Altar-worship, or Bowing to the communion table considered as to the novelty vanity iniquity malignity charged upon it. In an antithesis to the determination of Dr. Eleazar Duncon, lately translated, and sent into the world in a Romish dress, with a cross in the front and fine. By Z. Crofton Presbyter, but proved enemy to all fanaticks.

SECT. III.

THE First Demonstration of the Folly and Unlawfulness of solemn and religious Bowing to, towards or before the Com∣munion Table, is, the Novelty thereof.

That Novelties in Religion, and matters of Divine Worship are Foolish and Unlawful, I presume I need not stand to prove; it be∣ing granted by all men, Heathen or Christian, Civil or Religious.

Novelty is a disposition, not more vain and childish in its sub∣jects, than dangerous in its ef∣fects and operations, subjecting the most stable principles, and se∣rious practises to unsafe and un∣reasonable mutations; thereby proving the Mother of Sedition in

the Commonwealth, and Super∣stition in the Church, innovating vanities, good for nothing but to ingender strife and contention, verifying the Greek Proverb, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Novelties are vanities, and are therefore in∣hibited by all Politicians or pru∣dent Legislators, not only by their Councels and Commands, but the Peoples Sacred and So∣lemn Oath. Lycurgus subjects himself to perpetual exile, that he may supersede the changes of his Lacedemonians; and Plato his Rule cannot but be by all receiv'd (especially in things of religious concernment) Ne quid in rebus ad Religionem attinentibus innovetur; That Novelties in Religion be not admitted: Serious and sin∣cere is the observation of Dr. Hall, in his Contemplations, on Ahaz his new made Altar, Pag. 1286. It is dangerous presumption

to make innovations, though but in the Circumstances of Gods Worship: God doth no little aggravate Isra∣els Idolatry and Superstition by its Novelty: Hath a Nation for∣saken their gods, which are no gods? but my people have changed their glory, Jer. 2.11. And they sacrifi∣ced unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods, that came newly up, Deut. 32.17. And obviateth their folly, and an∣ticipateth their vanity by a plea of antiquity, Remember the daies of old, consider the years of many gene∣rations; ask thy Father, and he will shew thee; thy Elders, and they will tell thee, Deut. 32.7. Have ye not known, have ye not heard, hath it not been told you from the beginning? Isa. 40. from v. 21. to the end of c. 41. I cannot but own antiquity as a good witness in matter of fact, though it want the authority of a Dictator in point of

duty. I subscribe readily to Sir Francis Bacons Aphorism, that an∣tiquity without verity, is a Cypher without a Figure. Yet none can deny Novelties in Divine Worship to be real vanities: The sense whereof hath in all ages acted the Devil and his Instruments to raise up scorn, contempt, and enmity against Gods pure Worship and true Religion, with the false charge and loud clamour of No∣velty; thus the Heathen of old judged the first planting of Chri∣stian Religion the setting forth of new gods: and the Papists of late reproach and retard Reformation with their clamorous demand, Where was your Religion before Lu∣ther? pretending antiquity for their greatest Impiety and Idola∣try: * 1.1 As Paulus Sa∣mosatenus (that hor∣rid Heretick) cast the Scripture-Psalmes out of the

Church, as new-found figments of Late Writers; by reason where∣of Religious antiquity hath need∣ed to be asserted (with an haec novi∣tas non est novella vanitas, res enim est antiquae religionis perfectè fundata in pietate Christi, antiqua haereditas ecclesiae) as the ancient appointment of God, and inhe∣ritance of the Church: The same Method hath been, and yet is most exactly observed by Eng∣lands popishly affected Prelates, and their obsequious Chaplains in their Cassandrian accomodation, for bringing Rome to England, whilst England will not go to Rome; wherein they decline the Scripture (the only reason of Re∣ligion and Rule of Divine Wor∣ship) & pretend Antiquity, Catho∣lick, Primitive and Ecclesiastical practise and prescription in their in∣novation of humane Inventions, unto the obstruction of a due, ne∣cessary,

inchoated, and solemnly covenanted Reformation; though herein they are ordinarily mista∣ken and confounded; it hapning to them, as unto Tertullians Here∣ticks, viderint novum esse quod sibi est vetus, representing Novelty to be Antiquity, and Antiquity to be Novelty; concluding some tract of time to be a sufficient plea for the Innovation of those things in divine Worship, which must needs interfere with the In∣stitutions prescribed and practi∣sed from the beginning, and so expose themselves to the shame and guilt of folly and unlawful acting, whenever the novelty thereof shall be detected; the which befals them, as in other su∣perstitious rites, so in this of Al∣tar-worship, or bowing to, towards or before the Communion Table, con∣cerning which, we shall first en∣quire, not so much what was the

command and institution from the beginning, which fals in its place to be considered; as what hath been the ancient custom or constitution of the Primitive and Catholick Church, which we in∣tend as an argument ad hominem, calculated for the clamorous pre∣tenders to antiquity for all their innovations and Superstitions in divine Worship, and therein we affirm;

Solemn, religious bowing to, towards or before the Communion-Table was never digitated by the Primitive Catholick practise of the Church; wherein we must confess it is more proper for us to deny, than to affirm, and put our asser∣tors and cotestors for this piece of devotion, on the proof of the primitive and catholick use thereof, which may acquit them from the charge of novelty laid against them, it being to us a sufficient

evidence, that no authority of an∣tiquity doth digitate it; for that though this practise doth pretend to be set by this Dial, yet the Dial is obscure, & no ways made obvious by the innovators of this Devotion: and that rule must be our reason, non esse, & non appare∣re, idem est, it is all one, not to be, and not to be seen.

I must indeed confess, that the Pulpit and the Presses have spo∣ken it (from more mouthes and Pens than one) That bowing to the table is an ancient & commen∣dable practise and piece of reve∣rence, yea we are so told, and as such, have it commended to our practise, as fit to be revived, (which implies it to have been in use, though then almost buried and forgotten) by the grave, learned and judicious Suffrages of the Convocation of both Pro∣vinces, held by the two Arch-Bi∣shops

of York & Canterbury, cum privilegio Majestatis; in their Canons and Constitutions Eccle∣siastical, Anno Dom. 1640. where∣in they thus express themselves; We think it meet and behooful, and heartily commend to all good and well affected people, members of this Church, that they be ready to tender it unto the Lord, by doing reverence and obeisance at their coming in and going out of the said Churches and Chappels, according to the most an∣cient custom of the primitive Church in the purest times, and of this Church also for many years of the reign of Qu. El. The reviving therefore of this ancient and lauda∣ble custom, we heartily commend to the serious consideration of all good people, without any intention to exhi∣bit any religious worship to the Com∣munion Table. I am not willing to break modesty so far, as to charge these Reverend Fathers

with a Lie and fallacious insinuati∣on, though the laxity of their au∣thority, commending what their Reasons might warrant, and pow∣er might authorize, affords a ground on which to suspect it: I shall therefore confess, that if Obeysance & Reverence expressed by bowing to, towards or before the Communion Table, were the most ancient custom in the Primitive Church, in the purest times, it were well worth the serious consideration of good people in order to the revi∣ving thereof: But for this anti∣quity, we have no evidence but their bare say-so, and although we are ready to own such assem∣blies as Objects of Reverence, yet we are not resolved into such an implicit Faith, as to apprehend their say-so a sufficient ground of credence, until we are convinced of their infallibilities, especially in a matter of fact, which them∣selves

can only know by report and testimonies, they not so much as naming any Father, Council or Ecclesiastical Historian, whom we might examine as a witness, unto this most ancient custom of the Primitive Church in the purest times; Nor do so much as read unto us the examination and de∣position of any witness taken in private by themselves: We are sure this is not the usual method of the Church of England, * 1.2 or her Advocates, who in her Ho∣milies of the peril of Idolatry, spendeth the second part of the Homily in producing testimony to the matter of Fact, and an∣cient custom, and practise of the thing to which she perswades: Whilst therefore they expect our consent to an ancient custom, and tie us to believe as the Church be∣lieves, they raise our confidence

that they palliate an apparent In∣novation, with the false pretence of ancient and laudable custom of the Primitive Ch. in the purest times.

We must confess, we cannot say we never found bowing to the Table commanded and pra∣ctised in our Church; for then we must needs be ignorant of the Injunctions of Car∣dinal Pool's Visi∣tors, * 1.3 in the Visita∣tion of the University of Cam∣bridge, in the time of Queen Mary, who amongst other things, did order the Schollars how to bow to the Altars: And must needs be ignorant of the new Statutes made by Archbi∣shop Laud, * 1.4 the then Chancellor of the University of Oxford, print∣ed 1638. and directing all the Schollars in their Order ad men∣sam

Eucharistiae sacram cum debi∣ta reverentia oblationes faciant (w^ch by words and practises they inter∣preted to be a lowly bowing to, towards or before the Table) for omission whereof they were pu∣nishable at the pleasure of the Vice-Chancellor, and to pay five shillings: And must needs be un∣acquainted with the Visitation-Articles of Bishop Wren, Bishop Pierce, Bishop Lindsey, Bishop Skinner, Bishop Mountague, and others, who among other things, caused strict enquiry about every mans reverent behaviour at entring into the Church by bowing towards the Altar. But yet I must be bold to say, our Church is not the most Catholick or Primitive, nor yet the purest Church: that bowing to the table was never prescribed by the publick authority of this Church, the Convocation in 1640. did only commend it as laudable, not

command it as necessary; but left it at liberty as indifferent; it was never universally practised by our Church, being chiefly practised in University Chappels, and advan∣ced in particular Diocesses: ac∣cording to the affections of sin∣gle Prelates, who enforced it with their personal authority: And yet it passed not without suspi∣tion and censure of Innovation and Novelty, by some of the Bishops, as Dr. Wright of Coventry and Litchfield, and Dr. Williams Bi∣shop of Lincolne, witness his Holy Table, Name and Thing: And lastly, this maketh no antiqui∣ty, it being the act of this age on∣ly, and not able to account 60. nay scarce 30 years towards a cu∣stom, in which time it hath been more than once arrested as an In∣novation, and as far from appear∣ing the ancient practise of the Primitive Church in the Purest

times: Nor do we observe the practise of it in the times of Qu. Elizabeth, either first or last, with any approbation or allow∣ance of the Church; though now again with much earnestness it be endeavoured to be revived: A∣gainst which, I think I may be bold to say, that we have many just and considerable reasons to believe they cannot produce one honest witness or authentick testi∣mony, to prove that the Primi∣tive Church in its purest times, did ever practise or prescribe solemn and religious bowing to, towards or before the Communion Table, the which we shall not fear to pro∣duce unto them, that they may reprove our censure of their No∣velty, by better informing our judgments; and they are these;

1. The zealous assertors of, and contestors for this reverence, do not produce such testimony, however

men boast and brag they have good evidence and substantial witness, they must be cast in their actions, and condemned as guilty, if they do not produce them: they must be taken for first Inven∣tors and contrivers of mischief, who are active in it, and cannot produce their author.

2. The Fathers and Ecclesiasti∣cal Historians (by whom all Rites and Ceremonies used in the Pri∣mitive Church, are most accurate∣ly set down) do make no men∣tion of solemn or religious bowing to towards or before the Communion-table, * 1.5 which of all other, had it been a thing of that moment, so anci∣ent and laudable a custom, and re∣verent acknowledgment of the Di∣vine Majesty, as it is recommend∣ed to be, would not have been

passed over in silence by them: Nor is there in all the writings of the Fathers which I have read (or men of more reading than my time or affairs will afford me to attain) any passage which may so much as seem to palliate this Novelty, with the least shew of Antiquity, unlesse it be that which Nazianzen mentioneth of his Mother, * 1.6 quod ve∣nerandae mensae nun∣quam terga verteret, that she ne∣ver turned her back on the vene∣rable board, which cannot any way be understood of bowing to the table, but of never withdrawing from the Lords Supper when it was administred, and so she turned not her back by neglecting to communicate, the Table being put for the Sacrament, as it is in many of the Fathers: but should we admit what sense can be desi∣red

of it, yet it is but one single example, and one Swallow makes no Summer; this one example was not till after the year 370. af∣ter Christ, and can scarce come within the computation of purest times, or Primitive Church; Nor yet is it plain for bowing to the Table, though it might plead for not turning the back upon it. I read indeed that Uladislaus King of Poland after his conversion from Paganism to Christianitie, Inter equitandum, quoties-cun{que} tur∣res ecclesiarum inspexit, detracto pi∣leo, caput inclinavit, Deum qui co∣leretur, in Ecclesia veneratus: when he rode abroad, he pulled of his Hat, and bowed his head as oft as he saw the towers of the Church, worshipping God, who is adored in the Church: But this example will very little avail, because it was far from the primitive and pure times of the Church, and di∣gitates

an adoration to the Stee∣ple of, not Altars in the Church, and that is no way commended, nor commanded to us by our No∣vellers.

3. Because the Fathers in the Primitive and Pure times of the Church, for more than 400. years after Christ, condemn all bowing to, towards or before Images, or any external Symbal or representation of God, and all worshipping God in, by, through or towards the same, affirming and teaching, all divine worship to be a thing peculiar to God alone, and to be immediately tendred unto himself, without any such se∣condary helps as Images; the which is fully cleared in the Homilie of the peril of idolatry, * 1.7 and by all our Protestant writers, and by Dr. Usher, in his Answer to the Jesuites Challendge of Images and praying to Saints: How therefore

they should indulge or allow a worshipping or adoring God, in, by, to, towards or before a Ta∣ble or Joyners frame, imagined to be the Symbol or Representa∣tion of his Majesty, and so of the very same nature with an Idola∣trous Image, I cannot con∣ceive.

4. Because the Christians in the primitive times, and many hundred years after Christ did prohibite the bowing the knee, * 1.8 or kneeling on a∣ny Lords day; & from Easter to Whitsont. they forbad kneeling on any day, and that in the very act of adoration or prayer, much more in the time of receiving the Lords Supper: and that to them it should be a

custom and ordinary practice, in coming in, or going out, or pas∣sing by the Communion-Table, to do reverence to it, or bow to∣wards it, who would not admit any genuflexion in any the most serious, submisse acts of worship, I cannot believe.

5. Lastly, that no kind of au∣thors, not so much as the very Pa∣pists, do make mention of bow∣ing to Tables, otherwise than as they were Altars; whence it un∣doubtedly comes to pass that the great sticklers for this Table reve∣rence, do affect to call the Table an Altar, and contend to have it so called, and placed at the East∣end of the Church; under the wall as an Altar, and according∣ly furnish it with Vessels, Can∣dlesticks, Tapers and holy Uten∣sils belonging to an Altar; as fancying that they may muster up many testimonies for Altar-wor∣ship

(such as they are) but not one for Table-adoration, which the Papists so much abhor, * 1.9 as that they con∣temptuously and scornfully call our communion-Tables, Oyster-boards & Prophane Tables, and yet this Altar-wor∣ship which our Novellers do af∣fect to render synonymous with Table-adoration, is so far from being the ancient & laudable cu∣stom of the primitive Church and purest times, * 1.10 that the Articles of our Church, (to the verity of which the Table-Adorers have subscribed) do teach us to believe, that for more than 250 years after Christ, the primi∣tive Christians had no Altars be∣fore which to worship.

The third part of the Homilies against the peril of idolatry (con∣firmed by the statute, and by

the Articles of our Church) doth declare, * 1.11 all Christi∣ans in the primitive Church, (as Origen against Celsus, Ciprian also and Arnobius do testifie) were sore charged, and complained of, for that they had no Altars and Images.

And King Edward the Sixt proposing the primitive Church, and purest times for his example in Reformation, doth by his Let∣ter to Doctor Ridly Bishop of London, direct him to pull down Altars, and set up Tables, and enforceth his direction with reasons, * 1.12 the fifth whereof is, it is not read that any of the Apostles or Primitive Churches did ever use any Altar in the Ministration of the Holy Communion; the same is affirm'd by Jewel against Harding, Reynolds against Hart, Fulke and Cartwright against the Rhemists,

and all our Protestant writers a∣gainst the Papists, which they could never yet answer or avoid; and Tho. Bacon, in his Reliques of Rome, doth declare his opinion that Altars were not used in the Church before the year of our Lord 590. * 1.13 when the Popish, Peevish, Private Masse began first to creep in; and certainly if there were no Altars in the Primitive Church, and pure times thereof (as good authority assureth us there was not) then there was not, nor could be any bowing to, towards, or before Altars. And when Al∣tars were brought into the Church; there is no probability that they were adored and wor∣shipped as are our Communion-Tables, for that they were conti∣nued in the middle of the Church, not enclosed, or placed at the East end of the Church, and advanced

above other parts thereof; for ma∣ny years after. Bishop Jewel in his answer to Hardings Preface, doth observe from many good Au∣thors, that, it is apparent that the Communion-Table, in the Apostles times, and Primitive Church for more then 1300 years after Christ, stood in the middle of the Church: And William Thomas testifies in his History of Italy, that in the year 1547. The Altar in the Ca∣thedral Church of Rome, stood in the time of Masse, when the Pope received the Sacrament in the midst of the Quire; whereof he re∣ports himself to be an Eye-wit∣nesse; and probably the Altar was advanced to its high and ho∣ly inclosure before it was adored; moreover although we read of many expressions of affection to the Altar, as of going up to the Altar, Praying and Trembling, as the spurious Masse of S••. James

the Apostle doth direct: or of Pe∣nitents when absolved, Bishops when consecrated, and Kings and Emperors when crowned, knee∣ling before the Altar: Of Gorgonia her prostration of her self in her sicknesse, before, or at the Foot of the Altar, whereupon she reco∣vered, as Nazianzen reports; Oratio 25. and of Malefactors pag. 443. flying to the Altar in time of danger, and such like carriages which were the begin∣nings of superstition, and not found in the Primitive Church; yet we read not of any who men∣tion bowing to, or towards the Al∣tar, * 1.14 until Honorius Augusto-dunensis, who lived in the year 1120 (far e∣nough from the Primitive pure times of the Church (he is the first undoubted Writer, who giveth us any account thereof; in

respect of which very practice our bowers to the Table are No∣vellers: for the bowing he re∣ports, was to the Altar only at en∣trance into the Church, not at eve∣ry approach to, recession from, or passing by the Table; they bow∣ed East and West to testifie God eve∣ry where present, but our men must bow to the East, and to the East only. And after this, though Odo Bishop of Paris in a Synod about the year 1206 did order, summa Reverentia & honor max∣imus sacris Altaribus exhibeatur, that Reverence be done to the Altar, yet he doth not direct it to be done by bowing to, or towards the Altar: and the Synod of Akens held 1583. though it de∣cree many things concerning Al∣tars, as for their scituation and inclosure, furniture with candle∣sticks, altar cloathes, and the like, yet it decreeth nothing for

bowing to the Altar: & the reser∣ved pix, or transubstantiated bread, adored by the Papists, do plainly plead for them, that they wor∣ship not the Altar, and reflecteth the Table-worship of the Pro∣testants (who deny the reservati∣on of Christs body on the Table) as a most foolish Novelty, ridicu∣lous and unlawful Idolatry, wor∣shipping a Joyners frame without any apprehension or acknowledg∣ment of Gods special presence; from which they ought to acquit themselves by good and sufficient reasons, before they innovate in∣to his Majesties Royal Chappell, Our Cathedral and Parish-church∣es, solemn and Religious bowing to, towards, or before the Com∣munion-Table, or can expect any conformity to their new fangled fancy, never used in the primi∣tive Church, nor in the Refor∣med Churches, nor alowed by

the constitutions of the Church of England, before the year of our Lord 1640. in which it is recommended with an argument which appeareth to be an apparent fallacy, whom we shall leave to search ancient records, with pre∣tence to which they make so much noise; whilst they enquire into the nature of the object, and what reason therein can dictate this action and demeanour, honor and incurvation, ever charged (since first acted) to be an innovation.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Euseb Hist. Lib. 7.29.
• * 1.2

  2 Book of Ho∣milies, p. 21.
• * 1.3

  Fox Acts dud Mon. p. 1781.
• * 1.4

  De Precibus solen. & Oblationibus in d••e Comitiorum, Sect. 1. p. 2.
• * 1.5

  Centic. Magdub. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. c. 6. de cere∣moniis & ritibus Eccles.
• * 1.6

  Nazianz. Ora. 8. de funere Pa∣tris, p. 472.
• * 1.7

  2 Book of Ho∣milies p, 21.
• * 1.8

  Die Dominica, jeju∣nium ne fas ducimus, vel de jemiculis ado∣rare, Tert. de corona militis, justin. Mar. Quest. 115. Gracian. de consecr. distinct. 3. Jerom de ecclesiasticis observa∣tionibus, c. 29.
• * 1.9

  Fox acts. Monu∣ments Ed. ult. p. 85. 95. 97.
• * 1.10

  Article. 35.
• * 1.11

  Homily 2. Tom. pag. 41.
• * 1.12

  Fox Acts and Mon. Pag. 1211.
• * 1.13

  Fol. 82. Of the or∣nament of Churches.
• * 1.14

  De antiquo ritu Missarum Lib. 3. cap. 30. de Incli∣nationibus.