ALTAR SINS OR, HISTORICAL ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE EUCHARISTIC ERRORS OF ROME AS TAUGHT AND ENFORCED ...

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PART II. PART m

The Pbogbessive Developicent

Under the Anglo-Saxons the Danes

Edward the Confessor the Normans the Plantageneis the House of Lancaster the House of Tudor

The Six Article's Act of Henry VIU.

The Refobmation, and Edward VI —

His Statute respecting the Altar His Two Books of Common Prayer His Short Catechism

196 203

IV CONTENTS.

The Retboqressior, aiid Mary 229

Elizabeth's Articles of Faith contrasted with those of

Edward VI 232

The SiuarU 248

The Commonwealth 256

The Restoration 260

The Revolfaion 268

The House of Bbunswick 273

PART IV. Appeal to British Churches 279

„ Episcopalians 281

„ British Christians 287

Appendix of Notes 303

%* A copious Index wUl be found at the end of the volume.

mXRODUCTION.

C^t 9Itat receives, retains, and reflects the character of the people by whom it is erected. It is a national monument, and defines by its front and sectional elevations ; the disposition, taste, and purpose of those who aid in the construction. It has a philosophy of its own. Bringing,, or seeking to bring, men into immediate and direct connection with the Creator ; it so expresses and excites their strongest aspirations, as to impart a marked and mighty influence to every other institution ; whether it be one they most revere, by way of retention ; or one they most deprecate, as to removal. This influence is so unique, potent, and diversified, that out of those laws which regulate or enforce altar observances ; the scholar may collect his data as to the quality and extent of national intelligence : the philanthropist obtain his index to the public happiness or misery ; the statesman his tests of civil government ; and the historian his materials, the

VI INTRODUCTION.

illumination of which describes the lurid shade, or the brilliant halo, thrown around the phases through which any nation shall have passed.

Men invariably maintain among themselves the principles they either carry up to, or bring away from, the altar. Did not the sacrificial rites of the ancient Druids depict the whole of their national characteristics ? And if the Jewish prophet, whose words form the motto of this work, had written them as many years after, as he had before, the Christian era; might he not have employed the same terms by which to describe the cumulative guilt and punishment of papal Rome ? Ephraim was the leader tribe of Israel — Rome once was the ruling power over Christendom. Ephraim had had a favourite object, among many others, of idolatry— Rome has had her chief attraction in the false worship she established. Ephraim in its sin was punished by its sin ; (for '* when he offended in Baal, he died ;") Rome sank into shame and contempt, in proportion as she became intoxicated with this wine of her abomination. Ephraim induced the whole Jewish Commonwealth to transgressions against Jehovah as a lawgiver ; and thus entailed captivity and the loss of national independence upon all Israel — Rome in this, her one great transgression against the authority of Christ, was compelled to cover over her guilt, by enforcing principles, the certain results of which were to reduce English monarchs into eccle-

INTRODUCTION. YU

siastical serfs; and extort such tributes from their people as to bring about their ''utter undoing." Ephraim was to stand alone in apostacy ; — all other tribes, especially Judah, were to withdraw themselves from the contamination, shame, and sorrow ; — Rome is to be shunned by all Christendom, and for no one thing more than for her sins of the altar. Had these been unopposed, Christianity would have become extinct in England, and the nation carried back to some of the worst principles and forms of pagan superstitions ; for it was out of these, and not from even a perverted construction of the phraseology of Scripture, that the Eucharistic errors of Rome took their rise, and became engrafted upon the civil and ecclesiastical institutions of England.

One great object sought to be attained in the following pages is to show the continuous history of these errors : for if they are seen in their unfolding form of development, they immediately supply their own refutation. The antecedents of each error show the motive, not only of that error as it stands alone ; but also the reason of those other errors which became necessary to support the one, out of which the more matured errors were so fashioned, as to become the exponents and consolidation.

The reader will not, therefore, be troubled with argument, or any formal conflict, with the opinions of theologians or schoolmen. These are all embodied in the Eucharistic laws; they are the life-giving

VUl INTRODUCTION.

power of sentiment^ come it from whomsoever or in what form soever it may. As a question of fact, it must be taken as a whole.

The laws which contain this entire view, will be formed into groups, corresponding with the dynasties in England. Each one of these will serve as a tumulus ; on which, taking his stand, the reader will for himself trace the flow of an originally narrow, but afterwards broad, stream of poisoned and prurient waters. The chart will, it is hoped, here afford material aid ; especially to those who may not already be conversant with ecclesiastical history ; and to whom even this momentous subject may hitherto have presented few inducements, and still fewer facilities, to wade through the intricacies, with which historic researches of such ancient date have generally been involved.

The historical illustrations which accompany these laws will also prove, it is to be hoped, of essential service ; as they will enable the reader to place himself in the position occupied by those to whom they were originally addressed. The laws being thus clothed with the circumstances attendant upon their primary or after development, will show three important facts : one, that they displaced antecedent principles and practices : another, that although despoiling powers in themselves, they yet left behind such portions of their antecedents as will, if properly employed, despoil the despoilers : and lastly, that throughout the

INTRODUCTION. IX

whole^ one unbroken connection has so constantly obtained as to link the past with the present.

If, therefore, we shall have to do with antiquity, we shall discover that it has not destroyed authority. On the contrary, it will be found that many of the most ancient laws retain a present existence, and can any day be applied. With many it is a most favorite axiom to '* swear by whichever canon will best suit the purpose." They shelter themselves under a double protection : statute* as well as ecclesiastical authority. Except, as any one of the canons may, after an expensive suit, be declared in a common law court " contrary or repugnant " to secular jurisprudence (whether in civil or ecclesiastical matters), the entire code, foreign and domestic, remains in fiill force. The recent case of Archdeacon Denison was abandoned, simply because it was found that law did not condemn what proved to have been an extrajudicial opinion.

Henry VIII. fastened this chain upon us, although in so doing he held out the promise of abolition.f That promise put the whole question to sleep. Within the folded draperies of ecclesiastical and civil legislation, it has slumbered on during the past three hundred years. Little more than half that period had been required to introduce and establish canon

• 25 Henry VIII., cap. 19, section 7. f „ „ „ section 2.

X INTRODUCTION.

law;* but after it had been once fiilly established, seven centuries and nearly another half elapsed before even a feeble cry was heard« that the whole thing ought to be abolished. Then Henry charged the Bishop of Rome with '* extorting great sums of money in the exercise of divers authorities, which, until now, by the subjects of this realm have been ttmoromly and ignorantly accepted."f Up to this period, therefore, the nation had, blindfold, been sliding down an inclined plane : once at the bottom, it acknowledged that it was thus &llen because of a timorous and ignorant submission. With this acknowledgment the nation has been content ; for even " until now," it has not made any systematic effort to crawl up again. With the exception of Edward VL, sovereigns and subjects have alike been content to remain where they were. The extortions of which Henry charged the Bishop of Rome had, he said, induced '' intolerable inqmetations and an utter undoing."J But what were these ''extortions," compared with the many wrongs both the State and the Church have experienced from the same cause, subsequently to Henry's reign ? Or what even these wrongs, compared with the active mischief working agencies employed to replace the one centre-point of the radiating power of the whole system of canon law? That centre-

♦ From A.D. 597, to aj). 785, page 61. f 28 Henry VIII. cap xvi., section 1.

X Ibid.

INTRODUCTION. XI

point is the Altar : this it is which gave and continues to give to the Roman order of architecture its chamcteristic attractions and power. On this Rome laid its foundation ; by this it erected its superstructure ; and by this it intends to rebuild. Let but this ONE POINT be gained, and everything else is safe. Gained it may and will be, so long as canon law suppUes those abundant facts and cogent pleas which are found to intermix themselves with the existing institutions of England.

One word as to the authorities for the facts about to be presented. The principal of these is Spelman, whose self-sacrificing labours have placed him in the highest position among ecclesiastical historians. Next to him comes Johnson. He was vicar of Cranbrook. His translation (a.d. 1 720) of the Old Saxonic laws has never been impeached ; while his corrections of some verbal inaccuracies of Spelman render his laboiu^ increasingly valuable. In some few instances, a somewhat different translation would have been preferred, and would have been given ; had not the author been deeply anxious upon one important point. With him it has been a matter of conscience to prevent, so fiir as he could; any impediment being raised against the fiill reception of the facts about to be described, under the impression that they had received a colouring in his hands. He has not done this ; but has confined himself, for the reason now

XU INTRODUCTION.

stated^ to the very punctuation of the words of Johnson. For the same reason he has restricted himself^ in his explanation of the laws^ to their own phraseology. Had he written as a polemic or as a partisan, he might have seized the many opportunities these laws furnish to construct a work swelled out to two, if not four, large volumes. But he has had to do with principles, not persons ; with results, not abstractions ; and he trusts that the plan he has adopted will commend itself, and, above all, the momentous subject, to every sincere mind.

Mtmtague Terrace^

De Beauvair Square,

EXPLANATION OF CHART.

The OUTER mai^m^ on the left-hand side, shows the dynasties which have obtained in England.

The SECOND margin is a scale of centuries, each divided into ten equal parts.

The THIRD margin gives the names of persons connected with the origination, enlargement, or execution of Eucharistic laws and observances.

The chart commences with ''the Apostle John and the British Churches.'' This shows the connecting link between the apostles — to some one of whom Britain is indebted for the introduction of Christianity — and the ancient British Churches. The last of the apostles was St. John, who died at Ephesus, a.d. 97. Between that event and the arrival of Augustine in England, five hundred years intervened. To this period Edward YI. refers in his first law relating to *^ the Sacrament of the altar/' The church of that period he designates ** the Primitive Church."

When, therefore, the taunting inquiry is put by the Bomanist, ''Where was your Church before the time of Luther? " the repljhis, there it was : all the time between John the apostle, and Augustine the monk.

XIV EXPLANATION OF CHART.

The events which transpired within this period confirm the fact. ThuSj in the chronological arrangement^ we have —

A.D. 161. Lucius.

'' This king of the Britons [Welch] sent a letter to Elenthems, a holy man, who presided oyer the Roman Church, entreating that, hy his command, he might he made a Christian. He soon obtained his pious request; and the Britons preserved the faith uncorrupted and entire, in peace and in tranquiUity, until the time of the Emperor Diocletian."*

A.D. 800. Diocletian.

The ?u&?LE and red colours indicate that under this Roman Emperor commenced —

" The tenth persecution since the reign of Nero ; and it was more ksting and bloody than all the others before it, for it was carried on incessantly for the space of ten years [answering the prophetic declaration of the apostle John : Revelations ii. 10], with burning of churches and the slaughter of martyrs. At length it reached Britain also ; and many persons, with the constancy of martyrs, died in the confession of their faitL"f

So extensive were these martyrdoms^ that Lichfield was called by Ingulphus and Henry of Huntingdon^ Lech/?/(/, or 'Afield of the dead^" from the traditionary martyrdom of one thousand Christians during the Diocletian persecution. Among other martyrs^ St. Alban occupies a prominent position.

He suffered death ''by having his head struck off on the 22nd day of June, near the city of Yerulam," [now called after his name, St. Alban's, in Hertfordshire.] The British Christians, however, so far recovered this persecution, that "after having hidden themselves in woods and deserts, and secret caves, they appeared again in public ; rebuilt the churches which had been levelled with the ground ; founded, erected, and finished the temples of the holy martyrs ; and, as it were, displayed their conquering ensigns in all places. Tlds peace continued in the churches of Britain until the time of the Arian madness, which having corrupted the whole world, infected this island also with the poison of its arrows."|

EXPLANATION OF CHART. XV

To qaell this heresy^ a council was held at,

A.D. 350, Abminium.

Constantinas assembled this Council, at which several Bishops were present. After this another heresy broke out, called the Pelagian Heresy. To quash this, a different method* was adopted. Instead of a Council of Sishops, the people were called to express their sentiments and to pronounce their judgment. Beferring to this matter, Sede says : —

" The Britons thought of an excellent plan [for they were unequal alone, to the theological conflict], which was to craye aid from the GalUcan prelates in that spiritual war."*

The Bishop of Bome was, therefore, not yet recognized as the supreme arbitrator of theological controversies. But the British churches acted upon the plan of seeking aid from churches of kindred character with themselves ; and, as will immediately appear, an appeal was made to reason and the Scriptures. The Galilean prelates who appeared were,

A.D. 429. Germanus and Lupus.

" They filled the island with the fame of their preaching and virtues ; and the word of God was by them daily administered, not only in the churches, but even in the streets and fields." ''At length the authors of the erroneous doctrines had the boldness to enter the Usts, and appeared for public disputation. An immense multitude was there [Verulam] assembled. The people stood around as judges and spectators. The venerable prelates poured forth the torrent of their apostolical and evangelical eloquence. Their discourse was interspersed with scriptural sentences, which they supported by the written testimonies of famous writers. Vanity was convinced, and perfidiousness confuted. The people who were judges could scarcely refrain from yiolenoe, but signified their judgment by aoclamations."f

This refers to the first yisit of Germanus into Britain. He paid a second visit, probably about eighteen years

• Bide, Ub. i., c. 17. t ^Wrf.

XVI EXPLANATION OF CHART.

afterwards^ with a view to aappress the same heresy^ which had broken out afresh.

" By the judgement of all, the spreaders of heresy, who had been expelled the island, were brought before the priests to be oonyeyed np into the continent, that the country might be rid of them, and they corrected of their errors."*

And this '^ judgment of all '' was as pitiable as the former had been commendable.

These facts^ recorded by the venerable Sede^ if they stood alone^ would be sufficient proofs that Christianity had existed in these isles prior to the arrival of Augustine. And yet in the face of these facts ; some ancient and modem ecclesiastics venture to ascribe to him the hon6ur of having first converted the British from Paganism to Christianity. He came not so much to convert, as to subvert. This the conference about to be recorded under the next marginal date will prove. It was, therefore, a serious historic error on the part of Cuthbert to assert, as he does, in his canon of a.d. 747, that —

" Augustine, the Archbishop and Confessor, who being sent to the nation of the English, first brought the knowledge of Faith, the Sacrament of Baptism,f and the notice of the heavenly country ."J

On this account he had been canonized, and was to be honoured in England by

" His birthday [the old form of describing the day of death] which is the seventh of the kalends of June, being honourably observed by all with a cessation from labour."

Did Cuthbert intend to misrepresent facts ? Probably not. He however did, and intended to do, one other thing ; and that was to repudiate all the labours of those men to whose predecessors even Augustine was indebted for his first place of public worship.§

The twenty-first successor of Augustine was Odo, whose

♦ Bede, lib., i.,c. 21. f See Appendix, A A.

^ Johfuon's Ecclesiastical LawSy a.d. 7^7 ^ Spelman, vol. i., p. 245. i See page 22.

EXPLANATION OF CHART. XVll

accoont; is mach more accurate. He^ in a.d. 943, was frank enough to say^ " through Augustine^s endeavours^ the rule of Christianity first appeared from this Arehiepiscopal See to the remotest parts of the English/'* The difierence between " the first to bring the notice of the heavenly country," and ''the first " to make appear "the rule of Christianity/' is as marked as any two things, " wide asunder cast/' can possibly be ; and by all historians and ecclesiastics ought to be kept distinctly and declaredly apart.

A.D. 697. AUOUSTINB.

His first effort with Ethelbert having succeeded, his next step was to win over the clergy of the British Churches.

''With the assistance of King Ethelbert, Augustine drew together to a conference, the bishops or doctors of the next province of the Britons [probably Aust, formerly Anstre dive, Qloncestershire], on the borders of the Wiccii and West Saxons ; and began, by brotherly admonition, to persuade them that preserving Catholic unity with them they should undertake the common labour of preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles: for they did not keep Easter Sunday at the proper time. Besides they did several other things which were against the unity of the church. When, after a long disputation, they did not comply with the entreaties, exhortations, or rebukes of Augustine and his companions, but preferred their own traditions before all the churches in the world, which in Christ agree among themselves, the holy father Augustine put an end to this troublesome and tedious contention [by an appeal to God], that he will vouchsafe, by his heavenly tokens, to declare to us which tradition is to be followed. Let the faith and practice of those, by whose prayers some infirm person shall be healed, be looked upon as acceptable to God, and be adopted by all." " The Britons confessed that it was [might beP] the true way Augustine taught ; but that they could not depart from their ancient customs without the consent and leave of their people. A second synod was therefore decreed ; and it happened when they came they endeavoured to contradict all he said. Yet, said he, if you will comply with me in these three points, viz., to keep

* JoJtfUon, A.D. 943 : Spelman, vol. i., p. 415.

XVm EXPLANATION OF CHART.

Easter at the due time ; to administer baptism, by which we are again bom to God, according to the custom of the holy Roman Apostolic Church ; and jointly with us to preach the Word of God to the English nation, we will readily tolerate all the other things you do, though contrary to our customs." "They answered, they would do none of those things, nor receiyc him as their Archbishop."*

They did more than refuse sabjection: they proffered^ through Dinorth^ Abbot of Bangor^ this advice^ at once noble^ courteous^ and scriptural : —

"Be thus persuaded of us, that in the bond of Ioyc and charity we are all subjects and servants to the church of God ; yea, to the Pope of Rome and every good Christian, to help them forward, both by word and deed, to be the children of God : other obedience than this we know not to be due to him whom you call Pope ; and this obedience we are ready to give both to him and eveiy Christian continually. Besides we are under the government (tub gubematione) of the Bishop of Caerleon, who, under God, has the superintendence over us, and is to watch {$ervare) over our spiritual course." {yiam tpirilualetn.)

A.D. 601. 'VThe Roman Model." — ^The civil law of the Romans.

This took cognisance of sacrifices, priests^ altar observances and privileges ; all of which were under the authority of Roman emperors^ as well pagan as Christian, t

* Bede, lib. ii., cap. 2.

f This ever-memorable answer is taken from Archbishop Parker's AntiquUate Britannica EoelesUe, page 592, where it may be seen in the Latin and Welsh languages. It is to be regretted, that some historians and ecclesiastical writers do not invariably adhere to the strict phraseology of the words actually used by the Abbot of Bangor. He is often made to use the word, "jurisdiction," whereas the term was wholly unknown prior to the arrival of Augustine. Episcopal " government, sT^)erintendence in the spiritual course," are the only things recognized. As superintendents, the English bishops were designated by Otho, the legate from Rome, in a.d. 1237. (Spelman, vol. ii.,p. 221, and the 22nd of Johnson's Laws of this last date.) To which reference is also made in Appendix AAA, p. 305.

t Page 23,

EXPLANATION OF CHART. XIX

A.D. 673. Theodore.

No one of the six predecesors of Theodore achieved what he^ as Archbishop of Canterbury, accomplished. Augastine had attempted it, but signally failed. '' This was the first Archbishop

WHOM ALL THE ENGLISH ChURCH OBEYED.^' It

had been the intention of the Anglo-Saxons to have rendered it a self-supplying church. Egbert, King of Kent, and Oswy, Eling of Northumbria, had expressed the desire of the two provinces when they selected Wighard, a priest belonging to " the English race," whom they wished to be made Archbishop of Canterbury. As a native of these isles, they wisely thought he was better prepared to supply English wants than foreigners. For this purpose they sent him to Biome for consecration.* Sut Wighard died in Italy; and in his stead, Theodore, a native of Cilicia, came.

''He was willingly entertained by all persons; and there daQy flowed from him and Hadrian his companion, rivers of knowledge, to water the hearts of their hearers, whom they taught the arts of ecclesiastical history, astronomy, and arithmetic."t

Theodore ordained bishops in proper places. Among these was Chad,

"Whom he upbraided, that he had not been duly consecrated; and he himsdf completed his ordination after the Catholic manner."

One other kind office he also performed for him. Chad

"Was accustomed to go about the work of the Gospel to several places rather on foot than on horseback. Theodore commanded him to ride, and he himself lifted him on the horse, for he thought him a holy man."t

Theodore was sixty-six years of age when he reached England.

♦ See page 35. f ^^> lib. iv., cap. 2. t -S^^*> lib. iv., cap. 2 & ^.

XX EXPLANATION OF CHART.

" Nor were there ever happier times since the English came into Britain. From that time also they began in all the churches of the English to learn sacred music, which till then had been only known in Kent."

Haying thus prepared his way, his next step was directed towards the clergy.

" He assembled a synod of bishops and many other Teacher^ of the church who loyed and were acquainted with the canonical statutes of the Fathers/'f

This memorable synod was held at Hatfield, in Hertfordshire, on the 24th of September, 678. There were present —

" Bise, Bishop of the East Angles [Elmham], Wilfied, Bishop of the nation of the Northumbrians (and immediate successor of Chad), Putta, of Eochester, Lutherius, of the West Saxons, and Winfred, Bishop of the Mercians, and many masters of the church.! And when we were assembled, and had taken our proper places ; I said, I beseech you, most beloved brethren, for the fear and love of our Redeemer, that we may faithfully enter into a common treaty for the sincere obsenrance of whatever has been decreed by the holy Fathers. I enlarged upon these, and many other things tending to charity, and the preservation of the peace of the church. And when I had finished my speech I asked them, singly and in order, whether they consented to

* " Teachers*' The reader will mark this word in the connection and under the circumstances in which it appears. The persons here mentioned took rank as officers, next to the bishop or pastor [episcopum et pattorem\ whether that officer be a diocesan pastor, or a congregational pastor. The subsequent history of these pages will show how the word ''priest " jostled out the word, "teacher." (page 39.) He is called "Doctor," and appears as such before Augustine, at the conference mentioned immediately before. The title did not pertain exclusively either to the bishop or pastor, or to priests, as ministers associated with the altar : it was applied to instructors. Bishops, it is true, are stated to be "divine teachers" in a.d. 1009, and again in a.d. 1017, " preachers and doctors of God's laws." But in these periods, the office had been merged into the duties of other officials in the church. The German Universities to this day, confer the title of Doctor of Divinity upon other persons than those pertaining to the priesthood. The late pre-eminent scholar. Dr. Kitto, was one among other instances, f Bedfy lib. iv., cap. 6. { Spehnan, voL i., p. 15.

EXPLANATION OF CHART. XXI

obaenre all things which had been of old canonically decreed bj the Eathers ? To which all our fellow priests answered, ' We are all well agreed readily and cheerfollj to keep whatever the canons of the holy Fathers have prescribed.'* These five bishops or 'fellow priests' (for the terms are nsed interchangeably) brought themselves ' singly and in order ' nnder the pontiffii of Eome. Seventy-six years before this had occurred; seven British bishops had not only refused any such submission, but deckured they could not do anything of the kind ' without the consent and leave of the people.'f The people were not now consulted; nor is there the smallest trace that the bishops represented them. On the contrary, they expressly provided that they ' had determined these points to the intent that no scandalous contention should be raised henceforth by any of ««• Whoever, therefore, shall attempt to oppose or infringe this sentence, let him know that he is forl^ every function of a priest, and all society with us."|

It was^ therefore, purely an ecclesiastical submisaioii. Among other causes which induced it ; one was that among the clergy " scandalous contentions " had arisen about benefices and rank. Theodore also had contributed by his own proceedings to swell the tumults by deposing or creating Bishops. He, however, with their submission, made a concession : viz., that priests should not be '^ driven out " of their churches ** without the consent and authority of the Sishops. If any one attempt to do this, let him be struck with a sentence of the synod,'' consisting of ecclesiastics and the laity.

In these acts of Theodore, we trace the prior independence of bishops, both of the pope and canonical decrees. Nor was that independence entirely lost, even by this submision. For long after it had been made, —

" Primates had very great latitude left them in points relating to discipline and jurisdiction; and, in fact, acted at discretioe. It was most reputable to act by stated rules ; yet in cases whem there were different rules. Primates and even Bishops were to choose by which they would act."§

* Johtuon* EeeUeiastieal Lowe, f See under 4-^^»^^o*

I Johmon, § Johnson's Preface to the Code of Ecbnht, in aj>. 740.

XXU EXPLANATION OF CHART.

In short, bishops were then, as now ; independent of each other. They framed their own rules, prepared their own liturgies, ruled their own clergy ; and administered, with the people, " in synod,'* their own la¥re. The limits of the diocese were the limits of jurisdiction. This last principle still prevails ; but it would never have known an existence, had it not been that the Bishops of the English Church were originally independent of Bome, as well as of each other.