Altare Christianum: or, The dead vicars plea Wherein the vicar of Gr. being dead, yet speaketh, and pleadeth out of antiquity, against him that hath broken downe his altar. Presented, and humbly submitted to the consideration of his superiours, the governours of our Church. By Iohn Pocklington. Dr. D.

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Author:	Pocklington, John.
Title:	Altare Christianum: or, The dead vicars plea Wherein the vicar of Gr. being dead, yet speaketh, and pleadeth out of antiquity, against him that hath broken downe his altar. Presented, and humbly submitted to the consideration of his superiours, the governours of our Church. By Iohn Pocklington. Dr. D.
Rights/Permissions:	The University of Michigan Library provides access to these keyboarded and encoded editions of the works for educational and research purposes. These transcriptions are believed to be in the public domain in the United States; however, if you decide to use any of these transcriptions, you are responsible for making your own legal assessment and securing any necessary permission. If you have questions about the collection, please contact eebotcp-info@umich.edu. If you have concerns about the inclusion of an item in this collection, please contact LibraryIT-info@umich.edu. This statement does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
Print source:	Altare Christianum: or, The dead vicars plea Wherein the vicar of Gr. being dead, yet speaketh, and pleadeth out of antiquity, against him that hath broken downe his altar. Presented, and humbly submitted to the consideration of his superiours, the governours of our Church. By Iohn Pocklington. Dr. D. Pocklington, John. London: Printed by Richard Badger, 1637.
Subject terms:	Heylyn, Peter, 1600-1662. -- Coale from the altar -- Controversial literature -- Early works to 1800. Williams, John, 1582-1650 -- Controversial literature -- Early works to 1800. Church of England. -- Controversial literature -- Anglican authors -- Early works to 1800. Altars -- Early works to 1800.
URL:	https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A09811.0001.001
How to cite:	For suggestions on citing this text, please see Citing the TCP on the Text Creation Partnership website.

Table of Contents

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title page

TO THE CHRISTIAN READER.

Syllabus Capitum.

imprimatur

CAP. I. Of Christian charity. Of verity. Which of the twaine is most to be regarded. What Pilate preferred. Which obtaineth the prime place with the Pen-man of this Letter.

CAP. II. Of the antiquity of Christians. Altars in Scripture. In the Decretals.

CAP. III. Of Altars in S. Martialis, in S. Irenaeus, in Tertullian, in Origen, in S. Cyprian.

CAP. IV. Who first objected against Christians, that they had neither Temples, Altars, nor Gods. What those Temples, Al∣tars and Gods were, that Christians had not. Of Churches in the Primitive Church.

CAP. V. Of the favour which Christians found, with the Empe∣rours in the midst of their persecutions. Eusebius and Tertullian witnesses hereof.

CAP. 6. Of the succession of Bishops in their severall Sees. S. Am∣brose's art to save his Church and Altar standing. Sy∣nods assembled. Power of the Keyes exercised. The wealth of the Church of Rome. The multitude of Chri∣stians a terror to Heathen.

CAP. VII. Sundry Parish-Churches, or Churches in Villages in the Primitive times. Some built, Annis 47.97.110.117.150.160.182.193. Churches in Britanie, 183. and in 55. Churches frequented. Parish Priests. Bookes of Canons appointed to bee read in Churches.

CAP. VIII. Situation of Churches on a Hill: looked towards the East. Five distinct places in Churches. Church portch appoin∣ted for Penitents. Penance in Sackcloth imposed on de∣linquents. Want of discipline among Hereticks taxed by Tertullian. Where the Pulpit stood in S. Cyprians time. Lacks not allowed to sit in the Church. Clergie and Laity divided at the Communion.

CAP. IX. Where the Communion was celebrated. The installation of Bi∣shops. The Bishops Throne. S. Iames's Chaire in Ierusalem. S. Peter's Chaire in Rome. What kept S. Austine in the bosome of the Church. Hereticks had no Church. Succession of Bishops from the Apostles, necessary to prove a true Church. How S. Irenaeus, S. Augustine, Tertullian, confounded Hereticks. The detection of the creeping in of Aereticks. A true succession of Bishops in the Ch. of England. When Schismaticks crept into it.

CAP. X. Dedication, and Consecration of Churches, used by godly Bishops, and taxed by the Centurists for the Mystery of Iniquitie. What penance was performed by Hypocrites, and Apostata's, before their admittance into the Church Of Confession, [Exomologefis.] Dayes of Penance, and Absolution: Citizens Penance.

CAP. XI. Of Schooles of Religion. Catechits. Degrees in the Church. Educati, Audientes, Catechumeni, Intincti, Neophyti. He∣reticks neglect these Orders. Libraries, Treasuries, Offe∣rings at the Eucharist; disposed of by the Bishops. Corruption among Deacons. Timothy directed to take part of Oblati∣ons. The Emperours Brother a Bishop.

CAP. XII. The Altar stood in Sacrario. The mysteries of the Eucha∣rist not exposed to all. Chancels how divided. Commu∣nio Laicorum. Priests only stood about the Altar. S. Ambrose admonisheth Theodosius thereof. Oblations daily made at the Altar. Hereticks could not consecrate, because they had no Altar. Priests not allowed to be Exe∣cutors, nor to bee drawne from their daily service at the Altar.

CAP. XIII. The Rubricke touching the standing of the Communion Table in the body of the Church. Of the Rubricke con∣cerning Chancels. Who hath the appointing of Books to be read by Priests. Peter-Lombard, and the Ancient Fathers appointed to be read. Bishop Iewel, and others directed to be read. Communion Tables, according to Bi∣shop Iewel, stood in the Presbytery. The Presbytery is not the body of the Church.

CAP. XIV. The antiquity of Communion Tables Eusebius's authority examined for the standing of Altars in the body of the Church. Church of Tyre built by Paulinus. Pau∣linus adjudged to be an Arrian by the Centurists. Illyri∣cus hereticall. The Altar in Tyre, how it stood in the midst of the Presbytery. Church in Tyre built confor∣mable to the Temple. Foure distinct places in Solomons Temple. How the Altar there stood in the middest. Gods dwelling in the midst of the people. How David and So∣lomon praysed the Lord, in medio ecclesiae. The peo∣le did not see the Priest at the Altar in the Temple.

CAP. XV. Of Saint Augustines Testimony concerning the standing of the Lords Table in the midst of the Church. Five Orders of Persons distinct. 1. Audientes. 2. Catechumeni. 3. Competentes. 4. Neophyti. 5. Fideles. All these invited, but the Faithfull onely allowed to come to the Lords Table. God walked in the midst of the Campe, go∣ing before, or behind it. Audientes, and all the rest in∣vited by Saint Augustine, were admitted to participate of the Cup, as well as of the Bread, when their severall duties were performed.

CAP. XVI. The Testimony of the Councell of Constantinople exami∣ned, Touching the standing of the Altar in the body of the Church. The people of Constantinople violent to have the Diptychs read, forget their duty to the Patriarch, and to the Emperour. The Arch-Bishop and people adore at the holy Altar. How David did compasse the Altar. How the people runne round about the Altar, and Priest: What the Diptychs were.

CAP. XVII. Whether the Quire may be found in the body of the Church out of Durandus and Platina. That Boniface the second divided the Quire from the people, how to be understood. How long this was done before the fifth Councell of Con∣stantinople. Of the Priests turning about at the Altar.

CAP. XVIII. The consent and testimony of Fathers ought to be reveren∣ced: What office at the Altar might be performed by none but Priests. Of Sacrifices mentioned in the holy Fathers of the purest times. Of S. Iustin, S. Irenaeus, Tertullian, S. Cyprian, S. Chrysostome, S. Am∣brose, S. Augustine. The Councell of Carthage, &c.

CAP. XIX. The meaning of the 31. Article delivered. What Sacrifi∣ces are blasphemous fables and dangerous deceits. The doctrine of our Church herein taught by Bishop Mountague, Bishop Andrewes, Bishop White, and M^r. Ca∣saubon. Homilie of Sacraments.

CAP. XX. The necessity of admitting Christian Altars. The standing of the Lords Table Altarwse, or the having of Altas is not forbidden in the 31. Article, under the name of blasphemous figments. Abuses of Altars and Sacrifices condemned, not the things themselves. What is the faith of Protestants, and Papists. In what respect the Masse is not to be allowed. The outrage of the people committed in breaking downe of Altars, punishable by law. The du∣ty of well-minded men concerning Altars.

CAP. XXI. Altars crept not into the Church.Altars Consecrated with more ceremony, and regarded with more reverence, than any part of the Church, appeareth out of Bishop Iewell. On the Altar stood the Crosse of CHRIST in the Primitive Church, and in Saint Chrysostomes time, and remained there in Queene Elizabeths Raigne some∣time: steps unto the Altar: drawne with Curtaines. Archbishops and Bishops and all sorts of people doe reve∣rence towards the Altar. Barbarous Souldiers kisse them. Penitents prostrate before them. Saint Ambrose willing to be made a Sacrifice for them.

CAP. XXII. Complying with the Iewes, doth not argue the creeping in of Altars. The enemies of the Church have long pickt a quarrell at her Altars, and her Priests. The Councell of Aquisgrane defendeth them. At what houre of the day Altars came in. Christian Altars came in at Noahs floud: and have so continued in the Christian Church ever since. Danger to meddle with holy and consecrate things. King Iames of blessed memory, washed his hands of medling with them. The polity of the Christi∣an Church was framed by the patterne of the Iewish Church. Sonne of the Church, an honourable name. The complying of Sabbatarians with the Iewes.

CAP. XXIII. The conceit of a Dresser unworthy a Divine. Suting Psychicus in Tertullian. The Patriarch and Bishops in the fifth Councel expresse a different apprehension thereof. Christs first instituti∣on of the Sacrament, no rule to us in matters Circumstantiall. An Altar confessed by the Author. Saint Paul did, and the Church may order things otherwise than Christ used. The Eucharist to be received Fasting.

CAP. XXIIII. The Table on which our Saviour instituted his Supper. The posture of the partakers. Beza describeth it. A Logick Axiom alledged against Altars.

CAP. XXV. Canons of our Church need no private mans confirmation Rati∣onibus cogentibus. The edicts of Princes, Articles of our Creed, our baptisme, Eucharist will be unsetled, if men may require to have these maintained rationibus cogentibus. Ecclesiasticall and temporall authority receive more prejudice by having the same disputed, than suffering it to be railed against. To what distresse the Vicar is put to maintaine the Canon of bowing at the name of IESVS. The Author ill advised to make a jeere of the first and second Service.