Rogers on Article XXIX: Of the Wicked which eat not the Body of Christ in the use of the Lord's Supper

The proposition. The wicked, and such as be void of a liuely faith, doe not eate the Body, nor drinke the Blod of Iesus Christ, in the vse of the Lords Supper.

The proofe from Gods word.

S. Paul doth shewe, how the Supper of the Lord is receiued of some worthily, which do examine, and iudge themselues ¹, and discerne the Lords Body ², as also doe abstaine from the table of deuills ³. How these doe participate of the Body, and blood of Christ, it hath alreadie bin shewen in the last mentioned article, prop. 4.

Againe, of others the same is vnworthily receiued ⁴, that is to say which themselues doe not examine, nor iudge ⁵, neither discerne the Lords body⁶, and doe communicate at the Table of the Lord, and at the Table of deuils ⁷. These may receiue the Sacrament, but not the true Body of Christ. The reasons be, for that

They lacke the wedding garment ⁸, which is Faith, and the righteousnesse of Christ.

They are no members of the true Church, the Head whereof is Iesus Christ ⁹.

They haue no promise of heauenly refreshing, because they are without a liuely faith ¹⁰.

Therefore they procure vnto themselues most heauie punishements ¹¹, as, diseases, death, guiltines of the Body, and Blood of Christ, and therewith damnation.

Of this iudgement be other Churches Christian, and reformed besides ¹²·

Errors, & adversaries vnto this truth.

The adversaries of this dorine are

The Vbiquitaries, both Lutheran, and Popish; they saing the very Body of Christ at the Lords Supper, is eaten aswell of the wicked as of the godly¹³, these affirming, that al Communicants badde and good, doe eate the very, and naturall Body of Christ Iesus ¹⁴: they saying, that the true, and reall Body of Christ, In With, Vnder the bread, and wine, may be eaten, chewed,¹⁵ and digested euen of Turkes, which neuer were of the Church ¹⁶, & these maintaining that vnder the forme of Bread, the same true and reall body of Christ, may be deuoured of Dogs, Hogs, Cats, and Rats.

Footnotes

1. 1. Cor. ii.28.
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2. Ibid. 29. ↩

3. Cor. 10.21. ↩

4. 1. Co. 1138.39
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5. Ibid. 38.31. ↩

6. Ibid. 29. ↩

7. 1. Cor. 10.21.
   ↩

8. Matth. 22.11.21. ↩

9. Ephes. 4.15. &c. ↩

10. Iohn. 6.35. ↩

11. 1. Cor. 11.27.
    ↩

12. Confess. Heluet. 1· in the declar. of the L. Supper; Heluet, 2. c. 21. Basil. ar. 6. Bohem. c. 13. Gal. ar. 37. Belg ar. 37. ↩

13. S[?]ur. Antip. 4. par. 1. p. 58. ↩

14. Test. Rhem. annot. 1. Cor. 11.27. ↩

15. Alex. Hales. par. 4. q. 45. & D. Thom. par. 3. q. 8. ar. 3. ↩

16. So reporteth Sturmius in his Antipap. 4. par. 2. pag. 106. ↩