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…

But it may be objected / that in this point the book of Common prayer is not in fault / which doth not only not forbid that all the church should receive together / but also by a good & godly exhortation moveth those that be present / that ⟨p. 149⟩they should not depart / but communicate altogether. It is true that it doth not forbid / and that there is godly exhortation for that purpose / but that (I say) is not enough / for neither should it suffer that three or four should have a communion by them selves (so many being in the church meet to receive / and to whom the supper of the Lord doth of right appertain) & it ought to provide / that those which would withdraw them selves / should be by Ecclesiastical discipline / at all times / and now also under a godly Prince by civill punishment brought to communicate with their brethren. And this is the law of God / and this is now and hath been heretofore the practise of churches reformed. All men understand that the passover was a figure of the Lords supper / and that there should be as straight bonds to bind men to celebrate the remembrance of our spiritual deliverance / as there was to remember the deliverance out of Egypt. But whosoever did not then communicate with the rest at that time / when the passover was eaten / was excommunicated / as it may appear in the book of Numbers / where he ¹sayeth / that whosoever did not communicate being clean / his soul should be cut off from amongst the people of God. Therefore this neglect / or contempt rather of the Lords supper / ought to be punished with no less punishment / especially when as (after the church hath proceeded in that order which our saviour Christ appointeth of admonishing) they be not sorry for their fault / and promise amendment. And that this was the custom of the churches / it may appear by the. 9. of those canons / which are fathered of the apostles / where it is decreed that all the ²faithful that entered into the congregation / and heard the scriptures red / and did not tarry out the prayers & the holy Communion / should be as those which were causers of disorders in the church / separated from the church / (or as it is translated of an other) deprived of the Communion.

But it may be obiected / that in thys poynt the booke of Common prayer is not in fault / which doth not only not forbid that all the church should receiue together / but also by a good & godly exhortation moueth those that be present / that