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 ...

CHAP. V. Of Repentance, preparatory to the Blessed Sacrament. (Book 5)

SECT. I.

WHen Isaac and Abimelech had made a covenant of peace and mutual a∣greement, they would not confirm it by a Sacramental Oath till the next morning, that they might swear fasting, for the reverence and religious regard of the solemn Oath (saith Lyra.) But Philo says they did it Symbolically, to repre∣sent that purity and cleanness of soul which he that swears to God, or comes to pay his vows, ought to preserve with great Religion. He that in a religi∣ous and solemn addresse comes to God, ought to consider whether his body be free from unclean∣nesse, and his soul from vile affections. He that is righteous,* 1.1 let him be righteous still; and he that is justified, let him be justified, yet more, saith the Spirit of God; and then it follows, He that thirsts, let him come and drink of the living waters freely and without money:* 1.2 meaning, that when our affe∣ctions to sin are gone, when our hearts are clean,

then we may freely partake of the feast of the sup∣per of the Lamb.

For as in natural forms, the more noble they are, the more noble dispositions are required to their production; so it is in the spiritual: for when Christ is to be efformed in us, when we are to be∣come the Sons of God, flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone, we must be washed in water, and pu∣rified by faith, and sanctified by the spirit, and cleansed by an excellent repentance; we must be confirmed by a holy hope, and softned by charity. So God hath ordered in the excellent fabrick of hu∣mane bodies: First our meat is prepared by fire, then macerated by the teeth, then digested in the stomach, where the first separation is made of the good from the bad, the wholesom juyces from the more earthy parts: these being sent down to earth, the other are conveyed to the Liver, where the matter is separated again, and the good is turned into blood, and the better into spirits; and thence the body is supplied with blood; and the spirits repair unto the heart and head, that thence they may be sent on Embassies for the ministeries of the body, and for the work of understanding. So it is in the dispensation of the affairs of the soul: The ear, which is the mouth of the soul, receives all meat, and the senses entertain the fuel for all passions, and all interests of vertue and vice. But the understanding makes the first separation, di∣viding the clean from the unclean: But when the spirit of God comes and purifies even the separate matter, making that which is morally good to be spiritual and holy, first cleansing us from the sen∣sualities of flesh and blood, and then from spi∣ritual iniquities that usually debauch the soul,

then the holy nourishment which we receive passes into divi••e excellencies. But if sensuality be in the palate, and intemperance in the stomach; if lust be in the liver, and anger in the heart, it corrupts the holy food, and makes that to be a savour of death, which was intended for health and holy blessi••gs.

But therefore when we have lived in the cor∣rupted air of evil company, and have sucked in the vile juices of coloquintida and the deadly henbane; when that is within the heart which defiles the man, the soul must be purged by repentance, it must be washed by tears, and purified by penitential sor∣row. For he that comes to this holy Feast with an unrepenting heart, is like the flies in the Temple upon the day of Sacrifice: the lit∣tle insect is very busie about the flesh of the slain beasts;* 1.3 she flies to every corner of the Temple; and she tastes the flesh before the portion is laid be∣fore the God: but when the nidour and the deli∣cacy hath called such an unwelcome guest, she cor∣rupts the Sacrifice, and therefore dies at the Altar, or is driven away by the officious Priest. So is an unworthy Communicant; he comes it may be with p••ssion and an earnest zeal; he hopes to be fed, and he hopes to be made immortal; he thinks he does a holy action, and shall receive a holy blessing; but what is his portion? It is a glorious thing to be feasted at the Table of God; glo∣rious to him that is invited and prepared,* 1.4 but not to him that is unprepared, hateful, and impeni∣tent.

But it is an easie thing to say that a man must repent before he communicates; so he must before he prayes, before he dies, before he goes a jour∣ney, the whole life of a man is to be a continual repentance * 1.5; but if so; then what particular is that which is required before we receive the holy Com∣munion? For if it be an universal duty of infinit, extent, of unlimited comprehension; then every Christian must alwayes be doing some of the of∣fices of repentance: but then, which are the pecu∣liar parts and offices of this grace which have any special and immediate relation to this solemnity? for if there be none; the Sermons of repent••nce are nothing but the general doctrine of good life, but of no special efficacy in our preparation.

The answer to this, will explicate the intrica∣cy, and establish the measures of our duty in this proper relation, in order to this ministery.

SECT. II. The necessity of repentance in order to the holy Sacrament.

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 * 1.6 Mar∣tyr) for any one to receive the holy Eu∣charistical bread and to drink of the sacred Calice,* 1.7 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,* 1.8 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 * 1.9 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;* 1.10] 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:* 1.11 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:* 1.12 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;* 1.13 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:* 1.14 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?* 1.15 what if you sacrifice a herd of white buls from Clitumnus?* 1.16 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 * 1.17 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 * 1.18, 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,* 1.19 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:* 1.20 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:* 1.21 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.

SECT. III. What actions of repentance are specially required in our preparations to the Holy Sacrament?

THe particular actions of repentance, which are to be performed in their proper seasons, which cannot be alwaies actual because they have variety, and cannot be attended to altogether, all such par∣ticulars of repentance are then in their season, they have this for their opportunity. For it is an admirable wisdom of God so to dispose the times and advantages of Religion, that by the solenni∣ties of duty our dispersions are gathered up, our wandrings are united, our indifferencies are kind∣led, our weariness is recreated, our spirits are made busie, our attention is called upon, our powers are made active, our vertues fermented: we are cal∣led upon, and looked after, and engaged. For as it is in motion, and as it is in lines, a long and a

straight progression diminishes the strength, and makes languishing and infirmity; but by doubling the point, or making a new Centre the moving bo∣dy gathers up its parts and powers into a narrower compass, and by union, as by a new beginning, is re∣scued from weakness and diminution: So it is in the life of a Christian; when he first sets forth, he is zea∣lous and forward, full of appetite, and full of holy fires: but when his little fuel is consumed, and his flame abates, when he goes on & grows weary, when he mingles with the world, and by every conversa∣tion is polluted or allayed; when by his very ne∣cessary affairs of life he is made secular and intere∣sted, apt to tend his civil regards, and to be remiss in the spiritual; by often and long handling of mo∣ney, beginning too much to love it: then we are interrupted in our declining piety, we are called upon by Religion, and by the sacrednesse of this holy duty are made to begin again, not to go back, but to be re-enkindled.

Every time we receive the holy Sacrament all our duties are summed up; we make new vowes, we chastise our negligence, we mend our pace, we actuate our holy purposes, and make them stron∣ger, we enter upon Religion as if we had never done any thing before; we bring again our first pe∣nitential heats: and as when we pray, and pray long, our devotion slackens, and our attention becomes trifling, and by wandring thoughts we are gone very far from the observation of the offices; the good man that ministers calls out to us, Let us pray: and then the wandring thoughts run home, then we are troubled that we have lost so much of our ••rayers, as we have not attended to; then we be∣gin ag••in, and pray the more passionately by how

much we observe our selves to have been more negligent before. If God did not particularly call upon us by these religious necessities, and stop us by the solemn return of the Sacrament, and stir up our fires, and remind us of our duty, and make actual seasons and opportunities for actual and great attendencies on religion, if God did not make some daies, and some necessities, and some oppor∣tunities for heaven; the soul and her interest would not be at all regarded. For this life is the day for the body, and our needs do indeed require so much at∣tendance, and imploy so much of our affections, and spend so much of our time, that it is necessary some abstractions and separations of time and offices be made.

Receiving the holy Sacrament is like a Lock up∣on the waters; which makes them rise higher, and begin a fuller stream as from a new principle of emanation: So that the repentance which is the duty of our life and dispersed over all the parts and periods of it, like the waters in the first Creation upon the face of the whole earth, is gathered toge∣ther against the day of the Lords Communion as into a bosome and congregation of penitential wa∣ters. * Then you are to mourn for your sins, and to resolve against them, then you are to remem∣ber what vowes you have already made and bro∣ken, how often you have prevaricated in your du∣ty, and by what temptations you are used to fall: then you are to renew the strength of your pur∣poses, to fortifie your tenderest part, and to cut off all advantages from the enemy: then you must prune your Vine,* 1.22 and make the branches bleed; then the Bridegroom comes, and you must trim your Lamp, and

adorn it with the culture of Religion: that is, against the day of Communion, you must sum up all the parts of your repentance; for the Sacra∣ment is a summary of all the mysteries, and all the duty of the whole religion of a Christian.* 1.23 But Baptism and the holy Eucharist do nothing for us unless we do good works, and perfect them with a conjugation of holy duties, bringing forth fruits meet for re∣pentance.

But our iniquity must be yet a little more parti∣cular.

There are some actions of repentance which must be finished and made perfect before we receive the holy Communion: and there are some which will be finishing all our life. Concerning the first the question is, which they are, and what must be done concerning them. Concerning the second, we are to inquire how far we must have proceeded in them before we may communicate.

Those parts of repentance which must be fini∣shed before we approach the blessed Sacrament, are these:

1. We must have renounced, perfectly renoun∣ced all affections to sin, and firmly purpose to amend all, to sin no more, to lead a new life in all solid and material practises of vertue. This we learn from Origen: [We eat the bread which is made a holy thing,* 1.24 and which sanctifies and makes

holy all them who use it with holy and salutary pur∣poses] and designs of living holily: not by a so∣lemn and pompous profession only, but with a real and hearty resolution: resolving not to say so, and be a fool; but to say so, because indeed we mean so; not to profess it because it is the custome of Christians, and the expectation of the solemni∣ty, but because we intend really to be quit of the sin for ever. Now concerning our purposes of amendment, these things are to be taken careof:

1. That they be made prudently, attentively, sincerely, and with intuition upon a credible, possi∣ble, and designed effect. For there are some that make vowes (purposes I cannot call them) which they believe impossible to keep, and no man can wisely purpose such things, of which he hath such belief: but they believe themselves inevitably en∣gaged to commit a sin, and yet as inevitably enga∣ged to say they will not. The Greeks tell of a fa∣mous fool among them; her name was Acco, who when she saw her self in a glasse, would discourse as wisely as she could to the other woman, and supposed her own shadow to be one of her neigh∣bours; with whom sometimes she had great busi∣ness, but alwaies huge civilities; only she could never agree which of them should go away first, or take the upper hand. Such wise resolvers are some persons: they take the shadow of it for a substance, and please themselves by the entertainment of the images of things; and think that the outside and the words of a promise are the only thing that God requires; they and their promises do not know which shall go away first; the resolution quickly dies, and the man presently after; but the sin lives and abides there still, and will do so for ever. Cast

about and see; you have promised what you are likely to perform; and do you intend it in good earnest never to consent to a sin, in no circumstance, and for no argument, and by no temptation? For he that resolves never to commit that, which he knows he shall commit, is like him who resolves he will never die; his vain resolution sets not his death back one hour. It is hypocrisie and lying to say it before God, and it is folly and madness to pretend that we will do it, to our selves; but of this I h••ve already spoken * 1.25

2. He that in his preparation to the holy Com∣munion purposes to live a holy life, must not judge of the goodnesse of his purposes by the present in∣tendment, but by the consequent performance. He must not think it is well yet, because many good purposes are broken by temptations, disordered by supervening accidents, frustrate by impotency, and laid aside by the purposes to the contrary;* 1.26 such which Plutarch compares to windy eggs, which though they look fairly, yet produce no birds. Now by this consideration it is not intended that a man must defer his Communion till he hath fully performed all his purposes of a holy life, for then he should never Communicate till he dies: but by this we are advised to make such inq••iry, and to use such cau∣tions, and to require such indications of the reality of our purposes, as becomes wise, interested, and considering persons, who are undone if they be deceived, and receive damage by the prophane and u••holy usages of the Divine Mysteries, if they were cozen'd and abused themselves in the sinceri••y and ••fficacy of their preparatory purposes. Plato tells that Alc••biades did sometimes wish Socrat••s h••d been dead, because he was ashamed to see him,

for that he had not kept the promises which he had so often made to him. If we who often have com∣municated, do find that the purposes of reformati∣on which we have formerly made proved ineffe∣ctive; if we perceive that we have begged pardon for our lust, and yet still remain under the power of the passion; if we have deplored our pride, and yet cannot endure to have others preferred before us; if we have resolved against our hasty angers, and yet after the Communion find our peevishness to return as often * 1.27, and to abide as long, and still to forrage and to prevail, we are like those foolish birds who having conceived by the wind, lay their eggs in the sand, and forget the place, and the wa∣ters wash them away.

In such cases as these something more must be done besides making resolutions. Let every man make some experiment of himself, and give some instances of performance, and get ground of his passion; and make no great haste to passe instantly to the holy Communion; you may more safely stay one day longer, than passe on one minute too soon: but be sure of this, the fierce saying of a few warm and holy words is not a sufficient preparati∣on to these sacred Mysteries; and they who upon such little confidencies as these have hastned hither,* 1.28 have after∣wards found causes enough to deplore their profane follies and presumptions; for they see when they have eaten the Sop, they go out to sin against the Lord; as soon as the sacred Calice hath

refreshed their lips, they dishonour God with their mouths, and retain their affections here be∣low fastned to earth and earthly things.

This is it that makes our Communions have so little fruit. Men resolve to be good, and then Communicate; they resolve they will hereafter, but they are not yet, and yet they will Communi∣cate; they resolve, and think no more of it, as if performance were no part of the duty and the ob∣ligation. In such cases it is not good to be hasty;* 1.29 for a little stay will do better than twenty argu∣ments to inforce your purposes. You must make new resolutions, and re-enforce your old; but if you have already tried, and have sound your purposes to be easily untwisted, and that, like the Scenes at Masques, they were only for that show, to serve at that so∣lemnity, learn to be more wary and more afraid the next time. The first folly was too bad, but to do so often is intolerable. But here are two Cases to be resolved.

Question I. But of what nature and extent must our preparatory resolution be? Must we re∣solve against all sin, or against some kinds only? If only against some sorts, then we are not clean all over. If against all, then we find it impossible for us to per∣form it: And then either it is not neces∣sary to resolve, or not necessary to perform, or not necessary to Communicate.

I answer; It is one thing to say, I shall never fall, I shall never be mistaken, I shall never be sur∣pris'd, or I shall never slacken my watchfulness and attention; and another thing to resolve against the love and choice of every sin. It is not always in our powers to avoid being surprised, or being de∣ceived, or being dull and sleepy in our carefulnesse and watches. Every good and well-meaning Chri∣stian cannot promise to himself security; but he may be tempted, or over-pressed with a sudden fear when he cannot consider, and be put sometimes to act before he can take counsel: and though there is no one sin we do but we do it voluntarily, and might escape it if we would make use of the grace of God; yet the inference cannot run forth to all: we cannot therefore always escape all; any one we can, but not every one. The reason is, be∣cause concerning any one if we make a question, then we can and do deliberate; then we can attend, and we can consider, and summon up the arts and auxiliaries of Reason and Religion, and we can hear both sides speak; and therefore we can chuse: for he that can deliberate, can take either side; for if he could not chuse when he hath considered which to chuse, he were more a fool in considering, than by any inconsideration in the world; for he not only does unreasonably by sinning, but he considers unreasonably and to no purpose, since his conside∣ration cannot alter the case. Certain it is, by him that can consider, every sin can be avoided: But then, this is as certain, that it is not possible always to consider; but surprise and ignorance, haste and dulness, indifference and weariness, are the entries at which some things that are not good will enter; but these things are such, which by how much they

are the lesse voluntary, by so much they are the less imputed.

Thus therefore he that means to Communicate worthily, must resolve against every sin, the great∣est and the least; that is, 1. He must resolve never to commit any sin concerning which he can delibe∣rate: and, 2. He must resolve so to stand upon his g••ard, that he may not frequently be surprised; he must use prayer against all, and prudent caution in his whole conversation, and all the instruments of grace for the destruction of the whole body of sin: and though in this valley of tears there are but few so happy souls as to triumph over all infirmities, we know of none, and if God hath any such on earth, they are peculiar jewels kept in undiscerned cabinets; yet all that intend to serve God heartily, must aim at a return to that state of innocence, to the possibility of which Christ hath as certainly re∣covered us, as we lost it by our own follies and the sin of Adam: that is, we must continually strive, and every day get ground of our passions, and grow in understanding and the fear of God, that we be not so often deluded, nor in so many things be ig∣norant, nor be so easily surprised, nor so much complain of our weakness, nor the imperfection of our actions be in so many instances unavoidable. But in the matters of choice, in voluntary and delibe∣rate actions, we must resolve not to sin at all. In these things we must be more than conquerors.

2. He that intends worthily to Communicate, before his coming must quit all his next and imme∣diate occasions * 1.30 of habitual sins, all those states of

evil, by which so long as he dwells he cannot stand uprightly. For to resolve against all sin, and yet to retain that temptation, which hath been to this time stronger than all your resolutions, is to abide in the midst of a torrent, against which you cannot swim, and yet resolve never to be drown'd * 1.31. There is no dallying in this case: He that will not throw out the bond woman and her son, he that will still retain the concubine, let him resolve what he will, and will what he is commanded, and profess what he purposes; his profession is nothing but words, and his resolutions will prove as unstable as the thinnest air, which is not able to support a fly, unless with her wings she fans it into an accidental thicknesse.

This may seem the hardest commandment of Christianity; and Christ calls it a cutting off the right hand, and plucking out the right eye; as if it were the greatest violence of the world. Indeed it is often times a great inconvenience to our affairs and fortune: For it may be he by whom we live is he by whom we sin, and we cannot eat but we must be in danger. If the case be so, it is indeed harder to leave the sin;* 1.32 but yet the command of pulling out our eye is not the hardness, but is an act of easiness, and an instrument of facilitation: For first it must be remembred, that it is a question of souls, and no interest can be laid in balance against a soul; it is moments against Eternity, money against heaven, life eternal against a little pension; and therefore this precept of pulling out the right eye is very easie, when it is made the price or instrument of avoiding eternal torments: A man had better pull his heart

out, than nurse a lust by which he shall die for ever.

But then next to this it is considerable, that this precept of putting out the right eye, that is, remo∣ving the next occasion of sin, is so far from being an hard commandment, that it is perfectly a com∣plying with our infirmities, and a securing of our greatest interests; by this he conducts us tenderly, because we have no strength. For if Christ had done as Xenocrates in Valerius, and commanded his Disciples to dwell in danger that they might tri∣umph more gloriously, we had reason to suspect our selves, and to tremble under the load of the imposition; but Christ knew it would never consist with our safety, and never conduce to his Fathers glory; therefore Christ bids us to avoid the occasi∣on.* 1.33 He would not have weak and amorous per∣sons to converse with fair women, that make weak eyes, and by the eyes wound the heart of a foolish man. For as Trithemius observes, good Angels never appeared in the likenesse of women, they are tempters and temptations: and therefore be∣cause of the danger Christ would not have us look; unlesse we can do it with safety, we must not be in their company. And therefore as God gave us legs and hands in great kindnesse, yet we give money to have them cut off when they endanger the whole body: so must we quite cut off the advantages of our estate, and the pleasures of our life, rather than die eternally. There is no other variety but this; if we be tempted in our state of life or of socie∣ty, we must do violence to our fortune or our will: But the particulars of the case are these.

1. If it be easie to quit the occasion, do it lest you be tempted; for it is worth some pain to be se∣cured

in the question of your soul. When Alci∣biades was sent for from Sicily to Athens to be tried for his life, he hid himself, and left this answer to be sent;* 1.34 It is better to decline a trial than to e∣scape from under it: And so it is here: It is glori∣ous indeed to escape; but it is the safer way not to put it to the venture; and therefore when you can, decline the trial; for he that resolves to live, and yet will live under the ruins of a falling house, is but little better than a fool.

2. If it be difficult to part with the tempting occasion of your sin, then consider whether you can dwell with it, and yet not sin; if you can, you may; for if you neither love your danger, nor can easily part with it, it is sufficient that by plain force you resist it.

3. But if by sad experience you have learned your own weaknesse, and that as long as you dwell neer the furnace you are scorched with the flames, no interest in this world must make you lose your hopes of the other. It is not good to walk by a bank-side, or to play in the hollow seat of an aspe. He that hath escaped often is not secure;* 1.35 but he that hath already smarted under the calamity, hath not so much left him to alleviate the evil as the miserable excuse of, I did not think it: for he hath found that it was so dangerous. But therefore he must decline no trouble * 1.36 that he may save his soul; and that estate is well spent that secures such an interest. But if a man be afraid of his forehead,

he must not gather hony from a Bee-hive: and in many cases, if a man stands upon the matter of inconvenience, he must not pretend to be a ser∣vant of God.* 1.37 If you dwell in a temptation you are in danger of Eternal death, and to be se∣cure against such a danger, what danger is it which a wise man will not endure? All the glories of his Father could never have tempted Phaethon to have come near one of the horses of the Sun after they had given him such an horrid fall.* 1.38 When you have seen your self over-powred by the temptation, come not near it any more: change your dwelling; let not one house hold you both, nor the same stars ever see you meet.

But that this must be done before you receive the blessed Sacrament is therefore affirmed; be∣cause no man can resolve against all sin, unlesse he be stronger than his temptation, or flie from it. But he that chooses to dwell with the next and proper opportunity of sin; either he directly loves the sin, or by interpretation he loves not God, who will not for his service suffer the incon∣venience of leaving his Mistresse, or venture the favour of his Patron, or is afraid to grieve his tempter, or will at no hand suffer the diminution of his fortune.

It may be deferred upon the same terms upon which it can be quite omitted: that is, when upon any sure account we are impregnable against it; but if you know not that, then you must flie away directly. If you cannot with water quench your fi••e▪ take the wood from under it. I only

add one general advice which will fit all sorts of persons that desire truely to serve God and to ar∣rive at an excellent state of vertue; Although they live in the world and are engaged by their duty and relations to many secular divertisements, yet as they must do what they can to change these into Religion and into some good thing one way or o∣ther; so by these difficulties and divertisements they will find it to be impossible that they should do any thing that is greatly good; unlesse they cut off all superfluous company, and visits and amuse∣ments. That which is necessary is too much, and if it were not necessary it would not be tolerable, but that which is more than needs, is a mil-stone about the neck of Religion, and makes it impossi∣ble to be excellently virtuous.

Question. II. But is he that intends to communicate bound to quit all those occasions of sin, by which himself was tempted, and did fall, and die?

1. I answer, That it is impossible he should. If you live in delights your chastity is tempted; your humility is assaulted by receiving honour;* 1.39 your Religion by much businesse: your truth by much talk; your charity by living in the world; and yet we must not hasten out of it, nor swear eternal silence, nor lay aside all our business, nor quit our preferment and honourable imploy∣ment, nor refuse all secular comforts and live in pains that we may preserve these respective graces: and yet something we must do; some occasions must be quitted, before we communicate. To that

therefore the answer is certain and indisputable; that the occasion that is immediate to the sin, must be quitted in that in which it does minister to sin. A woman is not bound to spoil her face, though by her beauty she hath fallen: because her beauty was not the immediate cause; it was her unguard∣ed conversation, and looser society; the laying her treasure open, or her wanton comportment. For beauty will invite a noble flame, as soon as kindle a smoaking brand; and therefore the face may be preserved and the chastity too, if that be removed which brings the danger and stands closer to the sin.

2. When Dionsius of Sicily gave to Aristippus five Attick talents, he and his servant dragged them home upon their backs: but finding himself too glad of his mony, he threw it into the sea, as supposing the money to be the tempter, and no safety to be had, as long as it was above the water. If he had thought right, he had done right: if he could not have cured his covetousness and kept the mony, he had done well to part with it; but it may be he might have been as safe, and yet wiser too. But the resolution is this. In this question distinguish the next occasion from that which is farther off; and we are bound to quit that not this, because the vertue may be secured without it. A man may very well live in the world, and yet serve God; and if he be hindred by the world, it is not directly that, but something else by which the cure must be effected: but if nothing else will do it, then there is no distinction, no difference between the neerest occasion and that which is far∣ther off: for they must be all quitted: the face must be disordered, the beauty sullied, the mony thrown away, the world renounced, rather than God be

provoked to anger, and thy soul ruined by thy in∣evitable sin.

3. He that comes to the holy Sacrament must before his coming so repent of his injury, of his rapine, of his slander, or what ever the instance be, that before he communicates he make actual restitution, perfect amends, intire satisfact••on, and be really reconciled to his offended brother. This is to be understood in these cases.

1. If the injury be remaining and incumbent on thy brother: for it is not fit for thee to receive benefit by Christs death, so long as by thee thy Brother feels an injury. Thou art unjust so long as thou continuest the wrong: and if the evil goes on, the repentance cannot:

No man that repents does injure any man: and this Eucharistical sacrifice will never sanctifie any man unlesse he have the holy spirit of God,* 1.40 neither will the Lord bring ad∣vantages or give him blessing consequent to these solemn prayers, if he hath already in∣jured the Lord, or proceeds to do injury to his brother.

There is no repentance unlesse the penitent as much as he can, make that to be undone which is done amisse; and therefore because the action can never be undone, at least undo the mischief; unty the bands of thy neighbours arms, do justice and judge∣ment; thats repentance; restore the pledges;* 1.41 give again that you had robbed, ask pardon for thy in∣jury, return to peace, put thy neighbour if thou canst into the same state of good from whence by thy sin he was removed. That a good repentance

that bears fruit, and not that which produces leaves only. When the heathens gods were to choose what trees they would have sacred to them and used in their festivals; Jupiter chose the Oake, Venus the Myrtle, Apollo loved the Laurel, but wise Minerva took the Olive.* 1.42 The other trees gave no fruit; an uselesse apple from the Oak, or little berries from the Laurel and the Myrtle; but besides the show, they were good but for very lit∣tle: but the Olive gives an excellent fruit, fit for food and Physick, which when Jupi∣ter observed, he kissed his daughter, and called her wise: for all pompousness is vain, and the solemn Religion stands for nothing, unlesse that which we do, be profitable and good for material uses. Cui bono? To what purpose is our repen∣tance? Why do we say we are sorrowful? Whats that? Nollem factum. I wish I had never done it; for I did amiss. If you say as you think, make that it shall be no more; do no new injury, and cut off the old. Restore him to his fame, to his money, to his liberty, and to his lost advantages.

2. But this must suppose that it is in thy power to do it. If it be in thy power to do it, and thou doest it not, thou canst not reasonably pretend that thou art so much as sorrowful. For what repentance is it which enjoyes the pleasure and the pro∣fit of the sin,* 1.43 that reaps the plea∣sant fruits of it, that eats the re∣venues, that gathers the grapes from our neighbours vine, that dwells in the fields of the Father∣lesse and kneads his bread with the infusion of the widdows tears? The snake in

the Apologue crept into the holy Phial of sacred oyle. and lickt it up till she swell'd so big that she could not get forth from the narrow en∣trance, but she was forced to refund it every drop, or she had there remained a prisoner for ever. And therefore tell me no more thou art sorry for what thou hast done:* 1.44 if thou retainest the pur∣chase of thy sin, thou lovest the fruit of it, and therefore canst not curse the tree. Thou didst never love the sin for it self without the profit, and therefore if thou still dost love that, thou lovest the sin as much as ever; neither more nor less; but thou art still the same man.

Question III. But can it in no case be lawful to put off our restitution or reconciliation with our bro∣ther? Is it not sufficient to resolve to do it afterward, and in the mean time to re∣ceive the Sacrament? For if the heart be peaceful, and the mind be just, the outward work may follow in its due time, and all be well enough.

I answer: That a man is not tied in that Mathe∣matical instant in which he remembers his injustice to go and make restitution. He is not tied to go out of the Church, or to rise at midnight, or to leave his meat, as Tobit did to go and bury the dead; un∣less there ••e danger that if he do not do it then it shall never be done at all: For in this case, he

must do it, whether it be convenient or inconveni∣ent, whether it be seasonable or not. But every man is bound to do it as soon as he morally can, and he must go about it, as he does about other actions in which he is mightily concerned. If a man d••d diligently examine himself, and yet thought not of the obligation (though that can hardly be supposed; yet if it be so, and he did not think of it) till he were kneeling before the holy Table, then it were sufficient to resolve to do it speedily after, because he cannot without scandal remove and go forth, but without prejudice to his brother he can stay till next day. If he inquired diligently, and had a mind ready to do every thing which he could learn to be his duty, there was no unworthiness in him to hinder him from coming; and this cannot be prejudiced by a new and sudden discovery, if it be entertained with the same justice and readiness of mind. But else; what you can learn in these cases ought to be done at all, must be done before the Communion, if we can: that is, there must be no let in the will, no imperfect resolution, no indifference of affections to it. If it can be done before, it must. For so said our blessed Saviour, If at the Altar thou remembrest, go and be reconci∣led. That is, if thou art not reconciled, if thou art not in charity, or if thou beest in thy heart still injurious, and hast not a just and a righteous soul, go even from before the Altar; but if thou hast a real charity, and hast done the duties of these graces by a moral diligence; you may come; and a sudden remembrance of an undiscovered obliga∣tion need not to expose thee to the reproach of a sudden departure: provided I say alwaies that thou wert indeed truly reconciled, and truly cha∣ritable. For by our Lords express command you

must at no hand offer till thou beest in charity: till thou hast forgiven, or till thou doest cease to hate, till thou beest reconciled, that's our Saviours word; for it is the inward grace which thou art tied to in all circumstances, and therefore in that; but to the outward, something else may be necessary and fit to be considered. Nothing can hinder thee from charity, in any circumstances whatsoever; from present or actual restitution, many things may, and yet thou be innocent. But if thou beest an angry person, or an unjust, or malice be upon thy heart, or injustice upon thy hand, let not thy hand be upon the Altar, nor thy heart upon the Sacra∣ment. If thy Brother hath ought against thee, I know not why thou shouldest make hast to receive the Sacrament, make hast to be reconciled: There is haste of this; there is no such haste of the other, but that thou mayest stay, till thou hast done thy duty.

Only remember this: Every deferring of it, is some degree of unwillingness to do it; and there∣fore it is not good to trust thy own word, till thou hast served thy own end. After thou hast received, thou wilt think that there is less need than before, and therefore thou wilt make less haste. For what a religious man said in the case of a dying person, is also in proportion true of him who is to Com∣municate. He that will not restore presently if he can, is not to be absolved, is not to be communi∣cated, although he promise restitution. Because it cannot be likely that he intends it heartily, that puts it off longer than the day of its extreme, or the day of its positive necessity.* 1.45 Let us not deceive our selves: of all the things in the world the holy Sacrament was never intended to give countenance

to sinners, or palliation to a sin; warranty or colour, excuse, or perpetuity. * There is a hard expressi∣on in the Prophet,* 1.46 They have filled the Land with violence; and have returned to provoke me to anger, and lo, they put the branch to their nose] and behold they are as mockers; So the LXX. read it;* 1.47 but make no mention of puting the branch to their nose. Theodotion puts them both toge∣ther:* 1.48 they hold out the branch like mockers; and to this Symmachus gives yet a little more light;* 1.49 They lifted up the branch, making a noise like them that mock with their noses. But this interpretation is something hard; there is yet an easier, and that which makes these words pertinent to our present duty, and a severe reproof to them who come to this holy service of God, not with the love of sons and duty of servants, but with the disaffect••on of enemies. The carrying of branches in the supersti∣tion of the Gentiles and the custome of the Jews was a sign of honour. Thus they carried the Pine-tree before the shepherds God; they gave the Cypress to Sylvanus, and the Abricot-tree to Isis; and th•• branches of Palmes the Jews did carry be∣fore our blessed Saviour: and this is it that God com∣plains of; They carried branches as if they did him honour; but they held them to their noses like mockers: that is, they mocked him secretly when they worshipped him publickly; they came with fair pretences and foul hearts; their ceremony was religious all over, but their lives were not an∣swerable. The difficulty came from the homonymy of the Hebrew word,* 1.50 which signified a Bran••h and a noise: and it will be as difficult to distinguish an

hypocrite from a Communicant, unless we really purpose to live better, and do so; unless we leave the next occasions to sin, and do justice and judg∣ment, and cease to do evil, and cause that my bro∣ther shall no longer feel the evils of my injustice, and of my foolish crimes.

SECT. IV. How far we must have proceeded in our General repentance and emendation of our lives before we Communicate?

TO this I answer, that No man is fit to Commu∣nicate, but he that is fit to die: that is, he must be in the state of grace; and he must have trimmed his lamp: he must stand readily prepared by a state of repentance; and against the solemn time, he must make that state more actual, and his graces operative.

Now in order to this, it is to be considered; that preparation to death hath great latitude; and not only he is fit to die who hath attained to the fulness of the stature of Christ, to a perfect man in Christ Jesus; but every one who hath renounced his sin with heartinesse and sincerity, and hath begun to mortifie it. But in these cases of beginning, or of Infancy in Christ; though it be certain that every one who is a new Creature, though but newly be∣come

so, is born of God, and hath life abiding in him, and therefore shall not passe into condemna∣tion: yet concerning such persons the Rulers of Souls and Ministers of Sacraments have nothing but a judgment of charity, and the sentences of hope relating to the persons; the state is so little and so allayed, and so near to the late state of death from which they are recovering, that God only knows how things are with them; yet because we know that there is a beginning in which new converts are truly reconciled, there is a first period of life, and as we cannot say in many cases that this is it; so in many we cannot say, this is not; therefore the Church hopes well of persons that die in their ear∣ly progressions of piety; and consequently refu∣ses not to give to them these divine Mysteries. Whoever are reconciled to God, may be reconci∣led to the Church; whose office it is only to de∣clare the Divine Sentence, and to administer it, and to help towards the verification of it.

But because the Church cannot be surer of any person that his sins are pardoned, that he is recon∣ciled to God, that he is in the state of Grace, that if he then dies he shall be saved, than a man him∣self can be of himself and in his own case, which certainly he knows better than any man else; and that our degrees of hope and confidence of being saved when it is not presumption, but is prudent and reasonable, does increase in proportion to our having well used and improved Gods grace, and inlarges it self by our proportions of mortification and spiritual life; and every man that is wise and prudent, abides in fears and uncertain thoughts, till he hath gotten a certain victory over all his sins; and though he dies in hope, yet not without trem∣bling, till he finds that he is more than conque∣rour;

therefore in proportion to this address to death, must also be our address to the holy Sa∣crament. For no man is fit to die, but he that can be united unto Christ; and ••he only that can be so, must be admitted to a participation of his body and his bloud. It is the same case, in both we dwell with Christ; and the two states differ but in de∣grees; it is but a passing from altar to altar, from that where the Minister of the Church officiates, to that where the head of the Church does inter∣cede.

There is this only difference; there may be some proportions of haste to the Sacrament, more than unto death, upon this account; because the re∣ception of the Sacrament in worthy dispositions does increase those excellencies in which death ought to find us; and therefore we may desire to communicate, because we perceive a want of g••ace; and yet for the same reason we may at the same time be afraid to die; because after that, we can receive no more; but as that finds us, we shall abide for ever. But he that fears justly, may yet in many cases die safely; and he shall find that his fears when he was alive were useful to the caution and zeal and hastiness of repentance; but were no certain indication that God was not reconciled un∣to him. The best and severest persons do in the greatest parts of their spiritual life complain of their imperfect state, and feel the load of their sins, and apprehend with trembling the sad consequents of their sins, and every day contend against them; and forget all that is past of good actions done, and press forwards still to more grace, and are as hun∣gry as if they had none at all and those men if they die, go to Christ and shall reign with him for

ever; and yet many of them go with a trembling heart, and though considering the infinite obliqui∣ty of them they cannot over-value their sins, yet considering the infinite goodness of God, and his readiness to accept it, they undervalue their re∣pentance, and are safe in their humility, and in Gods goodness, when in many other regards they think themselves very unsafe. Now such men as these must not be as much afraid to communicate as they are afraid to die; but these and all men else must not communicate till they be in that conditi∣on, that if they did die▪ it would go well with them: and the reason is plain: because every friend of God dying so, is certainly saved; and he that is no friend of God is unworthy to partake of the Table of the Lord.

But for the reducing the Answer of this Questi∣on to practice and to particular considerations: I am to advise these things.

1. Because no man of an ordinary life, and a newly begun repentance ought hastily to pronounce himself acquitted, and in the state of grace, and in the state of salvation, in this rule of proportion; we are only to take the judgment of charity, not of certainty, and what is usually by wise and good men sup••osed to be the certain, though the least measure of hopeful expectations in order to death, that we must suppose also to be our least measure of repentance preparatory to the blessed Sacra∣ment.

2. This measure must not be taken in the daies of health and carelesness; but when we are either actually in apprehension, or at least in deep medita∣tion

of death; when it is dressed with all such ter∣rors and material considerations, that it looks like the King of terrors, and at least makes our spirits full of fear and of sobriety.

3. This measure must be carefully taken without the allay of foolish principles, or a care∣less spirit, or extravagant confidences of personal predestination, or of being in any sect; but with the common measures which Christians take when they weigh sadly their sins and their fears of the Divine displeasure; let them take such proporti∣ons which considering men relie upon when they indeed come to die; for few sober men die upon such wild accounts as they rely upon in talk and interest when they are alive. He that prepares him∣self to death, considers how deeply God hath been displeased, and what hath been done towards a re∣conciliation; and he that can probably hope by the usual measures of the Gospel that he is in pro∣bability of pardon, hath by that learnt by what measures he must prepare himself to the holy Sa∣crament.

4. Some persons are of a timorous conscience, and apt to irregular and unreasonable fears, and nothing but a single ray from heaven can give them any portions of comfort, and these men never trust to any thing they do, or to any thing that is done for them; and fear by no other measures but by consideration of the intolerable misery which they should suffer if they did miscarry; and because these men can speak nothing and think nothing comfortable of themselves in that agony, or in that meditation; therefore they can make use of this rule by the proportions of that judgment of charity

which themselves make of others; and in what cases, and in what dispositions they conclude others to die in the Lord; if they take those or the like measures for themselves, and accordingly in those dispositions address themselves to the holy Sacra∣ment, they will make that use of this rule which is intended, and which may do them benefit.

5. As there are great varieties and degrees of fitness to death; so also to the holy Sacrament; he that hath lived best, hath enough to deplore when he dies, and causes enough to beg for pardon of what is past, and for aids in the present need; and when he does communicate, he hath in some proportion the same too; he hath causes enough to come humbly, to come as did the Publican, and to say, as did the Centurion, Lord, I am not worthy: but he that may die with most confidence because he is in the best dispositions, he also may communi∣cate with most comfort, because he does it with most holiness.

6. But the least measures of repentance; less than which cannot dispose us to the worthy recepti∣on of the holy Mysteries are these:

1. As soon as we are smitten with the terrors of an afflicted conscience, and apprehend the evil of sin, or fear the Divine Judgments, and upon that account resolve to leave our sin, we are not instantly worthy and fit to communicate. Attriti∣on is not a competent disposition to the blessed Sa∣crament; because although it may be the gate and entrance of a spiritual life, yet it can be no more, unless there be love in it; unless it be contrition, it is not a state of favour and grace, but a disposition

to it. He that does not yet love God, cannot com∣municate with Christ; and he that resolves against sin out of fear only, or temporal regards, hath gi∣ven too great testimony that he loves the sin still, and will return to it, when that which hinders him shall be removed. Faith working by charity is the wedding garment; and he that comes hither not vested with this, shall be cast into outer darkness. But the words of St. Paul are express as to this particular.* 1.51 In Christ Jesus nothing can avail but faith working by love; and therefore without this, the Sacrament it self will do no good; and if it does no good, it cannot be but it will do harm. Our repentance disposing us to this Divine feast, must at least be contrition, or a sorrow for sins, and purposes to leave them, by reason of the love of God working in our hearts.

2. But because no man can tell whether he hath the love of God in him, but by the proper effects of love, which is keeping the Commandments; no man must approach to the holy Sacrament upon the account of his mere resolution to leave sin: untill he hath broken the habit, untill he hath cast away his fetters, untill he be at liberty from sin, and hath shaken off its laws and dominion; so that he can see his love to God entring upon the ruines of sin, and perceives that Gods Spirit hath advanced his Scepter, by the declension of the sin that dwelt within; till then he may do well to stand in the out∣ward Courts; lest by a too hasty entrance into the Sanctuary he carry along with him the abominable thing, and bring away from thence the intolerable sentence of condemnation. A man cannot rightly judge of his love to God, by his acts and transports of fancy, or the emanations of a warm passion;

but by real events and changes of the heart. The reason is plain, because every man hath first loved sin, and obeyed it, and untill that obedience be changed, that first love remains, and that is abso∣lutely inconsistent with the love of God: an act of love, that is, a loving ejaculation, a short prayer affirming and professing love, is a very unsure warrant for any man to conclude that his repen∣tance is indeed contrition: for wicked persons may in their good intervals have such sudden fires; and all men that are taught to understand contrition to be a sorrow for sins proceeding from the love of God, and that love of God to be sufficiently signi∣fied by single acts of loving prayer, can easily by such forms and ready exercises fancy, and conclude themselves in a very good condition at an easie rate. But contrition is therefore necessary, because attrition can be but the one half of repentance; it can turn us away from sin, but it cannot convert us unto God; that must be done by love, and that love, especially in this case, is manifestly nothing else but obedience: and untill that obedience be evident and discernable, we cannot pronounce any comfort concerning our state of love; without which no man can see God, and no man can taste him or feel him without it.

3. A single act of obedience in the instance of any kind where the scene of repentance lies, is not a sufficient preparation to the holy Sacrament, nor demonstration of our contrition: unless it be in the case of repentance only for single acts of sin. In this case, to oppose a good to an evil, an act of proportionable abstinence to a single act of intem∣perance, for which we are really sorrowful▪ and (as we suppose) heartily troubled, and confess it,

and pray for pardon, may be admitted as a compe∣tent testimonial that this sorrow is real, and this repentance is contrition; because it does as much for vertue, as in the instance it did for vice: al∣waies provided that whatsoever aggravations or ac∣cidental grandeurs were in the sin, as scandal, deli∣beration, malice, mischief, hardness, delight, or ob∣stinacy, be also proportionably accounted for in the reckonings of the repentance. But if the penitent return from a habit or state of sin, he will find it a harder work to quit all his old affection to sin, and to place it upon God intirely; and therefore he must stay for more arguments than one or a few single acts of grace: not only because a few may proceed from many causes accidentally, and not from the love of God; but also because his love and habitual desires of sin must be naturally extin∣guished by many contrary acts of virtue; and till these do enter, the old love does naturally abide. It is true, that sin is extinguished not only by the natural force of the contrary actions of vertue, but by the Spirit of God, by aids from heaven, and powers supernatural; and Gods love hastens ou•• pardon and acceptation; yet still, this is done by parts and methods of natural progression; after the manner of nature, though by the aids of God; and therefore it is fit that we expect the changes, and make our judgment by material events, and discerned mutations, before we communicate in these mysteries, in which whoever unworthily does communicate, enters into death.

4. He that hath resolved against all sin, and yet falls into it regula••ly at the next temptation, is yet in a state of evil, and unworthiness to com∣municate; because he is under the dominion of sin,

he obeys it, though unwillingly; that is he grum∣bles at his fetters, but still he is in slavery and bon∣dage. But if having resolved against all sin, he de∣lights in none, deliberately chooses none, is not so often surprized, grows stronger in grace, and is mistaken but seldom, and repents when he is, and arms himself better, and watches more carefully against all, and increases still in knowledge; what∣ever imperfection is still adherent to the man un∣willingly, does indeed allay his condition, and is fit to humble and cast him down; but it does not make him unworthy to communicate, because he is in the state of grace; he is in the Christian warfare, and is on Gods side; and the holy Sacrament, if it have any effect at all, is certainly an instrument or a sign in the hands of God to help his servants, to inlarge his grace, to give more strengths, and to promote them to perfection.

5. But the sum of all is this; He that is not freed from the dominion of sin, he that is not really a subject of the Kingdom of grace; he in whose mortal body sin does reign, and the Spirit of God does not reign, must at no hand present himself be∣fore the holy Table of the Lord; because, what∣ever dispositions and alterations he may begin to have in order to pardon and holiness, he as yet hath neither, but is Gods enemy, and therefore cannot receive his holy Son.

6. But because the change is made by parts and effected by the measures of other intellectual and spiritual changes, that is, after the manner of men, from imperfection to perfection by all the inter∣medial steps of moral degrees, and good and evil in some periods have but a little distance though they

should have a great deal; and it is at first very hard to know whether it be life or death; and after that, it is still very difficult to know whether it be health or sickness; and dead men cannot eat, and sick men scarce can eat with benefit, at least are to have the weakest and the lowest diet: and after all this, it is of a consequence infinitely evil, if men eat this Supper indisposed and unfit: It is all the reason of the world that returning sinners should be busie in their repentances, and do their work in the field (as it is in the parable of the Gospel) and in their due time come home, and gird themselves and wait upon their Lord, and when they are bidden and warranted, then to sit down in the Supper of their Lord. But in this case it is good to be as sure as we can; as sure as the analogy of these divine Mysteries require, and as our needs permit.

7. He that hath committed a single act of sin a little before the Communion, ought for the reve∣rence of the holy Sacrament to abstain till he hath made proportionable amends; and not only so, but if the sin was inconsistent with the state of grace, and destroyed or interrupted the divine fa∣vour, as in cases of fornication, murder, perjury, any malicious or deliberate known great crime, he must comport himself as a person returning from a habit or state of sin; and the reason is, because he that hath lost the divine favour cannot tell how long he shall be before he recovers it, and therefore would do well not to snatch at the portion and food of Sons, whilest he hath reason to fear that he hath the state and calamity of Dogs, who are caressed well, if they feed on fragments and crums that are thrown away.

Now this Doctrine and these cautions, besides that they are consonant to Scripture and the analo∣gy of this divine Sacrament, are nothing else but what was directly the sentiment of all the best, most severe, religious and devoutest ages of the Primitive Church. For true it is, the Apostles did indefinitely admit the faithful to the holy Commu∣nion; but they were persons wholly enflamed with those holy fires which Jesus Christ sent from hea∣ven to make them burning and shining lights; such which our dearest Lord, with his blood still warm and fresh, filled with his holy love; such whose spirits were so separate from the affections of the world, that they laid their estates at the Apostles feet, and took with joy the spoiling of their goods; such who by improving the graces they had recei∣ved, did come to receive more abundantly; and therefore these were fit to receive the bread of the strong * 1.52. But this is no invitation for them to come who feel such a lukewarmnesse and indifference of spirit and devotion, that they have more reason to suspect it to be an effect of evil life, rather than of infirmity: for them who feel no heats of love but of themselves; for them who are wholly immerg'd in secular affections and interests; for them who are full of passions, and void of grace; these from the example of the others may derive caution, but no confidence: So long as they persever'd in the Do∣ctrine of the Apostles,* 1.53 so long they also did conti∣nue in the breaking of bread and solemn conventions for prayer: for to persevere in the Doctrine of the Apostles signified a life most exactly Christian; for that was the Doctrine Apostolical, according to the words of our Lord, teaching to observe all things which I have commanded you.* 1.54

And by this method the Apostolical Churches and their descendants did administer these holy Myste∣ries; a full and an excellent testimony whereof we have in that excellent Book of Ecclesiastical Hierar∣chy commonly attributed to St. Dionys.* 1.55

The Church drives from the Sacrifice of the Temple [meaning the divine Sacrament] such persons for whom it is too sublime and elevated: First, those who are not yet instructed and taught concerning the participation of the Myste∣ries: Next,* 1.56 those who are fal∣len from the holy and Christian state, [meaning Apostates, and such as have renounced their Baptism, or fallen from the grace of it, by a state of deadly sin, or foulest crimes.] Thirdly, they who are possessed with evil spirits: And lastly, those who indeed have begun to retire from sin to a good life, but they are not yet purified from the phan∣tasms and images of their past inordinations, by a divine habitude and love, with purity and with∣out mixture. And to conclude, they who are not yet perfectly united to God alone, and to speak according to the style of Scripture, they who are not intirely inculpable and without re∣proach.

And when St. Soter exhorted all persons to receive upon the day of the Institution, or the vespers of the Passion, he excepted those who were forbidden because they had committed any grie∣vous sin.

But what was the Doctrine and what were the usages of the Primitive Church in the ministery of

the Blessed Sacrament, appears plainly in the two Epistles of St. Basil to Amphilochius in the Canons of Ancyra, those of Peter of Alexandria, Gregory Thaumaturgus, and Nyss••en, which make up the Penitential of the Greek Church, and are explica∣ted by Balsamo; in which we find sometimes the penance of two years imposed for a single theft; four years, and seven years, for an act of unclean∣nesse, eleven years for perjury, fifteen years for adultery and incest; that is, such persons were for so many years sep••rate from the Communion, and by a holy life and strict observances of penitential impositions, were to give testimony of their contri∣tion and amends. The like to which are to be seen in the Penitentials of the Western Church; that of Theodorus Archbishop of Canterbury, that of venerable Bede, the old Roman, and that of Rabanus Maurus Archbishop of Mentz: The reason of which severity we find thus accounted in St. Basil; [

All this is done that they may try the fruits of their repen∣tance:* 1.57 For we do not judge of these things by the time, but by the manner of their repen∣tance.

] For the Bishop had power to shorten the days of their separation and abstention; and he that was an excellent penitent was much sooner ad∣mitted; but by the injunction of so long a trial, they declar'd that much purification was necessary for such an address. And if after, or in these penitential years of abstention, they did not mend their lives, though they did perform their penan∣ces, they were not admitted. These were but the Churches signs; by other accidents and manifesta∣tions if it hapned that a great contrition was signifi∣ed,

or a secret incorrigibility became publick, the Church would admit the first sooner, and the latter not at all.* 1.58 For it was purity and holinesse that the Church requi∣red of all her Communicants; and what measure of it she required, we find thus testified: [

The faithful which hath been rege∣nerated by baptism ought to be nourished by the participation of the divine Mysteries; and being cloathed with Jesus Christ,* 1.59 and having the quality of a child of God, he ought to receive the nutri∣ment of life eternal, which the Son of God him∣self hath given us: and this nutriment is obe∣dience to the word of God, and execution of his will, of which Jesus Christ hath said, Man lives not by bread alone; but my meat is to do my Fa∣thers will] and a little after he affirms [that where∣as St. Paul saith that Jesus Christ hath appointed us to eat his body in memory of his death, the true remembrance which we ought to have of his death, is to place before our eyes that which the Apostle saith, that we were wholly dead, and Jesus Christ died for us, to the end that we should no more live unto our selves, but to him alone, and that so we should do him honour, and give him thanks for his death by the purity of our life, without which we engage our selves in a terrible damnation if we receive the Eucharist.] And a∣gain: [He that, not having this charity which presses us, and causes us to live for him who died for us, dares approach to the Eucharist, grieves the holy Spirit. For it is necessary that he who comes to the memorial of Jesus Christ, who died

and rose again for us, should not only be clean from all impurity of flesh and spirit; but that he should demonstrate the death of him who died and rose for us, by being dead unto sin, to the world, and to himself, and that he lives no more but only to God through Jesus Christ.] And therefore St. Cyprian complains as of a new and worse persecution,* 1.60 that lapsed persons are ad∣mitted to the Communion before they have brought forth fruits of a worthy repentance; and affirms, that such an admission of sinners is to them as hail to the young fruits, as a blasting wind to the trees, as the murren to the cattel, as a tempest to the ships: The ships are overturned and broken, the fruits fall, the trees are blasted, the cattel die, and the poor sinner by being ad∣mitted too soon to the ministeries of eternal life, falls into eternall death.

And if we put together some words of S••. Ambrose,* 1.61 they clearly declare this Doctrine, and are an excellent Sermon:

Thou comest to the Altar, the Lord Jesus calls thee; he sees thee to be clean from all sin, because thy sins are wash'd away, therefore he judges thee wor∣thy of the c••lestial Sacraments, and therefore he invites thee to the heavenly banquet: Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth] But some de∣sire to be admitted to penance,* 1.62 that presently they may receive the Communion: These men do not so much desire themselves to be absolved, as that the Priest be bound; for they do not put off their own evil conscience.* 1.63] But I would that the guilty man should hope for pardon; let him require it with tears, seek it with sighs, beg to obtain it by the weepings of all the people, and if he be denied the Communion again and again, let him consider that his prayer was not suffici∣ently

earnest; let him weep more and pray more] To which I shall add some like words of St. Austin,* 1.64 [Therefore my dearest Brethren, let every one consider his conscience, and when he finds him∣self wounded with any crime, first let him take care with prayers and fastings and alms to cleanse his conscience, and so let him receive the Eucha∣rist.... for he that knowing his guilt, shall hum∣bly remove himself from the Altar for the amend∣ment of his life, shall not fear to be wholly ex-communicate from that eternal and celestial ban∣quet: For this Divine Sacrament is not to be eaten with confidence and bold∣nesse,* 1.65 but with fear and all man∣ner of purity, saith St. Chryso∣stome; for impudence in these approaches will certainly slay the souls.] For th••s is the body whither none but Eagles are to gather; because they ought to be sublime and elevated souls, such which have no∣thing of earthliness in them, that do not sit and prey upon the ground, that are not immerg'd in the love of Creatures; but such whose flight is towards heaven, whose spirit does behold the Sun of Righteousnesse with a penetrating contem∣plation, and piercing eyes: for this is the Table of Eagles, and not of Owls] And therefore this Saint complains of some [who did approach to the Eucharist as it were by chance, or rather by custom and constraint of Laws, rather than by argument and choice. In whatsoever estate their souls are, they will partake of these Mysteries because it is Lent, or because it i•• the feast of the Epiphany: but certain it is, that it is not the time which puts us into a capacity of doing this

action. For it is not Lent nor the Epiphany which makes us worthy to approach to the Son of God; * 1.66 But the sincerity and purity of the soul: with this come at any time; but without this, never.

In fine, it is the general doctrine of the holy Fathers, and the pub∣lick practice of the Primitive Church, that no impenitent person should come to these divine Mysteries: and they that are truly penitent should practice deep humili∣ty, and undergo many humiliatiōns, and live in a state of repentance, till by little and little they have recover'd the holinesse they had lost, and must for a long time live upon the word of God, before they approach to the holy Table to be nourished by his body. For so should every prodigal child cry unto his Lord,* 1.67 [

Drive me not O Lord out of thy doors, lest the enemy espying a wanderer and a vagabond, take me for a slave. I do not yet de∣sire to approach to thy holy Table, thy mystical and terrible Table; for I have not confidence with my impure eyes to behold the holy of holies. Only suffer me to enter into thy Church amongst the Catechumens, that by beholding what is there celebrated, I may by little and little enter again into the participation of them; to the end that the Divine Waters of thy Word running upon me, may purifie my ears from the impressions which have been made upon them by ungodly songs, and from the filthinesse they have left be∣hind; and seeing how the righteous people par∣take by a holy violence of thy precious jewels, I may conceive a burning desire to have hands worthy to receive the same excellencies.

I end this collection of the ancient Doctrine of the

Church with recitation of the words of Gennadius,* 1.68 [

I perswade and exhort Christians to receive the Communion every Lords day; but so that if their mind be free from all affection of sinning: For he who still hath will or desires of sin, he is burdened and not purified by receiving the Eu∣charist. And therefore although he be bitten [or griev'd] with sin, let him for the future re∣nounce all will to sin, and before he communi∣cate let him satisfie with prayers and tears; and being confident of the mercy of our Lord, who uses to pardon sins upon a pious confession, let him come to the Eucharist without doubting. But this I say of him who is not pressed with capi∣tal and deadly sins; for such a person, if he will not receive the Eucharist to judgment and con∣demnation, let him make amends by publick pe∣nance, and being reconcil'd by the Bishop or Priest, let him communicate. I doubt not also but such grievous sins may be extinguish'd by private satisfactions; but this must be done by changing the course of his life, by a professed study of Religion, by a daily and perpetual mourning or contrition, that through the mercy of God he may do things contrary to these whereof he does repent; and then humbly and suppliant let him every Lords day communicate to the end of his life.

This advice of Gennadius declares the sentiment of the Church, that none must communicate till they have worthily repented, and in the way of piety and contrition made amends for their faults as well as they may; and have put themselves into a state of vertue contrary to their state of sin, that is, have made progression in the reformation of

their lives; that they are really changed and be∣come new men, not in purpose only, but actually and in the commencement of holy habits. And therefore it is remarkable that he advises that these persons who do not stand in the place of publick penitents, should upon the commission of grievous faults enter into Religion; he means into solitude, and retirement, and renunciation of the world, that by attending wholy to the severities and puri∣ties of a religious life, they may by such strictnesses and constant piety be fitted for the communion. Now whatever ends besides this, the Divine Provi∣dence might have, yet it is not to be neglected, that when the ancient discipline of the Church, of penances and satisfactions was gone into desuetude, the Spirit of Religion entred more fully into the world, and many religious orders and houses were instituted, that at least there, the world might practise that severity in private which the change of affairs in the face of the Church had taken from the publick ministeries; Penance went from the Churches into desarts and into Monasteries; but when these were corrupted, and the manners of men were worse corrupted, it is hard to say whi∣ther it is gone now. It may be yet done in private, and under the hand of a spiritual guide; or by the spirit of penance in the heart of a good man, and by the conduct of a wise counsellor; but besides that the manners of men are corrupted, the do∣ctrines also are made so easie, and the Communion given to sects and opinions, or indifferently to all; that it is very rare to see them who have sinn'd grievously repent worthily; who therefore can never be worthy communicants, for no impenitents can partake of Christ,* 1.69 who as S. Hierom cals him,

is the prince of penance, and the head of them who by repentance come unto salvation. But this was his advice to them that commit grievous sins, such which lay the conscience wast, and whose every single action destroyes our being in the state of grace.

But as for them whose sins are but those of dayly incursion, and of infirmity, or imperfection, such which a great diligence and a perpetual watchful∣ness might have prevented, but an ordinary care would not; these must be protested against, they must not joyn with our consent, our will must be against them, and they must be confess'd and de∣plor'd, and prayed against before we may commu∣nicate. * 1.70 This is the sense of the Church of God.

Having established this great general measure of preparation, it will not be very difficult to an∣swer that great question often disputed amongst spiritual persons: viz.

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.* 1.71 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 * 1.72 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;* 1.73 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:* 1.74 [

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,* 1.75 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 * 1.76; 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,* 1.77 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,* 1.78 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 * 1.79 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,* 1.80 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,* 1.81 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.* 1.82 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,* 1.83 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;* 1.84 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;* 1.85 and it is very remarkable what St. Austin said in this affair.* 1.86 [

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.

Question II. But is every man bound to communicate that is present, or that comes into a Church where the Communion is prepared, though but by accident, and without design; and may no man that is fit, omit to communi∣cate in every opportunity?

To this I answer: That in the Primitive Church it was accounted scandalous and criminal to be pre∣sent at the holy Offices, and to go out at the cele∣bration of the Mysteries. [What cause is there, O Hearers,* 1.87 that ye see the Table and come not to the Banquet?] said St. Austin. [If thou stand by, and do not communicate, thou art wicked, thou art shame∣less,

thou art impudent. So St. Chrysostome:* 1.88 and to him that objects, he is not worthy to communi∣cate, he answers, that then neither is he fit to pray. And the Council of Antioch * 1.89 and of Bracara com∣manded that those who did not communicate should be driven from the Churches. And Palla∣dius tells,* 1.90 that when St. Macarius had by his pray∣ers cured a poor miserable woman that was be∣witched, and fancied her self to be a horse; he ad∣vised her,

Never to depart from the Church of God, or to abstain from the Communion of the Sacraments of Christ. For this misfortune hath pr••vailed upon you because for these five weeks you have not communicated.

]

Now this was but a relative crime; and because their custome was such * 1.91 (which is alwaies to be understood accor∣ding to their acknowledged mea∣sures, viz. that only pious persons were to be meant, and required in that expectation; this will not conclude that of it self, and abstracting from the scandal, it was in all cases unlawful to recede from the mysteries at sometimes. ••or some∣times a man may be called off by the necessities of his calling, or the duties of charity or piety. A General of an Army, a Prince, a Privy Counsellor, a Judge, a Merchant may be very fit to communi∣cate, even then when they cannot, or it may be ought not to stay. But if he can stay, and be a good man, and rightly disposed by the habits of a good life, he ought to stay and communicate; and so much the rather, if it be in any degree scanda∣lous to go away. The reason is; because if he be a good man, he can no more be surprised by an

unexpected Communion, than by a sudden death; which although it may find him in better circum∣stances, yet can never find him Unprovided. But in this case, St. Austins moderate determination of the case is very useful, Let every one do as he is perswaded in his mind; for a man may with a laudable fear and reverence abstain; if he shall be perswaded that he ought not to communicate unless besides his habitual grace, he hath kindled the fires of an actual devotion and preparation special: and so much the rather, because he may communicate very frequently, and to great purposes and degrees of a spiritual life, though he omit that single op∣portunity in which he is surpris'd; and though it be very useful for a good man to communicate often, yet it is not necessary that he communicate alwaies; only let every pious soul consider, that it is argument of the Divine love to us, that these fountains are alwaies open; that the Angel fre∣quently moves these waters, and that Christ saies to every prepared heart as to the multitudes that followed him into the wilderness, I will not send them away fasting lest they faint in the way. And if ••hrist be ever ready offering his holy body and bloud, it were very fit we should entertain him: for he never comes but he brings a blessing.

Question III. But how often is it advisable that a good man should Communicate? Once in a year, or thrice, or every month, or every fortnigbt; every sunday, or every day?

This question hath troubled very many; but to little purpose. For it is all one as if it were asked,

How often should a healthful man eat; or he that hath infirmities, take Physick? And if any man should say that a good man should do well to pray three times a day; he said true; and yet it were better to pray five times, and better yet to pray seven times; but if he does, yet he must leave spaces for other duties. But his best measures for publick and solemn prayer, is the custom of the Church in which he lives; and for private, he can take no measures but his own needs, and his own leisure, and his own desires, and the examples of the best and devoutest persons, in the same circum∣stances. And so it is in the frequenting the holy Communion. The laws of the Church must be his least measure. The custome of the Church may be his usual measure;* 1.92 But if he be a devout person; the spirit of devotion will be his certain measure; and although that will consult with prudence and reasonable opportunities, yet it consults with nothing else; but communicates by its own heights and degrees of excellency.* 1.93 St. Hierom advises Eustochium, a noble Virgin, and other religious persons to communicate twice every month; some did every Sunday; and this was so general a cu∣stome in the Ancient Church, that the Sunday was called, The day of bread;* 1.94 as we find in St. Chryso∣stome: and in consonancy to this the Church of England commands that the Priests resident in Collegiate or Cathedral Churches should do so: and they whose work and daily imployment is to Minister to religion, cannot in such circumstances pretend a reasonable excuse to the contrary. But I desire these things may be observed:

1. That when the Fathers make a question con∣cerning a frequent Communion, they do not dispute whether it be adviseable that good people should communicate every month, or every fortnight, or whether the more devout and less imploy'd may communicate every week; for of this they make no question; but whether every days Communion be fit to be advised, that they question: and I find, that as they are not earnest in that, so they indefi∣nitely give answer, that a frequent Communion is not to be neglected at any hand, if persons be wor∣thily prepared.

2. The frequency of Communion is to be esti∣mated by the measures of devout people in every Church respectively. And although in the Apo∣stolical Ages they who Communicated but once a fortnight were not esteemed to do it frequently; yet now they who communicate every month, and upon the great Festivals of the year besides, and upon other solemn or contingent occasions, and at marriages, and at visitations of the sick, may be said to communicate frequently, in such Churches where the Laws enjoyn but three or four times e∣very year, as in the Church of England, and the Lutheran Churches. But this way of estimating the frequency of Communion is only when the causes of inquiry are for the avoiding of scandal, or the preventing of scruples; but else, the inward hunger and thirst, and the spirit of devotion mar∣ried to opportunity, can give the truest measures.

3. They that communicate frequently, if they do it worthily, are charitable and spiritual persons, and therefore cannot judge or undervalue others

that do not. For no man knows concerning others by what secret principles and imperfect propositi∣ons they are guided. For although these measures we meet with in Antiquity are very reasonable, yet few do know them; and all of them do not rely upon them; and their own customs, or the private word of their own guides, or their fears, or the usages of the Church in which they live, or some leading example, or some secret impediment which ought not, but is thought sufficient; any of these, or many other things, may retard even good per∣sons from such a frequency as may please others; and that which one calls opportunity, others do not; but however, no man ought to be prejudiced in the opinion of others: For besides all this now reckoned, The receiving of the holy Sacrament is of that nature of good things which can be suppli∣ed by internal actions alone, or sometimes by other external actions in conjunction; and it hath a sup∣pletory of its own, viz. Spiritual Communion, (of which I am to give account in its proper place.) And when we consider that some men are of strict con∣sciences, and some Churches are of strict Commu∣nions, and will not admit Communicants but upon such terms which some men cannot admit, it will follow that as S. Austins expression is, Men should live in the peace of Christ, and do according to their Faith: but in these things no man should judge his Brother. In this no man can directly be said to do amiss, but he that loathes Manna, and despises the food of Angels, or neglects the Supper of the Lamb, or will not quit his sin, or contend towards perfection, or hath not the spirit of devotion, or does any way by implication say, That the Table of the Lord is contemptible.

4. These rules and measures now given, are such as relate to those who by themselves or o∣thers are discernably in, or discernably out of the state of grace. But there are some which are in the confines of both states, and neither themselves nor their guides can tell to what dominion they do belong. Concerning such, they are by all means to be thrust or invited forward, and told of the dan∣ger of a real or seeming neutrality in the service of God; of the hatefulnesse of tepidity, of the un∣comfortablenesse of such an indifference: and for the Communions of any such person, I can give no other advice, but that he take his measures of fre∣quency by the Laws of his Church, and add what he please to his numbers by the advice of a spiritual guide, who may consider whether his Penitent, by his conjugation of preparatory actions, and heaps of holy duties at that time usually conjoyn'd, do or is likely to receive any spiritual progresse: For this will be his best indication of life, and declare his uncertain state, if he thrive upon his spiritual nourishment. If it prove otherwise, all that can be said of such persons is, that they are members of the visible Church, they are in that net where there are fishes good and bad, they stand amongst the wheat and the tares, they are part of the lump, but whether leavened or unleavened, God only knows; and therefore they are such to whom the Church denies not the bread of Children; but whether it does them good or hurt, the day only will declare: for to such persons as these the Church hath made Laws for the set time of their Communion.* 1.95 Christ∣mas, Easter, and Whitsontide were appointed for all Christians that were not scandalous and openly cri∣minal, by P. Fabianus; and this Constitution is imitated by the best constituted Church in the

world, our dear Mo••her the Church of England: and they who do not at these times, or so frequent∣ly communicate, are censured by the Council of Agathon * 1.96 as unfit to be reckoned among Christi∣ans, or Members of the Catholick Church. Now by these Laws of the Church, it is intended indeed that all men should be called upon to discusse and shake off the yoke of their sins, and enter into the salutary state of repentance; and next to the per∣petual Sermons of the Church, she had no better means to ingage them into returns of piety; ho∣ping that by the grace of God and the blessings of the Sacrament, the repentance which at these times solemnly begins, may at one time or other fix and abide; these little institutions and disciplines being like the sudden heats in the body, which sometimes fix into a burning, though most commonly they go away without any further change. But the Church in this case does the best she can, but does not pre∣sume that things are well; and indeed as yet they are not: and therefore such persons must passe further, or else their hopes may become illusions, and make the men asham'd.

5. I find that amongst the holy Primitives they who contended for the best things, and lov'd God greatly, were curious even of little things; and if they were surpriz'd with any sudden undecency, or a storm of passion, they did not dare that day to communicate. [

When I am angry, or when I think any evil thought, or am abus'd with any il∣lusion or foul phansie of the night, intrare non audeo, I dare not enter, said St. Jerome,* 1.97 I am so full of horrour and dread, both in my body and my mind.

] This was also the case of St. Chry∣sostom, who when Eusebius had unreasonably trou∣bled

him with an unseasonable demand of justice against Antonine, just as he was going to consecrate the blessed Sacrament, departed out of the Church, and desired one of the Bishops, who by chance was present,* 1.98 to do the office for him; for he would not offer the Sacrifice at that time, having some trouble in his Spirit.

2. To this are to be reduc'd all such great acti∣ons which in their whole constitution are great and lawful; but because so many things are involved in their transaction, whereof some unavoidably will be amiss, or may reasonably be suppos'd so, may have something in the whole and at the last to be deplor'd: In such cases as these, some great exam∣ples have been of advices to abstain from the Com∣munion, till by a general but a profound repentance for what hath been amiss, God is deprecated, and the causes of Christian hope and confidence do re∣turn. In the Ecclesiastical History we read, that when Theodosius had fought prosperously against Eug••nius the Usurper of the Empire, when his cause was just and approved by God, not only giving te∣stimony by the prediction and warranty of a religi∣ous Hermit, but also by prodigious events, by winds and tempests fighting for him, and by which he restored peace to the Church, and tranquility to the Empire: yet he by the advice of S. Ambrose abstain'd a while from the holy Sacrament, and would not carry blood upon his hands * 1.99, though justly shed, unto the Altar; not only following the president of David, who because he was a man of blood might not build a Temple, but for fear lest some unfit appendage should stick to the management of a just im∣ployment.

3. Of the same consideration it is, if a person whose life should be very exemplar, is guilty of such a single folly which it may be would not dis∣honour a meaner man, but is a great vanity and re∣proach to him; a little abstention, and a penitenti∣al separation (when it is quit from scandal) was sometimes practis'd in the Ancient Church, and is adviseable also now in fitting circumstances. Thus when Gerontius the Deacon had vainly talked that the Devil appear'd to him one night, and that he had bound him with a chain, St. Ambrose command∣ed him to abide in his house, and not to come to the Church, till by penances and sorrow he had expia∣ted such an indiscretion, which to a man had in re∣putation for wisdom, is as a fly in a box of oynt∣ment, not only uselesse, but mischievous. And S. Bernard commends S. Malachie because he reprov'd a Deacon for attending at the Altar the day af∣ter he had suffered an illusion in the night.* 1.100 It had been better he had abstain'd from the Altar one day, and by that intermediate ex∣piation and humility have the next day return'd to a more worthy ministery.

4. One degree of curious caution I find beyond all this, in an instance of St. Gregory the Great, in whose life we find, that he abstain'd some days from the holy Communion, because there was found in a Village neer to Rome a poor man dead, no man could tell how; but because the good Bishop fear'd he might have been starv'd, and that he died for want of provision; he supposing it might reflect

upon him as a defect in his Government, or of his personal Charity, thought it fit to deplore the ac∣cident, and to abstain from the Communion, till he might hope for pardon, in case he had done a∣miss.

If these things proceed from the sincerity of a well disposed spirit, that can suffer any trouble ra∣ther than that of sin, the product is well enough, and in all likelihood would always be well, if the case were conducted by a prudent spiritual guide; for then it would not change into scruples and su∣perstition. But these are but the fears and cauti∣ons and securities of a tender spirit; but are not an answer to the Question, Whether it be lawful for such persons to Communicate? For certainly they may, if all things else be right; and they may be right in the midst of such little accidents. But these belong to the questions of perfection and excellen∣cies of grace; these are the extraordinaries of them who never think they do well enough: and there∣fore they extended no further than to a single ab∣stention, or some little proportionable retirement; and may be useful when they are in the hands of prudent and excellent persons.

SECT. V. What significations of Repentance are to be accepted by the Church in admissi∣on of Penitents to the Communion.

THis inquiry will quickly be answered, when we consider that the end why the Church en∣joyns publick or private amends respectively to any convict or confessed Criminal, she only does it as a Mother and a Physician to souls, and a Minister of the Divine Pardon, and the Conductress of peni∣tential Processes: she does it that the man may be recovered from the snare of the enemy, that she may destroy the work of the Devil, that the sinner may become a good Christian: and therefore the Church, when she conducts any mans repentance, is bound to enjoyn so many external Ministeries, that if they be really joyned with the external con∣trition and reformation, will do the work of re∣concilement in the Court of heaven. The Church can exact none but what she can see or some way take external notice of; but by these externals in∣tends to minister to the internal repentance; which when it is sufficiently signified by any ways that she may prudently rely upon as testimonies and mini∣steries of a sufficient internal contrition and real amends, she can require no more, and she ought not to be content with lesse.

It is therefore infinitely unsafe and imprudent to receive the Confessions of Criminals, and after the injunction of certain cursory penances,* 1.101 to admit them to the Blessed Sacrament without any further emendation, without any trial of the sincerity of their con∣version, before it is probable that God hath pardon'd them,* 1.102 before their affections to sin are dead, before the spirit of mortification is entred, before any vice is exter∣minated, or any vertue acquired: Such a loosnesse of discipline is but the image of repentance (whether we look upon it as it is described in Scripture, or as it was practised by the Primitive Church) which at least is a whole change of life, a conversion of the whole man to God. And it is as bad when a notorious criminal is put to shame one day, for such a sin which could not have obtain'd the peace of the Church under the severity and strictness of fifteen years, amongst the holy Primitives. Such publick Ecclesiastical penances may suffice to re∣move the scandal from the Church, when the Church will be content upon so easie terms; for she only can tell what will please her self. But then such discipline must not be esteem'd a sufficient ministery of repentance, nor a just disposition to pardon. For the Church ought not to give par∣don, or to promise the peace of God upon terms easier than God himself requires; and therefore when repentance comes to be conducted by her, she

must require so much as will extinguish the sin, and reform the man, and make him and represent him good.

All the liberty that the Church hath in this, is what is given her by the latitude of the judgment of charity; and yet oftentimes a too easie judg∣ment is the greatest uncharitableness in the world, and makes men confident and careless and deceiv'd: and therefore although gentle sentences are useful when there is danger of dispair or contumacy, yet that is rather a palliation of a disease than a cure; and therefore the method must be chang'd as soon as it can, and the severe and true Sermons of the Gospel must be either proclaimed aloud, or insinu∣ated prudently and secretly, and men be taught to rely upon them and their consequents, and upon no∣thing else; for they will not deceive us. But the corrupt manners of men, and the corrupt doctrines of some Schools, have made it almost impossible to govern souls as they need to be governed.

The Church may indeed chuse whether she will impose on Criminals any exterior significations of repentance, but accept them to the Communion upon their own accounts of a sincere conversion and inward contrition; but then she ought to do this upon such accounts as are indeed real and suffi∣cient, and effective and allowed; that is, when she can understand that such an emendation is made, and the man is really reformed, she can pronounce him pardoned; or which is all one, she may com∣municate him. And farther yet; she can by Ser∣mons declare all the necessary parts of repentance, and the conditions of pardon, and can pronounce limited and hypothetical or conditional pardons;

concerning which the penitent must take care that they do belong to him. But if she does undertake to conduct any repentances exteriously, it is to very little purpose to do it any way that is not com∣mensurate to that true internal repentance which is effective of pardon. Indeed every single act of penance does something towards it; but why something should be enjoyned that is not sufficient, and that falls infinitely short of the end of its desig∣nation, though the Church may use her liberty, yet it is not easie to understand the reason. But I leave this to the consideration of those who are concerned in Governments publick, or in the pri∣vate conduct of souls, to whom I earnestly and humbly recommend it; and I add this only, that when the Ancient Churches did absolve and com∣municate dying penitents, though but newly re∣turn'd from sin, they did it de benè esse, or with a hope it might do some good, and because they thought it a case of necessity, and because there was no time left to do better: but when they did as well as they could, they could not tell what God would do; and though the Church did well, it may be it was very ill with the souls departed. But be∣cause that is left to God, it is certain some things were done upon pious confidence and venture, for which there was no promise in the Gospel.

That which the Church is to take care of is, that all her children be sufficiently taught what are the just measures of preparation and worthy dis∣position to these Divine mysteries; and that she admits none, of whom she can tell that they are not worthy; such as are notorious adulterers, homi∣cides, incestuous, perjurers, habitually peevish to evil effects, and permanently angry (for this I

find reckoned amongst the Primi∣tive Catalogues of persons to be excluded from the Communion) rapines, theft, sacriledge,* 1.103 false witness, pride, covetousness and envy. It would be hard to re∣duce this rule to practice in all these instances, unless it be by consent and voluntary submission of penitent persons. But that which I remark is this: that Proud persons and the Covetous, the Envious and the Angry were esteemed fit to be excommunicate; that is, infinitely unfit to be ad∣mitted to the blessed Sacrament; and that by the rules of their discipline they were to do many actions of publick and severe pe∣nance and mortifications before they would admit them.

Now then the case is this. They did esteem more things to be requir'd to the integrity of repentance, and God not to be so soon reconcil'd, and the Devil not soon dispossess'd, and mens re∣solutions not so fit to be trusted, and more to be re∣quired to pardon than confession and the pro∣nouncing absolution; all this otherwise than we do, and therefore so long as they did conduct repen∣tances; they requir'd it as it should be; being sure that no repentance that was joyned with hope and charity could be too much, but it might quickly be too little; and therefore although the Church may take as little as she please for a testimonial of repen∣tance, and suppose the rest is right though it be not signified; yet when she either in publick or in pri∣vate

is to manage repentances she must use no mea∣sure, but that which will procure pardon, and ex∣tinguish both the guilt and dominion of sin. The first may be of some use in government; but of little avail to souls, and to their eternal interest: there∣fore in the first she may use her liberty and give her self measures, in the latter she hath no other but what are given her by the nature of repentance, and its efficacy and order to pardon, and the designs of God, for the reformation of our souls and the extermination of sin.

SECT. VI. Whether may every Minister of the Church and Curate of Souls reject impenitent persons, or any criminals from the holy Sacrament, until themselves be satisfied of their repentance and a∣mends?

SEparation of sinners from the Blessed Sacrament was either done upon confession and voluntary submission of the penitent; or by publick convicti∣on and notoreity. Every Minister of religion can do the first, for he that submits to my judgment, does choose my sentence; and if he makes me Judge, he is become my subject in a voluntary Govern∣ment: and therefore I am to judge for him when

it is fit that he should communicate: only, if when he hath made me Judge, he refuses to obey my counsel, he hath dissolved my Government, and therefore will receive no further benefit by me. * But concerning the latter of these; a separation upon publick conviction or notoreity; that requires an authority that is not precarious and changeable. Now this is done two waies; either by authority forbidding, or by authority restraining and com∣pelling; that is, by the word of our proper mini∣stry, disswading him that is unworthy from com∣ing, and threatning him with Divine judgments if he does come; or else rejecting of him, in case that he fears not those threatnings, but persists in his desires of having it.

Now of the first of these, every Minister of the Word and Sacraments is a competent Minister; for all that minister to souls are to tell them of their dangers, and by all the effects of their office to present them pure and spotless unto God; the Seers must take care that the people may see; lest by their blindness they fall into the bottomless pit. And when the Curates of souls have declared the will of God in this instance, and denounced his judgments to unworthy Communicants, and told to all that present themselves who are worthy, and who are not, they have delivered their own souls; all that remains is, that every person take care con∣cerning his own affairs.

For the second, viz denying to minister to Cri∣minals though demanding it with importunity; that is an act of prudence and caution in some cases, and of authority in others. When it is matter of cau∣tion, it is not a punishment but a medicine; ac∣cording

to those excellent words of S. Cyprian; To be cast out (viz.; for a time, from the Communion) is a reme∣dy and a degree towards the recove∣ry of our spiritual health:* 1.104 and be∣cause it is no more; it cannot be pretended to be any mans right to do it; but it may be in his duty when he can; but therefore this must depend upon the consent of the penitent. For a Physician must not in despite of a man cut off his leg to save his life: the sick man may choose whe∣ther he shall or no. But sometimes it is an act of authority; as when the people have consented to such a discipline, or when the secular arm by assi∣sting the Ecclesiastical, hath given to it a power of mixt jurisdiction; that is, when the spiritual power of paternal regiment which Christ hath given to his Ministers the supreme Curates, is made opera∣tive upon the persons and external societies of men. Now of this power the Bishops are the prime and immediate subjects, partly under Christ, and partly under Kings; and of this power, inferiour Ministers are capable by delegation,* 1.105 but no other∣wise; they being but Deputies and Vicars in the cure of souls under their superiours, from whom they have received their order and their charge. And thus I suppose we are to understand the Ru∣brick before our Communion office; which war∣rants ••he Curate not to suffer open and notorious evil livers by whom the Congregation is offended, and those between whom he perceiveth malice and hatred to reign, to be partakers of the Lords Ta∣ble. In the first, the case is of notorious Criminals, and is to be understood of a notoreity of Law; and in this the Curate is but a publisher of the Judges sentence: In the second, the Criminal is

ipso facto excommunicate; and therefore in this the Curate is but the Minister of the Sentence of the Law, or at least hath a delegate authority to pass the Churches Sentence in a matter that is evident. But this is seldom practised otherwise than by reje∣cting such persons by way of denunciation of the divine Judgments; and if it be so understood, the Curate hath done his duty which God requires; and I believe the Laws of England will suffer him to do no more by his own authority.

But this is to be reduced to practice by the fol∣lowing measures.

1. Every man is to be presumed fit, that is not known to be unfit; and he that is not a publi••k Criminal, is not to be suppos'd unworthy to Com∣municate. It may be he is; but that himself only knows, and he can only take care; but no man is to be prejudiced by imperfect and disputable princi∣ples, by conjectures and other mens measures, by the rules of Sects and separate Communities:* 1.106 And if a man may belong to God and himself not know it, he may do so when his Curate knows it not.

2. No man may be separated from the Com∣munion for any private sin, vehemently or lightly suspected. This censure must not pass but when the crime is manifest and notorious; that is, when it is delated and convict in any publick Assembly, Civil or Ecclesiastical, or is evident to a Multi∣tude, or confessed. This is the express Doctrine

of the Church in St. Austin's time,* 1.107 who affirms that the Ecclesiasticks have no power to make separati∣ons of sinners not confessed nor convict. And besides many others it relies upon this prudential consi∣deration which Linwood hath well observed; [

Every Christian hath a right in the receiving the Eucharist,* 1.108 unlesse he loses it by deadly sin: Therefore when it does not appear in the face of the Church that such an one hath lost his right, it ought not in the face of the Church to be denied to him; otherwise a licence would be given to evil Priests, according to their plea∣sure with this punishment to afflict whom they list.

]

3. Every sinner that hath been convict, or hath confessed, and affirms himself to be truly penitent, is to be believed, where by the Laws of the Church he is not bound to passe under any publick disci∣pline: For no man can tell but that he says true; and because every degree of repentance is accepted to some dispositions and proportions of pardon, and God hath not told us the just period of his being reconcil'd, and his mercy is divisible as our return, and unknown to us; he that knows that without repentance he eats damnation, and professes upon that very account that he is penitent, may be taught as many more things as the Curate please, or as he is supposed to need; but must not be rejected from the Holy Communion, if he cannot be per∣swaded. ••or this judgment is secret, and is to pass between God and the soul alone; for because no man can tell, no man can judge; and the Curate

who knows not how it is, cannot give a definite sentence.

4. But if there come any accidental obligation upon Criminals; as if by the Laws of a Church to which they are subjected, it be appointed they shall give publick evidence and amends, they are to be judg'd by those measures, and are not to be restor'd ordinarily,* 1.109 till they have by publick measures pro∣ved their repentance. This relies upon all those grounds upon which obedience to Ecclesiastical Ru∣lers is built.

5. It is lawful for the Guides of souls to admit to the Communion such persons whom they be∣lieve not to be fit and worthily prepared, if they will not be perswaded to retire: It is evident in the case of Kings and all Supream Powers, and great Communities, and such who being rejected will be provok'd into malice and persecu∣tion.* 1.110 [

Such indeed the Church sometimes tolerates, lest being provoked they disturbe the people of God: but what does it profit them not to be cast out of the Assemblies of the godly, if they deserve to be cast out? To deserve ejection is the highest evil; and to no purpose is he mingled in the Con∣gregations of the faithful, who is excluded from the society of God, and the mystical bo∣dy of Christ.

] And it is also evident in the Societies of the Church, which we know by the words of Christ and by experience are a mixt multitude: And since the Scripture does not exempt a secret sinner from the Communion, why wilt thou endeavour to except him? It

is St. Austins argument. And who shall rej••ct every man that he be∣lieves to be proud,* 1.111 or covetous, or envious? Who shall define pride, or convince a single person of a proud heart, or of his latent en∣vy? and who shall give rules by which every single man that is to blame can be convinc'd of cove∣tousnesse? If it be permitted to the discretion of the Parish Priest, you erect a gibbet and a rack by which he shall be enabled to tor∣ment any man; and you give him power to slander or reproach all his neighbours; if you go about to give him measures you shall ne∣ver do it wisely or piously; for no rules can be sufficient to convince any proud man; and if you make the Parish Curate judge of these rules, you had as good leave it to his discreti∣on; for he will use them as he please: and after all, you shall never have all the people good; and if not, you shall certainly have them hypocrites; and therefore it cannot be avoided, but unfit persons will be admitted: for since the Kingdom of Grace is within us. and Gods chosen ones are his secret ones, and he only knows who are his, it will be strange that visible Sacraments should be given on∣ly to an invisible Society: and after all, if to com∣municate evil men be unavoidable, it cannot be un∣lawful.

I do not say that persons unprepar'd may come; for they ought not, and if they do, they die for it: but I say, if they will come it is at their peril,

and to no mans prejudice but their own, if they be plainly and severely admonished of their duty and their danger; and therefore that every man must judge of his own case with very great severity and ••ear, even then when the Guides of souls must judge with more gentlenes•• and an easier charity; when we must suspect our little faults to be worse than they seem, and our n••gligences more inexcu∣sable, and sear a sin when there is none, and are ready to accuse our selves for every indiscretion, an•• think no repent••nce great enough for the foul∣nesse of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 sin••, and at the same time when we judge for oth••••s, we ought to esteem their certain good th••ng•• better than they do, and their certain evils less••, and their disputable good things certain, and ••h••ir u••certain evils none at all, or very excu∣sable. And ••herefore it was to very great purpose that th•• Apost••e gave command, that eve••y man should examine hims••lf and so let him ea•• * 1.112, that is, let it be done as it may be done thorowly; l••t him

do it whose case it is, and who is most concerned that it be done well; let it be done so that it may not be allayed and lessened by the judgment of cha∣rity; and therefore let a man do it himself: For when the Curate comes to do it, he cannot do it well, unless he do it with mercy; for he must make abatements, which the sinners case does not often need in order to his reconciliation and returns to God, where severity is much better than gentle sentences. But the Minister of Religion must re∣ceive in some cases such persons who ought not to come, and who should abstain when themselves give righteous judgment upon themselves.

For if it be lawful for Christian people to com∣municate with evil persons, it is lawful for Christi∣an Priests to minister it; it being commanded to the people in some cases to withdraw themselves from a Brother that walks inordinately; but no where commanded, that a Minister of Religion shall refuse to give it to him that requires it, and is within the Communion of the Church, and is not yet as an heathen and a publican: and it is evident, that in the Churches of Corinth the Communion was given to persons who for unworthiness fell un∣der the divine anger; and yet no man was reprov'd but the unworthy Communicants, and themselves only commanded to take care of it. For he that says the people may not communicate with wic∣ked persons, falls into the errour of the Donatists, which St. Austin and others have infinitely confu∣ted; but he that says the people may, ought not to deny but that the Priest may; and if he may communicate with him, it cannot be denied but he may minister to him. But this was the case of the Sons of Israel, who did eat Manna, and drank of

the rock * 1.113; and yet that rock was Christ, and that Manna was also his Sacrament, and yet with ma∣ny of these God was angry, and they fell in the wildernesse. And if Ba∣ptism was given as soon as ever men were converted, in the very day of their change, and that by the Apostles themselves, and yet the same Christ is there consigned and exhibi∣ted; we may remember that in Scripture we find no difference in the two Sacraments as to this parti∣cular. But in this there needs not much to be said; they that think things can be otherwise, and have tried, have declar'd to all the world by the event of things, that although the guides of souls may by wise and seasonable discourses persuade and pre∣vail with some few persons, yet no man can reform the world; and if all were rejected whose life does not please the Curate, some will not care, and will let it quite alone; and others that do care, will ne∣ver the more be mended, but turn hypocrites; and they are the worst of men, but most readily com∣municated: Some other evils do also follow; and when we have reckoned schisms, partialities, reproaches,* 1.114 animosities and immortal hatreds between Priest and People, we have not reckon'd the one half.

6. When to separate Criminals can be prudent and useful, and is orderly, limited, and legal, it ought not to be omitted * 1.115 upon any consideration, because it is the sinews and whole strength of Ec∣clesiastical discipline, and is a most charitable ministery to souls, and

brings great regard to the holy Sacrament, and pro∣duces reverence in the Communicants, and is a de∣letery to sin, and was the perpetual practice of the best Ages of the Church, and was blest with an ex∣cellent corresponding piety in their Congregati∣ons;* 1.116 upon which account, and of other considera∣ons, S. Cyprian (a) 1.117, S. Basil (b) 1.118, S. Chrysostom (c) 1.119, and divers others, call upon Prelates and people to exercise and undergo respectively this Ecclesiastical discipline.

* 1.120But this hath in it some variety 1. For if the person be a notorious, a great and incorrigible Criminal, refusing to hear, the Church proceeding against him upon complaint, confession or noto∣reity, and consequently to be esteem'd as a Hea∣then and a Publican; then comes in the Apostolical rules;* 1.121 with such a one not to eat; and withdraw from such a one, for there is no accord between Christ and Belial, between a Christian and a Heathen or an Unbeliever; that is, one who is thrust into the place and condition of an Infidel, and give n••t th••t which is holy unto Dogs. 2. But if he be within the Communion of the Church, and yet a Criminal, not delated, not convict, not legally condemned; and yet privately known to be such, or publickly suspected and scandalous; the Minister of Religion must separate him by the word of his ministry, and tell him his danger, and use all the means he can to bring him to repentance and amends before he admits him; if the Minister of Religion omits this duty, he fals und••r the curse threatned by God in the Prophet,* 1.122 If he does not warn him, if he does

not speak to the wicked to give him warning to save his life; his blood shall be upon him. 3. If there be a regular jurisdiction established, and this spi∣ritual authority be backed with the secular, it must be used according to the measures of its establish∣ment, and for the good of the Church in general, and of the sinner in particular; that is, although the person be not as a heathen, and excommuni∣cate by the Churches sentence, yet he must be rejected for a time, and thrust into repentance and measures of satisfaction, and as he must not refuse, so must not the Minister of the Sacrament otherwise admit him; and in this sense it was that S. Chrysostom said, he would rather lose his life,* 1.123 than admit unworthy men to the Lords Table.

7. But because piety hath suffer'd shipwrack; and all discipline h••th been lost in t••e storm, and good manne••s have been thrown over board; the best remedy in the world that yet remains and is in use amongst the most p••ous sons and daughters of the Church, is that they would conduct their re∣pentance by the continual advices and ministery of a spiritual guide; for by this alone or principally, was the primitive piety a••d repentances advanced to the excellency which we often admire but sel∣dom imitate, and the event will be, that besides we shall be guided in the wayes of holiness in gene∣ral, we shall be at peace as to the times and man∣ner of receiving the holy Sacrament, our peniten∣tial abstentions and season••ble returns: and we sh••ll not so frequently feel the effects of the Divine anger upon our persons as a reproach of our folly, a••d the punishment of our unworthy receiving the Divine mysteries. And this was ear∣nestly advised and pressed upon their people by the

holy Fathers, who had as great experience in their conduct, as they had zeal for the good of souls [

Let no man say; I repent in private; I repent before God in secret. God who alone does pardon, does know that I am contrite in heart. For was it in vain, was it said to no purpose; whatsoever ye shall loose in earth shall be loosed in heaven? we evacuate the Gospel of God, we frustrate the words of Christ] so S. Austin. [And there∣fore when a man hath spoken the sentence of the most severe medicine,* 1.124 let him come to the Pre∣sidents of the Church, who are to minister in the power of the Keyes to him; and beginning now to be a good son, keeping the order of his Mother, let him receive the measure and man∣ner of his repentances from the Presidents of the Sacraments.* 1.125

] Concerning this thing, I shall never think it fit to dispute, for there is nothing to inforce it, but enough to perswade it, but he that tries, will find the benefit of it himself, and will be best able to tell it to all the world.

SECT. VII. Penitential Soliloquies, Ejaculations, Exercises, and preparatory Prayers to be us'd in all the days of preparation to the Holy Sacrament.

I.

ALmighty and eternal God, the fountain of all vertue, the support of all holy hope, the Author of pardon, of life, and of salvation; thou art the comforter of all that call upon thee; thou hast concluded all under sin, that thou mightest have mercy upon all: Look upon me O God, and have pity on me lying in my blood and misery, in my shame and in my sins, in the fear and guilt of thy wrath, in the shadow of death, and in the gates of hell. I confesse to thee O God what thou knowest already; but I confesse it to manifest thy justice, and to glorifie thy mercy who hast spared me so long, ••hat I am guilty of the vilest and basest follies which usually dishonour the fools and the worst of the sons of men.

II.

I have been proud and covetous, envious and lustful, angry and greedy, indevout and irreligious; restless in my passions, sensual and secular, but hating wise counsels, and soon weary of the Offices of a holy Religion. I cannot give an account of my time, and I cannot reckon the sins of my tongue. My crimes are intolerable, and my imperfections shameful, and my omissions innumerable; and what shall I do O thou preserver of men? I am so vile that I cannot express it, so sin∣ful that I am hateful to my self, and much more abominable must I needs be in thy eyes. I have sinn'd against thee without necessity, sometimes without temptation, only because I would sin, and would not delight in the ways of peace: I have been so ingrateful, so foolish, so unreasonable, that I have put my own eyes out, that I might with confidence and without fear sin against so good a God, so gracious a Father, so infinite a Power, so glorious a Majesty, so bountiful a Patron, and so mighty a Redeemer, that my sin is grown shameful and aggravated even to amaze∣ment. I can say no more, I am asham'd, O God, I am amaz'd, I am confounded in thy presence.

III.

But yet O God thou art the healer of our breaches, and the lifter up of our head; and I must not despair; and I am sure thy good∣ness is infinite, and thou dost not delight in the death of a sinner; and my sins, though very great, are infinitely less than thy mercies, which thou hast revealed to all penitent and returning sinners in Jesus Christ. I am not worthy to look up to heaven; but be thou pleased to look down into the dust, and lift up a sinner from the dunghil; let me not pe∣rish in my folly, or be consumed in thy heavy displeasure. Give me time and space to re∣pent; and give me powers of Grace and aids of thy spirit; that as by thy gift and mercy I intend to amend whatsoever is amiss, so I may indeed have grace and power faithfully to ful∣fil the same. Inspire me with the spirit of repentance and mortification, that I may al∣ways fight against my sins till I be more than conquerour. Support me with a holy hope, confirm me with an excellent, operative, and unreprovable faith, and enkindle a bright and a burning charity in my soul: Give me patience in suffering, severity in judging and condemning my sin, and in punishing the sinner, that judging my self, I may not be condemned by thee; that mourning for my

sins, may rejoyce in thy pardon; that killing my sin, I may live in righteousness; that de∣nying my own will, I may always perform thine; and by the methods of thy Spirit I may overcome all carnal and spiritual wick∣ednesses, and walk in thy light, and delight in thy service, and perfect my obedience, and be wholly delivered from my sin, and for ever preserved from thy wrath, and at last passe on from a certain expectation to an actual fruition of the glories of thy King∣dom, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen, Amen, Amen.

1. I am in thy sight O Lord a polluted per∣son; sin like a crust of leprosie hath over∣spread me: I am a scandal to others, a shame to my self, a reproach to my relati∣ons, a burden to the earth, a spot in the Church, and deserve to be rejected and scorn'd by thee.

2. But this O God I cannot bear: It is just in thee to destroy me; but thou delightest not in that: I am guilty of death; but thou lovest rather that I should live.

3. O let the cry of thy Sons blood, who offers an eternal Sacrifice to thee, speak on my behalf, and speak better things than the blood of Abel.

4. My conscience does accuse me, the Devils rejoyce in my fall and aggravate my crimes, already too great; and thy holy Spirit is grieved by me: But my Saviour Jesus died for me, and thou pittiest me, and thy holy Spirit still calls upon me, and I am willing to come; but I cannot come unlesse thou drawest me with the cords of love.

5. O draw me unto thee by the Arguments of charity, by the endearments of thy mer∣cies, by the order of thy providence, by the hope of thy promises, by the sense of thy comforts, by the conviction of my un∣derstanding, by the zeal and passion of ho∣ly affections, by an unreprovable faith and an humble hope, by a religious fear and an increasing love, by the obedience of pre∣cepts and efficacy of holy example, by thy power and thy wisdom, by the love of thy Son and the grace of thy Spirit: Draw me O God, and I will run after thee, and the sweetnesses of thy precious ointments.

6. I am not worthy O Lord, I am not wor∣thy to come into thy presence, much less to eat the flesh of the Sacrificed Lamb: For my sins, O Blessed Saviour Jesus, went a∣long in confederation with the High

Priests, in treachery with Judas, in inju∣stice with Pilate, in malice with the peo∣ple.

7. My sins and the Jews crucified thee; my hypocrisie was the kiss that betrai'd thee; my covetous and ambitious desires were the thorns that pricked thy sacred head; my vanity was the knee that mocked thee; my lusts disrobed thee, and made thee na∣ked to shame and cruel scourgings; my an∣ger and malice, my peevishness and re∣venge, were the bitter gall which thou did••t taste; my bitter words and cursed speaking were the vinegar which thou didst drink; and my scarlet sins made for thee a purple robe of mockery and derision; and where shall I vile wretch appear, who have put my Lord to death, and expos'd him to an open shame, and crucified the Lord of Life?

8. Where should I appear but before my Sa∣viour, who died for them that have mur∣dered him, who hath lov'd them that hated him, who is the Saviour of his enemies, and the life of the dead, and the redem∣ption of captives, and the advocate for sinners, and all that we do need, and all that we can desire?

9. Grant that in thy wounds I may finde my safety, in thy stripes my cure, in thy pain my peace, in thy cross my victory, in thy resurrection my triumph, and a crown of righteousness in the glories of thy eter∣nal Kingdom. Amen, Amen.

S. Austins penitential Prayer.

Before thy eyes, O gracious Lord, we bring our crimes; before thee we expose the wounds of our bleeding souls. That which we suffer is but little; but that which we deserve is intolerable: We fear the punish∣ment of our sins, but cease not pertinaci∣ously to proceed in sinning: Our weakness is sometimes smitten with thy rod, but our iniquity is not changed; our grieved mind is troubled, but our stiff neck is not bend∣ed with the flexures of a holy obedience; our life spends in vanity and trouble, but amends it self in nothing: When thou smitest us, then we confess our sin; but when thy visitation is past, then we forget that we have wept: When thou stretchest forth thy hand, then we promise to do our duty; but when thou takest off thy hand, we perform no promises: If thou strikest, we cry to thee to spare us; but

when thou sparest, we again provoke thee to strike us.

Thus O God the guilty confess before thee; and unless thou givest us pardon, it is but just that we perish: But O Almighty God our Father, grant to us what we ask, even though we deserve it not; for thou madest us out of nothing, else we had not any pow∣er to ask.

] Pardon us, O gracious Father, and take away all our sin, and destroy the work of the Devil; and let the enemy have no part nor portion in us; but acknowledg the work of thy own hands, the price of thy own blood, the sheep of thy own fold, the members of thy own body, the purchase of thine own inheritance; and make us to be what thou hast commanded; give unto us what thou hast designed for us; enable us for the work thou hast injoin'd us, and bring us to the place which thou hast prepared for us by the blood of the everlasting Covenant, and by the pains of the Cross, and the glories of thy Resurrection, O blessed and most glo∣rious Saviour and Redeemer Jesus. Amen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rev. 22.11.
• * 1.2

  —17.
• * 1.3

  ••••ta praegusto Deûm, Moror inter aras, Templa perlustro omnia.
• * 1.4

  ••st glori••sus sanè convi∣ctus Deûm, Sed illi qui invitatur, non qui invisus est.
• * 1.5

  See the doctrine and pra∣ctise of Repen∣tance, Chap. 1. & 2.
• * 1.6

  Just. Martyr apol. 2.
• * 1.7

  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 〉,
• * 1.8

  Non bene inaequales veniunt ad aratra juvenci.
• * 1.9

  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.
• * 1.10

  Nemo huc accedere debet nisi qui signaculum justi∣tiae custodierit, aut rece∣perit lib. 7. c. 66.
• * 1.11

  Lib. 3. epist. 14. Nondum poenitentiâ actâ, nondum fact•• exomologesi, nondum manu eis ab Episcopo & Clero impositâ Eucharistia eis datur. 1 Cor. 11.28.
• * 1.12

  St. Basil. lib. 2. de baptism. cap. 3.
• * 1.13

  Quid juvat hoc, templo nostros immittere mores Et bona Diis ex hac scele∣ratâ ducere pulpâ?
• * 1.14

  Atque hoc scelesti illi in animum inducunt suum Jovem se placa••e donis ho∣stiis. Et operam & sumptum per∣dunt; ideò fit
• * 1.15

  Quia nihil ei acceptum est à peri juris supplicii.
• * 1.16

  — 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.
• * 1.17

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Philo.
• * 1.18

  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.
• * 1.19

  Omnia Sacramenta obsunt indignè tractantibus: pro∣sunt tamen dignè sumen∣tibus, sicut & verbum Dei. S. August. contr. epist. Parmen.
• * 1.20

  Pro. 2••.8.
• * 1.21

  Cap illud. dist, 95. Non poe∣nitentibus istud in∣fundi non potest quia Sacra∣menti ge∣nus est.
• * 1.22

  — enodes trunci rese∣centur, ut inde Exeat in coelum ramis fae∣licibus arbor.
• * 1.23

  Parum est baptizari, & Eu∣charistiam accipere, nisi quis factis & opere perfici∣at. S. Cyprian.
• * 1.24

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Lib. 8. advers. Celsum.
• * 1.25

  Chap. 2. Sect. 3.
• * 1.26

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. See Great Exem∣plar, Part 2. Sect. 12. n. 34.
• * 1.27

  Talis mensae fu∣isti parti∣ceps, & cum om∣nibus de∣beres esse mitior, & clementior, & par Angelis, fuisti omnium curdelissimus. Gustavisti sanguinem Dominicum, & ne sic quidem fratrem agnoscis. St. Chrysost. homil. 27. in Corinth.
• * 1.28

  — accipimus sacrâ data pocula dextrâQuae simul arenti fitientes hausimus oreEt pudet & reseram; pro verbis edere coepiMurmur, & in terram, toto procumbere vultu.Metamorph. 15.
• * 1.29

  Proinde quicquid est, da spatium & tempus tibi, Quod ratio nequit, saepe sa∣navit mora.
• * 1.30

  Invitat autem pauperes, debiles, caecos, ut ostendatur quod nulla debilitas cor∣poris excludit à regno rarius{que} delinquat cui desit illecebra pec∣candi. St. Ambrose.
• * 1.31

  Qui proponit sibi, & di∣cit habere volo quod vin∣cam: hoc est, vivere desi∣dero, & volo sub ruinâ, August. de singul. Cleric.
• * 1.32

  Projice quae cun∣que cor¦tuum la∣niant, quae si ali∣ter extra∣hi nequi∣rent, cor ipsum cum illis evellen∣dum erat.
• * 1.33

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.34

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.35

  Nemo se tuto periculis of∣ferre jam crebro potest,Quem saepe transit casus, aliquando invenit.Tragoed.
• * 1.36

  Nec quisquam fruitur ve∣ris odoribus Hyblaeis apibus aut spoliat favos. Si fronti caveat, si timeat rubos.
• * 1.37

  Nunquam pericu∣lum sine periculo vincitur. Senec.
• * 1.38

  Vitaret coelum Phaëthon si viveret, et quos Optavit stultè, tangere nollet equos.
• * 1.39

  St. Ber∣nard.
• * 1.40

  Quando nec oblatio sancti∣ficare illic possit ubi spiritus sanctus non sit, nec cui∣quam Dominus per ejus orationes & preces profit qui Dominum [vel fra∣trem] violavit. St. Cyprian Epist. 63.
• * 1.41

  Ezek. 18.19.
• * 1.42

  Oliva no∣bis prop∣ter fru∣ctus est gratior.
• * 1.43

  Si res aliena propter quam peccatum est, cum reddi possit, non redditur, non agitur poenitentia sed singi∣tur: si autem non veraciter agitur, non remittitur pec∣catum, nisi restituatur ab∣latum: sed ut dixi quum restitui potest. S. August. ad Macedon.
• * 1.44

  Quod invenisti & non red∣didisti, rapuisti: quantum potuisti, fecisti: qui alie∣num negat, si potuit, tol∣lit. St. Aug. de verb. Apost.
• * 1.45

  Qui tardè vult. diu noluit.
• * 1.46

  Ezek. 8.17.
• * 1.47

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.48

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.49

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.50

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.51

  Gal. 5.6.
• * 1.52

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• * 1.53

  Act. 2.48.
• * 1.54

  Mat. 28.
• * 1.55

  Cap. 3.
• * 1.56

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.57

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉· cap. 2. ad Amphiloch,
• * 1.58

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. ibid.
• * 1.59

  Lib. 1. de bapt. cap. 3.
• * 1.60

  Vide eti∣am S. Cy∣prian. lib. de lapsis & epist. 28.
• * 1.61

  S. Ambr. lib. 5. de Sacram. c. 2.
• * 1.62

  Lib. 2. de poenit. c. 9.
• * 1.63

  Lib. 1. de poenit. c. 16.
• * 1.64

  Serm. 252. de tempore.
• * 1.65

  Homil. 24. in 1 Corinth. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.66

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Homil. 3. in 1. cap. Epist. Ephes.
• * 1.67

  Homil. de prodigo.
• * 1.68

  De dog∣mat. Ec∣cles. c. 53.
• * 1.69

  S. Hierom in Isai. c. 3. Princeps poenitentiae & caput eorum qui salvantur per poenitentiam Christus est.
• * 1.70

  Non sa∣turantur ergo nisi famelici: qui à vitiis perfectè jejunantes divina Sacramenta percipiunt in plenitudine virtutis. Et quia sine peccato electi etiam viri esse non possunt, quid restat, nisi ut à peccatis quibus eos huma∣na fragilitas maculare non desinit, evacuari quotidiè conentur? Nam qui quotidie non exhaurit quod delinquit, et si minima sint peccata quae congerit, paulatim anima repletur, atque ei auferunt fructum internae Saturitatis. Gregor. lib. 2. in Reg. cap. 1.
• * 1.71

  Ad Caesa∣ream pa∣triciam.
• * 1.72

  Quocunque loco fuero Jesum meum desidero: Quam laetus si invenero! Quam felix si tenuero!
• * 1.73

  Contr. Jo∣vin. & epist. ad Lucin.
• * 1.74

  Homil. 17. in ep. ad Heb.
• * 1.75

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.76

  S. Aug. de verbis Apost. ser. 29. c. 6.
• * 1.77

  S. August. de civit.

  Dei. li. 22. cap. 10.
• * 1.78

  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.
• * 1.79

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. S. Ignat. Epist. ad Ephes.
• * 1.80

  See the se∣cond exhor∣tation in the office of the Com∣munion.
• * 1.81

  Apud Su∣rium.
• * 1.82

  S. Bona∣vent. de profectu relig. lib. 2. cap. 77.
• * 1.83

  Stultus est timor & reve∣rentia minus prudens illi∣us, qui ad Dominum se vo∣cantem & invitantem non accedit, sed procrastinat. Gerson in Magnificat.
• * 1.84

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Homil. 24. in 1 Cor. 10.
• * 1.85

  Tertul. de coron. mil. c. 3.
• * 1.86

  Lib. 19. c. 11. ad Faustum.
• * 1.87

  De verb. Domini se∣cund. Joh. Serm. 2.
• * 1.88

  Homil. 3. ad cap. 1. Ephes.
• * 1.89

  Apud Zo∣naram.
• * 1.90

  Hist. SS. patrum. c. 19.
• * 1.91

  S. Cyprian. l. 4. ep. 7.

  S. Ambros. l. 5. de sacram. c. 4.

  S. Aug. Epist. 118.

  Euseb. l. 1. de demonstr. evang. c. 10.
• * 1.92

  Metuebat Maria, ne amor Magistri sui in corpore suo refrigesceret, si corpus ejus non inveniret, quo viso re∣calescebat. Origen. homil. 1. ex variis.
• * 1.93

  Ad Eustoc. Virg. c. 9.
• * 1.94

  Hom. 5. de resurrect.
• * 1.95

  An. Chri∣sti 236. ut Sabellicus & Vola∣terranus referunt.
• * 1.96

  Can. 18.
• * 1.97

  Advers. Vigilant.
• * 1.98

  Palladius in vitâ S. Chrysost.
• * 1.99

  Tu genitor cape sacra ma∣nu, patriosque penatesMe bello è tanto digressum, & caede recentiAttrectare nefas: donec me flumine vivoAbluero —Aeneid. 1.
• * 1.100

  In vitâ S. Malachiae, Cui injungens poenitentiam, non debueras, inquit, hodiè mi∣nistrasse, sed verecundè te subtrahere sacris, & deferre tantis tamque Divinis my∣steriis, ut hâc humilitate purgatus, dignius exinde ministrares.
• * 1.101

  Si cito rediret homo ad pri∣stinam beatitudinem, ludus illi esset cadere in mortem. S. Aug. Serm. 34. de diver∣sis.
• * 1.102

  In ipsâ Ecclesia ubi maxi∣mè misereri decet, quam maximè decet forma justi∣tiae, nequis à communionis consortio abstentus, brevi lachrymulâ atque ad tem∣pus paratâ, vel etiam ube∣rioribus fletibus Communi∣onem, quam plurimis de∣bet postulare temporibus, facilitate sacerdotis extor∣queat. S. Ambros. in Psal. 118. in haec verba. Misere∣re mei secundum eloqui∣um tuum.
• * 1.103

  Si permansissemus illâ in munditiâ quae nobis per baptismum data est, verè faelices essemus, sed non permansimus. Cecidimus enim per nostram culpam, non solum in peccata, sed etiam in crimina, propter quae peccatores ab Ecclesiâ separantur: qualia sunt, Homicidia, adulteria, fo••∣nicationes, sacrilegia, rapi∣nae, furta, falsa testimonia, superbia, invidia, avaritia, diutina iracundia, Ebrietas assidua. Fulbert. Carnot. Ser. 2. ad Populum.
• * 1.104

  Nam ejici remedium est & gradus ad recuperan∣dam sanitatem. lib. de dupl. Martyr.
• * 1.105

  See Rule of consci∣ence, l. 3. c. 3. & 4.
• * 1.106

  Omnibus Episcopis & Presby∣teris in∣terdici∣mus se∣gregare aliquem à sacrâ communione, antequam causa monstretur propter quam sanctae regulae hoc fieri jubent. Collat. 9. tit. 15. c. 11. de Sanctissimis Ep••scopis.
• * 1.107

  Nos à communione quen∣quam prohibere non possu∣mus, nisi aut sponte con∣fessum, aut in aliquo judi∣cio Ecclesiastico vel saecu∣lari nominatum atque con∣victum. Homil. 50. & de Medicin•• poenit. super illud 1 Cor. 5. si quis frater.
• * 1.108

  De celebrat. Missar.
• * 1.109

  See Rul•• of Con∣science, l. 3. c. 1. &c. 4.
• * 1.110

  S. Cyprian, sive quicun∣que sit Author libri d•• duplici Martyrio.
• * 1.111

  Ad hoc enim altare quod nunc in Ecclesiâ est, in ter∣râ positum, ad Mysterio∣rum Divinorum signacula celebranda, multi etiam scelerati possunt accedere: quoniam Deus commendat in hoc tempore patientiam suam, ut in futuro exerat severitatem suam. Ad illud autem altare quo praecur∣sor pro nobis introivit Je∣sus, quo caput Ecclesiae praecessit, membris caeteris secuturis, nullus eorum ac∣cedere poterit, de quibus dixit Apostolus, Quoniam qui talia agunt regnum Dei non possidebunt. S. Aug. homil. 50. c. 9.
• * 1.112

  In hâc ergo poe∣nitentiâ majorem quisque in se severit••tem debet exercere ut à seipso judicatus non judicetur à Deo, sicut idem Apostolus ait. Si enim nos judicaremus, à Do∣mino non judicaremur. Ascendat itaque homo adversum se tribu∣nal mentis suae, si timet illud quod oportet nos exhiberi ante tri∣bunal Christi, ut illud recipiat Unusquisque quod per corpus gessit, sive bonum, sive malum; constituat se ante faciem suam ne hoc ei postea fiat. Nam minatur hoc Deus peccatori, dicens, arguam te, & statuam te ante faciem tuam. Atque ita constituto in corde judi∣cio, adsit accusatrix cogitatio, testis conscientia, carnifex timor. Inde quidam sanguis animi consitentis per lachrymas profluat. Po∣stremò ab ipsa mente talis sententia proferatur, ut se indignum ho∣mo judicet participatione corporis & sanguinis Domini: ut qui sepa∣rari à regno coelorum timet per ultimam sententiam summi Judicis, per Ecclesiasticam disciplinam à Sacramento coelestis panis interim separetur. Versetur ante oculos imago futuri judicii, ut cum alii accedunt ad altare Dei, quo ipse non accedit, cogitet quàm sit con∣tremiscenda illa poena, quâ percipientibus aliis vitam aeternam, alii in mortem praecipitantur aeternam. S. August. homil. 50. c. 9.
• * 1.113

  Quemadmodum tu co∣medis Christi corpus, sic il∣li Manna; & quomodo tu bibis sanguinem sic illi a∣quam ex petrâ. S. Chrysost. homil. 18. in 2 Corinth.
• * 1.114

  Ne dum purgatissimam Ec∣clesiam volunt instituere, brevi nullam habeant. Bul∣linger ad Bezam.
• * 1.115

  Quantum ruboris civita∣ri turpiter se gorendo in∣cusserunt, tantum laudis gravitèr puniti adferant. Valer. Max.
• * 1.116

  Ezek. 13.18.
• (a) 1.117

  De lap∣sis & lib. 3. ep. 15.
• (b) 1.118

  Epist. ad Amphil. c. 2.84.85.
• (c) 1.119

  Non parva vobis imminet ultio, si quem cujuspiam conscium ne∣quitiae, hujus mensae participem concedatis, sanguis ejus de vestris manibus exquiretur. S. Chrysost. homil. 60. ad pop. Antioch.
• * 1.120

  See Rule of consci∣ence, l. 3. c. 4. rule 9. p. 257.
• * 1.121

  1 Cor. 5.11.

  2 Thess. 3.6.
• * 1.122

  Ezek. 3.18.
• * 1.123

  Homil. 83. in Matth.
• * 1.124

  Homil. 49.
• * 1.125

  Ibid.