A letter of that most religious and pious prince K. Edward the sixth to Nicholas Ridley Bishop of London,: for the taking downe of altars, and setting up the table in the steed thereof, subscribed by nine of the said kings Privie Councell, together with the said kings six reasons for the same alteration; all which are set forth in the Ecclesiasticall history, containing the Acts and monuments of martyrs, written by M. John Fox, and may there be read in the life of that ever blessed king.

Reasons why the Lords Board should rather be after the forme of a Table then of an Altar.

The First Reason.
FIrst the Forme of a Table shall more move the simple from the superstitious opinions of the Popish Masse unto the right use of the Lords Supper; for the use of an Altar is to make Sacrifice upon it, the use of a Table is to serve for men to eat upon. Now when we come to the Lords Boord, what doe wee come for? to Sacrifice Christ a∣gain, and to Crucifie him again, or to feed upon him, that was once only crucified and offered up for us? If wee come to feed upon him, spiritually to eate his body, and spiritually to drinke his blood, which is a true use of the Lords Supper, then no man can deny but the form of a Table is more

meete for the Lords Boord, then the forme of an Altar.

mhe Second reason.
ITem, Whereas it is said that the Book of Com∣mon Prayer maketh mention of an Altar where∣fore it is not lawfull to abolish that which the Book alloweth, to this it is thus answered, The Book of Common Prayer calleth the thing whereup∣on the Lords supper is ministred indifferently a Table, an Altar, or the Lords Boord, without pre∣scription of any forme thereof, either of a Table or of an Altar; so that whether the Lords boord have the forme of an Altar or of a Table the Book of Common Prayer calleth it both an Altar and a Table; For as it calleth it an Altar whereupon the Lords Supper is ministred a Table and the Lords boord, so it calleth the Table where the holy Commu∣nion is distributed with lauds and thanksgiving unto the Lord, an Altar, for that there is offered the same sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, and thus it appeareth that there is nothing either said or meant contrary to the Book of Common Prayer.

The third Reason.
THirdly, the Popish opinion of Masse was that it might not bee celebrated but upon an Altar or at the least upon a Super-Altar to supply the

fault of the Altar, which must have had his prints and Character, or else it was thought that the thing was not lawfully done; but this superstiti∣ous opinion is more holden in the minds of the simple and ignorant by the forme of an Altar then of a Table, wherefore it is more meete for the a∣bolishment of this superstitious opinion, to have the Lords Boord after the forme of a Table then of an Altar.

The Fourth Reason.
FOurthly, The forme of an Altar was ordai∣ned for the Sacrifices of the Law and there∣fore the Altar in Greeke is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉quasi Sacrificii locus, but now both the Law and the Sa∣crifices thereof doe cease, wherefore the Forme of the Altar used in the Altar ought to cease with∣all.

The Fifth Reason.
FIftly, Christ did institute the Sacrament of his body and bloud at his last Supper at a Ta∣ble and not at an Altar, as it appeareth manifestly by the three Evangelists, and St. Paul calleth the comming to the holy Communion the comming unto the Lords Supper, and also it is not read that any of the Apostles or the primitive Church did ever use any Altar in ministration of the holy

Communion; wherefore seeing the form of a Ta∣ble is more agree••ble to Christs institution, and with the usage of the Apostles and of the Pri∣mitive Church, then the forme of an Altar, there∣fore the forme of a Table is rather to be used then the forme of an Altar in the administration of the Holy Communion.

The Sixth Reason.
FInally it is said in the Preface of the Book of Common Prayer, that if any doubt doe arise in the use and practising of the same Book, to ap∣pease all such diversity, the matter shal be referr'd unto the Bishop of the Diocesse, who by his dis∣cretion shal take order for the quieting and appea∣sing of the same, so that the same order be not contrary to any thing contained in that book.

After these letters and reasons received, the forenamed Nicholas Ridley, Bp. of London, conse∣quently upon the same did hold his Visitation, wherein, amongst other his Injunctions, the said Bp. exhorted those Churches in his Diocesse where the Altar then did remaine to conforme themselves unto those other Churches which had taken them downe, and had set up in stead of the multitude of their Altars, one decent Table in e∣very Church: Upon the occasion whereof there arose a great diversity about the form of the Lords Boord, some using it after the form of a Table, and

some of an Altar, wherein when the said Bishop was required to say and determine what was most meet, he declared, he could do no less of his boun∣den duty for appeasing of such diversity, & to pro∣cure one godly uniformity, but to exhort all his Dioces unto that which he thought did best agree with Scripture, with the usage of the Apostles, and with the Primitive Church, and to that which is not only not contrary unto any thing contained in the Book of Common Prayer, as is is before pro∣ved, but also might highly further the Kings most godly proceedings, in abolishing of diverse vaine and superstitious opinions of the Popish masse out of the hearts of the simple, and to bring them to the right use taught by holy Scripture of the Lords Supper, and so appointed, he the forme of a right Table to be used in his Diocesse, and in the Church of Paul brake down the wall standing then by the High Altars side.

BY the preceding passages, the whole World may see, that in all times there will bee Champions found to defend all o∣pinious; you see how Tables did then cry downe Altars, and how Altars of late have thrust out Tables, and Bishops defending both according to the Current and humour of the time, or rather according to the in∣disputable command of the Metropolitan;

to whose papall pride and Lording greatness all the rest of the Prelats by oath and Cano∣nicall obedience are slavishly subservient. Which usurped and insufferable dominati∣on hath beene the chiefe cause of all the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 troubles and Innovations both in Chur•••• 〈…〉〈…〉 Common Wealth: But it is hoped that 〈…〉〈…〉 generating order of Bishops (under 〈…〉〈…〉 this Kingdome groanes) will by this P••••••••••¦ment be either wholy taken away, or b••••••¦ded within such Limits, that their Lor••…••… power, pride, and cruelty, shall swell ••••••••¦more above the banks of moderation to t•••• ruine of the Church and Common Wealth. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 if any Dutifull sonne of the Church will stan•• up in the defence of that order, and invocat•• the Holy Apostles to justifie the institution and antiquity of Episcopacie; if that shall bee yielded, then let them be reduced to that Primitive condition; or (because they have so much abused bounty of Princes) for ever lose the plea and Title.

FINIS.