The Badges of Christianity, Book 3 · Chapter 6
Chap. 6. Of the fourth outward part of the Lords Supper.
THe last outward part remaineth, which are the aThe 4 outward part are the communicants.communicantes: whose actions are outward, to take the bread and wine into their hands: then to eate the bread and drinke the wine to the nourishment of their bodies, bMath. 26, 26as is directly proued by the institution of this sacrament, where christ gaue the bread and cup into their hands, the Disciples receiued the one and the other, they did eate the bread and all dranke of the cup. These being the necessary actions of eueryevery receiuer, to take, to eate, to drinke: it beateth down many falfe doctrines of the Church of Rome, as their reseruation, ostentation, eleuation, adoration, circumgestation, procession, and pryuate communion: it teacheth also many necessary truths to direct our knowledge and increase our obedience, which we will consider in order.
First of all, did Christ commaund his Disciples to eat and. drinke that he deliuered, and posted them not ouer to eate thereof when they were departed, neither willed them to defer their eating vntill afterward: then all keeping and reseruing of bread in boxes, pixes, and other vessels of the church for daies, weekes, and months, all shewing it to the people, ccon, Trid … 3, can, 5lifting it ouer the priests head, and going with it in procession, is vtterly vnlawfull. For, it is no sacrament vnlesse it be vsed according to Christs institution and cómandement: but, to the institution it belongeth, as one the behalfe of the minister to take, to blesse, to poure out, and to distribute: so on the behalfe of the communicants to take, to eate, and to drink, in them al, to shew thereby the Lords death, and to do it in remembrance of him: which cannot be performed, but by obseruing the whole action. For, how can they shew the Lords death, or do it in remembrance of christ, vnlesse they take and eate? And as the paschallambe was not that passeouer, vnlesse it were killed and eaten: no more is the bread and wine a sacrament, except they be receiued and digested. The passeouer was the same in effect with the Lords supper, dReu. 13, 8who was the lambe slaine from the beginning of the world. Now god commaunded, that none of it should remaine vntounto the morning, but the remnant eExod. 12, x,should be consumed with fire. The like may be said of Manne, the same in substance with this sacrament: it was not to be kept & caried about, Let no man fExod. 16, 19reserue thereof til morning. Besids, there is the same reason of the cup and of the bread: but they reserue not the wine, they carry it not about to shew the people: why then should they keepe the other part? Likewise, when christ said to his Apostles, gMath. 28, 29Go baptize the nations: it was no baptisme by the hhosij consess, de eutharift, cap. 39confession of the aduersaries themselues, vnlesse there were some person baptized: so, when christ said Take and eat, there is no sacrament, vnlesse there be a receiuing and eating. For, as the one standeth in washing, so doth the other in eating and drinking, not in keeping and reseruing, not in carying in procession on a white horse, not in hanging it vp vnderunder a Canopy, nor in bearing it to the sicke with bell and candle. Christ tooke bread and gaue it to his Disciples, saying, iMath. 26, 26 27Eate ye: he tooke the cup, and when he had giuen thanks he said, drinke ye all of this, do this in remembrance of me: as often as ye shall eate this bread 1 cor. xi, 26and drinke of this cup, ye shew the Lordes death till hee come. But, they hang in it the pixe, beare it in boxes, and carry it about in publike tryumphes, and in common calamities, when any iudgement and war, plague, pestilence, and famine, and like visitation is among them: then Iack in the boxe goeth abroad in solemne kConcil. Trid sess. 13. cap. 5processions to be seene, which is the way to increase, not to slack: to kindle, not to quench: to prouoke, not to reuoke the iudgementes of God gone out against them. Besides, they shew this sacrament to the simple people, to fall downe to it as to a God, they put it vponupon the breastes of the dead, and sometimes lay it in the graue with them, I thinke to declare it to all the world, they wish Christ dead, buried, and forgotten for euer, that the byshop of Rome might with his shauelings rule and raign as a God vponupon the earth. Can light and darkenesse, can heauen and earth, fire and water, sweete and sower be more contrary, then these vaine things, to the institution of Christ? Who neuer said, keep it in vessels, hang it vnderunder Canopies, carry it in processions, lorigem. in Leuit. homil. 5giuegive it to the dead, lay it vp in their tombes bring it abroad in common iudgements: but take ye, eat ye, drinke ye, and by receiving, eating, and drinking shew yee forth the Lordes death vntill hee come to iudgement to iudge the quicke and the dead. This Sacrament is an holy feast, an heauenly banket, and therefore not to be hidden in a box, as a light put vnderunder a bushell, but to be set on the lords table for all his ghuests to feede thereon.
Againe, if the substance and essence of this sacrament stād Vse. 2in the lawful vse of eating and drinking: then al eleuation & holding vp of the sacrament ouer the priests head, all adoration, falling downe, honoring it with diuine worship, and calling the sacrament mGuil. alan. de sacrific. euchar cap, 41 bristo. …. 26their lord and God, as it is destitute of all antiquity, so it is full of grosse and palpable idolatry. For wheras it was accustomed, to hold vp the almes & offerings consecrated to God for the poore, thereby imitating the heaue-offering of the Iewes, and stirring vp the people to the like charity and deuotion, degenerated to the lifting vp of the host and bread in the sacrament. So that, where Christ saith take ye, eate ye: these bread-worshippers hauehave changed it into, looke ye, gaze ye, worship ye, giuing his glory to dumbe and senselesse creatures. True it is, we confesse that the Sacramentes, as mysteries sanctified to an holy vse, as vessels of gods grace, and as instrumentes fitted to worke great things, are not to be contemned or refused, but to be receiued with due regard and to be vsed with all sobriety … yea we confesse that christ God & man is to be worshipped eueryevery where: we honor his word, we reuerence his sacraments. Notwithstanding, nThe Sacrament is not to be adored.we put a difference between God and the sacrament of God, the same honor is not due to the one that is due to other, and therefore we cannot adore the elemēts with diuine worship, for many reasons. First, because christ in the institution of his supper said, take, eate, drink: he said not, worship, fal down, bow the knees before the Sacra. and call vponupon it in time of need. We heard before in the case of vnleuened bread, they appealed to the institutiō of cstrist: why do they now fly from it, turning eating and drinking into worshipping and adoring? Wherefore, is it not a great iniquity and wickednes, to omit what christ commaundeth, and do what he commaundeth not? Secondly, God only is to be worshipped with diuine honor, as Math. 4, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him oMath. 4, 10only thou shalt serue. And Exod. 20. Thou shalt not bow down to them, nor worship them. Now the sacrament is not christ, it is an institution of christ: it is not god, but an ordinance of God; for god is not visible, but the sacra. is visible, that al may know it, and see it with their eies: the sacrament is eaten, but God cannot be eaten and swallowed vp of vsus, p1 king. 8, 27 Acts. 7, 48, 49whom the heauens and the heauens of heauens cannot contain or cōprehend. Thirdly, christ reproueth the Samaritans, because They worshipped that qIoh 4, 22they knew not: but the Papistes know not the body of Christ to be contained vnderunder the accidentes ofbread and Wine, for the scriptures hauehave not taught it, CHRIST hath not deliuered it, the Apostles hauehave not shewed it. Besides, they knew not the priests intent, whereon they say the essence of the Sacrament dependeth, so as if he had no purpose of consecration, they cannot deny themselues to be idolaters and breadworshippers. Fourthly, rIohn. 4, 24the true worshippers must worship God in spirit and in truth, as Christ setteth downe, Ioh. 4, 24, that is, not according to our owne imaginations and diuises, but as God hath prescribed: but, to fall downe to the sacrament, is a bodily sernice, a new-forged worship, and an humane inuention. Fistly, without faith no man can please God: but saith commeth by hearing, sHeb: xi, 6and hearing by the word of God, which yet they could neuer shew vntounto vsus: therefore, they can hauehave no assurance of pleasing God in their wil-worship. Sixtly, if this sacrament be to be worshipped, then it is vnited personally to Christ, because adoration should not be due to Christ as man, except God and man in the vnion of person were one Christ: but there is no personall vnion betweene … and the sacrament of Christ: therefore not to be worshipped. Seuenthly, no man in his wits and right mind wil honor that with diuine worship, which himselfe may take in his hand, and eate with his mouth, and which may be deuouied by Mise, Rattes, dogs, Wormes, or other venime: for how shall that be adored as God, that cannot defend it selfe from the teeth of men and beastes? As Ioash answeared, tIud 6, 31, 32Will ye plead Baals cause? If he be God, let him plead for himselfe against him that hath cast downe his altar. Lastly, seeing they adore Christ in the pixe, where the bread is; and in the chalyce wher the wine is, why do they not likewise worship him in the priest and in the faithfull people, and eueryevery man in his brother, when they hauehave created and eaten him vp? The same Christ that was surely inclosed in the pixe, is by their doctrine, really contained in the body of priest and people, when they hauehave eaten and drunken their supposed sacrifice: Why then adore they not the flesh of christ, after that it is entred into the mouth of man, as well as in the golden boxe, or in the gilden chalice? Nay, why may he not be adored in the bodies of mise and vermin by them, if it fall out that they eate vp their God? Shall he be any where without honor? Or wil they worship him wher they list, and ouerskip him where they please? Howsoeuer therefore Christ is to be worshipped, yet we must take heed we worship not a piece of bread in stead of christ, which is most grosse and … Idolatry. Moreouer, if christ command the bread to be eaten and the wine to be drunk then they are not to be Vse. 3offered vp to God the father, as is vsually wont to be done in the pageant of the Masse. This is a deep dungeō of iniquity, and a monster of many heads, 4Conc. triden sess. 22, c 1turning the holy sacrament into an vnbloody sacrifice for the quicke and the dead, abolishing the fruite and remembrance of the death of christ, disanulling his priesthood, giuing him to his father, wheras the father hath giuen him to vsus, and imagining thereby to pay a price to god, which he should receiue as a fatisfaction for our sins. True it is, the Lords supper may after a sorte be called a sacrifice, not as the church of Rome meaneth, aIn what sense christs supper, may be called a Sacrifice.but bycause therin we offer vp praises & thanks giuings to god, for that sacrifice of attonement once made vponupon the crosse, which is most acceptable to god: and because such as come aright thereunto, offer vp themselues wholly to god, a reasonable, holy, and liuing sacrifice: and lastly, because thereby we cal to our remembrance … bloody sacrifice of christ withal … circumstances therof, the shame of the crosse, the darkenes of the heauen, the shaking of the earth, the renting of the aire, the cleauing of the rocks, the reproches of the Iewes, the taunts of the soldiers, the opening of the graues, & the conquering of the deuil. For the christians in former times, bThe fathers of the church liuing among the gentiles, called the supper a sacrificeperceiuing that many both Iewes and gentiles, refused to embrace the faith of christ, and to ioyne themselues to the church, because they pretend the want of sacrifices among them, (and nature engrafted in all nations this principle, that we hauehave no free accesse to God, no true peace to our selus, without a sacrifice) the fathers to win such as were without, affirmed that the church had also a sacrifice and thereupon entituled the sacrament of the supper with the name of a sacrifice, cSee more in the end of the booke.for the causes before remembred. But for a mortall man, whose breath is in his nostrils, to presume in the prid of his hart, vnderunder the formes of bread and wine to offer vp christ the son of God in the sacrifice to his father, and to dare to desire the father fauourably to behold and accept his owne sonne, is idolatry, blasphemy, and horrible impiety, to be detested of all true hearted Christians.
Touching the originall of dThe originall of the word Masse.the word Masse, it seemeth to come from an ancient custome of the church, sending away such as communicated not. For the deacon was accustomed to bid them depart, that were nouices in the faith, and such as by Church-discipline epolid. Virgil de inuent. rerum lib. 5. cap 10were remoued from the communion. This dimission of them was noted by the word Missa, signifieng a sending away and licensing to depart: and thus some of fsueton. in caling. cap. 25the heathen vsed it. The name then being in it selfe not euill, is turned into an euill practise, and therfore as it is vsed and vnderstood of our aduersaries, we reiect both the name and thing it selfe, for these causes. First, no angell, no man, no creature is of that dignity and worthinesse, that he may offer vp and sacrifice the sonne of God: for the priest is aboue the sacrifice: they therefore that will be the priests to offer christ, aduance and lift vp themselues aboue christ. Secondly, if christ be really offered in the Masse, then he is killed truely and indeed: for a reall sacrifice proueth a reall death, and when christ was sacrificed really, he dyed really, as when the beasts were sacrificed, they wer killed. And Holcot one of the schoolemen saith, If there had been a thousand hostes in a thousand places, at the same time that Christ did hang vponupon the crosse, gHolcot in 4 lib. sent. …. 3christ had beene crucified in a thousand places. Wherfore, they that really sacrificed our Sauiour Christ, did in that act really and wickedly kill him: so that the prieste s of Baal, if they wil be sacrificers of Christ, must acknowledge themselues therein the reall murtherers of Christ.
Thirdly, new sacrifices are not to bee instituted by men, without commaundement of god, as Moses teacheth. Deut. 12. we must not do h what seemeth good in our owne eyes, but take heede and heare all these words which he commaundeth vsus. Now, Christ neuer saide, Sacrifice ye my bodie and blood to God. Fourthly, Christ tooke the bread and gaue it to his disciples, he did not offer it vp to God the father, he tooke the cup and bad them all drinke of it: he did not turne himfelfe to God, and desire him then to accept the sacrifice of his body and blood. Fiftly, if the bread and Wine remaine in their former substance in the Lords supper: then bread and wine onelyonly are offered, not the body and blood of Christ, but they remaine: for christ deliuered i1 cor. x, 16bread to his Disciples, and Paule teacheth that it is the bread which is broken, & that as ofren asthe … eat this bread and drinke of this cup, they shew the Lords death: therefore their reall Sacrifice is reall idolatry. Sixtly, it appeareth in the institution of the Supper, that Christ consecrated the Bread apart, and the wine …, and afterwarde deliuered them both apart, but the bodye of Christ was neuer sacrificed without the blood, nor the blood without the flesh: for Christ offered vppon the Altar of the crosse the sacrifice of his bodie and blood together, this is the cause that he saide, Take ye, eat ye, drinke ye, not take ye to offer and to Sacrifice.
Seuenthly, the Scripture teacheth vsus one offering and Sacrifice for sin once performed and offered. Heb. 10. Wee are sanctified by the offering of Iesus Christ k once made: and ver. Heb. x, x, 1212. This man after he had offered one saerifice for sinnes, sitteth at the right hnnd of God, And the Apostle 1 Tim. 2. There is one mediator betweene God and man, the man Iesus Christ, who gaue himselfe a ransome for all men. So 1 Iohn 2. If any man sinne, we hauehave an aduocate with the father, Iesus Christ the righteous, and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes. Likewise Heb, 9. By his owne blood he entred in once vntounto the holy place, and obtained eternall redemption for vsus: not that he should offer himselfe l often, as the high Hebru. 9, 12Priest entered into the holy place euerie yeare, with other blood (for then must he hauehave often suffered since the foundation of the worlde) but now in the end of the worlde hath he bene made manifest once to put away sinne by the sacrifice of himselfe. We hauehave plentifull testimonies of this truth in this Epistle, as chap. x. Where remission of these things is, there is no mHeb. x, 18more offering for sinne. If then we hauehave remission by the sacrifice of Christ, all other sacrifices are superfluous and abrogat his al-sufficient sacrifice. So Rom, 6. In that he died, he died for sinne nRom. 6, 10once. And 1. Pet. 3. Christ also hath once suffered for sinnes, the iust for the vninst. If then this perfect offering were once onelyonly to be offered, then he is not offered, neither can be offered againe in the Masse. And, if the onelyonly oblation of Christ once offered by himselfe be sufficient: all other oblations and Sacrifices are vaine and superfluous. For how is that perfect, which is often repeated?
Eightly, to make a lawfull sacrifice, there is required necessarily a fit minister lawfully called of God, for oHebr. 5, 4, 5no man taketh his honor to himselfe but he that is called of God, as was Aaron: so likewise Christ took not to himselfe this honour to be made the high-priest, but he that saide to him, Thou art my sonne, this day I begat thee, gaue it him. But Christ is the onelyonly priest of the new testament, his priesthood is immortall and eternall, he liueth for euer therefore the Popish priesthood is a plant neuer planted by the heauenly father the pIoh. 15. 1, 2true husbandman, and the popish priests were neuer called of God, to sacrifice the body and blood of Christ, he gaue vntounto them no such authority, qMath 15, 13& therefore, in time shall be rooted vp. If they pretend the precept and planting of God, let them shew their commission that we may see it, and let them bring forth their charter that we may trie it, otherwise wee must take them for vsurpers, and counterfait Officers in the cittie of God. Ninthlie, the Apostle teacheth, that without shedding of blood is no rHeb. 9, 22remission: But in the vnblodie Sacrifice of the Masse, there is not effusion of blood, he doth not suffer, he is not killed, he doth not shed his blood, he doth not die: therefore in the Masse is no remission of any sins.
Tenthly, if Christ be daily offered in the Masse, then hee doth dailie satisfie for sinne, for the end of his offering is sRoma. 4, 25to make satisfaction, as Romaines, 4. 25. He was deliuered to death for our sinnes, and is risen againe for our instification. And Gal, 1, 4. He gaue himselfe for our sinnes that he might deliuer vsus from this present euill world; But he doth not make satisfaction, for our sinnes, no more then now he dieth and riseth again, for then Christ would not hauehave said, tIohn 19. 30It is finished: nor the Apostle, u He entered once into the holy place. Wherefore, no more sacrifice for sinne remaineth to be offered by such as iniuriously vsurpe the priesthood of christ.
Last of all, all true christians are Priestes to offer vp their bodies an acceptable sacrifice to God, which is their reasonable seruice of God, and to offer vp a broken contrite spirit, as 1 Pet, 3, 9. Ye are a chosen generation, u1 …. 2, 9a royall priesthood and an holy nation. And Reuel, 1. He hath loued vsus and washed vsus from our sinnes in his blood, and made vsus Kings and priestes vntounto God his father. These are the Priests that now remaine, this is the priesthood which we professe. Whosoeuer maketh himselfe any priest of another order in the new testament, abrogateth and abolisheth the Priesthood of christ, being after the order aHebr, 6. 20. Psal. 110, 4of Melchizedech, who was both king and priest.
Now then, as they commit sacriledge against Christ, that presume to offer him vp an vnbloody sacrifice to God the father, to make peace and attonement betweene God and man: so they adde another iniquity as drunkennesse to thirst, making their oblation not onelyonly profitable to take away the sinnes of the liuing, but auaileable to clense bThe Masse is no propitiatory sacrifice for the dead.the sinnes of the deade, that are come to the ende of theyr daies.
Indeede we deny not, but the Masse may be beneficiall to the rabble of Friers and sacrificing Priestes that make it gainefull to themselues, who through their sale and merchandize of Masses, dwell stately, goe sumptuously, fare delicately, drinke wine in siluer and gold, abound in pleasures, and heape vp great aboundaunce of all riches: shall we not now say, the Masse is profitable? But other profit of the Masses, then these to the Masse-mungers, we know none. We know, we find, we feelethem otherwise many waies pernicious in themselues, dishonourable to God, and hurtfull to the people. For first the Sacrament was instituted to no such end and purpose, as to helpe the deade, and to be a propitiation for their sinnes. For Christ sayde take and eat, this is my body: drinke ye, this is my blood: but the deade cannot take any thing offered vntounto them: they can neither eate, nor drinke: wherefore, this supper being spirituall meat and nourishment for the soule, cannot auaile the deade, who are neither fed nor nourished. Secondly, it profiteth as much to be baptized for the dead, as to receiue the Supper of the Lorde for the deade: for both Sacraments were instituted of Christ, and there is the same respect of both. But it can doe no good to baptize one for another, the liuing for the dead, therefore the living, comming to receiue the Sacrament of the Supper, cannot releeue the dead.
Thirdly, there is no forgiuenesse of sinnes after this life, we hauehave forgiuenes in this life or neuer. Whatsoeuer is bounde on earth, is bound in heauen. Heere is the time, heere is the place, heere is the occasion offered to worke, as the wiseman teacheth, Ec, 9, All that thine hand shall find to do, do it with all thy power: for there is cEccle. 9. 10neither worke, nor inuention, nor knowledge, nor wisedome in the graue whither thou goest. And Heb, 3. To day, if ye wil heare his voice, harden not your harts. Wherfore then is a sacrifice offred for the dead, for whom there is no releefe, no redresse, no remission? Fourthly, it is vaine to offer for those that hauehave ended their daies, and are already come to the ende of their race, dIohn, 9. 4 & 11, 9. 10whose estate can neuer be changed.
The night commeth, when no man can worke, and Chapt, 11, Are there not twelue houres in the day? if a man walke in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. If a man walke in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. And Paule, 2 Tim, 4. I hauehave fought a good fight, I hauehave finished my race, I hauehave kept the faith, from henceforth is laid vp for … the crowne of righteousnes. But this is the state of all the dead, they are entred into iudgment, they are not subiect to any chang. Lastly, if the sacrifice of the Masse could wash away the sinnes of the dead, then the sacrifice of the Masse should surmount and exceede the sacrifice offered by christ himselfe vponupon the Crosse. For this helpeth the liuing, it auaileth not the dead: and so we should hauehave other meanes to take away sinne then his oblation and there should be another propitiation for the sinnes of the world. And thus much of the popish idoll of the blasphemous masse.
Furthermore, did Christ deliuer his last Supper to all his Disciples that were present? Did none stand by, and gaze Vse. 4on while other receiued? Then heereby fall to the ground the priuate communions of the popish Church, where al Against priuate mastes in the church of Rome.is deuoured by the priest, nothing deliuered to the people. For whereas the ordinance of Christ and ancient order of the church was, for the minister and people to receiue the Conc. Trid. ses. 22. cap. 6Sacrament together: among them the priest accompanied with his boy to make answer, receiueth the sacrament himselfe alone, without distribution made to others, yea although the whole congregation be present and looke vponupon him, whereby God is dishonoured, the communion is abolished, the people of God are there by depryued and robbed of al comfort. How is this a feast which the priest prepareth for himselfe, not for others: receiueth by himselfe, not with his bretheren: he speaketh to himselfe, and not to the assembly: he vseth a strange tongue, and no man knoweth what he meaneth: the people is taught nothing, they vnderstand nothing, they heare nothing, they receiue nothing; and a few childish, apish, foolish, and vnseemely gestures excepted, they see nothing: they tast nothing, they partake nothing, neither comfort of heart, nor memory of Christ, nor benefit of his passion. But Christ in his last Supper, did not eate vp all alone, but after the Disciples hadde supped as Mathew gMath. 26, 26setteth it downe, he tooke bread and blessed he brake and gaue it to them, saying, take ye, eate ye: neither did he drinke alone of the fruite of the vine, but taking the cup he gaue thanks, and gaue to them all, saying, Drink ye all of this. So then, albeit a certain number of communicants are not limited and determined: yet Christ in these wordes apoin…eth a company to be present, as apeareth by the number take ye, eate ye, drinke ye all, deuide ye it among your selues, doe ye this in my remembrance, ye set foorth the Lordes death, when yee come together to eat, tarrie ye one for another, as often as ye shal eat this bread.
These words cannot be vnderstood of one perticular man, but necessarily import a greater number of men: nay, the Philosopher teacheth that the word (all) must be verified at the least hArist. li. 1. de coel. cap. 1of the number of three, which is the least and lowest number that would be admitted to this supper. Neither do we read that so soon as one was gained to the faith, that the Apostles administred this Sacrament to him, much lesse would they minister to themselues alone, when none were conuerted in a nation or cittie.
Secondly, Christ expressely commandeth vsus to doe as himselfe did, when he left this fare-well token and pledge of his … to his Disciples, saying, iLuke 22, 19Do this in remembrance of me. But he, after the wordes of consecration, did not offer a sacrifice to his father vnderunder shewes of bread and wine, but gaue the bread and cup to his Disciples, and left his owne example as a direction for vsus to followe: so that the distribution and deliuerance of the signes is of the substance of the Sacrament, as well as the breaking of the bread or pouring out of the wine, and it is not lawfull in any sort to change the testament of Christ, or to corrupt the meaning of the testator. Thirdly, the Apostle teacheth how he receiued from the Lorde that which he deliuered to the churches, that the people should eate of this bread and drinke of this cup: k1 cor. xi, 23and proueth that the faithfull are made partakers of the Lords table, not by gazing or looking on while others eat, but by eating: not by standing still while others drinke, but by drinking. as 1 Cor. x. Wee that are l many are one breade and one body, because we are all partakers of one bread. Fourthly, the same Apostle reprooueth the Corinthians, which presumed to the Supper of the Lorde besore others, and did not tarry for their brethren when they came togither to be partakers of the sacrament, as we see, 1 Cor, 11. EueryEvery man a hen they should eate, m1 cor. xi. 20, xxitaketh his owne supper afore, this is not to eat the Lords snpper. And afterward, Wherefore my brethren, when ye come together to eate, tarry one for another. Now because the Corinthians brake this order and ordinance, he chargeth them to come vnreuerently, to receiue vnworthily, to eat and drink iudgment vntounto themselues. Shall they then that are faithfull christians, patiently beare the iniury done them by these sacrificing Masse-mungers, who neuer bid the Lordes ghuestes, nor call them to his table, nor tarry for them till they come to this heauenly banket, but like the priests of Bell, do eate and drinke vp all themselues.
Fistly, the same Apostle willeth and warneth all persons which come to this communion, diligently to proue and examine n1, cor. 11, 28themselues, and then to come to this supper, as we see, 1 cor. 12. Let a man examine himselfe, and so let him eat of this bread and drinke of this cup: so that he would not hauehave any excluded from receiuing, which hauehave tryed their harts by examining, and are thereby rightly propared to this great worke. Lastly, the names giuen to this Sacrament, noting the nature thereof, doe affoord vsus a good consideration to strike through the heart of this priuate Masse, being called sometimes the supper of the Lord, and sometimes a communion among our selues. If it be an holy supper and spirituall banket, why are none bidden and called thereunto? If it be a communion, why doth the Priest vncharitably swallow all alone? whereby they make it a communion, but without company: a supper, but without ghuests: meat, but without eating: drinke, but without drinking: a table, but without sitting downe: a participation, but without any that are partakers: a banket, but without seeding thereat, the people departing as hungery and thirsty as they came. Wherefore, as no man celebrated the Passeouer aright, or receiued profit thereby, but such as did eat the flesh thereof: so can none come to the supper of the Lord as he ought, though he looke vponupon others, except he eate of the bread and drinke of the cup, according to the commaundement of Christ, the author thereof. And thus much of the sole communions and priuate Masses brought into the church against the example of Christ against the vse of the Apostles, and against the name and nature of the sacrament it selfe.
Hitherto we hauehave pulled downe the Heresies of the Church of Rome, and hauehave raked in the dirt and dungh ill vse, 5of their deuises, the sauour whereof hath annoyed heauen and earth: now let us obserue out of this last outward part of the sacrament, how we are directed and instructed therby to further our knowledge and obedience. Did Christ commaunde the faithfull of his family to eate and drinke that which he deliuereth without laying any furder burthen or bondage vponupon them? then we must vnderstand, oIt is no precept of Christ to receiue the Lords supper fasting.it is no precept of Christ to receiue the Lordes supper fasting before any other meats and drinkes.
True it is, the people, whose zeale goeth beyond their knowledge, make a great scruple of conscience in this point to come fasting pAugust. epist. 118.which custom we do not condemn, but commend, so it be without superstition in themselues, and iudging of others. But howsoeuer many make as great a matter to communicate fasting, as to come in faith: yet this is no necessary rule or commaundement binding the conscience to the obseruation thereof. For, the Worde of God and institution of the sacrament are perfect directions to the church, teaching all matters of faith and obedience, yet they teach no such practise. And our blessed sauiour teacheth his disciples what they should do, the Euangelists deliuer what they did, and among all their doctrine we find not this precept of fasting. Againe, Christ administred it not fasting, the Apostles receiued it not fasting: not that we are bounde to celebrate the supper at that time: but to shew that Christ would neuer hauehave chosen to do it after Supper, if that time had bin simply vnlawful.
Besides, the Apostle 1 cor. 11. reproouing the abuses crept into this Sacrament, and labouring to reduce it to the first institution, exhorteth the Corinthians to tarry one for another, and if any be hungry q1 Cor. xi, 36that he cannot tarrie, he must before hand … at home, that so he may better wait for the rest of the congregation. Now he would neuer hauehave giuen counsell and commandement, if it had bin vnlawfull or vngodly to take some little repast and short refreshing before, in regarde of the present infirmity and weakenes of the body. Lastly, he teacheth in another place, That the kingdome of heauen is not rRom. 14. 17meat nor drinke, but righteousnes and peace, and ioy in the holy-ghost. To conclude, as hee willeth that he which eateth, despise not him that eateth not, and he which eateth not condemne not him that eateth: sRom. 14, 3, 5 19so must it be in this indifferent practise, he that can take it, let him take it: but let not him that receiueth fasting, iudge him that fasteth not: and let not him which fasteth not, condemne him that receiueth fasting, he standeth or falleth to his owne maister. Who art thou then that iudgest an other mans seruant? Let eueryevery one be perswaded in his owne mind, and looke to the warrant of his own worke. Let vsus follow those things which concerne peace, and where with one may edisie another. If any list to bee contentious, we hauehave no such custome, neither the … of God. And thus much of the communicants of this sacrament, and likewise of the rest of the outward parts of the Lords supper.