The defense of the aunsvvere to the Admonition against the replie of T.C. By Iohn VVhitgift Doctor of Diuinitie. In the beginning are added these. 4. tables. 1 Of dangerous doctrines in the replie. 2 Of falsifications and vntruthes. 3 Of matters handled at large. 4 A table generall.

T. C. Page. 116. Sect. 2.

Nowe remayneth to be spoken of the number of communicantes, and that there is saulte in the appoynting of the Seruice booke, not onely for that it admitteth in the tyme of plague, that one wyth the Minister maye celebrate the Supper of the Lorde in the house, but for that it ordey∣neth a Communion in the Churche, when of a great number whyche assemble there, it admyt∣teth thrce or foure. The abuse and inconuenience whereof maye thus be considered. The holy Sacrament of the Supper of the Lorde is not onely a seale, and confirmation of the promises of God vnto vs, but also a profession of our comunction, as well with Christe our sauiour, and wyth God, as also (as (*) 1.1 S. Paule teacheth) a declaration and profession that we are at one wyth our brethren: so that it is first a sacrament, of the knytting of all the body generally, and of euery member particularly wyth the head, and then of the members of the bodie one wyth an other. Nowe therefore seeing that euery particular Churche and body of Gods people, is a repre∣sentation, and as it were a liuely portrayture of the whole Churche and body of Christ, it follo∣weth that whyche we can not doe wyth all the Churche scattered throughout the whole worlde, for the distaunces of places whereby we are seuered, we ought to doe with that Churche where∣vnto God hath raunged vs, as muche as possibly or conuentently maye be. The departing there∣fore of the rest of the Churche, from those three or foure is an open profession that they haue no communion, felowshippe, nor vnitie wyth them that doe communicate: and likewyse of those three or foure, that they haue none wyth the rest that ioyne not themselues therevnto: when as both by the many grapes making one cup, & cornes making one loafe, that whole Church beeing many persons, are called as to the vnitie whiche they haue one with an other, and altogether a∣mong them selues: so to the declaration and profession of it, by receyuing one wyth another, and altogither amongst themselues. And as if so be, that we do not celebrate as we may possibly and conueniently, the supper of the Lorde, we thereby vtter our wante of loue towardes the Lorde, whyche hathe redeemed vs: so if we doe not communicate togither wyth the Churche, so farre foorthe as we maye doe conueniently we betray the wante of our loue, that we haue one towards an other. And therefore S. (*) 1.2 Paule driuing heerevnto, wysheth that one shoulde tary for an other, reprehending that when one preuenteth, and commeth before an other, saying: that that is to take euery man hys owne supper, and not to celebrate the Lordes Supper, not that so many men or women as there came, so many tables were, for that had not beene possible in so great as∣semblies, but that they sorted them selues into certayne companies, and that they came scattering one after an other, and that in steade of making one Supper of the Lorde, they dyd make dyuers.

Io. Whitgifte.

You can not be ignorant, that the whole drifte of the Cōmunion booke, is to moue* 1.3 all men to ofte communicating, and that togither, as it manifestly appeareth in the first exhortation in the booke prescribed to be read, when the Curate shall sée the people negligent in comming to the Communion, the which if you had well peruse〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 you would haue (as I think) cutte off much of this talke. If the booke should appoynt that thrée or foure should communicate togither, & no more, or if it did not allow that

Communion best wherein most of the Church doe participate: then were your rea∣soning to some ende: but séeing that it is appoynted that there shoulde not be fewer than thrée or foure, to the ende that it might be a Communion, and haue no similitude with the Papisticall Masse, there is no cause why you should take this paynes. And surely he that shal compare that exhortation in the booke with this discourse of yours, it will be no harde matter for him to iudge, how much more pithily and effectually* 1.4 this matter is there handled, than it is here by you. But that thrée or foure shoulde be a sufficient number to communicate if other will not, there is good cause: for sée∣ing the holy Sacrament is a Seale and confirmation of Gods promises, and an ef∣fectuall applying of the death and passion of Christ vnto vs, and therefore a singu∣lar comfort and reliefe to the afflicted conscience and minde touched with the féeling* 1.5 of sinne, why shoulde those that be desirous of it béeing a congregation (as thrée or foure is, according to the saying of Christ, where two or three be gathered togither in my name, &c.) be debarred from their Godly desire, and that singular comfort, for the carelesnesse, securitie, negligence, or lacke of such féeling of others? Shall none communicate bycause all will not? Or shall not thrée or foure because the rest refuse? Or is it lacke of loue towardes our neighbour, or any token thereof if we resort to the Lordes table, when other will not? Where learne you that?

The place of S. Paule. 1. Cor. 11. is not aptly applyed. For the Apostle in that place, reproueth onely such as contemptuously or contentiously did separate themsel∣ues from other as well in the publike feastes called Loue feastes, and then vsed in the Church, as in the Supper of the Lorde. But he rather meaneth of the first than of the* 1.6 latter, and therfore sayth M. Martyr vpon that place. The Supper is here called priuate: eyther bycause some did chalenge to themselues priuately that whiche belonged to all: or else bicause euerie one after the receyuing of the holy mysteries, did take againe to him∣selfe those things, which he had offered at the Lordes table, and made that his owne whiche by right belonged to all. And againe he sayth, that the Corinthians be there reproued, Bicause they pampered their bellie, and contemned their brethren. I tolde you before what M. Caluine thought of this place: it can in no respect tende to the disallowing of any order appoynted in the booke of common prayer, bicause no man is secluded from the Communion that will come, and those that come when other men will not, do it not of contempt or of contention, but of conscience and pietie. Moreouer, wée haue no such banquettes or feastes, eyther before or after the Communion, as the Corinthians had, and therefore in that respect, there can be no suche abuse as the A∣postle there reproueth.

Notes

• (*) 1.1

  1. C〈1 line〉〈1 line〉. 10
• (*) 1.2

  1. C〈1 line〉〈1 line〉. 11
• * 1.3

  The intent of the booke is to moue all men to com∣municate.
• * 1.4

  Thre or foure a sufficient number, if o∣ther will not communicate.
• * 1.5

  Thre or foure a cōgregation. Math. 18.
• * 1.6

  Martyr. in. 1. Cor. 11.