For if they be communicated, they and the whole assembly do declare the Lord's death;' for that is done by virtue of the whole solemnity, and it is done by the conjunct devotion of the whole community: it is done by the prayers and offices of the priest, and it is done by the action of every one that communicates: it is done in baptism, and yet they are baptized, who cannot, with their voices, publish the confession. Infants, indeed, cannot discern the Lord's body;' so neither can they discern truth from falsehood, an article of faith from an heretical doctrine; and yet to discern the one, is as much required, as to discern the other; but, in both, the case is equal: for they must discern when they can confound, or dishonour; but till they can do evil, they cannot be tied to do good. And it were hard to suppose the whole church of God, in her best and earliest times, to have continued, for above six hundred years, in a practical error; it will not well become our modesty to judge them without further inquiry, and greater evidence.

4. But as there is no prohibition of it, so no command for it. For as for the words of our blessed Lord recited by St. John, upon which the holy fathers did principally rely; they were spoken before the institution of both the sacraments, and indifferently relate to either; that is, indeed, to them both, as they are the ministries of faith; but to neither in themselves directly, or in any other proportion, or for any other cause; for faith is the principal that is there intended; for the whole analogy of the discourse, drawn forth of its clouds and allegory, infers only the necessity of being Christ's disciples,―of living the life of grace,-of feeding in our hearts on Christ-of living in him, and by him, and for him, and to him; which is the work of faith, and believing in Christ, as faith signifies the being of Christ's disciplek.

5. The thing itself, then, being left in the midst, and undetermined, it is in the power of the church to give it, or to deny it. For, in all things where Christ hath made no law, the church hath liberty to do that, which is most for the glory of God, and the edification of all Christian people. And, therefore, although the primitive church did confirm newly baptized persons, and communicate them; yet as with

of the things and affections of the world, shall be inebriated with the pleasures of religion, and rejoice in sacraments, in faith and holy expectation. But the love of money, and the love of pleasures, are the intrigues and fetters to the understanding. But he only is a faithful man who restrains his passions, and despises the world, and rectifies his love, that he may believe aright, and put that value upon religion as that it become the satisfaction of our spirit, and the great object of all our passionate desires; pride and prejudice are the parents of misbelief, but humility and contempt of the world first bear faith upon their knees, and then upon their hands.

SECTION V.

Of the proper and specific Work of Faith in the Reception of the Holy Communion.

HERE I am to inquire into two practical questions. 1. What stress is to be put upon faith in this mystery: that is, How much is every one bound to believe in the article of this sacrament, before he can be accounted competently prepared in his understanding, and by his faith?

2. What is the use of faith in the reception of the blessed sacrament? and in what sense, and to what purposes, and with what truth it is said, that, in the holy sacrament, we receive Christ by faith?

How much every Man is bound to believe of this Mystery.

If I should follow the usual opinions, I should say, that, to this preparatory faith, it is necessary to believe all the niceties and mysteriousness of the blessed sacrament. Men have introduced new opinions, and turned the key in this lock so often, till it cannot be either opened or shut; and

• Frænentur ergo corporum cupidines,
Detersa ut intus emicet prudentia:
Sic excitato perspicax acumine,
Liberque flatu laxiore spiritus
Rerum parentem rectius precabitur.

Prudent, in Cathemerin

other, the sacrificed Lamb is represented as offered and slain for them. Now, the church having such fair probabilities and prudential motives, and no prohibition, if she shall use her power to the purposes of kindnesses and charity,—she is not easily to be reproved, lest without necessity we condemn all the primitive catholic church, and all the modern churches of the east and south to this day; especially since, without all dispositions, infants are baptized, there is less reason why they may not be communicated, having already received some real dispositions towards this, even all the grace of the sacrament of baptism, which is certainly something towards the other. And after all, the refusing to communicate infants entered into the church, upon an unwarrantable ground. For though it was confessed that the communion would do them benefit, yet it was denied to them, then when the doctrine of transubstantiation entered, upon pretence lest by puking up the holy symbols, the sacrament should be dishonoured; which indeed, though that doctrine were true, were infinitely unreasonable; as supposing that Christ, who suffered his body to be broken upon the cross, that he might convey grace to them and us, would refuse to expose the symbols to the accidents of a child's stomach, and rather deny them that grace, than endure that sight, who yet does daily suffer mice and mouldiness to do worse unto it.

4

But, on the other side, they that, without interest and partiality, deny to communicate infants, can consider, that infants, being in baptism admitted to the promises of the Gospel, and their portion in the kingdom of Christ, can have upon them no necessity to be communicated. For by their first sacrament they are drawn from their mere natural state, and lifted up to the adoption of sons; and by the second sacrament alone they can go no further:- - that although the first grace which is given in baptism, be given them as their first being, yet the second graces are given to us upon other accounts, even for well using the first free grace that in baptism there were promises made, which are to be personally accepted and verified before any new grace can be sacramentally imparted:-that it was necessity which gave them baptism before their reason, and that

1 Victoria. Relict. de Eucharist. ubi supra.

necessity being served, there can be no profit in proceeding upon the same method, without the same reason: that baptism is the sacrament of the new-born, the beginning, the gate of the church, the entry of the kingdom, the birth of a Christian; but the holy eucharist is the sacrament of them that grow in grace, of them that are perfect in Christ Jesus; -and lastly, to him that lists to be contentious, we are to say, as St. Paul did, "We have no such custom, nor the churches of God."

Now, these probabilities on both sides may, both of them, be heard, and both of them prevail in the sense of the former determination: for, by the first, it may appear that to communicate infants is lawful; but the second proves that it is not necessary; for having in baptism received sufficient title to the kingdom of heaven, they, who before the use of reason cannot sin, and cannot fall from the grace they have received, cannot be obliged to the use of that sacrament, which is for their reparation and security; and therefore, in this case, the present practice of the church is to be our rule and measure of peace, and determination of the article.

SECTION III.

Whether Innocents, Fools, and Madmen, 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 capable of love and obedience in some degree, they must in no case be admitted. A vicious fool is intolerable; 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 indifferently 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 madmen the case is otherwise; and, therefore, I am to answer with a distinction. If, from a state of sin and debauchery, they entered into their madness, their case is sad, and infinitely to be deplored; but their debtbooks 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 sacramentally;' —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 sadness, and that they can return to words of order, and composed thoughts, though but for awhile, though but in order to that ministry, are not to be rejected.

But, on the other side, whoever can hinder the effect of the sacrament, they are not to be admitted 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 remaining, in a state of evil, cannot be admitted till they do good; and, therefore, never, while their madness remains. The godly man that is so afflicted 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 sadness, be capable or no, no man can tell, whether he does well or ill: and, therefore, he must