Selected quad for the lemma: lord_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
lord_n	blood_n	body_n	soul_n	10,399	5	5.2639	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91267	A seasonable vindication of free-admission, and frequent administration of the Holy Communion to all visible church-members, regenerate or unregenerate. From the institution, precept, president of Christ himself; the doctrine, practice of the primitive Church, fathers, councils, Christians: the confessions, articles, records, chief writers of our own and other reformed churches: the dangerous consequents, effects, schisms arising from the disusage, infrequency, monopoly of this sacrament, to visible or real saints alone; and suspension of all others from it, till approved worthy upon trial. And that upon meer Anabaptistical, and papistical false principles, practices, (here discovered) unadvisedly embraced, imitated, asserted, exceeded by sundry over-rigid, reforming ministers; to our Saviours dishonour, our Churches great disturbance, their own, their peoples prejudice; and the common enemies, and seducers grand advantage. / By Will: Prynne of Swainswick Esq; a bencher of Lincolns Inne·	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1656 (1656)	Wing P4070; Thomason E495_3; ESTC R203285	81,072	108

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 ſ 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 ●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 al●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 b●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 condem●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 ● 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 Classi● 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 mortals●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 unfe●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 pres●nt concernment clearly demonstrated

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 unbias●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 Aquar●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 aic●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

fearful Mysterie● for we are all of one worthinesse to receive the same u Ign●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 Cal●xtus Anacl●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 instu●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 h●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 Chrys●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 where●n the Lamb is eaten grounded upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets In this House we dwell here we wa●● 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 ●our heart and see from whence you are fallen ſ 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 ſ without any articles hearing conviction and before any judicial Suspension Excommunication by any Classis or Ecclesiastical ●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 ordinari● 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 Gr●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 se●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 i● 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 Berna●d saith of Baptism Lavemur sanguine ejus Let us be washed with his bloud b L●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

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 B●shop Jewels Doctrine or Practice can they now over-rigidly exact●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 rec●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 s●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 practi●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

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 ſ 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 up●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

examin their fitnesse and suspend them from the Communion they have by divine retaliating Iustice or Providence at least and I desire them to observe it sodeinly unexpectedly beyond all humane probability by an unparalleld sacrilege lost most of their Church revenues Tithes Duties either seised or detained from them by their people from whom the● detain this Sacrament yea lost both their intended Presbyterial Government Classes Iudicatories Reputations Credits Reverend esteem the love and affections of the Generality of their Parishioners and rendred their Persons Function Ministry generally odious contemptible opprobrious throughout the whole Nation as themselves experimentally feel complain of and all intelligent men observe Which being an undeniable experimental truth there can be no better speedier means used to regain their former honor love respect and reduce their straying flocks from their several Schisms Sects Conventicles unto their Parochial Congregations Assemblies Ministry but to renounce those Anabaptistical Errors Practices they have unadvisedly taken up and strenuously defended to restore the frequent weekly monthly use at least of the holy Communion the principal bond of Christian Amitie Peace Vnity * serving instead of ANOATH to bind them all together in the true Profession of Christianity to re-gather their people together and re-unite and keep them close to themselves and one another and to grant a free admission unto all visible Church members able to examine themselves to the holy Communion as well as to all other Ordinances as Christ his Apostles the Primitive Fathers Christians did and the premises undeniably manifest they are bound to doe and to endeavour by preaching writing exhortations and all good Christian means to prepare and excite all persons capable to the frequent participation of this Sacrament and not dehort deterre any such from it as they have done of later years and thereby driven them both from their Churches and Ministry Remember what f Bishop Jewel in his forecited words replies to Mr. Harding O miserable is that Chdrch wherein no man no not so much as one is well disposed and fit to communicate at the Lords Table What conscientious zealous Christian can with comfort continue in such a Church or what Minister with comfort or conscience continue in his Pastoral charge over it and not remove or separate from it to some other Church and people better qualified for Christian Communion at Christs heavenly Feast Such Churches these Ministers declare their own to be by their practice to whom they pretend they cannot dare not administer the holy Communion at all as having no right unto it to the peoples scandal and their own And how many such Parochial Churches have we now in England who have had no Sacrament of the Lords Supper publikely administred in them for divers years last past though the more sinfull and worse they are the more they need this Soveraign Medicine this Sinne-clensing Soul-recovering Antidote to cure their Spiritual Maladies and diseased Souls the with-holding whereof from them instead of working their Spiritual cures hath f but only lengthned increased their diseases and made them more sinfull obstinate vicious irreligious sacrilegious prophane undevout atheistical neglectful contemptuom of this and all other sacred Ordinances than before and banished the serious frequent meditation of Christs precious bloudshed and benefits of his passion quite out of their remembrance As therefore the h Anabaptists and Independents seclude none from their Sacraments whom they deem visible members of their selected refined gathered Congregations upon this account That none are or ought to be members of their Churches but such who have an equal right and free admission to all Gods Ordinances So let our Presbyterian Ministers now upon the same account either separate from their Churches as no true visible Churches of Christ or else admit all the visible actual Members of their Parochial Congregations to this holy Communion as well as to all other Ordinances wherein they have all an equal interest as Church-members lest all their people withdraw and separate from them as many thousands have lately done and will do must else doe more and more till this Sacrament be restored to them That being no true visible Church of Christ nor true Christian Congregation wherein the Sacraments are not duly frequently administred as well as the Gospel preached as all i Protestant Churches Confessions Writers unanimously resolve And those Churches must needs be full of Schisms factions Contentions Animosities hatreds void of Christian love unity and in a most desperate sad condition where the Supper of the Lord the k sign and bond of the love peace unity amity that Christians ought to have amongst themselves and Sacrament of their redemption by Christs death is wholly cast aside kept from them by their Ministers Which the Lord give all such obstinate Church-distracting Church-destroying Ministers grace now timely to consider reform for their own their peoples the Churches benefit union Peace and future Settlement upon serious perusal of all the premises compiled published for this much-desired end alone For a close of all I shall desire all proud Pharisaical supercilious over-severe Ministers and other Christians puffed up with such a swelling conceit of their own transcendent Holinesse worthinesse and most others unworthinesse that they think them altogether unworthy to communicate with them at the Lords Table to consider seriously with themselves these few particulars which may abate this their spiritual pride and uncharitablenesse and reform their erronious practices in this kind 1. Advisedly ruminate upon Christs own parable of the boasting Pharisee and humbled sinfull Publican who went both up together into the Temple to pray and which of these two Christ himself justified Luke 18. 9. to 15. Which Parable he spake unto certain who trusted in themselves as being righteous and despised others v. 9. This alone methinks should at least abate if not fully cure this their overweaning self-conceit Compared with those Isay 65. 5. Which say to others stand by thy self come not near to me FOR I AM HOLIER THAN THOV These are a smoak in my nose a fire that burneth all the day Behold it is written before me I will not keep silence even recompence into their bosoms Let all such pure Justiciaries take heed they come not within the verge and censure of Prov. 30. 12. 13. There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes and yet are not washed from their fillhinesse O how lofty are their eyes and their eye lids are lifted up with spiritual pride Withall let them remember that of Jam. 4. 5. and 1 Pet. 5. 5. Yea all of you be cloathed with humility for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace unto the humble With that of Phil. 2. 3. Let nothing be done through strife or vain-glory but in lowlinesse of mind let each esteem other BETTER THAN HIMSELF And then they would seclude none from the Lords Table especially before a legal conviction trial and sentence of

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 [ſ 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. ●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 ● 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 H●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. 3● 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 command●ments r