Christian Questions and Answers Part 2, Catechism · Question 243 – Question 251
242. Queſtion.
Let vsus returne agayne vntoo the matter. Doeſt thou thinke that the Supper of the Lorde ought to be celebrated in any other place then in the common and publike congregation?
Anſweare.
This was a cuſtome in the beginning of the old Church, that the Sacrament ſhoulde be ſent by Deacons to the ſicke that were abſent from the publike meeting, that is to ſay, at that time that the myſteries were celebrated of the reſt in that meeting, becauſe it was meete that thoſe whom one diſeaſe did let too be preſent in body, ſhould be accompted as if they were preſent: neyther doe I doubt but that that thing brought great cōfort to thoſe that were ſick, the which cuſtome I would very gladly were reſtored. But whether it be meete to be celebrated to the ſick at that time when the ſupper of the Lorde is not miniſtred in the Churche of this I greatly doubt.
Queſtion.
Why ſo?
Anſweare.
Firſte, becauſe the Supper of the Lorde is not a priuate action of anye houſhold, but meere eccleſiaſticall: and therefore that ſame domeſtical Lambe, was ſlaine in Iſrael, that yet notwithſtanding it ſhoulde not bee done at any other time, then when all Iſrael did celebrate this myſtery. Notwithſtanding I doe acknowledge that in this caſe it is ſomewhat diuers. For although it were very meete that theſe myſteries, throughout whole Chriſtendome albeit in diuerſe places, yet notwithſtanding dayly alſo if it were poſſible, or at leaſt vponupon appoynted, and ſette dayes were celebrated, which ſhoulde profite very much to the witneſſing of that ſame mutuall felowſhippe and conſotiation in Chriſt: notwithſtanding foraſmuch as neyther of both cā be obteined for many iuſt and neceſſary cauſes it ſeemeth, I know not in what ſort, to be contrary to the inſtitution of the Supper of the Lorde, that all the reſt of the Churche omitting it, ſome one houſe extraordinarily ſhould celebrate thoſe myſteries. Moreouer vnleſſe that were doone amongeſt all thoſe that were ſicke, howe ſhall the ſuſpition of partiality in reſpecting of perſons be ſhunned? Nowe if the Supper of the Lorde be to be miniſtred amongeſt all that are ſicke, lette Paſtours ſee by what meanes the prophanation thereof may be auoyded and howe they may ſatiſfie and vndergoe ſo great labours. The cuſtome therfore of certayn doe nothing at all mooue mee, although that it be very ancient, becauſe the matter is too bee iudged, not by Examples, but by reaſons. Finally that is moſte certayne, that by thys vſe the wicked thinges were brought intoo the Churche: too witte, in the beginning the keeping of both ſignes, then the Wyne waxing ſowre, the keeping onelyonly of one of the ſignes, which errour is playnly agaynſt the nature of the Sacramentes. Hence therefore ſprang another errour, as though by a certayne magicall pronunciation the thing ſignified were tyed too the ſigne. To be ſhort, it came ſo farre, that ſaluation after a certaine ſorte was tyed too thoſe ſignes.
Queſtion.
But doeſt thou think that for theſe abuſes the ſicke are to be depriued of this conſolation?
Anſweare.
I verily thinke, that ſpeciall care is too bee had for cutting off thoſe errours. Neither doe I thinke that the ſicke are depriued eyther of the conſolation of the word or ſacramentes if they be taught, becauſe perhaps the time of relebrating the Supper with the reſt of theyr brethren ſhall not fall out whiles they are ſicke or in the tyme of theyr death, therfore yt they are not depriued of the fruite of that Supper wc before they had celebrated. For neither is the efficacie of the Sacramentes too be reſtrayned to that time, wherein they are receiued, but is ſpread foorth to all the times of a mans whole life. But if a man think that he can ſhun al theſe incōueniences, and thinke that thoſe myſteries may be miniſtred to a ſicke man in the congregration, he requiring it, vppon theſe conditions I woulde not be againſt this cuſtome.
243. Queſtion.
But what thinkeſt thou of vnleauened bread?
Anſweare.
Although I woulde not greatly contēd of that matter as of a high point, yet notwithſtāding, I ſay that it is a double blotte in thoſe Churches which rather vſe vnleauened bread then bread that is leauened: for this both ſauoureth of Iudaiſme, and it is leſſe agreeable vntounto the proportion of dayly meate.
Queſtion.
Yea, but Chriſt firſt bleſſed ſweete bread.
Anſweare.
Forſooth becauſe hee inſtituted this Supper at that time, wherein it was not lawfull for the Iewes too vſe any other but ſweet bread. Therefore ſo I returne the argument vponupon their owne hande. If Chriſt vſed that bread, which at that time was vſuall, for the celebration of this Supper, the like alſo is too be done of vsus, that is to ſay, he commanded vsus to take the common vſe.
244. Queſtion.
What thinkeſt thou of adoration?
Anſweare.
There is no doubt but that wee muſt woorſhip God eueryevery where, and ſpecially in the holy myſteries: neither doe I thinke that there is any Churche in which there is not vſed a certain ſolēne geuing of thankes, ſo alſo both an inwarde and outward worſhipping, when theſe reuerent myſteries as it were rather in the heauens then in the earth are celebrated. But in the very taking of bread, how dangerous worſhip is at the Table, as that that opened the firſt occaſion too that bread worſhippe, from whence at the length Sathan caſt men headlong to conſubſtantiation, the thing it ſelfe declareth. Wiſe men therefore hauehave iudged an honeſt reuerence directed towardes GOD to be ſufficient.
245. Queſtion.
But that ſame oſtentatiō which the Grecians call [lifting vp the hoaſt] wouldeſt thou admit it?
Anſweare.
What forſooth, the very mother of that abhominable bread worſhip? nay if there were now any vſe of it, would any wiſe man allowe it? For this ſame ryte ſauoureth partely of the relikes of thoſe ſame Iewiſh Sacrifices in which thoſe ſame ſhakings & heauinges mentioned in the law were vſed, which were called Teruma and Tenupha: Partly alſo it is a Greekiſhe toy, as are many other rather Stagelike then Religious things, as it is eaſy to mark out of their Liturgies. For why ſhould I not ſpeak as the matter is? For we owe vntounto them that ſame mixing alſo of water, wc afterwardes fell out to be a new ſacrament.
Queſtion
But theſe things are very auncient.
Anſweare.
VVhat then? yet notwithſtāding that ſame ſentence of Cyprian is to be holdē what this or that man hath doone, but what Chriſt hath commaunded, that is to be done, when the matter concerneth his true worſhip.
246. Queſtion.
But wouldeſt thou admit all vntounto the Lordes Supper.
Anſweare.
That were more and time, which in very deed no man would admit, all boaſting themſelues for houſholde ſeruants into his howſe: which euen the very Idolaters hauehave not done, crying out in theyr ſeruices, away away, be yee farre of, O ye proophane people: which thing alſo the Lorde in times paſt ſo ſeuerely forbad, that hee tooke it impaciently that ſtrange fire ſhoulde be occupied in his holy ſeruices: who alſo with ſo many outwarde lawes commanded that euen they which were vnawares defiled, ſhould firſt be purged before he admitted them into his houſe, & ſpecially before he admitted them to the ceremonie of ye Paſſeouer: & ſhall that be thought now to bee done lawfully vnderunder this colour, yt eueryevery one ſhalbe beleued to come worthily to the Lordes table, which hauing heard the Sermon ſhall ruſhe thither? But I ſuppoſe that the Paſtours ought neceſſarily to knowe the ſheepe euen by the ſame order that reaſon it ſelfe hath appointed. Firſt therfore for auoyding of prophanation, I think that with a good conſcience ſtraungers are not to be admitted, altogether vnknowen to the Paſtour: Moreouer thoſe whom age it ſelfe ſheweth not to be fit to make examination of them ſelues, indeede not as vnworthie, but to bee warned as yet not fit, leaſt they heape vppon them ſelues damnation. But of thoſe that are growen in yeeres none to be admitted, vnleſſe hee hauehave firſt after a ſort rendred a reaſon of his Fayth, as one not onelyonly borne in the Church of God, but as ſuch a one of whome the Paſtour may probably coniecture, to be a Chriſtian, who muſt render account of all his ſheepe before the Lorde. Laſt of all, I would accompt thoſe for ſtrangers by the word of God, whoſe hypocriſie by the iuſt and lawfull iudgement of the Eccleſiaſticall preſbytery ſhalbe conuicted to be ſuch, that for a tyme they ſhall be inhibited from the common profeſſiō of Chriſtianitie, vntil they be found, heartily to acknowledge their ſinne, not that they ſhoulde periſh, but that at the leaſt being enforced by ſhame, they might repent and amende, and ſo the whole Church might reioyce againe of the receiuing agayne of a ſheepe that had gone aſtray. I ſay and am ready to prooue, that this hath bene the order alwayes kept, euen vntill theſe tymes euer ſince the Church began, of ſeuering the prophane from the holy, and reuealed hypocrites from the reſt of profeſſors of Chriſtian religion.
247. Queſtion.
But doeſt thou thinke this diſciplyne to be ſo neceſſary (whereby vntill the teſtimony of repentance they are to bee ſeparated from the reſt of the ſheepe, which might ſeeme otherwiſe to infect the reſt, or vnleſſe they bee noted with this kinde of marke, not to returne into the flocke from whence they hauehave erred,) that where that is not, the Church can not ſtand?
Anſweare.
God forbid. For the foundation of the Church is farre otherwiſe, which oftentimes euen the very publik miniſtery of the word, being as it were ouerwhelmed (as in the memory of our Fathers in many ages of Popery) was euen as it were buryed. But ſurely it pitieth mee concerning thoſe Churches in which eueryevery one, the iudgement of the Church being ſilent, is left vntounto his owne conſcience, becauſe Paule writing vntounto the Corinthians, hauing a great deale leſſe occaſion witneſſeth, that ſo neither the prophanation of the Lords Supper can be auoyded, nor eſcape vnpuniſhed. But alſo I much more feare thoſe churches, if they abuſe that which is giuen to edification, to deſtruction.
248. Queſtion.
But what thinkeſt thou of them that for the impuritie of others refuſe to come to the Lords Supper?
Anſweare.
I think that they greatly offende: for neither by an others mans conſcience, but by his own muſt eueryevery one be tryed.
249. Queſtion.
But is it free for eueryevery one, either to come to the Lordes Supper, or to abſtaine from it?
Anſweare.
No not ſo: for it is a commaundement of God, doe ye this.
Queſtion.
But the Apoſtle forbiddeth to come vnworthily.
Anſweare.
I graunt it. And therfore he biddeth vsus to come worthily, but he commandeth not that wee ſhunne it, although it were better to abſtain, then to come vnworthily.
250. Queſtion.
But thou art not ignoraunt howe many things may and are wont to be ſayde againſt thoſe thinges which I hauehave heard of thee, to the confutation whereof, when it ſhall pleaſe thee we will come.
Anſweare.
I knowe it, and hauehave already wayed all theſe thinges with my ſelfe, of which when opportunitie ſhal ſerue, we wil ſo handle the matter, that I truſt thou wilt allowe my reaſons. Nowe let it ſuffice that I hauehave ſpoken theſe thinges, that thou mighteſt vnderſtande what my opinion is, concerning theſe matters.
FINIS.
¶ IMPRINTED at London, at the three Cranes in the Vintree, by Thomas Dawſon, for Thomas Woodcocke.
End of the text · Theodore Beza, Christian Questions and Answers Part 2 (1580)