The worthy communicant, or, A discourse of the nature, effects, and blessings consequent to the worthy receiving of the Lords Supper and of all the duties required in order to a worthy preparation : together with the cases of conscience occurring in the duty of him that ministers, and of him that communicates : to which are added, devotions fitted to every part of the ministration / by Jeremy Taylor ...

Question. I. Whether is it better to communicate seldom or frequently?

To this I answer; That it is without peradven∣ture very much better to receive it every day, than

every week; and better every week, then every month: Christiani omni die carnes agni comedunt, said Origen, Christians every day eat of the flesh of the sacrificed lamb.* 1.1 And St. Basil expresly affirms, that to communicate every day and to partake of the body and blood of Christ, is excellent and very profitable; Christ himself having manif••stly said it, he that eats my flesh and drinks my blood, hath life eternal. For if the Sacrament does no benefit to souls, and produces no blessings, then a man can institute a Sacrament; for he may appoint any thing that shall be good for nothing. But if it be an instru∣ment in the hand of God to procure blessings to us, and spiritual emolument, if it be a means of union with Christ; who would not willingly live with him and converse with him for ever? It is good to be with Christ: and S. Hierom said; I would to God that we could alwayes receive with a pure conscience and without self-condemnation. It is without dispute, that it is better to be with Christ in all the wayes of being with him * 1.2 than to be away from him one hour, this therefore ought to be no part of the question.

But because there is more required to the re∣ceiving Christ, than eating the Symbols, and a man may eat to his condemnation, and increase his sins, and swell his sad accounts and be guilty of Christs body and blood, if he does not take heed; therefore first men must be prepar'd, and be in the state of holiness; or else they may not receive at all, and they that are so, may receive it fre∣quently;* 1.3 the oftner the better. So Hierom and St. Austin tell that even till their dayes the cu••tome of receiving every day remained in the

Churches of Rome and Spain; and all the Ancient Fathers exhort to a frequent communion; but just as Physicians exhort men to eat the best and hearti∣est meats; not the sickly and the infant, but the strong man and the healthful. And this we find thus determined by S. Chrysostom:* 1.4 [

There are some living in desarts who receive but once in a year, or it may be once in two years: what then? whom shall we account best of? them that receive but once, or that receive but seldome, or that receive frequently? Neither one, nor the other: But them that communicate with a sin∣cere conscience, with a pure heart,* 1.5 and an unre∣provable life. They that are such, let them al∣wayes communicate: and they that are not so, let them not approach so much as once; because they do nothing but draw upon themselves the judgements of God, and make themselves wor∣thy of condemnation.

] To which if we add the excellent discourse of S. Austin in this question, the consequents of it may suffice to determine the whole inquiry. [

Some will say, that the Eu∣charist is not to be receiv'd every day. If you ask why? he tels you; because some dayes are to be chosen in which a man may live more pure∣ly and continently, that so he may come to so great a Sacrament more worthily, because he that eats and drinks unworthily, eats and drinks damnation to himself. On the other side, ano∣ther sayes; if thou hast received so great a wound, and contracted so violent a disease, that such re∣medies are to be deferr'd; every such man ought by the authority of the Bishop to be remov'd f••om the Altar and put to penance, and by the same authority be reconcil'd. For this is to re∣ceive unworthily, then to receive when a man

should be doing penance, and not according to his own pleasure offer himself to, or withdraw himself from the Communion. But if his sins be not so great, as to deserve excommunication, he ought not to separate himself from the dayly medicine of the Lords Body. Between these, pos∣sibly a man may determine the question better; if he admonishes that men should abide in the peace of Christ. But let every one do what ac∣cording to his faith he piously believes ought to be done. For neither of them dishonours the body and blood of the Lord, if they in their se∣veral wayes contend who shall most honour the most holy Sacrament. For Zachaeus and the Cen∣turion did not prefer themselves before one ano∣ther, when the one received Christ into his house, and the other said he was not worthy to receive him under his roof; both of them ho∣nouring our Blessed Saviour by a divers, and almost a contrary way, both of them were mise∣rable by sins, and both of them obtain'd mercy.

] Now from the words of these two Saints put toge∣ther, we may collect these resolutions.

1. The question does no way concern evil men, desperately or greatly wicked; for they so remain∣ing, or committing such sins, quae non committit omnis bonae fidei speique Christianus * 1.6; which ex∣clude men from the Kingdom of heaven, and can∣not stand with the hopes of a good man, are sepa∣rate from the Spirit of the Lord, and ought not to touch the body of our Lord.

2. Neither does it concern such imperfect per∣sons and half Christians, who endeavour to accord the rules of the Gospel with their irregular and

ruling passions; who would enter into heaven, and yet keep their affections for earth and earthly inte∣rests; who part stakes between God and the world, and resolve to serve two Masters; who commit of∣tentimes deliberate and great sins, and repent, and yet sin again when the temptation comes▪ for they are yet very far from the Kingdom of God, and therefore ought not to be admitted to the portion of sons, and the bread of children.

3. It concerns only such whose life does not di∣shonour their profession; who pretend to be ser∣vants of Christ, and indeed are so in great truth; whose faith is strengthned with hope, and their hope animated with charity; who cannot pretend to be more perfect than men, yet really contend to avoid all sin, like the children of God, who have right to be nourished by the body of the Lord, Corpus Christi quod ipsi sunt,* 1.7 because they are indeed members of his body, and joyned in the same Spirit. The question is not between the Publican and the Pharisee; but between the con∣verted Publican and the proselyte Centurion; be∣tween two persons, who are both true honour ours of Christ. and penitent sinners, and humbled per∣sons, and have no affection for sin remaining: the question then is, which is more to be commended, he that out of love receives Christ, or he who out of humility and reverence abstains because he thinks himself not worthy enough. To this St. Chrysostome answers,

4. They that are such have a right to receive every day; and because they are rightly disposed it is certain that a frequent Communion is of great advantage to them, and therefore they that fre∣quent

it not are like to be losers: For this is the daily bread,* 1.8 the hea∣venly supersubstantial bread, by which our souls are nourished to life eternal. This is the medicine against our daily imperfections and intrudings of lesser crimes and sudden emigration of passi∣ons: it is the great consignation of pardon; and St. Ambrose ar∣gues well; [

If Christs bloud is powred forth for the remission of sins; then I ought, as often * 1.9 as I can, receive it when it is poured forth to me, that be∣cause I sin often, I may perpe∣tually have my remedy.

] Which discourse of his, is only to be understood of those imperfecti∣ons of our life which perpetually haunt those good men who are growing in grace, untill they come to perfection and consummation in grace.

5. They that in conscience of their past sins, and apprehension of their repentance do abstain for fear of irreverence and the sentence of condemnation; do very well as long as they find that their sin re∣turns often, or tempts strongly, or prevails dan∣gerously; and because our returns to God and the mortifications of sin are divisible, and done by parts and many steps of progression; they that de∣lay their Communion that they may be surer, do very well, provided that they do not stay too long; th••t is, that their fear do not t••rn to timo∣rousness,

their religion do not change into super∣stition; their distrust of themselves into a jealou∣sie of God; their apprehension of the greatness of their sin into a secret diffidence of the greatness of the Divine mercy. And therefore in the first conversions of a sinner, this reverence may be longer allowed to a good man, than afterwards. But it must be no longer allowed than till he hath once communicated. For if he hath once been partaker of the Divine mysteries since his repen∣tance; he must no longer forbear; for in this case it is true, that he who is not fit to receive every day, is fit to receive no day. If he thinks that he ought wholly to abstain, let him use his caution and his fear to the advantages of his repentance, and the heightning of his longings; but if he may saf••ly come once, he may piously come often. He ca••not long stand at this distance, if he be the man he is supposed: But for the time of his total abstention let him be conducted by a spiritual guide whom he may safely trust. For if he cannot by the usual methods of repentance, and the known Sermons of the Gospel be reduced to peace, and a quiet conscience; let him declare his estate to a spiritual Guide, and if he thinks it fit to absolve him, that is,* 1.10 to declare him to be in the state of grace and par∣don; it is all the warrant which with the testimo∣ny of Gods Spirit bearing witness to our spirit we can expect in this world. I remember what a reli∣gious person said to Petrus Celestinus,* 1.11 who was a great Saint, but of a timorous conscience in this particular, Thou abstainest from the blessed Sa∣crament because it is a thing so sacred and formida∣ble that thou canst not think thy self worthy of it. Well, suppose that. But I pray who is worthy? Is an Angel worthy enough? No c••r••ainly, if we

consider the greatness of the mystery. But consider the goodness of God, and the usual measures of good men, and the commands of Christ inviting us to come, and commanding us, and then, Cum ti∣more & reverentiâ frequenter operare; Receive it often with feare and reverence. To which purpose these two things are fit to be considered.

1. Supposing this fear and reverence to be good and commendable in his case who really is fit to communicate, but does not think so; yet if we compare it with that grace which prompts a good man to take it often, we may quickly perceive which is best. Certainly that act is in its own na∣ture best which proceeds from the best and the most perfect grace; but to abstain, proceeds from fear; and to come frequently, being worthily disposed, is certainly the product of love and holy hunger, the effect of the good Spirit, who by his holy fires makes us to thirst after the waters of salvation.* 1.12 As much then as love is better than fear; so much it is to be preferred that true penitents and well∣grown Christians should frequently address themselves to these Sacramental Unions with their Lord.

2. The frequent use of this Divine Sacrament proceeds from more, as well as from more noble vertues. For here is obedience and zeal, worship and love, thanksgiving and oblation, devotion and joy, holy hunger and holy thirst, an approach to God in the waies of God, union and adherence, confidence in the Divine goodness, and not only hope of pardon, but a going to receive it; and the omission of all these excellencies, cannot in the present case, be recompenced by an act of religi∣ous

fear: For this can but by ac∣cident and upon supposition of something that is amiss,* 1.13 be at all accounted good, and therefore ought to give place to that which supposing all things to be as they ought, is directly good, and an obedience to a Di∣vine Commandment.

For we may not deceive our selves: the matter is not so indifferent, as to be excused by every fair pretence: It is unlawful for any man unprepared by repentance and its fruits, to communicate; but it is necessary that we should be prepared that we may come. For plague and death threaten them that do not commu∣nicate in this mysterious banquet;* 1.14 as certainly as danger is to them who come unduly and as it hap∣pens.] For the Sacrament of the Lords body is commanded to all men, saith Tertullian;* 1.15 and it is very remarkable what St. Austin said in this affair.* 1.16 [

The force of the Sacraments is of an unspeakable value, and therefore it is sacriledge to despise it. For that is impiously despised without which we can∣not come to the perfection of piety.

] So that although it is not in all cases the meer not receiving that is to be blamed, but the despising it; yet when we consider that by this means we arrive at perfecti∣on, all causless recusancy, is next to contempt by interpretation.

One thing more I am to add, whereas some per∣sons abstain from a frequent Communion for fear

lest by frequency of receiving they should less esteem the Divine mysteries, and fall into luke∣warmness and indevotion; the consideration is good: and such persons indeed may not receive it often, but not for that reason; but because they are not fit to receive it at all. For whoever grows worse by the Sacrament, as Judas after the Sop, hath an evil spirit within him; for this being by the design of God a savour of life; it is the fault of the receiver if it passes into death, and diminution of the spiritual life. He therefore that grows less devout, and less holy, and less reverent, must start back and take physick and throw out the evil spirit that is within him; for there is a worm in the heart of the tree, a peccant humour in the stomach, it could not be else, that this Divine nutriment should make him sick.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ad Caesa∣ream pa∣triciam.
• * 1.2

  Quocunque loco fuero Jesum meum desidero: Quam laetus si invenero! Quam felix si tenuero!
• * 1.3

  Contr. Jo∣vin. & epist. ad Lucin.
• * 1.4

  Homil. 17. in ep. ad Heb.
• * 1.5

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.6

  S. Aug. de verbis Apost. ser. 29. c. 6.
• * 1.7

  S. August. de civit.

  Dei. li. 22. cap. 10.
• * 1.8

  Eucharistia medicina est aegrotis, peregrinantibus diaeta, debiles confortat, va∣lentes delectat, languorem sanat, sanitatem firmat: fit homo mansue••ior ad cor∣reptionem, pati••ntior ad la∣borem, ardentior ad amo∣rem, sagacior ad cautelam, ad obediendum prompti∣or, ad gratiarum actiones devotior. S. Bernard.
• * 1.9

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. S. Ignat. Epist. ad Ephes.
• * 1.10

  See the se∣cond exhor∣tation in the office of the Com∣munion.
• * 1.11

  Apud Su∣rium.
• * 1.12

  S. Bona∣vent. de profectu relig. lib. 2. cap. 77.
• * 1.13

  Stultus est timor & reve∣rentia minus prudens illi∣us, qui ad Dominum se vo∣cantem & invitantem non accedit, sed procrastinat. Gerson in Magnificat.
• * 1.14

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Homil. 24. in 1 Cor. 10.
• * 1.15

  Tertul. de coron. mil. c. 3.
• * 1.16

  Lib. 19. c. 11. ad Faustum.