A reply to an answer made of M. Doctor Whitgifte Against the admonition to…A replye to an ansvvere made of M. Doctor VVhitgifte Against the admonition to…

These things being considered / the reason which the Admonition useth in the 185. page / where this matter is spoken of / which is / drink you all of this / is not so ridiculous as M. Doctor maketh it. For although that it do neither prove that 12. or 20. or any other definite number must of necessity receive / yet it proveth that as all they which were present / did communicate: And so as many as in the church are fit to receive the sacraments / or may conveniently receive them together / should follow that example in celebrating the supper together. And it is probably to be thought / that if our saviour Christ had not been restrained by the law of God touching the passover unto his own family and to as many only as would serve to eat up a Lamb by them selves / that he would ¹have celebrated his supper / amongst other of his disciples and professors of his doctrine. But for so much as it was meet that he should celebrate his supper there and then / where and when he did celebrate his passover / for the cause before by me alleged / it pleased him to keep his first supper with the fewer / for that the law of communication unto the passover / which was joined with the supper / would not admit any greater number of communicants / then was sufficient to eat up the passover.

These things being considered / the reason which the Admonition vseth in the 185. page / where thys matter is spoken of / which is / drinke you all of thys / is not so rydiculous as M. Doctor maketh it. For although that it doe neyther proue that 12. or 20. or any other definite number must of necessitie receyue / yet it proueth that as all they which were present / dyd communicate: And so as many as in the church are fit to receiue the sacraments / or may conueniently receiue them together / shoulde follow that example in celebrating the supper together. And it is probably to be thought / that if our sauiour Christ had not bene restrayned by the law of God touching the passeouer vnto hys owne family and to as many onely as would serue to eate vppe a Lambe by them selues / that he would ¹haue celebrated hys supper / amongst other of hys disciples and professoures of hys doctryne. But for so muche as it was meete that hee shoulde celebrate hys supper there and then / where and when hee dyd celebrate hys passeouer / for the cause before by me alleaged / it pleased hym to keepe hys first supper with the fewer / for that the law of communication vnto the passeouer / which was ioyned wyth the supper / woulde not admit any greater number of communicants / then was sufficient to eate vp the passeouer.