The use among the Christians was first of all,1 that so many as came together into the church daily for to pray, and to hear the word of God: the same should also daily receive together the holy communion of the body & blood of Christ. But when the multitude that professed Christ began to increase, and waxed very great, so that that order could not conveniently be observed & kept: the ancient fathers of Christs church made a decree, ye all the Christians should communicate on the Sundays together, and be no more bound unto the daily communion,2 as they to fore were. And here of cometh this sentence of S. Austen: Daily to communicate I neither commend, nor discommend: but on the Sundays to receive the communion, I would counsel all men. When this receiving of the communion every Sunday was not done with such devotion, soberness, and gravity, as it ought to have been, but through that often coming unto it much dissolution & lightness ⟨image 191⟩was showed of diverse people: the Elders of Christs Church thought it mete for that present time to take away the custom of receiving the communion every Sunday,3 & to appoint, that the Christians should receive the communion together thrice in the year, that is to say, at Easter, at Whitsuntide, and at the feast of Christs nativity. But when this order also was not duly and reverently observed: it was judged and thought mete, that the people should commonly receive the Lords Supper but once in the year, that is to say, at Easter: and that in the stead thereof, because the remembrance of Christs passion and death should not be forgotten nor his blessed body breaking and precious blood shedding fall from the remembrance of the people,4 which is preached, declared, and set forth to the faithful at the Lords supper by breaking and eating the bread, and by pouring out & by drinking the wine: The Fathers of Christs Church instituted the ceremonies of holy bread and holy water, to put the people in remembrance of Christs body breaking,5 and blood ⟨p. 162⟩shedding: y• as they see the bread, which is distributed every Sunday of the minister broken on many pieces: so they should set before the eyes of their mind the breaking of Christs body on the altar of the Cross for the remission of their sins: again, that as they see the water sprinkled abroad:
THe vse among the Christians was firste of all,1 yt so many as came together into the church dayly for to pray, and to heare the worde of God: the same should also dayly receaue together the holye communion of the body & bloud of Christ. But when the multitude that professed Christ began to encrease, and waxed very great, so that that order could not conueniently be obserued & kepte: the auncient fathers of Christes church made a decree, ye all ye Christians shuld communicate on the Sondayes together, and be no more bounde vnto the dayly communiō,2 as they to fore were. And here of commeth thys sentence of S. Austen: Dayly to cōmunicate I neyther cōmende, nor discommend: but on the Sōdaies to receaue ye communion, I would coūcell all men. Whē this receauyng of the communiō euery Sonday was not done with such deuotion, sobernesse, and grauitie, as it ought to haue bene, but thorowe that often cō ming vnto it much dissolution & lightnesse ⟨image 191⟩was shewed of diuerse people: the Elders of Christes Church thought it mete for yt present tyme to take awaye the custome of receauing the communion euery Sonday,3 & to appoint, that the Christians should receaue the communion together thrice in the yeare, yt is to say, at Easter, at Witsontyde, and at the feaste of Christes natiuitie. But when this order also was not duly and reuerently obserued: it was iudged and thought mete, that the people shoulde commonly receaue the Lordes Supper but once in the yeare, that is to say, at Easter: and that in the stead therof, bicause the remembraūce of Christs passion and death should not be forgotten nor his blessed body breaking and precious bloud sheadyng fall from the remembraunce of the people,4 whiche is preached, declared, and set forth to the faythful at the Lordes supper by breaking and eating the bread, and by pouring out & by drinkyng the wine: The Fathers of Christes Church instituted the ceremonies of holy bread and holy water, to put the people in remēbraūce of Christes body breakyng,5 and bloude ⟨p. 162⟩sheding: y• as they see the bread, whiche is distributed euery Sonday of the minister broken on many peces: so they should set before the eyes of their mind the breaking of Christs body on the altare of the Crosse for the remission of their sinnes: again, that as they see the water sprinckled abrode:
- 1The communion daily.The communiō daylye.
- 2The communion every Sunday.The cōmunion euery Sonday.
- 3The Communion at Easter only.The Communion at Easter onlye.
- 4Howe the ceremony of holy bread came first into the Church.Howe the ceremonye of holye bread came firste into ye Churche.
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