It appeareth evidently by witness of S. Hierome also that this custom of receiving the Communion Privately at home continued among Christian men at Rome not only in time of persecution, but also afterward when the Church was at rest and peace, so as the case of necessity can not here serve them for maintaining of their strange negative in this point. These be his words: Scio Romae hanc esse consuetudinem, 1ut fideles semper Christi Corpus accipiant, quod nec reprehendo, nec probo. Unusquisque enim in suo sensu abundat. Sed ipsorum conscientiam ⟨p. 51⟩conuenio, qui eodem die post coitum communicant, & juxta Persium, noctem flumine purgant. Quare ad Martyres ire non audent? quare non ingrediuntur Ecclesias? An alius in publico, alius in domo Christus est? Quod in ecclesia non licet, nec domi licet. Nihil deo clausum est, & tenebrae quoque lucent apud Deum. Probet se unusquisque, & sic ad Corpus Christi accedat. I know this custom is at Rome that Christian folk receive the body of Christ daily, which I do neither reprove nor allow. For every man hath enough in his own sense. But I appose their conscience which do Communicate that same day as they have done wedlock work, and as Persius saith, do rinse night filth with running water. Why dare not they go to Martyrs shrines? why go not they into the Churches? what, is there one Christ abroad, and an other Christ within the house? what so ever is not lawful in the Church, neither at home is it lawful. To God nothing is hidden: the darkness also shineth before God. Let every one examine himself, and so come to the Body of Christ. S. Hierome reproveth this in the Romans, that where as S. Paul ordained, that for cause of Prayer married folk should at times forbear their carnal embracings, they not withstanding that, though they had doing with their wives, yet received their rights nevertheless daily. And yet what day they had so done, they durst not go to Churches, where Martyrs tombs were, there to receive our Lords Body.
It appeareth euidently by witnesse of S. Hierome also that this custome of receiuinge the Communion Priuately at home continued amonge Christian men at Rome not onely in time of persecution, but also afterwarde when the Churche was at reast and peace, so as the case of necessitie can not here serue them for mainteining of their straunge negatiue in this pointe. These be his woordes: Scio Romae hanc esse consuetudinem, 1vt fideles semper Christi Corpus accipiant, quod nec reprehendo, nec probo. Vnusquisque enim in suo sensu abundat. Sed ipsorum conscientiam ⟨p. 51⟩conuenio, qui eodem die post coitum communicant, & iuxta Persium, noctem flumine purgant. Quare ad Martyres ire non audent? quare non ingrediuntur Ecclesias? An alius in publico, alius in domo Christus est? Quod in ecclesia non licet, nec domi licet. Nihil deo clausum est, & tenebrae quoque lucent apud Deum. Probet se vnusquisque, & sic ad Corpus Christi accedat. I knowe this custome is at Rome that Christian folke receiue the bodie of Christe daylie, whiche I doo neither reproue nor allowe. For euery man hath enough in his owne sense. But I appose their conscience which doo Communicate that same day as they haue donne wedlocke woorke, and as Persius saithe, doo rince nightefilthe with runninge water. VVhy dare not they goe to Martyrs shrynes? why goe not they into the Churches? what, is there one Christe abroade, and an other Christe within the house? what so euer is not lawful in the Churche, neither at home is it lawful. To God nothinge is hidden: ye darkenesse also shineth before God. Let euery one examine himselfe, and so come to the Bodie of Christe. S. Hierome reproueth this in the Romaines, that where as S. Paule ordeined, that for cause of Praier maried folke shoulde at times forbeare their carnal imbracinges, they not withstandinge that, though they had dooynge with their wiues, yet receiued their rightes neuerthelesse daylie. And yet what day they had so donne, they durst not goe to Churches, where Martyrs toumbes were, there to receiue our Lordes Bodie.
- 1In Apolog. aduersus Jovin. Rom. 14.In Apolog. aduersus Iouin. Rom. 14.
