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1. THe holy Sacrament of the Lords Supper does not produce it's intended effect upon an un∣prepared subject. He that gives his body to that which is against the spirit, & his spirit to the affecti∣ons of the body, cannot receive the body of Christ in a spiritual maner. He that receives Christ, must in
great truth be a servant of Christ. It is not lawful (saith Justin * 1.1 Mar∣tyr) for any one to receive the holy Eu∣charistical bread and to drink of the sacred Calice,* 1.2 but to him that be∣lieves, and to him that lives according to Christs Commandment. For as St. Paul argues of the infinite undecen∣cy of fornication, because it is a ma∣king the members of Christ to be∣come the members of an harlot: upon the same account it is infinitely impossible that any such polluted persons should become the mem∣bers of Christ to the intents of blessing and the spi∣rit. How can Christs body be communicated to them who are one flesh with an harlot? and so it is in all other sins: we cannot partake of the Lords table,* 1.3 and the table of Devils. A wicked person and a Communicant are of contrary interests, of differing relations, designed to divers ends, fitted with other dispositions, they work not by the same principles, are not weighed in the same ballance, nor meted by like measures: and therefore they that come must be innocent or return to inno∣cence; that is, they must repent, or be such per∣sons as need no repentance: and St. Ambrose gives this account of the practise of the Church in this affair. This is the * 1.4 order of this mystery which is every where observed, that first by the pardon of our sins our souls be healed, and the wounds cured with the medicine of repentance, and then that our souls be plentifully nourished by this holy Sacrament: and to this purpose he ex∣pounds the parable of the prodigal son saying [that
no man ought to come to this Sa∣crament unless he have the wed∣ding ring and the wedding gar∣ment;* 1.5] unless he have receiv'd the seal of the spirit, and is cloathed with white garments, the righteousness and justification of the Saints. And to the same purpose it is, that St. Cyprian complains of some in his Church, who not having repented, not be∣ing put under discipline by the Bishop and the Clergy, yet had the Sacrament ministred to them:* 1.6 against whom he presses the severe words of St. Paul; He that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks dam∣nation to himself; that is, he that repents not of his sins before he comes to the Holy Sacrament, comes before he is prepared, and therefore before he should: and St. Basil hath a whole chapter on purpose to prove [that it is not safe for any man that is not purged from all pollution of flesh and spirit to eat the body of the Lord] and that is the title of the chap∣ter:* 1.7 The wicked think to appease God with rivers of oyl, and hecatombs of oxen, and with flocks of sheep: they think by the ceremony and the gift to make peace with God;* 1.8 to get pardon for their sin, and to make way for more: but they lose their la∣bour (saies the comedy) and throw away their cost:* 1.9 because God ac∣cepts no breakers of their vowes; he loves no mans sacrifice, that does not truly love his service: what if you empty all the Maeva∣nian
valleys, and drive the fat lambs in flocks unto the Altars?* 1.10 what if you sacrifice a herd of white buls from Clitumnus?* 1.11 One sacrifice of a troubled spirit, one offering of a broken heart is a better oblation then all the weal••h which the fields of the wicked can produce. God by the forms and rites of sacrifice * 1.12 teaches us how to come to the Altars, whether for Prayer or Eucharist; we must be sure to bring no evil passion, no spiritual disease along with us; faith Philo. The sacrament of the Lords Supper is the Christian sa∣crifice, and though the lamb of God is represented in a pure ob∣lation, yet we must bring some∣thing of our own: our lusts must be crucified * 1.13, our passions brought in fetters, bound in chains, and laid down at the foot of the throne of God. We must use our sins as the asses first colt was to be used among the Jewes; there is no redeeming of it but only by the breaking of its neck: and when a sinner comes to God groaning under his load, carrying the dead body of his lusts and lay∣ing them before the Altar of God, saying [this is my pride that almost ruin'd me: here is the corps of my lusts, they are now dead, and as carkasses are more heavy then living bodies, so now my sin feels more pon∣derous
because it is mortified: I now feel the intollerable burden, and I cannot bear it.] When a sinner makes this address to God, coming with a penitential soul, with a holy sorrow, and with ho∣ly purposes, then no oblation shall be more plea∣sing, no guest more welcome, no sacrifice more accepted. The Sacrament is like the word of God,* 1.14 if you receive it worthily, it will do you good; if unworthily, it will be your death and your destruction. Here the penitent can be cleansed, and here the impenitent are consumed: here they that are justified shall be justified still, and they that are unholy become more unholy and accursed: here they that have not, shall have more abundantly, and they that have not, shall lose what they have already: here the living are made strong and happy, and the dead do die again.
He that giveth honour to a fool (saith Solomon) is like him that bindeth a stone in the sling:* 1.15 so we read it; but so, it is not easie to tell the meaning. The vulgar Latine reads it: As he that throws a stone in∣to the heap of Mercury: so is he that giveth honour to a fool: and so the Proverb is easie. For the Gentiles did of old worship Mercury by throwing stones at him: now giving honour to a fool is like throwing a stone at Mercury, that is, a strange and unreaso∣nable act: for as the throwing of stones is against all natural and reasonable way of Worship and Religion; and is against the way of honour: so is a fool as strange and unfit a person to receive it. But when Rabbi Manasses threw stones at Mercu∣ry in contempt and defiance of the image and th•• false god, he was questioned for idolatry, and paid
his liberty in exchange for his outward worship of what he secretly hated: but by his external act he was brought to judgment, and condemned for his hypocrisie. This is the case of every one that in a state of sins comes to the holy Sacrament; he comes to receive the bread of God, and throws a stone at him; he pretends worship and secretly hates him; and no man must come hither, but all that is within him, and all that is without, must be symbolical to the nature and holiness of the mysteries, to the designs and purposes of God. In short; The full sense of all this is expressed in the Canon-Law, in a few words. A Sacrament is not to be given but to him that repents:* 1.16 for there must no sinful habit, or impure affection remain in that tabernacle where God means to place his holy spirit. It is like bringing of a swine into the Propitiatory: such a presence cannot stand with the presence of the Lord. It is Dagon before the Ark; the Chechinah, the glory of the Lord wil depart from that unhallow∣ed place.
But because the duty of Repentance, as it is a particular grace, is limited and affirmative, and therefore is determinable by proper relations and accidents, and there is a special necessity of repen∣tance before the receiving of the Sacrament; we must inquire more particularly:
1. What actions or parts of repentance are ne∣cessary in our preparation to the receiving these Divine mysteries.
2. How far a penitent must be advanced in a good life, before he may come safely; and how far, before he m••y come with confidence.
3. What significations of repentance are to be accepted by the Church.
4. Whether in case the duty be not performed, may every Minister of the Sacrament refuse to ad∣mit the wicked person, or the imperfect penitent that offers himself and persists in the desire of it.
Just. Martyr apol. 2.
Non per id quod recte foris oblatum est sacrificium ad se ducit Deum, intus ha∣bens peccatum. Ire. l. 4. c. 23. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,
Non bene inaequales veniunt ad aratra juvenci.
Ubique mysterii ordo ser∣vatur, ut prius per remissio∣nem peccatorum Vulneri∣bus medicina tribuatur, postea alimonia mensae coe∣lestis exuberet. lib. 6. in Luc. c. 37.
Nemo huc accedere debet nisi qui signaculum justi∣tiae custodierit, aut rece∣perit lib. 7. c. 66.
Lib. 3. epist. 14. Nondum poenitentiâ actâ, nondum fact•• exomologesi, nondum manu eis ab Episcopo & Clero impositâ Eucharistia eis datur. 1 Cor. 11.28.
St. Basil. lib. 2. de baptism. cap. 3.
Quid juvat hoc, templo nostros immittere mores Et bona Diis ex hac scele∣ratâ ducere pulpâ?
Atque hoc scelesti illi in animum inducunt suum Jovem se placa••e donis ho∣stiis. Et operam & sumptum per∣dunt; ideò fit
Quia nihil ei acceptum est à peri juris supplicii.
— qua nunc tibi pauper acerrâDigna litem! nec si vacuet Maevania valles,Aut praestent niveos Cli∣tumnae novalia tautosSufficiam, sed saepe Diis hos inter honoresCespes, & exiguo placue∣runt farra Salino:Statius.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Philo.
Quin horres, vererisque talia committere, ac altaria frequentare? quomodo im∣maculata sacrorum myste∣ria aud es attingere? Hortor igitur te, ut vel committere hujusmodi desinas, vel à venerandis altaris sacrifi∣ciis abstineas, ne quando ignem de coelo capiti a••∣cersens tuo, turpè meritas poenas, ut optasti, luas. Sic Zosymum Presbyterum ar∣guit St. Isidorus Pelusiota. l. 5. ep. 12.
Omnia Sacramenta obsunt indignè tractantibus: pro∣sunt tamen dignè sumen∣tibus, sicut & verbum Dei. S. August. contr. epist. Parmen.
Pro. 2••.8.
Cap illud. dist, 95. Non poe∣nitentibus istud in∣fundi non potest quia Sacra∣menti ge∣nus est.