Against Idolatry and Superstition, Sermon 2 · Part 4
IV.
Bowing to the Altar, and se…ting the Communion Table Altar-wise▪ &c.
THis gross Popish Idolatry, after the Prelates had Contended and striven for it several years, was at last enacted and established by them in their last Canons in the year 1640. And it was the Immediatec Canon 7. forerunner of their deserved ruine, for by this pestilent Innovation they did bring back the work of Reformation, not only as the Sun in Ahaz his dial ten degrees, but almost an hundred years backward. For this gross piece of Popish Idolatry was put down by King Edward the sixth in the year 1550, even in the dawning of the day, in the very beginning of the Reformation, as you may see in the dFox Acts and Mon. …l 2 page …69. 700 ….Book of Martyrs. But seeing the Prelates are so madd upon it, to Conjure it up again from the grave, and from the bottomless pit, we must therefore a little enqui…e into it. Their late Contentions and Persecutions for it, have occasioned large and learned disputes against it, but of all that hath been said, or might be said against it, I shall mind you only of these six things.
Consider. I.
THat the Communion Table is not an Altar, you will find in the Fox …bi …p…Book▪ of Martyrs, six Reasons given by that reforming King Edward the sixth for the proof of this Assertion. I shall but offer to you three Reasons briefly to evince it.
Reas. 1. Because the Scripture calls it a Table, but not an Altar, and we ought to speak as God and Christ hath taught us of his Ordinances, 1 Cor. …0. 21. Ye cannot be partakers of the Lords Table, and of the Table of Devil…, Luk. 22. 21. the hand of him that betrayeth me, is with me on the Table. But Christ himself is our Altar, as in that Text, Heb 13. 10. we have an Altar wh…eof they have no right to eat that s…rve the Tabernacle. By the Altar is meant Christ, and to eat him, is fructum passi…nis p…rcip…re, et ipsi tanq…am Capi…i incorporari. If they will needs have i… to be meant of an Altar of Stone, as the Jesuits and Prelates pretend, they must expound the Text thus, f… C… … … against the …he…nists … Heb▪ 13 ….that for reward of their o…stinate clea…ing to the Cer…monies of the Law, they shall not eat stones, a small punishment for so great a sin.
Reas. 2. An Altar implies a Sacrifice, and Sacrificing Priests, but the Lords Supper is not a Sacrifice, therefore the Table is n…t an Altar. The use of an Altar is to offer Sacrifice upon, but when we come to the Sacrament, what do we come for? do we come to Sacrifice Christ again▪ and to crucifie the Son of God afresh? no, but we come to Commemorate and Celebrate the memory of Christs death and Sacrifice, who off…red up himself once for all, as the Scripture often speaks, Heb. 7. 27. and 9. 25, 26, 28. and 10 2, 10. wherein He was both Priest, Sacrifice, and Altar himself: a Priest in regard of both his natures, his Humane nature was the Sacrifice that was slain and offered up to God for us, and his Diety was the Altar that sanctified the offering, and gave that Infinite vertue and value to his Sufferings. To talk of a Commemorative Sacrifice in the Sacrament is meer non-sence, and a Contradiction. gQuench-Cole page 204For as the picture of a man is no man, or of fire is no fire, so the Commemoration of a Sacrifice, is in Truth no Sacrifice The Lords Supper therefore needs no Sacrificeing Priest: of which some of the very Jesuits have confessed, that the New Testament doth abstain from that word Priest, as more proper for the old Law, for Sacrifices and Idols hLor… in Act. 14. 22 apud Quench-Cole. pag… 293ab hoc abstinet novum Testamentum ut magis proprio antiqu… legis, Sacrificii & Idolorum, concedo. Therefore Altars ought to be abolished. For as long as the Altars remain, both the ignorant people, and the ignorant and evil perswaded Priests will iHooper third Ser. upon Ionah. printed 1551. Quench-Cole pag… 202alway dream of a Sacrifice, as Hooper the Martyr well observs. For Priests▪ Altar and Sacrifice are relatives, and have a mutual and inseparable dependance upon one another, k…co… work… printed 1562 Comparis bet… Lords Supp…r and Ma… … 100. 101. Apud Quench-Cole page 101 …bid pag… 6…neither do these Altars more agree to the Christian Religion then the C…ul…ron, the Fire-pan, the Bason, the Sh…el, the Flesh book, the Gridiron, and such like Instruments which the Priests of Aaron used in preparing, dressing, and doing their Sacrifices, as hath been long ago observed.
Reas. 3. If the Communio…-Table were an Altar, then it should he greater and better then the Sacramental bread and wine, or the Lords Supper it self, and a means to cons…crate them. For the Altar sanctifieth▪ all the gifts and Sacrifices that are offered upon it, and is greater then th… gif…, as our Saviour teacheth us, Math. 23. 18, 19. and hence it is said, that the Altar shall be holiness of holinesses, or most holy, Exod. 2…. 37. and 40. 10. And indeed the Prelates place a kind of holiness in their Altars, and therefore they rayle them in, bu… this conceit will be con…d, when we come to speak of the holiness of places. But in the m…an time, seeing there is no man so blind and desperate, as to say, that the Table is greater then the Lords Supper, this is enough to evince, that it is not an Altar.
It is true, some of the Ancients have called it an Altas, but un-Scripturally, and improperly, as they did also use other Extravagant and wanton Metaphors, calling it solium Christii, the throne of Christ, whereas Christ is not represented on the Table in his Majesty, as upon a Throne, but in his lowest humility, and deepest abasement, as b…oken, crucified, &c; And although some have been so tender, as to say, they will not condemn those unapt and dangerous Meatphors and expressions of the Ancients, yet I find that very learned, moderate, worthy men, are not afraid to disapprove them. m…erth. Assembl. p…oceedings nu… ty, &c pag …9This improper speech was dangerous, (…aith one) and bath pro…en hurtful to the Ki…ke, transforming indeed a Table into an Altar. These Hyperb…li…al expressions and want…n A…etaphors of the Ancients, nMr. D. C. Super…tilio est Superstes page 53(faith another) have unawares to them good men, filled the Church with Superstition. It matters not therefore, how near the Ancients and others do Come in their expressions, but how near they come to the Truth, and holy Scriptures, which never spake in such a language. Another saith, though some of the Fat…ers …a…lea it an Altar, yet it doth not follow, that we may now lawfully do it, or that they did well in it. oQuench-Co… page 149For when they used this manner of speech, the Sacrifice of the Mass, and Mass Priests, with other Idolatrous Popish Trash was not known nor heard of in the world, neither were there any to be scandolized with those phrases, and to wrest them to such ill ends and purposes as since they have been. But the Fathers might better have spared, then used them, since all this hurt, but no good at all have proceeded from them. And there be remarkable Testimonies in some of the Fathers against Altars. For Origen who lived about two hundred years after Christ, hath these words. pOrigen c…ntr … Ce…sem li. 4.Objicit nobis. quod non habemus Imagmes, aut aras, a…t Templa. Celsus chargeth the Christian Religion with this, that we have neither Images, nor Altars, nor Temples. In Answer to which, Origen doth not deny the Charge, but consesseth the matter of Fact to be true, and defends it from the very Fundamental grounds of Religion, and so doth qArnod. …ib. 6. and others quoted in a Book called Quench-Cole page 71, 72. &c.A…nobius and sundry others.
For the Papists indeed to call the Lords Table an Altar is not unsult. able to their own principles, who pretend to offer in their Mass a prop… tiatory Sacrifice for quick and dead, but we that are Protestants cannot call it by that name, because it is neither consistent with the Truth, no… with our selves, as hath been shewed; justly therefore are the Prelates charged with a design to destroy and undermine the Protestant Religion, and to introduce and usher in Popery, by these their Popish Innovations. For the very name of Altars, as being Jewish and Heatherist, was quite expunged, in the Reformation out of Popery, so that as the learned rQuench-Cole page 59, 60.have observed, it is not to be found in the Book of Common Prayer, Articles, Injunctions, Homilies, Canons, (till 1640.) which never term the Lords Table an Altar, neither properly, nor improperly, yea, there is sib. page 121, 122. The Statu…c of … Jacobl. Cap. 5.an Act of Parliament in which Altars are expressly …numerated, and mentioned as rel…ques of Popery, with viz. Beads, Pictures, all which are by that Statute appointed to be defaced and burnt. And if you look into the Story of the Reformation, you will find that the tib. page 45. where he quotes Fox Acts and mon. page 79…. and 879.first thing that was done upon the beginning of the Reformation, was the pulling down of Altars, and setting up Communion Tables, and the first thing again acted upon the restitution of Popery, was the setting up of Altars, and turning Communion Tables into Altars; which the Prelates were doing with all their might, before their late down fall. uIb. page 163, 21…, 311.And what means all that Massing Furniture and Fooleries, wherewith their Altars are adorned, as Tapers, Card…esticks, Basons, Crucifixes, Crosses, rich Altar-Cloths. Ar…as hangings, clasped brave Books, with Crosses instead of B…sses, Crimson and Scarlet Cushtons what incans all this, if it doth not proclaim their love and affection to the Church of Rome, to whom they do thus conforme themselves, and so much for this first Consideration, I shall be more brief in the rest.
Consider. II.
SƲppose the Lords Table were an Altar, and whether it be an Altar or a Table, yet it ought not to be fastened to the Wall like a dresser, or side Table, but so to stand, as that it may be compassed round about.
For this as the learned have observed, hath ever been the manner of the Scitu…tion of Altars, both among the Jews and Heathens, for the Prophet Elijah made a Trench round about the Altar, 1 King. 18. 32, 35. I …ill wish mine hands in Innoceney, so will I compass thine Altar, O Lord, Psal. 26. 6. and the Lord threat…eth Idolaters, I will …atter your b…nes round a…ut your Alta…s, Ez…k. 6. 4, 5. yea, their Altars stood usually without the Temple, wQuench: page 16, 17.it being both a troublesome, unseem…y thing to bring Oxen and other Beasts into the Temple, to kill and Sacrifice them there. Z…a…as was slin between the Temple and the Altar, Math. 23. 35. by all which it is evident, that their Altars were not placed in the upper end, or against the East-Wall of their Temples, but in the Courts, the E…t…ies, or mid… of their Temples, that men might go …eely round about them. And so amongst the Heathens, It was an usual Custom, xAlex ab Alex. … …. l. …. C…p 17. …ol 226, 227.ut sacrificantes, aras circum…u…rerent. Alex. ab Alexandro. yV…rgi… Aen…id. lib. 4.miss…; attaria, ci…um. Virgil. And therefore to Imagine, that setting a Table with one side close to the wall like a dresser, is to set it Altar-wise, is nothing else but a foolish conceit ariseing from the profound ignorance of our late Prelates and Papists.
And Tables also to eat and drink at, were so placed as that they might sit round about them. zGodwin Jewish Antiqu. lib; 3. C…p. …. page 106:whence their manner of sitting was tesmed, Mesibah, a sitting round. from, foreign circumie it, ambivit, and their phrase of inviting their guests to sit down, was sit round, 1 Sam. 16. 11. we will not sit round, (so the Hebrew and the margent render it, Lo Nasob, non circumsedebimus. Arias Montan.) till be come. Thy children shall be like olive-plants round about thy Table. Psal. 128 3. And therefore to let the Lords Table close to the wall, as sart off as may be from the people, and to rayle it in, that so none may sit and receive near it, muchless round about it, aQuench. page 22.is without all Reason, Sence, or president, being contrary to the usage of all Nations, Ages, and our Saviours own Example, whom we ought to imitate, not only in the substance of the Sacrament, but likewise in all decent and Convenient Circumstances. And it is clearly most Convenient; yea, necessary, that the Table should be so placed, as may be most for the peoples edification, and so as they may best hear, and see the Minister in all the Sacramental actions and Administrations, that are to be performed by him. And therefore it is but a slight and unadvised speech, to say, it is a thing indifferent, whether the Table stand this way, or that way, as some have said, in excuse of Altars.
Consider. III.
THe placing it also at the East end of the Church, is Superstitious. This was the Custome of those Idolaters, Ezek. 8. 16. they worshiped the Sun, with their faces towards the East. And it is a Symbolizing also with the Papists. For Hospinian observs, that most Altars at this day amongst the Papists are placed bHospin … or…g. Altariumin prima t…mplorum parte, et versus orientem spectan…, in the fore-front of their Churches, and look towards the East, quod etiam ab Ethnicis sumpserunt, which they likewise took from the Heathens. For the Temple of Jerusalem, and its Sanctuary stood otherwise. cQuench-Cole page 39, 235. Dutch Anotat. on … 8. 16.The Ark and Mercy Seat stood in the Sanctum Sanctorum, at the west end of the Temple, no… the East, and the Jewish… Synagogues both Anciently, and now were built round, or in an ova… manner: neither is there any Law, or Canon of the Church or state o England, for the building of Churches, and Chappels, East, and Westor placing the Chancel, or Quire, at the East end of them.
4. Whereas they call them not only Altars, but high Altars, and raiseth ground where they stand, going up by steps unto the…, this is the old Heathenish Idolatry of the Gentiles, those Idolatrous high places so often condemned in the Scripture, fIbid. Pag. 1…, 163.being nothing else but high Altars Scituated in high places, in detestatiou whereof the Lord gives express charge to the Jews, not to go up by steps to his Altar, Exod. 20. 28. and to destroy and pull down all high places, Numb. 33. 52. and in many other Scriptures.
5. Whereas they have Images above, or over their Altars, this also is after the manner of the old Heathenish Idolaters, for in Iosiahs time, we read how they brake down the Altars of Baal, and the Images that were on high above them, or over them, 2 Chron. 34. 4. So the Prelates have Crucifixes standing on, or over their gib pag. …03.Altars, either in arras, glass, or metal, or in some curious Common Prayer Book standing on their Altars, only for a dumb shew, adorned with two or three silver Crucifixes, in stead of Bosses on the Cover. And in the Church hMr. Fullers History of the Church of Engl Cent. 17. Book 11. pag. 173.at Durham, they had a marble Altar set up there by that devout Idolater Cousins, with Cherub…rns, which cost two thousand Pounds, with all the Appurtenances thereof, namely, a Cope, with the Trinity, and God the Father, in the figure of an old man, another with a Crucifix, and the Image of Christ, with a red beard, and blew Cap; they lighted two hundred wax Candles about the Altar on Candlemas day, forbade Psalms to be sung before, of after Sermon, but made an Anthem to be sung of the three Kings of Collen, by the names of Gasper, Balthasar, and Melchior, and they had a consecrated knife only to cut the bread at the Communion. What vile, ex…crable, Hideous Idolatry was all this? was there ever the like known, or heard of, amongst men professing the name of Christ? but do these men call themselves Protestants? but must we have these things set up again? and such Idolaters as these to rule the Church? O Lord, look down from Heaven, and behold from the habitation of thine holiness, and of thy glory, and rebuke these men! Thou that hast chosen Ierusalem, rebuke them, and raise up some Iosiah, that may purge and cleanse the Land from this Idolatry, and break down the Altars, with the Images that are on high above them.
6. The bowing down to them is Idolatry against the very letter of the Second Commandment, which saith, thou shalt not bow down thy self to them. It is not meant of casual position, as if a mans face, when he kneels down to pray, be accidentally towards an Altar, o… towards the East, or the like, but it is meant, of bowing with religious respect to them, thou shalt not bow down to them, nor serve them: if not to Images, then not to Tables; for there is the same Reason of both, why not to the consecra…ed bread and wine, as well, yea rather, then to the Altar, or Table? And why should the Table be preferred before the Pulpit? The Truth is, This Altar worship is such gross Idolatry, that as I never knew any but the devoted Sons of Babel who are dead drunk with the wine of the filthiness of spiritual Fornications, plead for it, so I doubt not, but God will shortly convince men of it, and rid the Land of it, by astonishing plagues, and judgements, and horrible desolations upon all their pleasant things, if no other means will serve. The glory of Iacob shall be made thin, and the fatness of his flesh shall wax lean, and there shall be but a glea…ing l…ft in it, as in the shaking of an Olive Tree, two or three on the t…p of the uppermost bough, and when it is come to this, at that day a man shall look to his Maker, and his eyes shall have respect to the holy one of Israel, and He shall not look to the Altars, the work of his hands; neither, shall he respect that which his fingers▪ have made, either the Groves or the Images, Isai. 17. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. And there is another Text also, that may strike Terrour into the hearts of these Idolaters, if they have any Conscience, if they have any sence or feeling left, I mean that threatning, that dreadful and direful Imprecation, in Isai. 2. 9. the mean man boweth down, and the great man humbleth himself, therefore forgive them not. So that this Idolatrous bowing, though it be not properly the sin against the holy Ghost, yet it is suc… a sin as God seldome pardons, therefore forgive them not.
It is but a desperate shift here to talk of Relative or dependent worship, that because the Communion Table hath some Relation to Christ, therefore we may bow down to it in honour of Christ, for it is not every thing that hath some kind of Relation to Christ, that is to be worsh…ped. Do but consider the long Tail of this Serpent, the strange a…d wretched consequences of this Objection, for by the same Reason we may bow down to an Image, or a Crucifix, to the picture of Christ, as well as to the Altar, and why not to the Pulpit, as well as to either of both? for the word of Christ is preached out of the Pulpit, and why may we not as well adore the cups and vessels which contain the wine▪ and therefore they are as much related to Christ, if not more then the Table upon which they stand? the Papists grant, we may, and the vessels are consecrated things, with them. Well, but the Sun, Moon, and Stars have some Relation to Christ, as being made by Him, and somewhat may be drawn from them by way of resemblance, But may we therefore bow to the East, and worship the Sun, and all the Hoast of Heaven? yes, say the Papists, with a respective or dependent worship, as they call it, as they are creatures of God. Well, but all inanimate Creatures were made by Him, a stone, a stick, or a straw that I see at my feet, they are all Creatures of God, and is it lawful then to worship them? Here I cannot but call to mind what I have sometimes read not without admiration, and trembling, in Vasques the Jesuit… a subtle fellow, but yet the Sword was so sharp upon his right eye, that he maintains, kVasques de … 2 Disp. 1. Cap. 2. num 10. page 297. …0, 412▪ & Disp 2. … 6. num 7…. page 438.that it is lawful to worship the Ass that Christ rode upon, and to kiss the lips of Iudas that betrayed him, and that a man may do this with a true devotion to Christ, and that it is lawful to worship all manner of Creatures, whether alive, or dead, res omnes inanimatas, modulum straminis, a piece of a straw, nay, he goes further, q…amvis Da…on delites…at sub crucifixo, though the Devil …e in the Crucifix, yet a man may worship it. And thus you see whither this Objection will bring you, if you follow it home, even to worship the Devil: men had need take heed of giving way to their own wisdome and carnal reasonings in the matters of Gods worship, lest the Sword fall upon their right eye, lest they become vain in their Imaginations.