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 ...

SECT. III. Whether Innocents, Fools, and Mad-men may be admitted to the Holy Communion?

TO this I answer, That if fools can desire it, and can be kept innocent, the Church did never deny it to them; but unless they be capa∣ble of love and obedience in some degree, they must in no case be admitted. A vicious fool is in∣tolerable; and he that knows nothing of it, nor can be taught any thing, must be permitted to the mercies of God and the prayers of the Church; but he that is not capable of Laws, can be no part of a Society, and therefore hath nothing to do with Communion. If he can but learn so much that it is good for his soul, if he can desire to go to God, and if he can in any degree believe in Christ, he will be judged according to what he hath, and not according to what he hath not; but if he cannot discern between good and evil, but ••ndifferently

likes and does one and the other, though mercy is to be hoped for him in the last account, yet because he does that which is materially evil, and cannot discern what is spiritually good, he must not be admitted so much as to the Symbols of the divine Mysteries.

But concerning Mad men the case is otherwise; and therefore I am to answer with a distinction. If from a state of sin and debauchery they entred into their madness, their case is sad and infinitely to be deplored; but their debt-books are sealed up, they are like dead men, until they be restored to reason they cannot be restored to grace, and therefore not admitted to the Sacrament. But if they were men of a good life, they may in their intervals, that is, when they can desire it, and when they will not use the Sacrament irreverently, be communicated. For the seed of God abides within them, and no accident of nature can destroy the work of God, and the impresses of the spirit; nothing but their own wills can do that.

For in these cases it is a good rule, and of great use in the practice of the Sacrament: Whoever can communicate spiritually, may be admitted to communicate Sacramenttally; that is, they who are in a state of grace, and can desire it, must not be rejected: And therefore good men falling into this calamity, when they have any ease from their sadnesse, and that they can return to words of order, and composed thoughts, though but for a while, though but in order to that ministery, are not to be rejected.

But on the other side, whoever can hinder the effect of the Sacrament, they are not to be ad∣mitted to it, unless they do not only not hinder it, but actually dispose themselves to it: For if they can do evil, they can and ought to do good; and therefore vicious madmen having been and still re∣maining in a state of evil, cannot be admitted till they do good; and therefore never while their madnesse remains. The godly man that is so affli∣cted may; but yet not till the fire that was hidden makes some actual and bright emissions.

But then lastly, For others who are of a probable life, concerning whom no man can tell whether they be in the state of grace or no; because no man can tell whether he that comes with that sad∣nesse be capable or no, no man can tell whether he does well or ill; and therefore he must determine himself by accidents and circumstances, and pru∣dential considerations, having one eye upon the designs and compliances of charity, and the other upon the reverence of the Sacrament. And the case is in all things alike with dying persons, past the use of speech and reason.