SIR, The case of conscience (as in your Ne­phews Letter it is put to you, and in yours to me) concerning the young woman, I con­ceive to be this, ‘A young woman hath forborne to eate bread for these two or three yeeres, and now being of age, shee hath a great desire to receive the Sacra­ment, but cannot swallow the least crum of bread (as tryall hath been made of her for a whole weeke toge­ther) whereupon she desired to re­ceive in somthing else, her Minist. was advised to deliver it to her in a thing called Manus Christi, but did not.’

Hereupon, you require my resolution, what is to be done? concerning which I say, First it is a very rare thing for one (borne and bread where bread is daily food) not by infirmitie, but by Antipathy, to be so indisposed to make use of that fundamentall nourishment, as not to be able to take so much as a crumme, though it were to receive the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord: I have read only of Ego profiteor vidisse puerum annorum cireiter 10, cui nunquam quicquam gustatum panis, nec carnium. Chamier. de Euchar. lib. 8. cap. 3. tom. 4. pag. 422. col. 2.56. one before now, whose dislike of bread was like unto hers.

Secondly, taking the case as it is, deliberation is requisite concerning three opi­nions especially.

The first of those who hold, that if the Sacra­ment cannot be administred, and received in both kindes (according to the institution of our Saviour) it is wholie to be Bish. Lake in his Serm. on Mat. 26. v. 26, 27. par. 3.165. So hold also some of the Doctors of the reformed Churches. for­born: the learned Bishop of Bath and Wells expresseth his opinion to that purpose thus, Seeing the Sacraments have necessitatem, non medij, sed praecepti, as it is a foule fault to contemne the Elements (when they may be had:) So when they may not be had, it were better to want the Sacrament, then to use Elements of our owne choice: God can supply to our use (saith he) rem Sa­cramenti, sine Sacramento, in case of necessitie, who happily will not be so gratious, if wee be so presumptu­ous as to prescribe.

The second opinion is of those, who think that in defect of the Elements, prescribed and used by our Saviour at his last Supper, others which are analo­gical to them may be taken, as for bread (which they would have to be rather Panis triticeus, conveniens est Sa­cramenti Eucharistiae materia. A­quin. 3. part 974. art. 3. conclus. of Wheate then Non panis ordeaceus. Ibid. Barley, or of any other graine, but by no meane of Cur non meminit in Scotia, plebem avena victitare, ex qua non liceat consecrandum panem fieri. Chamier. tom. 4. lib. 9. cap. 12. pag. 524. col. 2. Oates, against which there is an especial prohibition, that with bread of Oates, there be no Consecration) they allow not only that which is made of corne, but of other materialls; of which (in divers Authors) wee meet with many sorts of Panis ex Amygdalis & Sacc [...]are Cel. Rhodiginus Anti (que) lect. l. 9. cap. 15. col. 408. bread made of Almonds and sugar, Panis ex melle, Ʋvis passis, & ali­js aromatices confect. Ibid. bread made of honey and raysons, and of aromaticall [Page 4]ingredients, Bread of millet and Turnep­seede pounded, is the bread of the Alarbians, and Cammells and Ostrages their meat. Lud. Regius in Arist. Polit. l. 1. chap. 5. pag. 40. bread of Turneps, bread of Purch. Pil. l. 5. c. 13. pag. 436. Battara roots, used in the Ilands of Moratay, Tho. Walsingh. hist. Hen. 5. pag. 438. bread of Wall-nuts; but the most of these for necessitie, where bread of corne is either not at all, or not in a com­petent quantitie to be had, and if this opinion admit of other mate­rialls, as farre as necessitie suggest­eth supplie, it may proceed to the approbation of Arcadian Arcades glandibus vesci docuit eorum Rex Pelasgus. caelius Rho­dig. Antiq. Lart. l. 16. c. 13. col. 716. & lib. 18. col. 836. bread, made of Acorns, which would lit­tle beseeme the Lords Table: for as Pearles must not be cast before Swine (as our Saviour saith) so of that which is fit­test to be cast before them, as Acorns, none should (as I conceive) offer to make such pearles, as is the bread of that holy banquet.

The like we say, of the poore and miserable bread (at the Serres French In­vent in Charles the 9. pag. 799. siege of Sancerre in France) made of flax­seed, nut-shells and straw, so much more unmeet for such a service as it is more unworthy then the o­ther. And as for bread, so if there be no wine to be had, they hold it lawfull to use other liquor, as Me­thegline (so Philippus Melanct. (in libro de usu integri Sacramenti) Soripsit Ruthenos (ob vini inopiam) recte facturos, si pro vino uterentur, aqua mellita, seu medo­ne. Bellar. de Eucharist. lib. 4. cap. 24. tom. 3. pag. 295. Melancthon re­solved for the Russian Church) or the Juice of Raysons (as for India upon the like defect) others have concluded, and as there the Communion of the Nesto­rian Christians is admini­stred, M^r. Brerew. Inquire of Lang. & Re­lig. pag. 147. or any other liquor, [Page 5]of familiar use, though it be water: so Ʋt pro vine aliud in jis regionibus, usitate potionis, genus usurparent, vel aqua, vel alia sibi familiari potione u­tantur? Beza epist. 25. pag. 167, 168. Beza (putting the question touching America) maketh Answere; and hee doth it, in the name of Hoc domini Calvini responsum, ut optima ratione nixum & Christi consi­lio consentaneum, noster caetus adeo com­probavit, ut eos superstitiose facere cen­suerimus, qui a vini Symbolo, usque adeo penderent ut alteram coenae partem omittere mallent, quam Analogon aliud Symbolum (ita cogente necessitate) u­surpare. Ibid. Cal­vin, and others of the Presby­tery of the Church of Gene­va, as consonant both to very good reason, and to the counsell of Christ, which he delivereth with such confi­dence of the sufficiency of such a supply, that hee chargeth those with su­perstition, who so depend upon the Symbole of wine, that if they may not have it, they will deprive themselves of the other part of the Sacrament: and he assureth the receiver, that there is no doubt of it, but by such an Administration of the Sacrament, Neque dubitet tam sibi sub hoc potu, quam sub vino, sanguine Christi communicare. Ibid. he receiveth the blood of Christ, as well as if the Sacrament were with wine delivered unto him. But this libertie without great caution might prove very scan­dalous: for

First, by receding so far from the Institution, some might take occasion of such a presumption, as is condemned in Audivimus quosdam schismatica presumptione detentos, contra divi­nos ordines, & Apostolicas instituti­ones, hoc pro vino &c. Botro (i.) de unarum granis, populo communica­re. Concil. Brac. 3. can. 1. fol. 310. the third Counsell of Bracara, anno 669. which was to bring milke for wine to the Communion, or clusters of grapes, which is wine vertually, and materially somewhat else, which should not be [Page 6]be added to the Institution, as Ʋvae integrae non debent huic Sacramento misceri, quia jam aliud esset ibi, preter vi­num. Aquin. 3. part. que. 74. art. 5. ad tertium. Aqui­nas well enough hath resolved: and there were some so fond, or rather mad, as to bring bread and cheese into the mysteries of Religion: who there­fore are worthily branded with a name and note of heresie, by Artotyritas appellunt, eo quod in mysterijs suis, appo­nunt panem & caseum, & sic mysteria sua faciunt. Epipha. contra Heres. lib. 2. tom. 1. p. 99. col. 2. Epiphanius, and Artotyritae (quibus oblatio, eorum hoc nomen dedit) offe­rnnt panem, & caseum, dicen­tes, a primis hominibus, obla­tiones de fructibus terrae, & ovium fuisse celebratas. Aug. de Heres. Her. 28. tom. 6. pag. 21. Augustine many hundred yeeres a­gone.

Secondly, for the limitation, or ra­ther limited allowance of Beza in case of necessitie, as (according to the de­gree of it) it maketh as much varia­tion in bread, as is betweene Al­monds and Acorns; so for drinke, some necessities have come downe as low as from wine to urine. Rabshekah threat­ned the Jewes. Esay 36.12. That hee would bring them to such an extremity, but he did but threaten it, but it fell out so indeed, among the Cretenses, upon the siege of Cecilius Metellus, for they were driven to drinke both their owne, and the urine of their beasts: and so (as Sua, Jumentorumque suo­rum, urina, sitim torserunt verius quam sustentarunt. Valer. Max. lib. 7. cap. 6. Valerius Maximus said) did rather torture then satisfie their ap­petites, if the case of necessitie be such, as degrades a mans appetite to the Ali­ment of beasts, or (as in this case) below it, doubt­lesse it is much better to forbeare the Sacrament, then to administer it in such Elements, as suite nei­ther with the sweetnesse, nor with the dignitie of such an excellent mysterie.

[Page 7]For Beza his allowance of water, in case of ne­cessitie, I like it the worse, not onely for that (as it is a kinde of drinke, it is fitter for beasts then for men) but for that, such as antiently did administer in water, in stead of wine, were branded as hereticks, (by the orthodox Doctors) under the name of Aquarij dicti sunt, quod a­quam offerunt, in poculo Sacra­menti. Aug. de Heres. heres. 64. tom. 6. pag. 32. Aquarij: though they did it not of schismaticall presumption (as those whom the Councell of Braca­ra condemned for their innovati­on) but in their zeal to Sobrietatem adeo diligebant, ut (ejus conservandae causa) eti­ampro calicis consecratione, vi­num evitandum putent. Alph. a Castr. Advers. Heres. lib. 6. fol. 181. pag. 6. sobrietie. Against these, S^t. Cyprian. Epist. 63. pag. 85. 86. Cyprian pleadeth very earnestly, in his epistle to Ce­cilius. I denie not, but that there is difference, betwixt using water (without necessitie, as they did) and of necessity, when wine could not be had, which is the case wherein Be­za, and his brethren did allow it: whose opinion is since taken up by Polan Syntag. lib. 6. cap. 56. col. 12.13.12.14. Polanus, and set downe (almost in the same words) though he name him not. Yet their great affection to sobrietie, was somewhat to excuse them, and per­haps very neere as much, as the meer want of wine might excuse some others, if they should follow Calvinus, Beza and Polanus their indifferencie, for using water in stead thereof: for though wine could not be had, other liquor (of neerer operation to it) in most places may be had. And albeit ordinarilie, those Countreys which have no vines, might be provided of wine enough for the Sacrament as Potest verum vinum ad ter­ras illas defer­ri, in quibus vites non cres­cunt, quantū sufficit ad hoc sacramentum Aq. 3. p. Q. 74. art. 5. ad prim. Aquinas confesseth (which we take not only for [Page 8]the Priests, as he hath it, and so no necessitie to di­spence with the Bellar. de Euchar. lib. 4. cap. 24. t [...]m. 3 pag. 295. Priests of Norway, to consecrate in one kinde only, as Pope Innocentius the VIII. is said to have done, but for the Laitie also) yet if there should be such want of wine, as in the yeere Magdeburg. Cent. 13. cap. 13. col. 2. 1237. there was in Alsatia, when a quart of wine was 16. times dearer then it was, but the yeere be­fore, especially such a want, as was in the yeer Centur. 7. cap. 13. col. 559, 560. 604. which was generall almost throughout the world, when with the coldnesse of the winter that went be­fore, their Vines were killed, I conceive (with humble submission to the judgement of the Church) that rather then we of England should generally want the Sacra­ment, untill new Vines had brought forth new in­crease, wee might well receive the Sacrament, in some of the better sort of our usuall drinks, but not in water onely: though that were mingled in the sacred Cup, at the consecra­tion (as Neque aliud fiat a nobis, quam quod pro nobis dominus prior fe­ceret, ut calix (qui in illius com­memorationem offertur) mixtus vino offeratur. Cypr. Epist. 63. pag. 85. col. 1. & aqua p. 86. col. 1. Cyprian confidently affir­meth) and Probabiliter creditur, quod do­minus Sacramentum hoc institue­rit, in vino aqua permisto. Aquin. part. 3. Quest. 74. art. & corp. Artic. so also Chemnit saith, ve­risimile est Christum vinum, non merum, sed temperatum bibisse. Chemnit. exam. Trid. part 2. pag. 170. col. 1. others more warilie deliver, upon probable conjecture, and that for these two reasons.

First, because (as Calix tuus inebriat. Ps. 22. aqua non inebriat. Cyp. ep. 63. p. 86. c. 1. S^t. Cyprian sheweth) the drinke of the Sacra­ment must be a drinke of some vi­gour, as able (as water is not) to inebriate, though not in so small a quantitie, as is commonly taken by every single receiver.

Secondly, our Saviour conse­crated the Sacrament not simply in wine (as it was wine) but in wine and water (as the usuall drink [Page 9]of that Country (as Beere or Ale is with us) as Dominus Sacramentum hoc instituebat, in vino aqua per­mista, secundum morem istius terrae. Aquin. part. 3. Q. 74. Art. 6. Corp. Artic. Aquinas conceiveth (and no man contradicteth him in it, nor doe I know any reason why any one should doe so.) And upon these reasons, it might (if the Church gave way unto it) be warantable enough rather to make a supply, where there is an unexpected fayling of wine, at a great Communion, with some other liquor analogicall to it, then to send many away with halfe the Sacrament.

If it be said, that in case of want of wine, Object. to take common drinke, would bring the Sacrament down to a common and contemptible conceit, as by dealing the Sacramentall bread out of a common Basket, some people tooke a loathing of the com­munion: as was objected against the Vicar of Ratsdale in the Conference at Hampton Court. p. 95. Answ. conference at Hampton Court.

It may be answered first, that no such ill effect, hath been observed, in the places where wine is (by custome) the common drinke of the Countrey: as in Judea, France, &c.

Secondly, That the Sacrament of Baptisme, Answ. 2 is received in a more ordinary and common element by farre: for what is more common then water? whereof every beast may drinke, and wherein he may set his foot? and yet is Baptisme generally re­ceived, as an holy and honorable ordinance.

Thirdly, Answ. 3 for that scandall at distribution of the bread of the Sacrament out of a basket. I say,

It consisted chiefly in this, that the Minister Ibid. suffered (as in the Conference is said) each man, [Page 10]to put his hand into the basket, and to take his own part of the bread.

In that (being but a private Minister) he made an Innovation for the worse, and withall a kinde of schisme from other Churches. But if there had been Authoritie for carrying the bread in such a basket, it had been no prejudice to the dignitie of the Sacrament, nor to his discretion that so used it, nor had such scandall ensued upon it: Saint Hierome highly commendeth Sanctus Exuperius Tholosae E­piscopus, viduae saraptensis imita­tor, Esuriens pascit alios, & ore pallente Jejunijs, fame torque­tur aliorum, omnemque Substan­tiam Christi pauperibus erogavit, nihil illo ditius, qui corpus domi­ni, Canistro vimineo, sanguinem portat in vitro. Hieron. ad Rustic. Monach. de vivendi fama. tom. 1 pag. 49. prope finem. Epist. & pag. Exuperius (Bishop of Tholouse) for his great charitie, and mortification, and for his great estate also, and yet (saith he) hee carried the Lords body in a wicker basket, and his blood in a glasse. Meaning the ma­terialls of the sacrament, bread and wine. The reason why this good man carried the Sacrament, in such meane vessells (whereof the Reader may have some scruple by the way) was not out of any contempt, or disrespect of it; but that thereby he might the better drive the sinne of covetousnesse out of the Church (as Hierom imply­eth) when he Sanguinem portat in vitro, qui avaritiam ejecit è templo. Hieron. Ibid. saith (in the same place, and the next words after) that he excommunicated avarice out of the Church, but this but by the way.

Yet I confesse (though I thus plead) when I was once unhappily put to a Non plus for Wine in the administration of the Sacrament (by the Church­wardens default) I durst not piece up the defect, [Page 11]with any ordinary drinke, because I wanted the di­rection of Authoritie to induce me unto it: so that I incline to conforme to a third opinion, which is a kinde of Medium betwixt those two, Viz. neither to substitute other elements (as Calvine, Beza, Pola­nus and others would have it:) nor wholly to for­beare or debarre others from the receipt of the Sa­crament, as Indeed some Doctors of the re­formed Churches, have concei­ved that such as cannot receive so much as a drop of wine (by their Antipathy to wine) should altogether abstaine from the orall receiving of the Sacrament, be­cause they cannot receive it in both kinds. D^r. Featly, in his conference with M^r. Everard. pag. 268. marg. out of Jacob Rhemig. some other Protestants have conceived most convenient, when bread and wine, or either of them, cannot be had: but if there be either an Antipathy against either kinde, or want of either, to be con­tent with that which may be had and taken: and this is the Judge­ment, not only of Papists, as of Multi abhorrent a vino, & vel natura abstemij sunt, vel edu­catione in calidioribus regioni­bus: assuescunt enim pueri & puellae (etiam nobiles) aquae po­tui, unde multipostea (etiam in matura aetate) non possunt abs (que) nauseâ vinum gustare. Quid ergo isti facturi sunt? abstine­bunt a communione perpetuo! at id non licet, per divinas leges. Bellar. tom. 3. l. 4. de Euchar. chap. 24. pag. 295. Bellarmine (besides many more) concluding so, in the case of such as are abstemious, & cannot abide the taste of wine: but of many Prote­stants also, of whom he nameth Brent. in confessione Witten­burge. 2. part. 2. pericopes apud Bellar. Ibid. Brentius only, and blameth Quis dedit Philippo, authori­tatem mutandi Sacramentorum materiam? Bellar. ubi supra. Melan­cton for too much boldnesse, in re­solving on the contrary part, for the Russians, that (wanting wine) they might have the Communion in Methegline, asking who gave him Authoritie to change the matter of the Sacrament. But it would be a har­der question, able to pose the lear­nedst [Page 12]Pope, to aske who gave him, or the Coun­cell of Constance or Trent authoritie, to rob all the Laitie of the Christian world of halfe their right in the holy Sacrament: But besides Brentius, there be many more that so resolve; for as the reformed Churches in France, in twenty severall Synods have confirmed this Canon for the Communion.

So in the Ecclesiasticall Dis­cipline of the Reformed Church­ches. Ch. 12. Art. 7. Ms. Pastors ought to Administer the bread of the holy Supper, unto them that are not able to drinkwine, they having made a Protestation, that they doe it not in contempt, and framing themselves to drinke (so farre as they shall be able) Namely, they shall take the cup in their hand, to prevent scandall.

Which Constitution, I account of more weight, because it is not like they did either not know, or not consider the decisions of Geneva, before men­tioned: and it is worthy our observation in two points especially.

That the Communion may be received in one kinde, in case of necessitie, when both cannot be had or not received: for then to take the one in deed, the other in desire, may suffice, which seemeth to be the Judgment of Bishop Andrewes (who since his death hath been stiled a stupendious oracle) in his Answere to Cardinall Bellar­mine, as Doctor Feately in his conference with M. Evarard pag. 268. Doctor Feately un­derstandeth him: though (to mine apprehension) he Si qui in extremis viaticum, petant ab hac autem, velilla specie abhorreant, quaeri potest porro, an (eo casu) dispensari possit, ut altera tantum specie communi­cent? & an necessitate id cogente immutari possit quid in Euchar. (gratiae divina lonmanum desectum supplente) cum sacramentum propter bominem factum sit, non homo propter Sacramentum: verum casus ille in legem trahen­dus non est, sed Cessante ferreâ necessitate, de reliquo redeundum mox ad Christi Institutum. Bishop Andrewes respo. ad Card. Bellar. cap. 8. pag. 192. car­ryeth [Page 13]his conceipt indifferently, be­twixt receiving in one kinde, and supplying the defect of one Ele­ment with some other thing, in case of Antipathy, or other extreame necessitie, which hee calleth an Iron necessitie. In which case, he saith the Sacrament was made for man, not man for the Sacrament: So that when the man cannot yeeld to the Sacrament, that should (in some sort) yeeld to him: and that may be meant two wayes:

Either by supplying one kinde by some other thing analogicall unto it, of which we have spoken before: Or,

Secondly, by tempering one kinde so with ano­ther, as to make it fit to be relished, and swallow­ed: as by soaking the bread in liquor, as in case of old Euseb. Eccles. Hist. lib. 6. chap. 43. pag. 118. Serapion, who could not let downe drie bread: which soak­ing (by the Councell of Bellar. citeth this out of Burch­ard. Bellar. lib. 4. de Euchar. c. 26. tom. 3. pag. 300. col. 2. though in the Councells I can finde no such Canon. Tow­ers) was allowed to sick Com­municants: but afterwards, when (out of case of necessity) it was used by some; it was severely cōdemned by a Canon, in the 3. Concil. Bracarens. 3. fol. 310. princip. Concil. Councell of Bracara. anno 669. and as Gratian. de consecr. di. 2. cap. cumomne Crimen. fol. 315. pag. 1. col. 1. Gratian citeth it by a de­cree of Pope Julius, Anno 340.

Or thirdly, by taking the one kinde Re, the other Voto, the one kinde in deed, the other in desire: which I most ap­prove of: for First, in such a case, hee that recei­veth [Page 14]one kinde, receiveth Christ, and with Christ, both his body and blood, so that though he have not the Integritie of the Sacrament (for the out­ward Elements) he may have the essence and effica­cie of it: and though it be imperfect in respect of the sensible materialls, yet it is better to have it imper­fect, then not at all: as it is better to have a piece of a booke, of Canonicall Scripture, or but a verse, if he can have no more, then none at all. Besides it see­meth hard measure, to debarre any from their par­ticipation of both parts of the Sacrament, because God hath enabled them to partake but of one, espe­cially if they much desire it, and be inclined to scruples and discomforts, if they be kept with­out it.

If it be objected, that Aut integra Sacramenta percipi­ant, aut ab integris arceantur, quod divisio unius ejusdemque my­sterij, sine grandi sacrilegio non po­test pervenire. Gelas. apud Gratian de consecrat. dist. 2. cap. comperi­mus. fol. 315. pag. 2. col. 1. Gelasius (who was one of the better sort of the Bishops of Rome, for he li­ved about the yeer 492) required either an intire Communion in both kinds, or a forbearance of both, and held the division of the one from the other, no lesse then a grand sacre­ledge: I answere, he speaketh this, of such as (by A calice Sacrati cruoris abstinent, nescio qua super­stitione docentur astringi. Ibid. Superstition) refused the Communion of the Cup, not of such as would, but could not have both, or receive both. It seemeth rather sacreledge to with­hold from them their Sacred right in one part of the Sacrament, because they are deprived of meanes to enjoy the other.

But Saint Detrabe verbum, & quid est aqua nisi aqua? accedat verbum ad ele­mentum, & fit Sacra­mentum. Aug. tract. 8. in Joh. tom. 9. p. 547. Augustine said, the word and the element must make up the Sacra­ment; without the element then no Sa­crament: but he said it not in the Plurall number [Elements] but in the singu­lar: and he speaketh it particularly, of the Sacrament of Baptisme, in his Eighth tractate upon Saint John.

The second observable point in that Canon of the French Church is, that when it is so received, all scandall and offence must be carefully declined: for if the partie cannot drinke wine, he must yet take the Cup into his hand (as before hath been said) and professe a willingnesse to doe it, and thereby hee professeth his judgement, and consent with the Church, against severall heresies, condemning and denying the lawfull use of wine, as the Alphons de Castr. advers heres. lib. 14. fol. 173. pag. 6. Severeani, who held that Satan and the Earth were the Parents of wine: and of the De hoc loco, heres. suam Ta­tianus (Encratitarum princeps) struere mititur, vinum asserens non bibendum. Hieron. in Amos. 2. & the 12. tom. 6. pag. 94. col. 2. Tatiani, who (because the Lord findeth fault with the peo­ple, by the Prophet Amos, that gave the Nazarites wine to drinke) thence conceived that he condemned wine altogether: as Hierome observeth upon that text. Amos 2. vers. 12 and of the Manachei vinum non bibunt, dicentes esse principium tenebra­rum: cum vescuntur uvis. Mag­deburge Centur. 3. cap. 5. col. 115. Manachees, who accounted wine the beginning of dark­nesse, yet forbare not to eate the grapes from whence it was pres­sed: [Page 16]of the Erant Angeli duo (Aror & Maror) missi a Deo de caelis in terram, tribue his interdictis: ne occiderent, ne injuste vindica­rent, nec vinum biberent. Centur. 7. cap. 15. col. 613.30. Turks, who pretend­ed a prohibition from heaven, by an Angel, against the drinking of wine, of the Aquarij, who refused it upon pretence of more sobrietie, and e­specially of the Papists, who denie the necessary use of it to the Laitie, by vertue of Christs Institution. Lastly, hereby they professe against scandall or offence unto the congregation; by doeing otherwise then they doe.