are administred whence it is stiled and defined A casting or putting a scandalous Sinner out of the Church A cutting him off from the Congregation and a delivering him over unto r Satan but never a Suspension from the Lords Supper or other publike Ordinances being only the consequence nor form or essence of Excommunication so much of late contested for and so little understood by those who are most eager to introduce it 6ly I humbly conceive that no greater measure or degree of knowledge faith profession of Christ Confession of sinne and repentance is necessarily required by God or to be exacted by Ministers to enable men now to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper than in the Primitive Church was exacted by Christs own Apostles and Ministers in persons of ripe years newly converted to Christianity upon their admission to Baptism they being both Sacraments and Seals of the Covenant of Grace alike and requiring the self-same qualifications Hence our learned Å¿ Bishop Iewel writes It appeareth by St. Cyprian St. Hierom t St. Augustine and other old Writers That they that were baptized as well Children as others immediately received the holy Mysteries in both kinds St. u Hierom speaking of one Hilarion saith thus He cannot administer Baptism without the Sacrament of Thanksgiving x St. Cyprians words touching this matter be these Ubi solennibus adimpletis c. After the solemnity of the Consecration was done and the Deacon began to administer the Cup unto them that were present and among others there received the childs turn being come by the power of the divine Majesty she turned away her face c. Here by the way we may well gather That like as the Priest the Deacons and the people received even so the child received too without any manner of innovation or difference This Custome of administring the Lords Supper as well to infants as others immediately after their Baptism in the Primitive times proceeded as I conceive from the very practice of the Apostles Acts 2. 38. to 42. where the 3000. Converts so soon as they believed and were baptized were immediately admitted into the Apostles fellowship and to the breaking of bread which most interpret of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper comparing it with Acts 20. 7. 1 Cor. 10. 2 3. 16 17. Now a very * small measure of instruction knowledge faith repentaece confession of sin and acknowledgement of Christ was reputed sufficient in the Primitive Church by the Apostles and Ministers of Christ to qualifie and admit converts of ripe years to the Sacrament of Baptism as is clear by Mat. 3. 5 6. Acts 2. 38 41 42 46 47. c. 8. 12 13 16. 36 37 38. c. 9. 17 18. c. 10. 47 48. c. 11. 16 17. c. 16. 15. 30. to 35. c. 18. 8. c. 22. 16. where all were instructed converted believed baptized in one and the very self-same day and made profession of the faith of Christ upon the first Sermon they heard without any further delay or Suspension of them from Baptism Therefore they and all other baptized Christians of ripe years immediately upon their baptism and conversion ought now to be admitted to the Sacrament of the Lords Supper upon the self-same terms and qualifications and not secluded from it under a pretence of ignorance or unfitnesse to receive it 7ly Whereas some Ministers most insist upon the 1 Cor. 11. 27 29. Whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall â—e guilty of the body and bloud of the Lord For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not to the Minister or other Communicants not discerning the Lords body as the prime ground and reason to suspend ignorant and scandalous persons in their judgement from this Sacrament I beseech them to observe 1. What the Antient Fathers and y Bishop Iewel out of them concludes against the Papists who object it to prove a Transubstantiation in this Sacrament Even so z St. Augustine writeth of the water of Baptism Baptismus valet alâ—is ad Regnum aliis ad judicium Again he saith a Baptismum multi habent non ad vitam aeternam sed ad poenam aternam non bene utentes tanto bâ—ne Verily b Saint Augustine saith Reus erit non parvi pretii sed sanguinis Christi qui fornicatione et adulterio violat et commaculat animam Christi sanguine et Passione mundatam Againe he saith c Adultter reus erit aeternae mortis quia vilem in se habuit sanguinem Redemptoris d Athanasius saith Adorantes dominum neque ita ut dignum est ei viventes non sentiunt se reos fieri Dominicae mortis e And St. Cyprian saith Impiis in morte Christi nullus superest quaestus sed justissime eos beneficia neglecta condemâ—ant If then * Baptism be received by some unto judgement and everlasting pain as well as the Lords Supper If Fornicators and Adulterers by defiling their souls made clean by the Passion and bloud of Christ be guilty of the bloud of Christ though they receive not this Sacrament If those who worship the Lord in prayer or any other sacred Ordinance as well as this and yet live not so as is meet for the Lord are thereby made guilty of our Lords death If wicked mens despising of the benefits of Christ doth justly condemn and make Christ death ungainfull to them as well as unworthy receiving this Sacrament Then this Text can afford no Jurisdiction or ground at all to our Ministers or others to seclude any from the Lords Supper no more than from Baptism or any other sacred Ordinance upon this Account â— 2ly Observe what Exposition f Bishop Iewel in the same place gives of this Text This therefore is St. Pauls meaning that the wicked resorting unworthily to the Holy Mysteries and having no regard what is meant thereby DESPISE THE DEATH AND CROSSE OF CHRIST and therefore are guilty of the Lords Body and Bloud that are represented in the Sacrament To come nearer to the purpose St. Augustine saith Habeant foris Sacramentum corporis Christi sed rem ipsam amittunt intus cujus est illud Sacramentum ET IDEO SIBI JUDICIUM MANDUCANT ET BIBUNT Here Saint Augustine saith they are guilty NOT BECAUSE THEY RECEIVE BUT BECAVSE THEY RECEIVE NOT THE BODY OF CHRIST Mark well these words Mr. Harding and let others mark them now they are effectual The wicked by St. Augustines judgement are guilty NOT BECAVSE THEY RECEIVE but BECAVSE THEY RECEIVE NOT THE BODY OF CHRIST And if so then I hence inferre That those who willfully neglect to receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper or keep off others from it who desire and presse to receive it are more guilty of the body and bloud of Christ than those who unworthily receive it because they h more neglect contemn despise
and undervalue Christs death and passion represented therein than those who in obedience to his Institution make conscience externally to receive it when administred and do neither externally nor internally Sacramentally nor spiritually receive the body of Christ when as the others who receive unworthily receive it externally and Sacramentally at least in the Elements Which Judas likewise did as Bishop Iewel there asserts out of two Quotations in i St. Augustines writings 3ly Consider that when our Saviour sent forth his Apostles and Ministers who succeed them to preach he gave them this Commission Mark 16. 15 16. Go ye into all the World and preach the Gospel to every creature He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved BVT HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT SHALL BE DAMNED Which is likewise seconded John 3. 18 36. 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. If then the damnation of those who believe not the Gospel preached authorizeth not Ministers or Presbyteries to seclude any unbelieving Christians or other unprofitable hearers from hearing the Word and Gospel read or preached in the Church or elsewhere then by the self-same reason this danger of eating and drinking damnation and being guilty of the Lords body and bloud can be no sufficient Authority Ground or Commission for any Classiâ— Presbytery or Minister whatsoever to seclude any visible unexcommunicated Church-member from the Lords Supper no more than from the Word preached read prayer or any other sacred Ordinance which * God commands them to frequent which no mortalsâ—may or can without the highest presumption usurpation juridically enjoyn them to abstain from or neglect Seeing we ought herein to obey God rather than men as the Apostle themselves have twice resolved Acts 4. 17 18 19 20 29 30 32. c. 5. 20 21 28 29. c. 42. and Daniel long before them Dan. 6. 5. to 18. All which particulars with what else I shall subjoyn in this Vindication duely considered together with that Commission which every Minister publikely received heretofore at his Ordination when he had this power conferred on him Be thou a faithfull Dispenser of the Word of God and OF HIS HOLY SACRAMENTS Take thou Authority to preach the Word of God AND TO MINISTER THE HOLY SACRAMENTS IN THIS CONGREGATION where thou shalt be so appointed And that solemn promise he then openly made k I will by the help of the Lord GIVE MY FAITHFVL DILIGENCE ALWAYS SO TO ADMINISTER THE DOCTRINE AND SACRAMENTS OF CHRIST AS THE LORD HATH COMMANDED AND THIS REALM HATH RECEIVED THE SAME according to the commandements of God will I hope through Gods blessing on them resolve and determine all those distracting needlesse Controversies touching Suspension of particular Persons or whole Parishes from the Lords Supper and remove all New-erected Bars and Rayles to keep the people from Free-admission and accesse to the Lords Table in all plaees where of late years they have been injuriously sequestred from it and restore the frequent Celebration thereof in remembrance of our Saviours Passion And so much the rather because the very Directory it self as well as our old Common Prayer Book in the Section Of the Celebration of the Communion or Sacrament of the Lords Supper resolves thus in the very first lines The Communion or Supper of the Lord is †frequently to be celebrated But how often may be considered and determined by the Ministers and other Church-Governours of each Congregation as they shall find most convenient for the comfort and edification of the people committed to their charge After which it directs When the day is come for administration the Minister shall make a short Exhortation expressing the inestimable benefits we have by the Sacrament together with the ends and use thereof setting forth the great necessity of having our Comfort and Strength renewed thereby in this our Pilgrimage and Warfare which being the things I plead for I cannot but hope all Ministers of the Church of England will henceforth cordially pursue notwithstanding all former Books Cavils Scruples to disswade them from their duties herein * If there be therefore any consolation in Christ if any comfort of love if any fellowship of the Spirit if any bowels and mercies fulfil ye my joy that ye be like minded having the same love being of one accord of one mind herein * Finally brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any virtue if there be any praise think on these things Those things which ye have both learned received and heard seen in me do the God of Peace shall be with you The Grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all Amen So prayes your unfeâ—gned Christian Friend and Brother in the Lord WILLIAM PRYNNE Swainswick Sept. 1. 1656. A Seasonable Vindication of the frequent Administration of the Holy Communion to all Visible Church-members Regenerate or Vnregenerate HAving heretofore in a several Publications from Divine and Humane Authorities of all sorts largely evinced That the holy Communion of the Lords-Supper belongs equally to all and every visible Member of every particular Church capable of self-examination not actually cut off from it by a legal Excommunication be he regenerate or unregenerate That it ought to be now frequently administred in publick to all congregations as it was in the Primitive Church That it is a powerfully Converting as well as a Confirming Ordinance That Christ himself admitted b Judas to it though a Devil Theef Traytor Covetous wretch selling Christ for money to his Crucifiers at its original institution as well as the holiest Apostles That all Ministers are bound by their Office Duty Christs command to administer and all their people of age of discretion often to receive it That none may or ought to be secluded from it but such as are for their Notorious sins actually excommunicated from Church-Communion and all other Ordinances That sole Suspension from this Sacrament by way of Church-censure with free admission to all other publick Ordinances and Examination by Ministers or Presbyters of other mens fitness by way of Jurisdiction before their admission to the Lords Supper are not warranted by any precept or president in Gods word That neither the Ministers who deliver this Sacrament to unworthy Receivers presenting themselves humbly and earnestly to receive it nor such who receive together with them are guilty of their unworthy receiving but themselves alone nor any wayes partakers with them in their sins Answering likewise all Objections to the contrary Which Mr. John Humfrey in his Sermons Vindications of Free-admission to the Lords Supper and Rejoynder to Dr. Drake hath acutely judiciously solidly backed vindicated since with John Timson in The Barre removed and Answer to Mr. Collings and Mr. Saunders And having newly in my Legal resolution of two Important Quaeres of General presâ—nt concernment clearly demonstrated
fearful Mysterieâ— for we are all of one worthinesse to receive the same u Ignâ—tius saith One bread was broken for all and one Cup was divided to all In the x Canons of the Apostles it is decreed That if any man resort unto the Church and hear the Scriptures and abstain from the Communion he stands excommunicate as one that troubleth the Congregation The y like Decrees are found under the names of Calâ—xtus Anaclâ—tus Martinus Hilarius and others by which it is certain that the whole Church received together This Latin word Missa in the time of Tertullian and St. Cyprian signified a dismission or a license to depart and was specially applied unto the Communion upon this occasion that I must here declare They that were then named Catechumeni that is to say Novices in the faith and not yet christened were suffered to be present at the Communion untill the Gospel was ended Then the Deacon commanded then forth pronouncing these words aloud z Catechumeni exeunto or thus Ite Missa est Goe ye forth Ye have license to depart Of this dismissing or departing forth of the Catechumeni and others the Service it self was then called Missa The rest remained still in the Church and received the Communion together with the Priest Further the breaking of the bread which even now is used in the Masse it self signifieth a distribution of the Sacrament unto the people as a St. Augustine saith unto Paulinus Ad distribuendam comminuitur It is broken to the end it may be divided Surely one b Lorichius a Doctor of Mr. Hardings own side saith thus Ipsius Sacramenti Institutio vult ut omnes una manducemus et bibamus The very instuâ—tion of the Sacrament willeth that we all eat and drink together After which c Bishop Iewel adds It appears by that place of d St. Cyprian the hâ—ly Communion was thought so necessary to all the faithfull that children and infants were not excluded And it appeareth by St. Hierom e St. Augustine and other old Writers That they that were baptized as well children as others immediately received the holy Mysteries in both kinds f St. Hierom speaking of one Hilarius saith thus Non potest Baptisma tradere sine Eucharistia He cannot administer Baptism without the Sacrament of Thanksgiving Therefore all that were admitted to and though worthy of one Sacrament were freely admitted to and thought worthy of the other in the Primitive times g Vident haec Sacramenta Pauperes Spiritu et hoc uno contenti ferculo omnes hujus mundi delicias aspernantur possidentes Christum aliquam hujus mundi possidere supellectilem dedignantur He further addes in another place It is h granted of all without contradiction that one end of all Sacraments is to joyn us to God Another end is to joyn us all together And so likewise writeth S. Paul i All we are baptized into one body And therefore saith k St. Augustine In nullum nomen Religionis coagulari c. Men cannot be brought into any name of Religion be it true or false unless they be joyned together with some bend of visible signes or Sacraments And as touching the later of these two ends the same l Dionysius Areopagita writeth thus That holy common and peaceable distribution of one and the same bread and common Cup preacheth or prescribeth unto them a heavenly unity as being men fed together And Pachymeres the Greek Paraphrast expounding the same place hath these words For that common diet and consent bringeth us into the remembrance of the Lords Supper St. Cyprian ad Magnum saith With what love and concord all faithfull Christians are joyned together the Lords Sacrifice doth declare These words do sufficiently declare both the common receiving of the Sacrament and also the knitting and joyning of many together Without all question the effect that Dionysius meant standeth in this that the people prayeth and receiveth the Holy Communion together and thereby doth openly testifie that they be all one in Christ Jesus and all one amongst themselves And therefore m Chrysâ—stom saith For that cause in the Mysteries we embrace one another that being many we may become one But n St. Cyprian saith The whole Church is but one House in which the Lamb is eaten The Communion or fellowship of the Church standeth in sundry respects For we communicate together either in consent of mind as it is written of the Apostles o They had all one heart and one mind Or in knowledge of God as Christ prayeth for his Apostles unto his Father p That they may be one as thou and I be one And St. Paul to the Philippians q I thank my God alway that ye are come to the Communion of the Gospel Or in one Christ as Paul saith r There is now no bondman there is now no freeman but all are one in Jesus Christ To be short we communicate in Spirit in Prayers in Love we are all washed with one Bloud we are all fed with one body we have all one hope of our vocation and all together with one heart and one voice be we never so far asunder do glorifie God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ And this is that only House whereâ—n the Lamb is eaten grounded upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets In this House we dwell here we waâ—â— together with consent here we eat the Lamb of God being all Brothers and Members of one Body and all One in Christ Jesus God restore you Mr. Harding once again into the same House that you may open the eyes of â—our heart and see from whence you are fallen Å¿ Cyrillus saith They that receive the mystical benediction are one body with Christ and also between themselves Whereunto agree these words of t St. Hierome spoken in the behalf of Christ Blesse thine inheritance which thouhast gathered together in thy Church by the Mysterie of my Body and Bloud And u Anselmus a man of later years We break and divide the bread into many parts to declare the unitie of the love of them that receive it Here note This description of unitie standeth in receiving the Sacrament and not only in the Communion The whole Church of God is but one house and all the Members of the same doe communicate together in Faith and Spirit Hereof we may form the Major Every particular Church ought to be a resemblance of the whole Church and this particular Communion ought to be a resemblance of that General Communion That General Communion is common to all and every Member receiveth his part Ergo the particular Communion ought to be ministred commonly unto all and every Member to receive his part Or thus The Ministration of the holy Communion representeth the Conjunction and fellowship that we have in Faith And as x St. Cyprian saith That Christian men are
joyned together in unseparable Charity the Lords Sacraments do declare But Christian people being assembled in one Church do communicate in faith all together Ergo being so assembled they ought to communicate in Sacraments all together But Mr. Harding of the nature of this word Communio seemeth to fashion out * far other arguments It is called Communio saith he Ergo it may be private It is called Communio Ergo it may be received of one alone It is called Communio Ergo the Priest may receive it without Communicants Mr. Harding weigh your Argnments better before you send them thus abroad You shall lesse offend God and your own Conscience you shall lesse deceive your Brethren and children shall take lesse occasion to wonder at you y Now to adde a little more hereunto touching the nature of this word Communio wherein you so uncourteously charge all others with ignorance and lack of learning as it pleaseth you to do throughout your whole Book I think it not amisse to shew you what certain Writers both old and new have thought and written in that behalf I need not here to allege the words that St. Paul useth touching the holy Communion z We are all one Bread all one body as many as do communicate of one Bread Neither that a Saint Hierom saith The Lords Supper must be Common Neither that b St. Chrysostom The thing that is the Lords they make Private But the Lords things are not this Servants or that Servants but common to all Neither that c St. Augustine saith He would have us to understand that this Meat and Drink is the Fellowship of his Body and of his Members Neither that d Chrysostom saith What shall I call the Communication or Communion we are all one self-same body What signifyeth the Bread The Body of Christ And what are they made that receive it The Body of Christ Although these Fathers by these words do manifestly declare That the holy Mysteries in their time were divided commonly to the whole people yet will I take no advantage thereof for that Mr. Harding will reply They come not precisely to the nature of this word Communio Therefore I shall note one or two others and such as Mr. Harding cannot deny for that they speak directly to the matter e Pachymeres a Greek Writer the Paraphrast upon Dionysius hath these words Therefore saith he hath this Father Dionysius called it The Communion for that there all they that were worthy did communicate of the Holy Mysteries And all then were reputed worthy and received daily in the Primitive Church but persons excommunicate and injoyned to Penance who upon great and notorious crimes could not be suffered to communicate with the rest of the faithfull sometimes during their whole life but only when they should depart the world This extremity was used for terror of others and such reconciliation was thought necessary at the end for solace of the party that he should not utterly be swallowed up in despair but might perceive he was received again amongst the faithfull by sending the Communion to him at his death and so depart comfortably as the Member of Christ as * Bishop Jewel writes and proves in the next page f Haymo writing upon Saint Pauls Epistles saith thus The Cup is called Communication which is as much as participation because all do communicate of it g Hugo Cardinalis saith thus Afterwards let the Communion be said which is so called that we should all communicate h Gerardus Lorichius Dicitur Communio quia concorditer de uno Pane et uno Calice multi participamus c. Is is called Communio because we being many do communicate together agreeably of one Bread one Cup And this word Communio is as much as participation or receiving of parts i Micrologus Non potest proprie dici Communio nisi plures de eodem sacrificio participent It cannot justly be called a Communion unlesse many do receive of one Sacrifice If Mr. Harding will not believe us yet I hope he will believe some of these They be all his own It were much for him to say they be all ignorant and unlearned and not one of them understood what he wrote Certainly their age will give it them they are no Lutherans 3ly k Whereas Mr. Harding in defence of Private Masse puts this case What if 4. or 5. of sundry houses in a sickness time being at the point of death require to have their rites cre they depart the Priest after that he hath received the Sacrament in the Church dineth and then being called upon carrieth the rest a mile or two unto the sick He doth what he is required Doth he not in this case communicate with them c. Else if this might not be counted a lawful and good communion and therefore not be used one of these great Inconveniences should willingly be committed That either they should be denied that necessary victual of life at their departure hence which were a cruel Injury and a thing contrary to the examples and godly ordinances of the Primitive Church Or the Priest rather for companies sake than of devotion should receive that holy meat after he had served his stomack with common meats c. Bishop Jewel amongst other solid Answers hereunto returns this But if the people would now communicate every day as they did then in the Primitive Church or at least oftner than they do now then should not this matter seem so necessary at the end as is here pretended And so had Mr. Harding lost another Argument To these 3. passages of Bishop Iewel I shall annex that of his learned coetanean and fellow Exile for Religion Thomas Beacon a burning and a shining light in his Catechism Vol. 1. of his Works f. 462 463. where after he hath proved by sundry Scriptures and Authorities That the Lords Supper in the Apostles times Primitive Church was commonly received every day or Lords day at the least Adding That among the Greeks even at this day if any man absent himself from the Lords Table by the space of 14. dayes except he can render a reasonable cause of his absence he is excommunicate and put from the Company of the faithfull and that in all those mighty large populous Kingdoms under that most puissant King Precious John the holy Communion of the Body and Bloud of the Lord hath from the beginning been daily administred unto the people and yet is at this present day as Histories make mention He then censures this as a grosse Popish innovation and abuse contrary both to Scripture and Antiquity That whereas the Lord Christ Iesus would have the holy Communion of his blessed Body and precious Blood to be oft times received of the faithfull for a remembrance of his death and passion and for the worthy earnest diligent consideration of that inestimable Benefit which we have obtained of God
may do and are commanded to do they will not doe but that they cannot do that they will needs do And is not this the wanton folly of our Anti-Communion Ministers now That they may lawfully and are commanded to do to administer the Communion frequently constantly to all their people they will by no means do but argue plead preach r write against it But that themselves confesse they cannot nor ought to doe that they will needs do in despight of God and Men even Pope like Å¿ without any articles hearing conviction and before any judicial Suspension Excommunication by any Classis or Ecclesiastical â—udicature against all or any of their Parishioners excommunicate and keep back all or the Major part of their Parishioners from the holy Communion for sundry months years together by their own lawlesse Arbitrary Tyrannical usurpations without any lawfull Authority from God or Man and will neither receive it alone themselves as the Popish Priests do nor suffer their people to receive it with them to keep a perpetual remembrance of Christs death thereby incurring that Censure of Tertullian de Resurrectione carnis Haretici ex conscientia infirmitatis suae nihil unquam tractant ordinariâ— yea that just Wo and Censure denounced by our Saviour Mat. 23. 11. Luke 11. 52. Woe unto you Scribes and Pharises Hypocrites for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men for you neither go in your selves neither suffer ye them that are entring to go in or them that were entring in ye hindered and forbad as Luke renders it The Lord give them now Grâ—ce to discern and reform this their perverse Pharisaical Pride Hypocrisie and Tyranny yea Enmity against the Memorial of our Saviours passion for it deserves no milder Titles being such in reality 11. That the Popish Priests require a more extraordinary transcendent holinesse worthinesse examination confession of sins preparation and qualification in such Christians as they admit to the Lords Supper than they exact from them in their approaches to God in any other holy Ordinances and Duties of his worship be it Prayer hearing or reading of Gods word Fasting Thanksgiving singing of Psalms Baptism and the like And that upon this conceit t that it is more sacred and divine than any other Ordinance whatsoever For there it is Hoc est Corpus meum there we eat and drink say they the very Body and Bloud of Christ it seâ—f and so converse more immediately with Christ and God himself than in any other Ordinance Which ridiculous Popish dream of Transubstantiation as it u ushered iâ— their elevation Adoration of the Sacrament prostration kneeling bowing to it and their Altars with other various Papal Superstitions and Idolatries so it first introduced this Suspension Excommunication of Christians from the Lords Table only now so eagerly contested for by Anabaptists Independents and over-rigid Presbyterians though freely admitted to all other Ordinances of Gods publike worship and that extraordinary transcendent special Worthinesse Holinesse Self-examination Preparation Fitnesse which they appropriate to this Ordinance alone to make men worthy Receivers yet never presse upon them to make them worthy Petitioners Hearers Readers Thanksgivers Meditators introduced first by Popish Priests after Transubstantiation as an appendent or consequent of it but not known practised in Christs Church before in the primitive purest times as the premises evidence when they received the Lords Supper every day when they met together to pray or hear the word Which as it hath bred a strange Schism between the Sacrament and Ordinances of God themselves as if the Lords Supper were far holier and Christ more really immediately and in another manner present therein than he is in Baptism Prayer or the Word preached when as in truth Gods Sacraments Ordinances are all of equal holinesse and God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost equally present with us and as immediately conversed with by us in them all as in the Lords Supper as is undeniably evident by Eccles. 5. 1 2. 1 Cor. 10. 2 3 4 Mat. 28. 19 20. Acts 10. 33. 44. 47. Iohn 6. 29. to 66. compared with 2 Chr. 6. 19. to 42. Ps. 16. 11. Ps. 27. 4 8. Ps. 17. 5. Ps. 65. 4. Ps. 84. Ps. 95. 2. Psal. 100. 1 2 4. Ps. 105. 4. Ps. 132. 14. Ps. 140. 13. Isay 26. 8 9. c. 6. 3 5. c. 64. 1. 5. Jer. 30. 21. Mat. 7. 6. 1 Cor. 9. 13. 2 Tim. 3. 15. Rom. 6. 3 4 5. c. 1. 16 17. Gal. 3. 1 2. 27 28. By these passages of the Fathers cited by x Bishop Iewel against Harding who charged him with too Grosse an Errour in making the presence of Christ in Baptism like to his presence in the Supper y Saint Augustine saith Habes Christum in praesenti per Baptismatis Sacramentum Thou hast Christ in the time present by the Sacrament of Baptism z St. Chrysostom saith In the Sacrament of Baptism we are made flesh of Christs flesh and bone of his bones a Saint Bernaâ—d saith of Baptism Lavemur sanguine ejus Let us be washed with his bloud b Lâ—o saith Thou art washt in the bloud of Christ when thou art baptized in his death By these few writes Iewel it may appear That Christ is present at the Sacrament of Baptism even as he is present at the holy Supper unlesse ye will say We may be made Flesh of Christs flesh and be washt in his bloud and be partakers of him and have him present without his Presence Therefore Chrysostom when he hath spoken vehemently of the Sacrament of the Supper he concludeth thus Sic et in Baptismo Even so it is also in the Sacrament of Baptism The Body of Christ is like wise present in them both And for that cause c Beda saith Nulli est aliquatenus ambigendum tunc unumquemque fidelium Corporis Sanguinisque Dominici participem fieri quando in Baptismate Membrum Christi efficitur No man may doubt but every faithfull man is then made partaker of the Body and Bloud of Christ when in Baptism he is made the Member of Christ And whereas Mr. d Harding and others advanced the Dignity of the Lords Supper above Baptism and the Word and seclude those from it whom they admit to the other upon this Ground That those who eat and drink the Lords Supper unworthily eat and drink judgement to themselves not discerning the Lords body Thereto Bishop Iewel replyes St. e Ierom saith Dum Sacramenta violantur ipse cujus Sacramenta sunt violatur When the Sacraments be misused God himself whose Sacraments they be is misused And St. Augustine saith Qui indigne accipit Baptisma Iudicium accipit non Salutem Who so receiveth Baptism unworthily receiveth Iudgement or Damnation not Salvation as well as he who receives the Lords Supper unworthily Yea Christ himself when he sent forth his Disciples to preach and baptize Mar. 16. 15 16. said unto them Go ye into
from our Statute Common and Canon Lawes the bounden Duty of Ministers or Vicars of Parish-Churches to administer the Sacraments as well as Preach to their Parishioners with the Legal Remedies to reclaim them from or punish or remove them for their wilfull obstinacy in denying the Sacraments to them A Theam not formerly handled by any of my Profession generally unversed in such Law-points Which Remedies doubtlesse may will be put in execution against such Anti-Communion refractory sacrilegious Ministers who wilfully rob their Parishioners of their Sacramental Bread and Wine being herein far worse than Popish Priests who deprive their Laicks only of the Cup but freely admit them to the Sacred Bread in the eating of whith alone they likewise misinstruct them c that they also drink Christs Cup and Sacred Bloud And though they oft preach unto their people when they injuriously detain their Tithes Dues Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Ox that treadeth out the corn Deut. 25. 4. 1 Cor. 9. 9. that so they and theirs may have bread to eat at their own Tables yet themselves against this and other Divine commands still muzzle the mouths of those Oxen their Parishioners whose Tithes and Duties they receive which not only tread out but sow and provide them corn and keep them thus muzzled sundry Moneths nay Years together from eating any Bread at the Lords own Table though he d invites commands compels them by his Word precepts and the presidents of all former ages frequently to resort thereto To prevent which Prosecutions by their injured offended people and reclaim them from this their Sacrilegious obstinacy by all Christian friendly means or else to leave them exposed to the Justice Penalties of our Laws without any colour of Excuse or Plea in bar in Law or Conscience I thought it convenient by way of Corollary to all my former Publications of this subject to recommend to them and others some Passages touching the Lords Communion and it s oft celebration distribution to ALL Church-members in our peerless Bishop Jewel and shining Thomas Becon with certain Observations of my own deduced from them which through Gods blessing may rectifie their erronious Judgements Consciences Practices wherein now they ignorantly act the Parts imitate exceed the extravagances promote the designs of Papists Anabaptists and other Sectaries and by building blindly or unadvisedly upon their Foundations increase their Numbers Churches and decrease subvett their own as we all find by sad experience and themselves will most repent of if now they will not reform their Errors when it will be over-late I shall therefore beseech all such Ministers to lay aside all obstinacy self-interests Prejudices Parties Combinations By respects whatsoever and with sincere unbiasâ—ed docible Spirits to pursue Solomons divine advice Prov. 8. 33. Hear instruction and be wise and refuse it not lest Poverty and shame befall them as they doe those who refuse instruction Prov. 13. 18. and lest they sin wilfully without hope of pardon e Post inspirationem vero et revelationem factam qui in eo quod erraverat perseverat prudens sciens sine venia ignorantiae peccat praesumptione atque obstinatione superatur as S. Cyprian resolves It is a memorable saying of f S. Ambrose touching the Sacrament of the Lords Supper Indignus est Domino qui aliter Mysterium celebrat quam ab eo traditum est Non enim potest devotus esse qui aliter praesumit quam datum est ab Authore Which had those Ministers I now deal with duly pondered they would never have presumed to advance their own new Crochits above the Precept against the express President of the very Author of this Mystery Which how great a Crime it is that old blessed Martyr g St. Cyprian will inform them in these positive words Not to doe that thing that the Lord did what is it else but to cast off his word and to despise his Discipline and to commit not worldly but SPIRITUAL ROBBERY AND ADULTERY while as a man from the truth of the Gospel STEALETH AWAY BOTH THE SAYINGS AND DOINGS OF THE LORD and corrupteth and defileth Gods Commandements And is not their peremptory denyal to administer the Communion to their people year after year their stealing away the Body Bloud Bread Cup Table whole Supper of the Lord himself from their Parishioners and corrupting wresting defiling sundry Scriptures to justifie this their practice a casting off his Word a despising of his Discipline a committing not of worldly but spiritual Robbery Adultery yea a stealing away of the sayings and doings of the Lord worse than that of the h Aquarâ—i of whom he writes who did oft consecrate the Sacram. and deliver it to the people Yet vel ignoranter vel simpliciter in Calice Dominico sanctificando ET PLEBI MINISTRANDO non hoc faciunt quod Jesus Christus Dominus Deus noster hujus Sacrificii Author Doctor fecit docuit consecrating and ministring water to the people instead of wine And if St. Cyprian might well write this against the Hereticks called Aquarii which in the holy ministration would use no wine but instead thereof did consecrate water and ministred it unto the people MUCH MORE MAY WE SAY THE SAME AGAINST OUR ADVERSARIES WHICH CONSECRATE AND MINISTER UNTO THE PEOPLE NO CUP AT ALL writes venerable Jewel as these now do consecrate minister to them no Sacrament at all which is far worse I shall desire these Sacrilegious novellizing Ministers for the most part unacquainted with Antiquity seriously to ponder what this imcomparably learned most judicious pious Bishop Jewel in the name and defence of the Church of England after all his sufferings and exile for Religion hath written of the Holy Communion c. against Mr. Harding in his i Reply Article 1. of Private Masse where he informs us in positive terms 1. * That the holy Communion was so OFTEN so GENERALLY FREQUENTED AMONGST ALL CHRISTIANS IN THE PRIMITIVE CHURCH IN ALL THEIR ASSEMBLIES and CONGREGATIONS that at length the very company and fellowship of them was called COMMUNIO taking name of that action which was most solemnly used among them at their meetings which he there proves by sundry instances out of S. Aug. k S. Hierom and others which l Aug. like as also m S. Hier. and others witnesseth the whole people DAYLY RECEIVED TOGETHER n Hugo Cardinalis saith further Vel aicâ—tur Communio quia in Primitiva Ecclesia populus communicabat quolibet die It is called the Communion for that the people in the Primitive Church DID COMMUNICATE EVERY DAY In the primitive Church they in their health RECEIVED DAILY and in their sicknesse o had the Sacrament sent home unto them From whence he thus objects against Mr. Harding his Private Masse and censures the negligence of the Priests in the Church of Rome in administring the Communion and in not exciting
the Father through the Son his passion and death The custom of the Popes Church is that the people receive the Sacrament usually but once a year that is to say at Easter By which â—eans the Commandement of Christ is broken the Sacrament neglected the death of Christ not so earnestly remembred the people become unthankfull Dissolution of life breaketh in Vice increaseth Virtue decreaseth From these with sundry other like Passages of Bishop Iewel and Thomas Beacon incomparably eminent both for their Learning and Piety it is irrefragable 1. That in the Apostles days as some from Acts 2. 46 47. c. 20. 7. 11. 1 Cor. 10. 16 17 21. c. 11. 17. to 34. resolve and in the l Primitive Church for many hundreds of years next after the Apostles and among the Greeks and Christians under Precious Iohn at this day all Christians and visible Members of the Church of years of discretion to examine themselves constantly received the Communion all together every day or Lords day at the least when ever they met to pray hear the Word or perform any other publike Duties of Religious Worship unto God and that out of meer duty piety devotion zeal and love to Christ m Bishop Iewel in his Defence of the Apology of the Church of England proves this more fully by the confession and testimonies of sundry Popish Authors Thomas Aquine saith In Primitiva Ecclesia quando magna vigebat devotio Fidei Christianae Statutum suit ut fideles quotidie communicarent In the Primitive Church when great Devotion of the Christian Faith was in strength it was ordained that the faithfull should receive the Communion every day n Durandus saith In the Primitive Church all the faithfull daily received the Communion o Hugo Cardinalis saith In the Primitive Church All as many as were present at the Canon of the Masse did daily communicate and if they would not they departed out of the Offertory If ye think these Authorities are not sufficient p Iohannes Cochlaeus saith Omnes olim c. In old time both all the Priests and all the say people received the Communion with the Minister that had made the Oblation as is plainly perceived by the Canons of the Apostles and by the Books of the antient Doctors of the Church c. Likewise saith q Iodocus Clichthovius In Primitiva Ecclesia c. In the Primitive Church the faithful received the Communion every day Likewise it is noted in the Margin upon the Apostles Canons Omnes olim qui intererant communicabant In old time all that were present did communicate In the Council of Antioch Can. 2. Concil. Aquisgran cap 70. Omnes c. All that come into the Church of God and hear the Holy Scriptures and refuse the receiving of the Lords Sacrament let them be put from the Church These Decrees reach not only to the Ministers of the Church but to the whole People r St. Ambrose saith Munus oblaâ—um totius populi fit c. The oblation offered is made the whole peoples For that in me bread all are signified For in that we are all one we must all receive of one bread In imitation hereof the Protestant Churches in forein parts did frequently receive the Lords Supper all together witness the Å¿ Former Confession of Helvetia Artic. 22. Of the Lords Supper We do therefore use the holy meat oftentimes because that being admonished hereby we do by the eys of faith behold the death and bloud of Christ crucified and meditating upon our salvation not without a tast of heavenly life and a true sense of life eternal we are refreshed with this spiritual lively and inward food with an unspeakable sweetnesse and we do rejoyce with a joy that cannot be expressed with words for that life which we have found and we do wholly and with all our strength pour out our thankssgivings for so wonderfull a benefit of Christ bestowed upon us And this t Confession of Sweveland of their practise Our men do often times with as great reverence as they may receive the Sacrament to be the lively food of their souls and to stir up in them a gratefull remembrance of so great a benefit The which thing also useth now to be done among us much more often and reverently than heretofore was used to wit in times of Popery With the u Confession of Auspurg in these words Therefore the Masse to wit the celebration of the Lords Supper must be used to this end that there the Sacrament may be reached unto them that have need of comfort As Ambrose saith Because I do alwayes sin therefore I ought alwayes to receive a medicin And seeing the Masse is such a Communion of the Sacrament we do observe one common masse every Holy-day and on other dayes if any will use the Sacrament when it is offered to them which desired it Neither is this custom newly brought into the Church With what * hearts of adamant browes of brasse searedness not tenderness of Conscience then can or dare any Protestant Ministers Parsons or Vicars now who have Cure of Souls obstinately deny peremptorily refuse to deliver the Lords Supper to themselves or any or all of their Parishioners and Church members when they earnestly desire it at their hands not only for sundry dayes weeks months but years together and that under a new monstrous x pretext of extraordinary Zeal Piety Devotion Sanctity tendernesse of conscience transcendent Love to Christ his Sacraments their own and their peoples souls Or with what colour will such Pastors be able to justifie or excuse themselves before any Tribunals of God or men when legally accused convicted for this notorious detestable Sacrilege and Apostacy from the custom of the Primitive and Protestant Churches if they presently repent not of it with confusion of face and redemption of their former wilfull neglect herein by constant frequent publike Communions henceforth delivered to all their people in Common without future seclusions of any unexcommunicate persons from it who unfeignedly desire it 2. That the Apostles Primitive Christians Fathers Authors with these two most judicious Divines believed asserted both by their preaching writing practise y That the Sacrament belonged to and ought to be administred to every visible Christian and Church-member alike to all the whole Congregation in common and that none ought to be secluded suspended from it but persons actually z excommunicated from Church-communion and all other publike Ordinances for notorious scandalous offences That upon this ground and its frequent common reception by all it was stiled The Communion both by the Fathers Primitive and Modern Christian Church-writers of all sorts This is the express doctrine of the whole Church of England confirmed by a Parliament and subscribed assented to by all true Ministers Pastors of the Church of England admitted to any Pastoral Charge Article 30. The Cup of the Lord is not
to be denyed to the Lay-people For both the parts of the Lords Sacrament by Christs Ordinance and Commandment ought to be ministred to all Christian men alike A universal affirmative admitting all unto and sequestring no unexcommunicated Christian from both or either parts of the Lords Supper Which the Confession of the Protestant Churches in Saxony thus back b Article 22. Of the Sacraments The Church also is discerned from other Gentiles by certain Signs and Ceremonies instituted of God and usually called Sacraments as are Baptism and the Lords Supper Which notwithstanding are not only Signs of a Profession but much more as the antient fathers said Signs of Grace that is they be Ceremonies added to the promise of the Gospel touching Grace that is touching the free remission of sins and touching reconciliation and the whole benefit of our redemption the which are so instituted that every man may use them because they be pledges and testimonies which declare that the benefits promised in the Gospel do appertain to every one For the voice of the Gospel is general this use doth bear witness that this voice doth appertain to every one which useth the Sacraments What other Protestant Churches Confessions affirm to this purpose you may read at large in the Harmony of their Confessions Sect. 10 11 12 13 14 15. With what colour of Piety Iustice Equity Conscience Zeal Prudence Christianity Charity then dare any of our Independent Presbyterian or other Ministers seclude debar not only pretended ignorant scandalous unregenerate Visible Church-members nor actually or legally excommunicated but even true regenerate godly Christians and their whole Churches Parishes if not some whole Towns Cities from this holy Supper and Communion from month to month yea year to year upon false pretences that it belongs not to them that they shall prophane the Sacrament cast pearls before Swine give holy things to dogs damn poyson their own and their peoples souls if they give the Bread Cup of the Lord unto them and make visible and real Saint ship fitness worthinesse the sole rule ground of right interest in and admission to this Sacrament against the professed Doctrine Practice of all former ages Churches And all in truth to erect a more than arbitrary Ecclesiastical Papal Tribunal over Christs own Sacraments and their Parishioners consciences persons to admit to or seclude all and every of them from the Lords Supper at their pleasures upon their own terms and times alone the sole true round of this impious sacrilegious unchristian antichristian Innovation for it deserves no better Epithites 3ly That the Apostles Primitive Church Christians Fathers freely and usually admitted all visible Christians whatsoever to the Communion of the Lords Supper of discretion to examine themselves whom they freely admitted to Baptism Prayer hearing of the Word or any other publike Ordinances of Gods worship b enjoyning them all under pain of Excommunication when ever they heard the Word or met together in publike to receive the Lords Supper likewise in common together and excommunicating such who communicated not in this sort as men working the trouble and disorder of the Church That they required exacted no other no greater no solemner self-examination preparation fitness visible worthiness or real graces in the when they came to receive the Lords Supper but the very same they demanded expected from them when ever they came to be baptized pray hear read the Word or converse with God in any other sacred Ordinances of his worship God himself requiring the like examination qualification preparation fitnesse in all other holy duties and approaches to him in his word as in this duty as is evident by Eccles. 5. 1 2. Lam. 3. 40 41. Psal. 26. 6. Isay 1. 16 17 18. 1. 15 16. 2 Chron. 30. 17 18 19 20. Exod. 12. 48. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Jam. 1. 5 6 7 21. Mat. 22. 12. 1 Pet. 2. 1 2. Hebr. 12. 1. 1 Tim. 2. 8. Heb. 4. 2. 2 Pet. 1. 5. to 19. Luke 8. 18. Mar. 4. 24. Rom. 14. 23. and other texts compared with 1 Cor. 11. 28 29. and Christs c sodain institution and celebration of this Sacrament at his last Supper without giving any previous Notice of it to his Disciples to prepare themselves for its worthy reception their former preparation fitnesse to eat the Paschal Supper and hear Christs heavenly instructions given them Iohn 13. 14 15 16 17. being deemed by Christ himself a sufficient preparative to communicate with him at his Table Upon what true ground of conscience piety justice reason or religion then can any Ministers now seclude all or any of their baptized Parishioners of sufficient capacity to examine themselves whom they freely constantly admit to communicate with them in baptism prayer preaching singing Psalms hearing reading Gods word and other ordinary or extraordinary publike duties of Gods worship from the Communion of the Lords Supper only or deem them unprepared unqualified unworthy to communicate in this Ordinance alone when as they deem them sufficiently qualified prepared worthy to converse with God and the most regenerated Saints in all or any other publike Ordinances but this Or by what divine warrant from Gods own Word our Saviours his Apostles the Primitive Fathers Christians the * Protestant Churches or Bâ—shop Jewels Doctrine or Practice can they now over-rigidly exactâ—a more transcendent serious diligent special examination preparation qualification worthinesse fitnesse holinesse in their people when they resort to the Communion of the Lords Supper than when they come to hear read the word fast pray receive the Sacrament of Baptism give thanks or sing praises unto God or else seclude or deem them for unworthy Receivers who can eat or drink nothing but their own damnation Yea with what conscience reason justice can any Communicants neglect refuse delay to receive the Lords Supper upon this pretext alone that they are wholly unworthy unfit unprepared only for this duty when publikely administred in the Churches whereof they are members and they there present at all or any other sacred publike Ordinances in which they then repute themselves not unfit unworthy unqualified unprepared to converse with God and communicate with other Christians but in this duty alone Doubtlesse the serious consideration of Bishop Jewels St. Ambrose and St. Augustines words forecited touching due preparation to all holy duties with that of Chrysostom If thon be not worthy to receive the Communion then thou art not worthy to be present at Prayers and of the Primitive Christians daily communicating as well as hearing and praying will rectifie this common received Error both in Ministers and People now made the principal plea in barre excuse justification by the one magisterially to sequester repell their Parishioners from the Lords Table and by the people voluntarily to withdraw debar themselves from it against Christs own precept and their bounden duties to the prejudice if not peril of their souls Which I write not to make any carelesse or
neglectful of due preparation when they repair to the Lords Table but to stirr all up to a like conscientious holy preparation in all their publike or private approaches to God in other duties to rectifie this common superstitious epidemical errour that most think they are unworthy unprepared for the Lords Supper only even then when they deem themselves not so for all or any other sacred publike duties and thereupon approach not to it when it invited or so frequently as they ought and that henceforth none may deem themselves only worthy to receive the Lords Supper once or twice a year but unworthy at all other seasons they being not worthy to receive it once a year if they be not worthy every day according to St. Ambrose doctrine Who writeth thus of the custom of the Latine Church in his time as d Bishop Jewel records his words e Every week we must celebrate the oblation although not every day unto strangers yet for the Inhabitants yea sometimes twice in the week who then as frequently received the Communion as they heard the Word or prayed and deemed the self-same preparation sufficient for all three Ordinances then conjoyned as unseparable in point of usual practice The reason why Christ instituted the Sacrament of this Supper in the most common daily Elements of Bread and Wine was that so they might be commonly and frequently received by all at his Table for the spiritual nourishment of their Souls as well as daily and frequently received for the nutriment of their bodies at their private Tables 4ly That Christ himself his Apostles the Primitive Fathers Christians with all others who thus pressed practised the daily administring and receiving of the Lords Supper reputed it a converting as well as confirming Ordinance f begetting quickning grace in unregenerate as well as confirming inoreasing Grace in regenerate Christians as the Word read and preached doth This g St. Augustines forecited words For Christs Supper is a Sermon and the Priest therein preacheth and uttereth the death of the Lord with sundry others who stile it a visible Word a means of quickning and begetting Grace c. sufficiently manifest and I have h elsewhere proved at large How dare then any Novellers Ministers or others deny it to any unconverted unregenerated Christians as a meer deadly poyson only to them being the most probable effectual lively means of their humiliation compunction regeneration conversion unto God prescribed as the chiefest balsom cordial to heal their wounded sin-sick Souls and support their despairing languishing Spirits Or how dare any such Souls Spirits Christians though laden heavy laden with the greatest Crimes abstain from this most Soveraign Medicin to effect and perfect their Spiritual cure upon pretence of their own unfitness unworthiness unpreparedness when as the more dangerous more desperate mortal their Wounds Maladies are the more more speedily they need the fitter they are for this Spiritual Basilicon this heavenly Electuary which they i then most deferre neglect when they need it most and would first be healed cured by some other means before they resort to this most precious healing Physick which most effectually applies Christs passion bloud merits to their despairing dying Souls of all other Ordinances whatsoever If all in desperate corporal wounds diseases resort presently to the most effectual healing Medicaments why not then in Spiritual likewise but be enjoyned perswaded enforced under pain of damnation to defer and forbear them 5ly That it k was the constant practice duty of the Primitive Fathers Bishops Pastors and of the Protestant Churches Ministers in the beginning of Reformation to invite excite and stirre up all their people when backward negligent undevout to the frequent constant recâ—ption of the Lords Supper reputing all such who neglected this duty to be malapert impudent unworthy of Christian Communion and rebuking censuring excommunicating them as such till they repented of this sinne as the premises largely manifest together with that pathetical Exhortation in our Book of Common Prayer prescribed by the whole Church Parliament of England to be used by all Ministers * and read in Churches when they shall see the people negligent to come to the Holy Communion which I shall desire all our Ministers and Negligent Communicants oft to read ponder at their leisures for their better information and conviction With what consciences reason equity Piety then can any who professe themselves the only true faithful orthodox Ministers of Jesus Christ yea the holiest and devoutest Zealots of all others now make it their chiefest busines their greatest glory praise the argument of their ferventest zeal and devotion by preaching writing disputing not to exhort provoke encourage invite compel their people to but to dehort deter sâ—quester debar their Parishioners others from the Lords Table and their holy Communion with Christ and one another in this Ordinance for whole moneths yea years together l advising them to abstain fly from it as a most certain deadly poison damnation to their souls and instead of discharging their Pastoral duties in excommunicating all such who prophanely neglect to repair to it seclude excommunicate themselves and all their Parishioners from it though they earnestly importune them to be admitted to it month after month year after year against all Lawes of God and Man and by most absurd unchristian unreasonable whimsical conceits and pervertions of Scriptures endeavour to justifie in Presse and Pulpit this their most sacrilegious unchristian impious Papal Antichristian practiâ—e before all the world m censuring all others as professed Enemies to Reformation Christs Covenant and Kingdom Prophane Licentious Libertius Erastian Hereticks Men of loose Principles void of piety devotion holinesse c. who either concurre not with or publikely oppose them in these their irreligious Innovations and tyrannous usurpations diametrically contrary to the Doctrine Practice of all former Christian Bishops Pastors Ministers Churches from the Apostles dayes till this day The Lord now convince rebuke humble them for these their scandalous Practices Publications and reclame them for the future for their poor oppressed peoples spiritual welfare and our Churches future peace and settlement in these distracted times 6ly Bishop Jewel and Thomas Beacon in their forecited passages charge these particulars on the Church and Clergy of Rome as antichristian Papal Practices Innovations Errors Crimes contrary to the institution doctrine Practice of Christ his Apostles the Primitive Church Fathers Christians and of all reformed Protestant Churches Ministers in which most of our Anabaptistical and Independent Ministers yea many Presbyterians now imitate equal and farre exceed them 1. That the Custom of the Popes Church and Popish Clergy is usually to administer the Lords Supper to the People but once or twice a year by which means the commandement of Christ is broken the Sacrament of Christ neglected the death of Christ not so earnestly remembred the people become unthankefull dissolute in life vice
increaseth virtue decreaseth But how many Ministers now amongst us not only neglect but peremptorily refuse to administer the Sacrament to their Parishioners people so oft as once or twice every year at certain times but not so much as once in two three or four yeares space or more together whereby all the forementioned sins and evils are more multiplied amongst us of late years than formerly in times of Poperie Herein therefore they are more inexcusable and blame-worthy than the Papists whom they exceed in this exorbitancy 2ly That the Pope and Popish Priests made the peoples negligence and undevotion in not resorting daily and frequently to the Lords Supper the rule of Christs religion and Ground-Work of their private Masses And instead of controuling rebuking the people for not repairing constantly and daily to this Sacrament they suffered them to persevere and perish in this their negligence yea increased their negligence and discouraged them from the holy Communion whereas were it a matter of Tithes or other payments they should be called upon and not suffered in any wise to be negligent neither should their negligence stand for excuse And do not our Anabaptistical Independent Ministers crept into many Parish Churches and some Presbyterians likewise make the peoples negligence ignorance unpreparednesse undevotion the very Ground-work of their casting off and discontinuing all publike Communions in their Churches there formerly celebrated every Month or quarterly at least and to set up private Communions in their Conventicles and private Meetings to some few selected Proselites like so many private Masses yea instead of exciting their Parishioners to the frequent constant receiving the Lords Supper and reprehending them for their undevotion backwardnesse in resorting to it do they not foster incourage them in their Non-approaches thereunto nay use all possible strained Arguments to disswade deter debar them from the least accesse unto it though strict and diligent in calling on them for their own Tithes dues wherein no negligence or plea must be admitted O then do they not fully imitate equal yea exceed the Popes and Popish Priests herein who force all to communicate once a year at least under pain of Excommunication under pretext of avoiding Popery and prophanenesse The Lord set this home upon their Spirits that they may reform it without delay 3ly That the Popes and Popish Priests debarred the people from reading the Scriptures c. upon this ground that they be Dogs and Swine and therefore should not such precious stones be laid before them And do not many of our Minsters upon this very Ground debar all their people from the Lords Supper and justifie it in a Print and Pulpit from Mat. 7. 6. Give not that which is holy to Dogs nor cast ye your Pearls before Swine lest they trample them under their feet and rent you Which was certainly never intended of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper not then instituted nor of such who earnestly desire frequently to receive this Pearl this holy thing and are ready to rent their Ministers for not delivering it unto them whereas they would highly love honour them did they constantly give it to them as they ought by Christs injunction and the Primitive Fathers practice But rather of heavenly admonitions reprehensions Instructions given to excommunicated obstinate Sinners who would be more exasperated than reformed by them as I have b elsewhere proved at large and c others very lately And are they not then direct Popes Papists herein fighting with their Arguments against their own People and Christs own sacred Communion And here let me inform these Censorious Ministers who term and deem all those baptized Christians whom they judge unregenerate Doggs and Swine that these are no Scripture Gospel or Christian terms or Epethites becomming their Lips or Pens but meer Anti-Scripture ungospel unchristian Reproaches Revilings unbecoming their ministerial Function and Profession of Christianity diametrically contrary to Gods Christs the Holy Ghosts the Prophets and Apostles language in holy Writ Which in the Old Testament stiled all the circumcised Israelites and seed of Abraham joyned unto him by external federal Covenant and profession though for the most part really void of saving Grace and inward spirituall holines◠d Holy men A Kingdom of Priests and an holy Nation a peculiar people an holy people unto the Lord thy God a chosen special people unto himself above all the Nations which are upon the face of the earth the holy seed the holy people the redeemed ones e Gods people the Lords people the Lords portion and inheritance his own people the sheep of his pasture the people of the Lord of Hosts and that not only when they kept themselves pure frō Idolatry false worship other wickednes but even when they were polluted with idolatry false worship all manner of pollutions impieties plagued by God punished and carried away captive for their sins as the marginal Texts with sundry others testify So all their Priests Levites Cities especially Jerusalem are stiled holy most holy to the Lord the holy Court though many of them were polluted prophaned defiled with all kind of wickedness and idolatry Exod. 30. 29. Levit. 11. 44. c. 21. 6 7 8. Isa. 52. 1. c. 64. 10. c. 1. 21. Neh. 11. 1. 18. Dan. 9. 24. Mat. 4. 5. and other Scriptures Thus all the converted Jews and Gentiles under the Gospel externally professing embracing the faith of Christ and baptized into Christ are stiled Gods people my people by God himself in the Old Testament Ps. 110. 3. Hos. 2. 23. Zech. 13. 9. and likewise in the New Rom. 9. 25. Holy Holy Brethren Saints Saints by calling a holy Generation a Royal Priesthood a peculiar people 1 Cor. 7. 14. 1 Thes. 5. 27. Hebr. 3. 1. 1 Pet. 2. 5. 9. Rom. 1. 2. 1 Cor. 1. 2. 2 Cor. 1. 1. c. 13. 13. Eph 1. 1. 15. c. 6. 18. Col. 1. 2. 26. Philem. 5. yea they are said to be in Christ as branches in the vine Iohn 15. 1. to 9. sanctified with the bloud of the Covenant Heb. 10. 29. To be redeemed by Christ 2 Pet. 2. 1. yea reputed Members of the visible Churches of God and of the Saints though the major part of them be not really sanctified defiled with manifold sins 1 Cor. 1. 2. c. 14. 17. to 34. c. 14. 23. 33. Acts 20. 28 29 30. 1 Thess. 1. 1. c. 5. 14. 2 Thess. 1. 1. c. 3. 6. to 16. Rev. 2. 4 5. 14 15. 20. c. 3. 1. c. 4. 14 15 16. compared together to omit many other like Texts And such as these even when they fall into scandalous sinnes are to be restored with the spirit of meeknesse and to be admonished as Christian BRETHREN and not reputed Enemies Dogs or Swine Gal. 6. 1 2. 2 Thess. 3. 6. to 16. being still our Brethren in Christ till either actually apostatized from the Profession of Christ or actually cast out of the Church by
excommunication for grosse scandalous Crimes as the New Testament ever stiles them Let them therefore henceforth beware how they stile any Christians who frequent the publick Ordinances and professe the faith of Christ externally as well as themselves Dogs or Swine or use them as such by secluding them from the Sacrament though they joyn with them in all other sacred ordinances as their Christian Brethren and fellow Members of the Church of Christ 4ly That the Pope himself and his Cardinals doe scarcely communicate once in a year but are as negligent and as undevout therein as the most part of the people And are not many of our Ministers now more negligent and undevout herein than the Pope himself and his Cardinals or most part of the Popish people under them in that they do scarcely communicate not only once in a year but scarce in many years together in publike in their Churches And that not out of bare negligence as they which is bad but out of meeâ— design to debaâ—re all their people from the Lords Supper likewise lest they should participate with them at the Lords table which is far more impious detestable both to God and Man 5ly That the Pope and Popish Priests think that any man be he never so great a sinner may pray to God and resort to other Ordinances only they think a Sinner may not receive the Holy Communion And is not this the very Doctrine Opinion thought of many of our Ministers now who deny debar their people the Lords Supper and yet admit them freely to all other Ordinances of Prayer Preaching c Yet this must be no Popery forsooth in them but new Evangelical light sent down from heaven of late into their hearts 6ly That Mr. Harding and the Popish Priests write professe That the feast of the Lords Supper is common all are invited but they only received to it those who are disposed and proved that is after they have been examined by and made an Auricular Confession to their Priests and been adjudged by them worthy to communicate But yet many of our Parish Priests and Ministers now are far worse than these Popish Priests herein For many of them f deny this Feast to be common but peculiar only to the true regenerate Saints they invite not all unto it but such alone who have saving faith and grace within them Yea they invite not such of their Parishioners to this feast for whole years together but deny them their portion in this heavenly banquet for fear some unregenerate ones should thereby intrude into this feast together with them Neither will others of them admit any to this feast unlesse they on their now Presbyteries g first examine them touching their lives faith knowledge Graces visible worthiness and adjudge them upon trial to be well disposed and provided to eat of this heavenly feast for which they have neither precept nor president in Scripture but only from these Popish Priests whose language practice they imitate And such as will not subject themselves to this their Tyranny as Bishop Jewel terms it must no wayes be admitted but secluded from Christs Table by these Servants though their Lord himself invites commands them to resort thereto Yea which is a strain beyond all Popish Tyranny of this kind Some Ministers have refused to try or examin those Parishioners who have freely offered to put themselves upon their strictest Inquisition and Scrutiny or administer the Sacrament to them or to those they every way thought fit worthy to receive it peremptorily denying it to them moneths after moneths and year after year though importuned by all Christian means to administer it upon this most unrighteous untheological unchristian ground That if they should admit them to the Sacrament which was of right due unto them then others of their unregenerate Parishioners would croud in amongst them and claim it likewise as their due Thus the children must be kept from this their daily monthly sacred bread because the Dogs as they prophanely term all other Christians at large should h not so much as gather up any of the Crumbs that fall from the Lords Table Yea most of our Anabaptistical and Independent Ministers who have got into our Parochial Cures of purpose to enjoy the Glebes Tithes though they disavow Parochial Congregations as unevangelical and antichristian which then in conscience they should not accept for filthy Lucres sake alone and willingly resign to others are so transcendently peccant and super-tyrannical herein that they will upon no terms or intreaties whatsoever administer the Lords Supper to the best the holiest Saints of God whose graces they cannot but approve nor yet baptize their Infants for the most part unlesse they will first new-mould themselves into their Anabaptistical Societies or Independent Church-models the neglect or refusal whereof alone I know not by what warrant from Christ or his Apostles they make a sufficient ground for ever to debarr them from this Sacrament though never so worthy so prepared otherwise to receive it * Hear O Heavens Hearken O Earth and blush tremble at these monstrous Sacrilegious Impieties these super-transcendent Papal Tyrannies and worse than Antichristian Exorbitances which have rendred many who professe themselves the eminentest Protestaâ—t Ministers and Saints of the highest Classis more injurious undevout unrighteous uncharitable and tyrannical herein than Popes * In illis quae vâ—lâ— est ei proratione voluntas and that there is no other reason to be yielded of his doings but only this Quâ—a ipse voluit being now verified of them as well as formerly of the pope or Popish Shavelings The serious consideration whereof should make them execrate these their Popish Exorbitances and repent in dust and ashes for theâ— 7ly That Popish Priests from the Name and Nature of the Communion argue thus point-blank against both It is called Communio Ergo it must be private Ergo it may be received of one alone c. And do not many of our Ministers now argue thus or more absurdly than they It is called Communio because formerly received by all Christian Congregations together in Common Ergo It may it must now be wifully discontinued and laid aside for sundry years together Ergo none but Saints and segregated Conventicles must receive it together in private Ergo none that are not of our private Church-way or Congregation must receive it from or with us Ergo neither the Parish Priests nor any whole Parochial Congregations may or ought of right to receive it all together in the publick Church now as they did heretofore 8ly That the Popish Priests though they administer this Sacrament but commonly once a year to the people yet dâ—â—m it a Cruâ—â— injury a thing contrary to the examples and godly Ordinances of the Prâ—mitive Church to deny the Lordâ— Supper to private persons on their death or sick beds who desire it And therefore would rather deliver it alone to the sick person without the Priests
communicating with him contrary to the nature and institution of the Communion than suffer the party to die in discomfort and be swallowed up in despair without it But many of our Ministers are now so cruel and hard-hearted to their Parishioners that they will upon no terms or intreaties daily frequently or yet at all deliver the Communion publikely to them in the Church in their healths that so they might not stand so much in need of it in their sickness as i Bishop Jewel adviseth to prevent this Popish Mischief and the Primitive Christians Fathers practised Neither will they administer or send it privately to them at their deaths as the Primitive Fathers did even to excommunicate persons on their death-beds to comfort their hearts strengthen their faiths and keep their souls from sinking in despair In this therefore they are more uncharitable injurious tyrannical than the very rigidest Popish Priests and Popes unto their People 9ly That k the Popes and Popish Priests having discontinued the daily Communion of the Lords Supper with the people have instead thereof set up Private Masses wherein the people stand by only as Gaâ—ers and Spectators onely of the Priests eating and drinking but yet must not eat drink or communicate with them at the Altar or Lords Table they â—either calling them thereto by words or gestures nor having any preparation for them if called making them believe the hearing and seeing of what they do is sufficient whereby they increase the Negligence of the people and discourage them from the Holy Commnion Which Practice though meerly Popish and Antichristian l contrary to the precept and practice of Christ and his Apostles the Custom Doctrine Canons of the Primitive Fathers Churches the m Confessions Articles of all forein Churches and of the n Church of England professedly condemned declamed against by the Exhortation prescribed in the Book of Common Prayer ratified by sundry Acts of our Protestant Parliaments by Bishop Jewel and all former Protestant orthodox Writers Yet Dr. Drake in his Antiquaeries Preface p. 6. and his Boundary to the holy Mount p. 160 161 c. herein plays the down-right Pope Popish Priest not only in imitating but thus justifying pleading for this Practice as fit to be introduced in all our Protestant Churches Scandalous Persons yea Heathens may be present at the Lords Supper and all Sacramental actions and that with a great deal of profit The fruit of the visible and audible Word may here be attained by bare presence c. But they must not be admitted to but debarred from the participation of the Sacramental Bread and Wine Mark his reason By presence benefit may be gained but the Danger of eating and drinking unworthily cannot be incurred without actual receiving A better solider Argument for Private Popish Masses if true than any produced by Mr. Harding Bellarmine or any Romish Pope or Priest In which passage he proclaims open war against the o Institution Practice Doe this c. of our Saviour who instituted this Sacrament not to be Gazed upon but eaten and drunken by all present admitted no bare Spectators but Gave it to ALL his Disciples Yea he therein bids defiance to the Holy Ghost and St. Paul himself 1 Cor. 10. 2 3 4. 16 17. c. 11. 22. to 34 to the p Ite Missa est Qui non communicat det locum Custom Doctrine of the whole Primitive Church Fathers Christians as Bishop Iewel will at large instruct him and more particularly to the 25 Article of the Church of England The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon or to be carried about but that we should duly use them And this Exhortation Resolution in our English Liturgy Whereas you offend God so sore in refusing his holy Banquet I admonish exhort and beseech you that unto this unkindnesse you will not adde any more Which thing you shall do let this Doctor and others mark it well if ye stand by as Gazers and lookers on those that do communicate and be not partakers of the same your self this makes the fault much greater and is a further contempt having the Mysteries of Christ in derision Is it not said Take ye and eat Take and drink ye all of this With what face then will ye hear these words Will not this be a neglecting despising and mocking the Testament of Iesus Christ c Wherewith other * Protestant Churches in their very confessions accord And St. Chrysostom long before them ad Epheâ—â—oâ— Hom. 3. Whosoever standeth by refusing to communicate is wicked and shameless and unworthy to be partaker of the Prayers Thou wilâ— say I am unworthy to be partaker of Christs Mysteries thou art then unworthy to be partaker of the Prayers Thou maisâ— no more stand here thâ—n one of the Catechumeni or Novices that was never Christened Thus Dum stulti vitia vitant in contraria currunt This New Doctor will on no means admit ignorant scandalous or unregenerate Christians to receive the Sacrament for fear they should eat and drink their own damnation but yet defines they may be present at it and all the Sacramental actions without receiving and that too with a great deal of Profit What I pray To make their fault much greater to commit a further contempt than if they unworthily received them by having the Mysteries of Christ in derision and neglecting despising and mocking the Testament of Jesus Christ as our whole Church resolves against this his Popish Whimsy contradictory to it self For if they may see and hear the Sacramental actions and administrations worthilâ— and with a great deal of profit no doubt they may also receive it with much more profit and comfort too and it will Nonplus this grand Rabbi to resolve us how any can be a fit a worthy a profitable Auditor and Spectator of this Sacrament and yet an unfit unworthy unprofitable yea damned Receiver Let him therefore not disown retract this his Popish Dotage Contradiction Absurdity to which he is driven to avoid the dint of my q former Arguments against his absurd new-found Suspension and excommunication of men by way of Church censure for notorious Scandals only from the actual reception of the Lords Supper but not from being Spectators at it and freely admitting them as unexcommunicate true Churchmembers to all other Ordinances without the least seclusion from them For which Mr. Iohn Humfrey hath since sufficiently schooled him in his Rejoynder to his Boundary 10ly That the Popish Priests having abolished daily weekly frequent Communions together with their people in the Church who ought to receive the Sacrament and remember the death Passion of our Saviour as often as the Priests themselves do yet to keep a perpetual remembrance of Christs death oblige themselves to say Privase Masses daily communicate alone without the people and offer up Christ daily in sacrifice to his Father wherein appeareth their wanton folly that they
all the world preach the Gospel to every Creature He that believeth the Gospel preached and is baptized shall be saved he that believeth not shall be damned To which he superaddes Mat. 20. 14 15. c. 11. 20. to 25. Mar. 6. 11. And whosoever will not receive you nor hear your words when ye depart out of that house or City shake off the dust of your feet Verily I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement than for that City 2 Cor. 2. 15 16. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in preaching the Word as well as administring the Sacraments in them that are saved as in them that perish To the one we are the savour of death unto death and to the other we are the savour of life unto life By which it is apparent that there is as much danger judgement damnation incurred by every man by his unworthy receiving of Baptism and unprofitable hearing and contemning the Word preached as by his unworthy receiving the Lords Supper as also by his unworthy praying which is an abomination unto the Lord and turned into sinne Psal. 109. 7. Prov. 28. 9. Isa. 66. 3. Upon which account all unregenerate ignorant impenitent scandalous persons should be totally secluded from Baptism preaching hearing of the Word and Prayer as well as the Lords Supper by our Ministers So this Erroneous Popish opinion refuted at large by Dr. Ames in his Bellarminus Enervatus Tom. 3. l. 1. c. 4. De Saramentorum Comparatione hath severed the ordinary daily use of the Lords Supper used in the Primitive times from the ordinary publike Prayers and preaching the Word which it alwaies accompanied in the best and purest times and ingendred a world of unnecessary unchristian Controversies Schisms Sect in the Church of God especially in our own of later times And therefore ought now to be duely considered reformed exploded as well as that Monster of Transubstantiation which originally introduced these fond superstitious Popish Errors that now so much intoxicate the brains perplex the consciences both of Protestant Ministers and People and are like to prove our Churches ruine The Church of England in her 13 Article with our Protestant Writers Divines doe all Generally condemn the Popish doctrine of Merit of Congruity Yet most of them now really embrace justify preach teach print it in their extraordinary Preparations for the Lords Supper They all generally now teach and exact a visible or real worthinesse as absolutely necessary for every Communicant without which he must in no wise approach to the Lords Supper for then it will certainly prove meer poyson to him and he shall only eat and drink thereat his own damnation But if he be so really so visibly worthy and prepared as they prescribe and require hiâ— to be then he may certainly assure himself that God will accompany this ordinance with his special presence Grace blessing so as he shall assuredly reap much Grace encrease confirmation of his Faith Ioy Peace Assurance and all other Graces by it Whether this be not the Popish Schoolmens meriting Grace of Congruity and tying of Gods Grace Spirit to our Worthinesse Merits Preparations for our own inherent Worthinesse and Preparation sake let all judicious Protestants resolve Verily when I seriously ponder that Memorable Passage of Martin Luther in his Greater Catechism i That this Sacrament was not institnted for those that are worthy and purely clensed from their sins but clean contrary even for miserable and wretched sinners sensible of nothing but their own unworthinesse Therefore let such a one say Lord I would very willingly be worthy of this Supper but yet I come unto it induced by no worthines of mine own but trusting on thy Word alone because thou hast commanded me to come c. For the Sacrament is not to be looked on as an hurtfull thing from which we should run with both our feet but as a saving and wholesome Medicin which may heal thy diseases and give life both to thy Soul and Body Why then do we so shun it as if it were a Poison which being received would bring present death unto us Yea but some may say I am not so sensible of my sins and unworthinesse as I should be To such as are in this condition I can give no better advice than to look into their own hearts and to see whether they be not flesh and blood and may not say with Paul Rom. 7. I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no thing that is good In summe by how much lesse sensible thou art of thy sins and defects the more reasons thou hast of comming and frequent seeking Help and Physick And when I consider these Passages in the Practice of Piety so much approved by all our Divines and pious Christians concerning the due manner of Practicing Piety in receiving the Holy Supper of the Lord k That no man living is of himself worthy to be a Guest at so holy a Banquet The Rules there prescribed How to consider and perceive our own unworthinesse by examining our lives according to Gods Commandement With these ensuing Meditations prescribed to every Communicant to ponder both before and at this Sacrament l Ponder then with what face darest thou offer to touch so holy a body with such defiled hands Or to drink such precious blood with so lewd and lying mouths Or to lodge so blessed a Guest in so unclean a Stable For if the m Bethshemites were slain for but looking irreverently to the Ark of the Old Testament what judgement maist thou justly expect who with such impure eyes and heart art come to see and receive the Ark of the New Testament in which n dwelleth all the fullnesse of the Godhead bodily c. If John Baptist the holiest man that was boru of a woman thought himself o unworthy to bear his shooes O Lord how unworthy is such a prophane wretch as thou art to eat his flesh and to drink his precious bloud If the blessed Apostle St. Peter seeing but a glympse of Christs almighty power thought himself p unworthy to stand in the same boat with him How unworthy art thou to sit with Christ at the same Table where thou maist behold the infinitenesse of his Grace and Mercy displayed If the q Centurion thought that the roof of his House was not worthy to harbour so divine a Guest What room can there be fit under thy Ribbs for Christs Holinesse to dwell in If the r bloud-issued sick woman feared to touch the hem of his garment How shouldest thou tremble to eat his flesh and to drink his All-healing bloud Yet if thou comest humbly in Faith Repentance and Charity abhorring thy sins past and purposing unfeignedly to amend thy life henceforth let not thy former sins affright thee for they shall never be laid to thy charge and
this Sacrament shall seal unto thy Soul that all thy sins and the judgements due unto them are fully pardoned and clean washed away by the bloud of Christ For this Sacrament was not ordained for them who were perfect or worthy but to help penitent sinners unto perfection Christ Å¿ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance And he saith The whole need not a Physician but they that are sick These hath Christ called and when they came them he ever helped witness the whole Gospel which testifieth that not one sinner who came to Christ for Mercy went ever away without his errand Bath thou likewise thy sick soul in this Fountain of Christs bloud and doubtlesse according to his promise Zech. 13. 1. thou shalt be healed of all thy sinnes and uncleannesse Not Sinners therefore but those who are unwilling to repent of their sinnes are debarred from this Sacrament c. t I am in a word a u carnal creature whose very soul is seal'd under sin a wretched man compassed about with a body of death Yet Lord seeing thou x callest here I come and seeing thou callest sinners I have thrust my self in among the rest and seeing thou callest All with their heaviest loades I see no reason why I should stay behind O Lord I am sick and whether should I go but unto thee the Physician of my Soul Thou hast cured many but never didst thou meet with a more miserable Patient c. And why should I doubt of thy Good will c With this further passage y But then thou wilt say It were safer to abstain from comming to the holy Communion than to resort unto it Not so For God hath * threatned to punish the wilfull neglect of his Sacraments with eternal damnation And it is the commandement of Christ z Take eat doe this in remembrance of me and he will have his Commandement under the penalty of his Curse obeyed And seeing this Sacrament was the a greatest token of Christs love which he left at his end to his Friends whom he loveth to the end therefore the neglect and contempt of this Sacrament must argue the b contempt and neglect of his Love Bloudshedding than which no sin in Gods account can seem more haynous Nathing hinders why thou maist not come freely to the Lords Table but because thou wouldest rather want the love of God then leave thy filthy sins O come then but come a Guest prepared for the Lords Table Seeing they are c blessed who are called to the Lambs Supper And when I further observe the several passages of like nature in others of our Writers touching this Sacrament with this Confession of our sinnes in our English Liturgy And this acknowledgement We do not presume to come unto this thy Table O Lord trusting in our own worthinesse but in thy great and manifold Mercies we are unworthy O Lord to gather up the crumbs under thy Table c even then when we approach unto this Supper With those passages prescribed in the Exhortation before this Sacrament to be used by all our Ministers to their People when they see them negligent to come to the Holy Communion When God calleth you be not you ashamed to say I will not come c I for my part am here present and according to mine Office I bid you in the Name of God I call you in Christs behalf I exhort you as you love your own salvation that ye will be partakers of this Holy Communion c. I can no wayes approve the forementioned Doctrin and Opinion of visible or real worthinesse pre-required by our c New Doctors as the only rule of their admitting men to this Sacrament as Orthodox or solid but reject it as erronious Popish and meer merit of Congruity Disclaim that General received opinion That there is another sublimer Fitnesse Holinesse Examination Preparation required of all men in their addresses to this Sacrament than to any other of Gods Ordinances And cannot but conclude it a most damnable impious dangerous unchristian practice for any Ministers to dehort debar prohibit any of their unexcommunicated Parishioners from it who desire to receive it whiles they freely admit them to all other Ordinances since God himself both thus calls and commands them under pain of the highest sinne contempt and damnation to repair constantly to this Sacrament as the chiefest medicine to cure comfort refresh their sin sick drooping despairing Souls And upâ—n unpassionate serious second thoughts of what is here premised I doubt not they will all subscribe to my Opinion herin though they may deem it a strange Novelty at first reading and admit all freely to this Sacrament as well as to other Ordinances 12ly Our Reverend f Bishop Jewil the Harmony of Confessions sect. 14. with all Protestant Churches and Divines justly chargeth the Church of Rome and Romish Priests with Grand Sacrilege Church-robbery wickedness injury impiety in the highest degree for denying prohibiting the Cup of the Lord to the Lay people in the administration of this Sacrament contrary to Christs own institution and practice the practice of the Primitive Church Fathers Christians in former ages all other Christian Churches in the world for certain reasons best known to themselves and more especially for this very reason as g Iohn Gerson a principle member of the Council of Constance privy to its secrets records That if Lay-men should communicate under both kinds as Priests Dignitas Sacerdotis non esset super dignitatem Laicorum The Dignity of Priests should not be above the dignity of Lay-men Whence Gabriel Biel extolleth the dignity of the Priest above our Lady and all other Saints because he may communicate under both kinds and they cannot And so have they altered the Sacrament of aequality and unity and made it a Sacrament of difference and dissention as h Bishop Iewel truely observeth Now I appeal to the Judgements Consciences of all judicious Protestants and i Pope Gelasius himself who justly condemned this practice as most wicked injurious impious Sacrilege in the Popes and Priests of Rome whether it be not a farre greater worser execrabler Sacrilege for any of our Protestaut English Ministers contrary to our Saviours precept president the custom doctrine practice of the Apostles Primitive Churches Fathers Christians and all other Churches in the world yea to the Councils Canons Injunctions Articles Liturgies Homilies Writers of our English Church and k Statutes of our Realm obstinately wilfully to detain not only the Sacred Cup but Bread and whole Lords Supper from all their Parishioners for sundry Moneths Years together as no wayes due or belonging to them And that onely upon no other real Ground but this alone l to erect a new Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction in themselves and their intended Presbyteries over the Lords Sacrament it self and all their people and to advance their own Sacerdotal or Presbyterial
Dignity hereby above the Dignity of their ordinary Lay Parishioners this New Papal Authority Tyranny Sacrilege being never claimed practiced by them before but only since their late pretended divine right and claim to their new Presbyterian Soveraign Authority to examine all their Parishioners visible worthiness fitnesse preparednesse to receive this Sacrament before their actual admission thereunto Wherby they have now altered this blessed Sacrament of Equality Unity to which all visible Members of every particular Congregation capable of Self-examination have an equal right and common interest as well as themselves or their new Presbyteries Triers and ought to receive it together with them as frequently as they shall receive it made it a Sacrament of Difference Dissention division separation and no Communion at all nor yet so much a Sacrament or Ordinance of Christ at all in many Churches but only in Notion and Dispute not actual publike Celebration according to Christs command m This doe in remembrance of me They having now metamorphosed our Saviours precepts Take ye Eat ye Drink ye ALL of this in Remembrance of me As OFT as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup shew ye the Lords death till he come into This doe not Take ye not Eat ye not Drink ye not AT ALL in Remembrance of me Never once much lesse oft eat this bread nor drink this Cup nor shew ye the Lords death thereby till he come O my obstinate refractory Christian Brethren if I may be now deemed worthy by you to call you so who are guilty of this practice I advise you beseech you for the Honour of my blessed Saviour and this his holy Sacrament the Honour of our Protestant Church and Religion the Honour of your own Ministry and Function the comfort the Salvation the edification of your own your peoples Souls now at last most seriously to consider this your worse than Papal Romish impious Sacrilege Impiety Antichristian Pride Usurpation Tyranny Rebellion against Christs positive Precepts for I can truly give it no other better Terms than these with shame and confusion of Face Heart Spirit and then be n no more stiff-necked no longer Popish Romish in this and other forementioned particulars as you have hitherto been which render you more really scandalous if not impious than any you debarre from this Sacrament And o repute me not your Enemy nor a Rayler because I thus plainly impartially tell you the truth and have paralleld your late practices with Popes and Popish Priests exorbitances Sacrileges not minced your Crimes with diminutive termes but set them forth by their proper Titles in their Native Colours that you might the better discern their horrour avoid their danger and bee the more humbled for them before God and Men but p repute me your best your truest cordiallest Christian Friend q for discovering these your Iniquities and rebuking you sharply that you may be sound in the Faith r Remember therefore whence you are fallen repent and reform your late dangerous Errours and doe your first workes by discharging your Pastorall duties to your people in frequent publike common Celebrations of the Lords Supper together with them as your Ministerial and Parochial Functions Christs Precepts the Statutes Edicts of our Church and Realm oblige you And that upon this ensuing Consideration super added to the Premises 7ly That Å¿ Bishop Iewel and the Fathers Authors forecited by him resolve That one principal end of the holy Communion is to joyn and unite Christians together in Christian Communion unity amity as being all fed together and partakers of this one bread That by their common open receiving of this holy communion frequently together they do openly testifie and declare that they are all one in Christ Jesus and all one amongst themselves That this is the principal means to joyn keep them together and to prevent Schisms Divisions Sects Contentions amongst Christians It being impossible as t S. Aug. writes to conjoyn men together into any name of religion be it true or false unles they bejoyned together with some bond of visible Signe or Sacraments like confederated sworn Brethren Hereupon the later Confession of * Helvetia cap. 12. writes thus of this Holy Supper Moreover we are admonished in the celebration of the Supper of the Lord to be mindfull of the body whereof we are made Members and that therefore we be at Concord with all our Brethren that we live holily and not pollute our selves with wickedness and strange Religions but persevering in the faith to the end of our life give diligence to excell in holinesse of life With which accords the Former Confession of Helvetia in these words Also the Lords Supper is as a badge unto us for as one loaf and one wine are made of many grains and grapes so we being the whole multitude of the faithfull are gathered together to be one bread and one body By this we testifie in an outward profession that we are redeemed by the bloud of Christ and made the members of Christ to whom we give thanks in whom we are Confederates and do promise to perform mutual duties one towards another The Confession of Saxony thus seconds them God will have this publick receiving to be a Confession whereby thou maist shew what kind of Doctrine thou dost imbrace and to what company thou doest joyn thy self Also he will hereby that the members of the Church should have a Bond of mutual love among themselves * God would that these publick Meetings should be witnesses of the Confession and severing of the Church of God from the Sects and Opinions of other Nations John assembled his flock at Ephesus and taught the Gospel and by the use of the Sacraments the whole Company did declare that they embraced this Doctrine and did invocate this God who delivered the Gospel and that they were separated from the worshippers of Diana Iupiter and other Idols For God will be seen and have this Church heard in the World and have it distinguished by many Publike Signs from other Nations And the promises wherein God doth affirm he will preserve his Church ar included in the very words of the Supper where he commandeth the death of the Lord should be shewed forth and this Supper distributed till he come Therefore doubtlesse the principal and only means that Ministers or Magistrates can use to prevent the dangerous universal epidemical increase of Sects Schisms Separations from our Parish Churches and publike Assemblies to reclaim reduce re-unite their people in personal presence and affection to themselves their Churches and one another and to restore unity amity peace settlement to our miserably distracted dilacerated Church and Realms divided subdivided into so many Sects Factions one from and against another is to restore presse practise the frequent publike use of this Holy Communion every Lords day or Moneth at least and not to seclude any of their Parishioners from it
quae ad eos qui in bello capti sunt pertinent To these I might adde the like phrases and passages of St. Basil St. Hierom St. Ambrose St. Augustine Isychius Prosper Primasius Eucherius and others collected by the [Å¿ Century Writers where you may peruse them at leisure With that of t Faustus Rhegiensis Episcopus Illis ipsis qui graviter apud nos delinquunt nullam tristiorem nullam acerbiorem possumus invenire sententiam quam ut A corpore Congregationis abscissi sine pace discendant And infinite other Testimonies in all succeeding ages proving excommunicated persons for scandalous offences to be * totally secluded and cut off from the Church of God and all publike Ordinances therein Whatsoever and not suspended only from the Communion Which utterly subverts that New-found Excommunication only from the Lords Table introduced exercised and so much contested for by our Novellizing Ministers of late years against the practice of the Church and people of God in all former ages to the dishonor of Christ and his Sacrament and the great prejudice grievance offence scandal of their people which I trust they will now reform upon this Discovery and Conviction of their Error Finally let all such remember That Iesus Christ himself the only u Author instituter of this Sacrament for a perpetual remembrance of his death and passion till his second coming in the clouds invites and calls all Christians good and bad for whom he died and shed his bloud though the greatest vilest worst of sinners and unworthiest of all others to come unto this Sacrament as a most effectal means to heal cure convert comfort ease refresh sanctifie confirm save them as the forecited Passages out of Luthers Catechism the Practice of Piety all Liturgies and most Writers of this Sacrament accord inviting none thereto but such as confesse themselves most grievous Sinners standing in need of his free pardon cure grace mercy which they there expect to receive and get sealed to their souls Whereupon they are all bound under pain of contempt of the greatest mercy highest sin and severest judgemeet to resort unto it when they are thereunto invited as well as to other Ordinances their sinfulnesse unpreparednesse being no discharge or exemption from this their bounden duty which is a greater Crime to forbear than receive unworthily as being a total and higher wilfull contempt undervaluing of this Ordinance That Christ himself at its original institution * admitted Judas himself unto it though y a Devil Theef Covetous wretch a Traytor to and seller of him to his malicious crucifiers together with Peter whom z he then foretold should within few hours after thrice together most shamefully deny him as he did and the other Apostles who a all soon after forsook him fled and were all of them then b ignorant and uncredulous of the Doctrine of his resurrection and ascension as I have c elsewere proved at large And that purposely to manifest that this Sacrament which is but a visible word belongs equally to all visible Members of every visible Church whether good or bad regenerate or unregenerate though it be a favour of life unto life to the one and of death unto death to the other as well as the word preached and a converting as well as confirming Ordinance from which no Churchmembers professing Iesus Christ may or ought to be secluded Wherefore if the Disciple be not above his Master nor the Servant above or greater than his Lord as the d Lord of this Sacrament assures us then no Minister of Christ may can or ought under pain of highest Antichristian Insolency Pride Tyranny and affront to Christ himself his Kingdom Power and Soveraign Authority to seclude or keep back any from his sacred Table whom himself hath called invited admitted thereunto upon any pretexts whatsoever Let every one therefore henceforth e bow and submit to Christ herein and no longer stubbornly stout it out against him f lest he tear them in pieces suddenly and there be none to deliver and seclude them for ever from his g Table Kingdom in Heaven for suspending his invited guests from his Supper here on earth without his Commission or command I shall close up all with h St. Cyprians words recorded likewise by i Bishop Iewel which I wish all our Ministers to lay to heart Religioni nostrae congruit et timori et ipsi loco et officio Sacerdotii nostri custodire Traditionis Dominicae veritatem et quod prius apud quosdam videtur erratum Domino monente corrigere ut cum in claritate sua et Majestate Caelesti venire caeperit inveniat nos tenere quod monuit observare quod docuit facere quod fecit And his words to Cornelius the Pope registred in the k Harmony of Confessions out of the Confession of Auspurg How do we teach or provoke the people to shed their Bloud in the Confession of Christs name IF WE DENY THE BLOOD OF CHRIST TO THEM WHO ARE IN THIS WARFARE Or how shall we make them fit for the Cup of Martyrdom IF WE DO NOT FIRST ADMIT THEM BY THE RIGHT OF COMMUNICATION TO DRINK IN THE CHURCH THE CUP OF THE LORD FINIS ERRATA Epistle page 4. l. 34. yea r. in p. 5. l. 6. r. First Whereas p. 13. l. 5. these 〈◊〉 p. 22. l. 7. experience expedience Margin p. 9. l. 10. bending blazing Page 2. l. 23. or r. and p. 4. l. 10. superatus p. 9. l. 25. year p. 13. l. 17. saith p. 23. l. 2 ae forecited Authors p 24. l. 13. backs p. 25. l. 18. ground p. 28 l. 3. dele it p. 38. l. 19. formerly r. frequently p. 41. l. 13. on by l. 37. not now p. 49. l. 3. Sacraments p. 48 l 35. into p. 53. l. 21 as a. p. 54. l. ult and p. 55. l. 1. dele 7ly l. 14. Signs p. 6. l. 15. â—or or p. 61. but then p. 64 l. 2. but will recompance even Margin p. 38. l. 3. Praebendae p. 54. l. 3. Gal. 4. 16. a Rom. 1. 1. c. 10. 15. 2 Cor. 5. 20. c. 6. 1. c. 8. 23. b In my 4. and 12. Serious Questions â— and Seasonable Vindication of them My 16 Important Questions Suspension suspended Independency examined A full Reply to brief Observations c 1 Cor. 3 3 4. d Rom. 10. 15 Hâ—br 13. 20. Isay 9. 6. Eph. 2. 14. to 22. e See Mr. John Daille His Apology for the Reformed Churches ch. 2. f John 13. 34 35 c. 17. 20 21 22. Eph. 4. 3. to 17. g Psal. 133. 1. h Phil. 1. 27. i Ephes. 4. 3. k Joh. 13. 3â— 35. l Hab. 2. 1. m Phil. 1. 27. Jude 3. n Ezech 2. 6. Mat. 10. 26. 28. 31. o Rom. 3. 8. p 2 3 E. 6. c. 1. 5 6 E. 6. c. 1. 1 Eliz. c. 2. q See Dod Downham Bp. Andrews Elton and others on the commandâ—ments r