arnobius (after him) sayth the same to the Heathens, Accusatis nos quod nec Templa habeamus, nec Aras, nec Imagines, yow accuse us for that we have neither Churches, nor Altars, nor Images. Gerson sayth, that Silvester the first caused stone Altars to be made, and willed that no man should consecrate at a wooden Altar, but himselfe and his successors there. Belike then the former ages knew not profound reason, that Altars must be of stone, quia Pe…ra erat Christus, because the Rocke was Christ, as Durandus after devised. Upon this occasion in some places stone Altars were used for steddinesse and continuance, wooden Tables having been before used, but I say in some places, not in all.

For S. Augustine sayth, that in his time in Africa they were made of wood. For the Donatists, sayth he, breake in sunder the Altar-boords, Again, the Deacons duty was to remove p. 118the Altar. Chrysostome calleth it, The Holy boord, S. Augustine, mensam Domini, the Table of the Lord. Athanasius, mensam ligneam, the Table of wood.

Yet was this Communion Table called an Altar, not that it was so, but only by allusion metaphorically, as Christ is called an Altar, or our hearts be called Altars, &c. Marke with your selfe therfore the newnesse of this point, for stone Altars in comparison of our ancient use of Communion Tables, and let Popery and his parts fall, and truth & sound antiquity be regarded.

Touching the hornes of the Altar spoken of, they litterally served to keep up the Sacrifice from falling of, & figuratively noted strength, so that, to bind the Sacrifice to the hornes of the Altar, was to give themselves wholly with a strong Faith, and only to rest, & trust and stay upon him, and to tye all carnall affections fast also to the Altars Hornes, by subduing and making them captive to God. This Altar was in one place, and the Sacrifice in one place, nothing how Christ should only once, and in one place offer up himselfe for all man kind. Concerning the Lampes, as little doe they warrant Popish Altars, And Christians used no such follies & apish imitations of things abrogated & serving only for the time.

M. Thomas Cartwright12. M. Cartwrigt in his Confutation of the Rhemists translation, Glosses, and Annotations on the New Testament, upon the first Epistle to the Corinthians chap. 11. sect. 18. fol. 415. writes thus of Altars: The next note to discerne the Lords body, is the removing of prophane Tables to consecrate Holy Altars. So the Rhemists: to which he replies.

Altars under the Law were Holy, because they were builded upon the foundation of Gods institution. Now they are prophane, not only because they have no institution of God, whereupon a stone may be layd, but because they are contrary to the institution which propoundeth a Table, Luke 22. 21. 1. Cor. 10. 21. 1. Cor. 11. 20. Math. 26. 20. 26. 27. and (in the matter of the Eucharist) never mentioneth Altar: p. 119which is confirmed further, in that this Sacrament is called in the Scripture the Supper of the Lord, (whereunto a Table doth well agree) & is never termed a Sacrifice, for which an Altar is fit. That it is sayd, they sat downe, a thing used at a table, & strang at an Altar, whereat they sat not but stood: that they did eat & drinke which was never used at an Altar, and is usuall at a table.

For although they did eate of that which came from the Altar, yet they never did eate at it. And if your Masonrie of Altars came from the Lords ordination under the Law, why should our table be prophane, or your Altar Holy, considering that even under the Law, there was as well a Holy table, as an Holy Altar.

And (setting apart the example of Christ) by so much the table is fitter now then the Altar: as the shew-bread standing upon the table, hath a nearer Analogie with the bread of the Sacrament then had the flesh of slaine beastes which was layd upon the Altar.

Now your Hill Altars (being failed of the Holy Scriptures) goe to beg grace of the**Optatus l 6. Aug. Ep. 50. ad Bonif. vid. Euse. l. 10. ex orat. panegyr. in Eucari…s vid. Aug. de civ. Dei l. 10. c. 5. Item de consecr. distinct. 2. ancient Fathers: where notwithstanding that they find some better entertainment then in the word of God, yet is your building of Altars by their hands like unto Peters Chappell at Rome, which is alwayes building and never built.

If they present yow with some rough stones to the setting of it up, yet bring they no morter to hold them from falling upon heapes. For often times they helpe you with the name of an Altar, when the thing they signifie therby is a Communion Table, assigning it the Deacons Dutie to remove the Altar, that the ALTAR STOOD IN THE MIDDEST OF THE CHVRCH, AND NOT AT THE END OF THE QVIRE: even as they terme the Lords Supper a Sacrifice unproperly (because it is a signe of the true Sacrifice) when in truth they will only recommend unto us a Sacrament.

p. 120Other sometimes, even the naked and bare name of Altar they take away from yow, calling that whereupon the Holy things are set (as it is) a Table, as also the Holy things themselves, they call by their proper names, of signes & Sacraments, and not by the improper and borrowed speech of Sacrifice or host, yea and if Altars were Lawfull, yet could they argue no reall presence of the body of Christ upon them, unlesse (as they doe the bread) so they will transubstantiate the dead bodyes of beastes into the body of Christ, not then borne, when those things were layd upon the Altar.

Neither hath Augustines Serm. de tempo. 115. any thing thereof: it hath of the keeping of the Feast of Hallowing of Altars, which we suppose your selves doe not observe, whereby it may well be doubted (as of divers others of those Sermons) whether it be Augustines or no; especially seeing it giveth so High a commendation to Nebuchadnezzars testimony of Christ the Sonne of God.

Last of all, let the good Reader understand, that here in the Papists joyne with the**Origen cont. Cels. l. 4. Volat. vid. volat. & venerer contr. Floretum l. 4. Beat Rhen Ep. praefix Leiturg. Chrysost. Heb. 13. 4. Tit. 2. 5. 1. The. 4. 4Heb 13:4Titus 2:5Titus 2:1 Heathen, which quarrelled with the Primative Churches, that they had no Images, Altars nor Temples, whereunto agreeth that Sixtus Bishop of Rome, was the first that erected Altars.

Also that Gerson affirmeth, that Silvester Bishop of Rome, was the first that caused Altars to be erected of stone: whereupon it is also by another called a novelty to have Altars builded.

D. Willet,13. D. Willet. in his Synopsis Papismi, the 9. generall controversie Quaest. 6. part. 2. Error 54. determines thus: Altars we acknowledge none. Altars we have none in our Churches; S. Paul calleth it the Lords Table,1. Cor. 10. 21. where we receive the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. And he calleth it bread, which is broken, 1. Cor. 11. 26. But bread is sett upon Tables, not sacrificed upon Altars.

Augustine also calleth it, Mensam Domini, the Lords table. Epist. 59. & Epist. 50.

p. 121He shewing how cruelly the Donatists handled Maximi…ian a Catholike Bishop, beating him with Clubs, even in the Church, lignis Altaris effractis immaniter ceciderunt, & wounded him with the wood of the Altar, which they had broken downe, where though he improperly call it an Altar, yet was it a Communion Table framed of wood, and made to be removed, not fastened to the wall, as their Popish Altars were. Damascus Epistol. 4. Let the Locall Bishops be content to minister as Preists, and to be partakers only of the Lords Table, he sayth the Lords Table, not the Lords Altar.

To these I might adde M. Robert Crowlie his Confutation of Myles Hoggard London 1548. where he writes thus: Mal. 1. 7. God complaineth of the Isralites, that they had polluted him, in that they sayd, the Table of the Lord is but a vile thing. What other thing, I pray you, doe your sacrificing Preists? they cannot abide the Lords Table, they must have an Altar & Sacrifice. They cannot be contented which the Communion at the Lords Table according to the first institution in honest apparell, but they must have a private Masse in Masking Cotes, dashed full of turnes and halfe turnes, beckings, duckinges, crossinges, kissinges, tossings, tumblings, besides the unreverent breathing out of words upon bread & wine, & the holding them up to be worshipped as Gods.

Also Bishop Jewell, Bishop Hooper, B. Ridley & others, in their forecited passages against Altars, together with D. Rainold in his Conference with Hart p. 8. Divis. 4. Bishop Morton in his Protest. appeale l. 2. c. 6. sect. 2. p. 164. Francis de Croy, his first Conformity c. 24. M. Peter Smart in his Sermon at Durham July 27. 1628. David Dickson his explination upon the Epistle to the Hebrewes 2. 7. v. 13. 14. p. 126. 127. and c. 13. v. 10. p. 317. 318. yea and the Statute of 3. Jacobi c, 5. (which authorizeth Justices of Peace, Majors, Bailifs & other cheife Officers of Cities and Townes Corporate, in their Liberties from time to time to search the houses and Lodgings of every Popish recusant convict for Popish Bookes and p. 122Reliques of Popery, and that if any Altar, Pix, Beades, Pictures, or such like Popish Reliques, or any Popish Booke or Bookes shall be found in their, or any of their custody they shalbe presently defaced and burnt, which Act expresly defines, Altars as well as Beades and Pictures, to be meere Reliques of Popery fit to be demolished) all which have with one unanimous voyce, condemned Altars, as Heathenish, Jewish, Popish, abolished by Christs death, contrary to his institution the practise of the Apostles and Primative Church, and unmeet to be used or tollerated among Christians, resolving likewise in expresse Termes, that Communion Tables are no Altars, nor yet to be so stiled.