Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 2, part 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.

The distribution and communion.

After this foloweth the comunion, where in our popish Masse and Ministers therof do much alter and degenerate from auncient antiquity, two maner of wayes.

First in that they make no communion thereof, recey∣uing onely to thēselues, cōtrary both to theyr own words: where they say after theyr receiuing: Sacramenta que sumpsi∣mus. &c. and also to the auncient examples and decrees of the Apostles and others. And where it is decreed in the E∣pistle of Anacletus. Paracta autē consecratione omnes commu∣nicent, qui noluerint Ecclesiasticis carere liminibus. Sic enim & Apostoli statuerunt, & S. Romana tenet ecclesia. &c. i. The con∣secration being done, let all communicate together, vnles they will be thrust out of the church dores. &c.

☞Here note by the way (gentle Reader) how Gratianus the writer of the Popes decrees, is ouersene,* 1.1 which in hys booke De consecrat. dist. 2. referreth this saying of Anacletus to Pope Calixtus. And likewise also Chocleus writing agaynst Musculus, followeth Gracianus in the same er∣ror.

Likewise in the Canons of the Apostles (if the Canōs were theyrs) we read: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. &c. i. All the faith¦full which resort to the Church, and tary not out the end of the seruice, and receiue not the holy communion, suche, as bringing in disorder to the Church, ought to be disseuered, &c. And agayne: Si quis episcopus, praesbiter, aut diaconus, aut quicunq́ue ex sacerdotali consortio, oblatione facta••, non cōmu∣nicauerint, causam dicito. &c.

For how can that be a communion called, which is not common but priuate to one? As Micrologus writeth: Nec enim proprie communio dici potest, nisi plures de eodem sacrifi∣cio participent. i. It can not be called a communion, except mo then one do participate of one sacrifice. &c.

And Durandus: In primitiua ecclesia omnes qui celebra∣tioni Missarum intererant, singulis diebus communicare solebāt,* 1.2 eo q́uod Apostoli omnes de calice biberunt. &c. i. In the primi∣tiue time all that were present at the ministration, were wont euery day to communicate, because that the apostles did altogether drinke of the cup. &c.

Secondly, they alter and degenerate therein from aū∣cient antiquity, in that when they communicate also wyth the people, yet they depriue them of the holy cup: which de∣prauation was not in the church before the counsel o•• Cō∣stance, about the yere of our Lord .1414. For before it was so autentikly receiued, that it was counted a sacriledge, to receiue the one without the other,* 1.3 as appeareth by the wordes of Pope Gelasius: Cōperimus quod quidam sump∣ta tantum modo corporis sacri portione. &c. the whole in eng∣lish is thus: we vnderstand that there be some, which re∣ceiuing the one part onely of the holy body,* 1.4 absteine from the cup of the sacrate bloud: who (because they be taught so to do, by what superstition I cannot tell) eyther let thē re∣ceiue the sacrament whole together, or let them absteine from the whole sacrament altogether, because the diuision of that one and whole sacrament, cannot be without great sacriledge. &c.

Hytherto also perteineth the testimony of S. Austen in these wordes: Et ibi vos estis in mensa,* 1.5 & in calice nobiscum vos estis. Simul enim hoc sumimus, simul bibimus, quia simul vi∣uimus. &c. i. There be you at the table, and at the cup there also be you with vs: for together we receiue, and together we drinke, because we liue together.

As also out of the booke of Gregory it is manifest that not onely the people receiued then in both kindes:* 1.6 but also the words were prescribed to the minister, what he should say in geuing the cup: Item sacerdos calicem dando dicat: San∣guis Domini nostri Iesu Christi custodiat te ad vitam aeternam. i. Let the priest say in geuing the cup: The bloud of our lord Iesus Christ keepe thee to euerlasting life. Amen.

Further in rēdering the cause, why it should so be done, Thomas Aquine writeth:* 1.7 Nam hoc valet ad repraesentand••m passionem Christi, in qua seorsum fuit sanguis a corpore separa∣tus. &c. Secundo, hoc est conueniens vsui huius sacramenti, vt se∣orsum exhibeatur corpus Christi fidelibus in cibum, & sanguis in potum. i. For that serueth to represent the passion of Christ, wherein his bloud was parted seuerally from the body. &c Secondly, for that is conuenient to the vse of the sacramēt, that the body shoulde seuerally be geuen to the faythfull to meat. and the bloud to drinke.

And therfore serued the office of the deacōs as we read, vt oblata a populo super altare consecranda disponant,* 1.8 & perfe∣ctis mysterijs calicem sacrosancti sanguinis Domini, fidelibus propinent i. To lay the offeringes of the people vpon the al∣tar to be halowed, and when the misteries be consecrated, to distribute the cup of the sacrate bloud of the Lord to the faythfull, &c.

But among all other testimonies to proue that the sa∣crament ought to be common to all people in both kinds, there is none more euident then the place of Hierome.* 1.9 Cae∣terum dominica caena omnibus debet esse communis, quia ille omnibus discipulis suis, qui aderant aequaliter tradidit sacramen∣ta. i. The supper of the Lord ought to be indifferently com∣men to all his disciples there present. &c.

And thus haue ye heard the Canon described, which o∣therwise is called secretum. i. the secrete of the masse, beinge so termed, because the priest was wont to read it in secrete or in scilence.* 1.10 The reason thereof Pope Innocentius .iij. declareth in his third booke, for that the holy wordes, sayth he of the Canon, shoulde not growe in contempt with the people by the dayly vse and hearing thereof. And bringeth

in an example concerning the same of certeine shepheards which in the fieldes vsing the same wordes of the Chanon vpō theyr bread and wine, the matter was turned saith he, into flesh and bloud, and they plagued therefore from hea∣uen: but with such popish tales the Church hath bene lōg replenished.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Anaclet•••• Epist▪ 1. De cons••••crat. 〈…〉〈…〉 Cocleu•• cōtra M••••••culum, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 officio misse. Gratian•••• & Cochl•••• taken in vntruth. Cano. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Cap. 9. Cano. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Cap. 8. Microlo•••••• de ecclesi••astica. ob∣seruat.
• * 1.2

  Guliel. Durand. Ration. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 4 cap. 53.
• * 1.3

  Gelasius Ioan. & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Maiorico•• episc.
• * 1.4

  De cons••∣crat. Dist. 1. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cōperimu••
• * 1.5

  August. sermone ferie 2. pasche.
• * 1.6

  Ex libro sacramen∣torum Gr••••gorij.
• * 1.7

  Thomas. parte. que 76. A••t.
• * 1.8

  Amb. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 de omni Diuini•• officijs.
• * 1.9

  Hieroni∣mus in e∣pist. 1. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cap. 11. Conuen••••entibus.
• * 1.10

  Innocen•••••••• De 〈◊〉〈◊〉 altaris 〈…〉〈…〉 cap. 1.