An Anti-Diatribe, Part 8
The eighth Section of the Paper.
IN the firſt times they generally communicated daily, which St. Hierom ſaith,The eighth Section of the Paper. Euſeb. ex Iren. cent. 2. Magdeburg. he neither approves, nor reprehends. Zepherinus Biſhop of Rome about A. D. 300. ordained that generally every one pubertatem exceſſus, (which was about the 15. or 16. year) ſhould communicate once a year. Fabianus; that they ſhould do it thrice; ſo did the Agathenſe Councel.
This decree is found under the name of the Apoſtles Canons, Can. 10. Which though I am not ignorant, are not rightly fathered upon them; yet are ancient, and not contemptible. As many of the faithfull as come into the Church, and hear the Scriptures, but continue not out the prayers, nor receive the holy Communion; let them be put from the Communion of the Church, as men that work the breach of order. And it is noted in the Margent upon the ſame Canons: In old time all that were preſent did communicate. And conſonantly the Councel of Antioch decreed. that all that come into the Church of God, and hear the holy Scriptures, and refuſe the receiving of the Lords Sacrament, let them be put from the Church; In vain,Hom. 3. ad Epheſ. ſaith Chryſoſtome, we ſtand at the Altar, when none will participate.—If thou ſtand by, and do not communicate, thou art wicked, thou art ſhameleſſe, thou art impudent; I would not only have you to participate, but to be worthy partakers. Thou wilt ſay, I am unworthy to partake of the holy Myſteries; then art thou unworthy to be partaker of the prayers; not only by thoſe things ſet before us, but by Hymnes alſo doth the Holy Ghoſt deſcend; you that are under pennance, depart.—He that partakes not,De medicina poenitent. ſuper illud, 1 Cor. 5. Si quis frater, &c. is a penitent. We can, ſaith Augustine, repell no man from the Communion, but one that by his own confeſſion, and the ſentence of the Eccleſiaſtical, or Civil Judicatory ſhall be accuſed, or convicted of ſome crime. And in another place, (which Gratian cites) under the name of St Hilary (De conſecrat. diſt. 2.6. ſi. non tanta,) Only for theſe ſins that deſerve excommunication, may a man be driven from the Communion, Ep. 118. c. 3.
And the School (if it hath any regard left it) doth generally hold, as alſo the Caſuiſts, (and beſides many reaſons, they cite the authority of Saint Auguſtine to abet their opinion) that the Communion is not to be denied to a ſecret ſinner, that is not notorious, if he deſire it, left he be thereby defamed. Let it now be conſidered, whether there can be any conformity between the Ancient Church, and theſe men, that are as careful, and as earneſt to exclude men from the Sacrament, as the Ancients were to bring them to it. Now men ſtand by, and would, but are not ſuffered to communicate; where then, and upon whom ſhall we lay Chryſaſtomes ſtigme of wicked, ſhameleſſe, and impudent? If the Paſtor ſhall ſay of his flock, as it ſeemes ſome of Chryſoſtomes auditours ſaid of themſelves, they are unworthy, the ſame Father will give the Paſtor the ſame anſwer which he did his own flock, they are then unworthy to be partakers of the prayers; and the Councel of Antioch addes, unworthy to heare the holy Scriptures. If they are not under pennance, they are not in that Fathers judgement to be rejected. And I would have it laid to heart in a ſerious conſideration, that ſeeing the Word is the ſavour of death unto death unto ſome, as well as he eates and drinks his damnation that eates and drinks unworthily; why there ſhould not be as great a neceſſity to examine men of their preparation and fitneſſe in order to the hearing of the Word, as to the receiving of the Sacrament; eſpecially ſeeing that precept of not caſting pearles before ſwine, or giving holy things to dogs, (which ſome alledge to juſtifie this Occonomy of excluding from the Sacrament ſuch as they ſuſpect unworthy) is firſt and principally intended of preaching of the Word.
SECT. 15.
Wherein other Arguments from Antiquity are anſwered, and the vote of the Schooolmen produced for the defendants.
§. 15 Here are more lines then in the former Section, but little that preſſeth us.
1. What if they received often? this was an argument of their faith, and ſtrength of love to Chriſt in thoſe dayes; we like their daily receiving better then their general, unleſſe the times were much better then ours. It may be oft, and yet not ſo oft. There is no neceſſity, nor hardly fitneſſe in this daily receiving.
1. How ſhall the Church come together?
2. What ſhall become of their calling?
3. What time of preparation?
This often receiving touches not us, but checks thoſe that while they diſlike us, do content themſelves with receiving it once, or twice a yeare, if they make it not an Eaſter-formality alone.
2. What if they received at fifteen or ſixteen years old? ſo they be godly young ones, we ſee no fault in that neither, we have had ſome taken in among us about that age.
3. Suppoſe it were decreed that all preſent at the Word ſhould communicate; this might well be, if ſuch as were under cenſure, or obnoxious to it were excepted. We alſo beleeve that ſuch as belong to a reformed and orderly Church, cannot without offence, unleſſe the cauſe be ſhewn go away from the Euchariſt, (having been preſent at the Word) when it is adminiſtred. All this while theſe men are no enemies to Antiquity. While we are conſidering theſe authorities, we ſee more confuſion then variety; How agrees that note upon the Margent of the Canons? [In old time all did communicate, yea all that hear the Word by the appointment of the Councel of Antioch, and no difference between preſence at the Churches prayers, and at her breaking of bread.]
This was in old time, and truly unleſſe the thimes were holier then ours now are, they were old dark times when ſuch things were practiſed. Thus the former authorities. But the following teſtimonies remember of ſome reſtraint upon that Ordinance, which is the true account of Antiquity, as is confeſſed in the Paper, and hath been demonſtrated by us. It is as cleare as the light at noon-day, that all under the Word were not ſuffered to come to the Lords Table, though this be the minde, and deſire of moſt in thoſe dayes: and that which commonly lies in the deck, where examination, and ſuch like diſtinguiſhing courſes were oppoſed.Mr. Ph. Goodwin. All to the Sacrament, being (as a godly man ſpeaks) the great Goliah of theſe dayes, with whom the little Davids of this age are encountring;Ameſius in medulla, Th. p. 288 289. As little weight has that teſtimony, which allows no cauſe of ſuſpenſion from the Communion, leſſe then that which deſerves excommunication; whereas the Paper makes the excommunicate but one of thoſe ſorts of the excluded, Antiquity hath diſtinguiſhed between ſuſpenſion, and excommunication, which are now termed the greater and the leſſer excommunication.
We come now to give an account of our regard of the Schoolmen, and of their reſpect to us in the preſent debate. We ſhall deſire thoſe that have them, to conſult them upon the third part of Thomas Aquinas, and to bring us word whether they don ot put it into the hands of Miniſters, to deny the Sacrament unto all ſuch, as they do judge to be ſcandalous ſinners, or unworthy perſons. We have given a taſte of the words of one of theſe.
This diſpenſation or denial of the Sacrament,Haec diſpenſatio vel negatio Sacramenti, non eſt conſideranda ut actio judicialis, &c. is not to be conſidered as a judicial or penal act, but as a prudent and faithful adminiſtring; and therefore depends not upon witneſſes and proofs, but only upon that judgement and knowledge, which in a prudent exiſtimation by occurrent circumſtances is judged ſufficient, that without any offence the Sacrament may be, and ought to be denied; ſee the Schools ſay ſo much,Suarez par. 3. Tho tom. 3. diſp. 6, 7. Sect. 3 p. 856. that they ſay more then we would have them; that whole Section, and all the Sections of that diſputation tend to the ſame purpoſe. The Paſtor muſt more regard the reverence, or dignity of the Sacrament, then the right of the ſinner. In the ſixth Section are theſe words: A violent ſuſpicion is enough to deny the Sacrament,Ib. Sect. 6 p. 863. according to the common opinion of Divines. Now to prove from the Schoolmen, and Caſuiſts, that all but the ſcandalous were admitted, or that ſecret ſinners are not to be kept off, is to prove nothing at all,Greg. Mag. Epiſt. lib. 2. cap. 66. for we ſinde that only ſuch ought to be excluded, as are ſome way ſcandalous. If it be manifeſt to our knowledge of any man, that he is guilty of ſome ungracious fault, let him by our authority be deprived of the communion of Chriſts body and blood. It is a ſad charge which cloſes theſe authorities, but being miſapplied, it troubles not us much, we leave it to the Reader to judge whether there be not more conformity between us and Antiquity, then our Adverſaries can make good of their practice, while they make no ſeparation, and ſet no bounds or fence againſt profaners. Who they be that are ſo careful to repell, and exclude men, as the Ancients were to bring them to the Sacrament, we know not. Nor will we too haſtily reſolve where that ſtigme of Chryſoſtome (being ſo foule) ſhould reſt; a man may ſee (with halfe an eye) where the Paper would fix it, nay, where it doth; but no matter, harder words then theſe muſt the ſervants of Chriſt bear with joy: With more truth, and candor may it be laid at their doors that are more careful and forward to have men partake, then to have them worthy partakers, as many are; this was not Chryſoſtomes minde, we have cauſe to bleſſe God for the comfort he hath given us in our weak endeavours, to preſerve the dignity of his Ordinance. Nor have we the leaſt touch of guilt, as to our excluding ſome, many are worthily excluded, ſome ſtand off, and exclude themſelves upon ſome poore pretences. We ſhall not beare their guilt at the laſt day. It is not much what men think, mans judgement is much eaſier borne then Gods. There is yet one thing unanſwered in this Section, which we are requeſted to conſider. It is, Whether it be not as neceſſary to examine men before they hear the Word,See Urſini Cateche. à Pareo illuſt. p. 531. See Evang, com. p. 178. See Gilleſpy, Aarons Rod. p. 489. Canes quidem quibus ſanctum non eſt dandum, & porci ante quos margaritae non ſuntt abjiciendae, Mat. 7.6. ab iſta ſacra menſa abigantur. At in quibus ſeriae poenitentiae ſigna deprebenduntur, illi non diu…urnis remoris, &c. Harm. Evang. Ger. fol. cap. 66. p. 941. as before the holy Supper, becanſe the Word hath the ſavour of death to ſome; and that Scripture (Caſt not your pearles before ſwine) is meant of hearing the Word? It ſeemes to us to be below reaſon, to ſee no difference between other Ordinances and the Lords Supper, as to mat-of examination. Thoſe words (Caſt not your pearls, &c.) may extend to hearers of the Word, this is not denied: but where one applies it ſo, many do apply it to the Communion. So by Alexander Halenſis, and others of note, Who knows not that diſtinction between a converting and confirming Ordinance?—Some indeed have conteſted againſt this difference, but with ſlender ſucceſſe. The Word Heathens are capable of. Go, preach the Word to every creature. The other is proper to Saints, to comfort, and ſtrengthen the begotten. So that there is not the ſame reaſon for a preced aneous examination in theſe two Ordinances.
As to that controverſie, Whether the Sacrament may convert (which borders upon this opinion?) ſo much is ſaid about it by two learned and godly men, as little can be added.Gilleſpy. One in a vigorous reply to Maſter Prinne, by whom (though a man free of his pen) no anſwer hath been given.Ph. Good. The other is a late, cleare, and ſweet diſcourſe. Conſult theſe; we are ſailing with a ſide-winde, being not directly ingaged by the Paper, to ſpeak our thoughts, yet we ſhall ſpare a few words to it. Converſion of ſouls is Gods work, who is not limited by his own Ordinances, but is above them, while we are under them; he can without any or by unſanctified meanes call a ſoul. We read of one converted by often ſeeing a deaths head in a ring, another by a mans falling down dead in his ſight; theſe (you will ſay) are not proper, or ſanctified means. Again, by prayer a ſoul may be converted in ſome ſenſe, As
1. Grace may be then given in.
2. In prayer much of the Goſpel may be held out, as to ſinnes guilt, miſery and remedy, and ſo a ſoul may be wrought upon, this is by prayer, but not as ſuch: The ſcope of it being to beg grace, to ſeek a bleſſing on the Word, and ſanctifie that meanes. Further, a ſoul may be wrought upon by a Sacrament-Sermon, or Sacrament-exhortation, or one may be turned from the practice of a particular ſin, and may have his converſion cleared at ſuch a time. Or thus, the time of receiving the Sacrament, may be the time of his firſt ſenſible feeling of grace wrought, yet all this doth not make it a converting Ordinance in an ordinary way, ſuch as in faith may be uſed for that end. No, Faith comes by hearing, Rom. 10.17. which is meant of preaching, as a diſtinct Ordinance, ſee ver. 15. But this is more then we owe the Paper, which doth not affirme (in terminis) that the Lords Supper is a converting Ordinance, but only this, that the danger is alike of unworthy hearing, as of unworthy receiving, and therefore examination is no more neceſſary to the one, then before the other; there being no examination before hearing, why before the Lords Supper?
1. But this conceit hath no conformity with Antiquity, for the Catechumeni, and penitents were admitted to the Word, but put from the other as all men know.
2. Heare a worthy or two in this caſe. The Word goeth before faith, the Sacraments, follow ſaith learned Ameſius. Peter Martyr ſpeaks thus in Engliſh: Moreover,Ameſius, Bel. Enerv. tom. 3. lib. 1. cap. 1. Pet. Martyr upon Mat. 18.17. Adbaec praedicandum eſt eis qui nondum audierunt, aut certè nondum perceperunt: attamen utcunque feratur impuritas conventuum ubi ver bum praedicatur quam Chriſtus & Apoſtoli tulcrunt, coenae tamen communio (ut dixi) purior eſſe debet, &c. we muſt preach to thoſe that have not yet heard or not underſtood. Yet though the impurity and mixture of Aſſemblies where the Word is preached, be to be born with, which Chriſt, and his Diſciples did beare, yet the communion of the Supper ſhould be purer (as I ſaid) for it is a publick thankſgiving for redemption given of them, who do openly profeſſe themſelves Chriſtians.