[ 654] Unworthy Communicants, condemned.
IT was a smart and piercing speech of St. Ambrose to Theodosius,* 1.1 offering himself to the Table of the Lord, Istasne adhuc stillantes injustae caedis cruore manus ••x∣tendes, &c? What, wilt thou reach forth those hands of thine, yet dropping with the blood of Innocents,* 1.2 slaughtered at Thessalonica? and with them lay hold up∣on the most holy body of the Lord? Or wilt thou offer to put that pretious blood in thy mouth, &c? The like may be said to many coming to the Sacrament, that instead of washing their hands in innocency, they rinse them in the blood of In••o∣cents. What? will they reach forth those hands of theirs, defiled with blood, with the blood of Oppression,* 1.3 those fingers of theirs defiled with iniquity, and with those hands and fingers touch those holy mysteries? with those lips of theirs, that have driveled out such a deal of filthy communication, with those mouths which have drunk of the cup of devils; with those mouths and lips, will they offer to drink the pretious blood of Christ? is it not sin enough that with their sins they have, already defiled their hands, fingers, lips, mouths, but that now also they will needs come and defile the Lords Table? and impudently crowd in to the Sacrament, when they come piping hot out of their sins and provocations?