It is known that the sacrament was given to the children of the faithfull also in the tyme

of Pope Innocent, Cyprian, and of Augustine, as well in Europe as in Afrike. Neyther do I

read that the custome was contrary in any place of Asia. There is a story redde in the
Sermon of Cyprian, De Lapsis, of a yong wench that was brought by hir nurse in the
time of persecution to the sacrifices of the Gentiles, whiche was afterwardes, when all
was quiet, brought by the mother to the sacrament of thankesgiving of the faithfull.
There is mention made in many places of Augustine of the sacrament of thankesgiving,
given to little children. But after the time of those fathers, that universall custome
beganne to decay by little and little, untill that the contrary prevayled so much, that he is
like to be taken for a moste ranke heretike, that dothe holde that the sacramente of the
Lordes Supper is to be given to infants. In Lorrayne there is left untill this day some
piece of that custome. For there when the infante is baptised, the minister or priest
which did baptise hym, fetcheth out of the vestry to the altare the pire wherein certaine
parcels of the sacramententall bread, as they call them there be kept, and he holdeth
one of the pieces up to shew them to the people; afterwardes he layeth it by againe in
the pire, and putteth forthe his two fingers wherein he helde it, to the Serten to washe
with wine, and of that wine he doth droppe into the mouth of the infante, saying, "The
bloud of our Lorde Jesu Christ profite thee to life everlasting." These leavings of the old
custome remayned not onely in the Churches of Lorayne, but in many others also, as I
suppose. and that saying of Christe also did move the fathers to give the sacramente of
the supper unto infants: Unlesse you do eate the flesh of the sonne of man, and drinke
his bloud, you shall not have life in you. Whereupon they thoughte it necessarie to
admitte the infants also unto the Sacramente of the Lords Supper, that they myghte be
made partakers of the grace of Christ, and of life everlasting. For they did turne the
same to the ceremonie of the Sacramente, whiche Christ spake of the spirituall eatyng
and drinking of his fleshe and bloud, and of the fruite of his deathe, and their
aftercommers were moved by the saying of the Apostle, to wythdraw the use of this
sacrament from the infants: Lette a man prove hymselfe, and so let him eate of that
bread and drinke of the cuppe. For they gathered uppon that, Infantes can not prove
themselves, ergo it is not lawfull for them to eate of this bread, and to drinke of the
Lords cuppe.
Let them see here which do crake upon the fathers, that they do not in sundry wise, but
agreeably expounde the holye Scriptures. Cyprian, Augustine, and Pope Innocent
knewe well ynough that the Apostle sayde: "Let a man prove himselfe, and so let him
eate of that bread, and drinke of the cuppe. Neyther were they so verye Asses, but that
they knewe that infants wer not able to prove themselves. Agayne, they also which

followed them, knew, that the Lorde had sayd: "Unlesse you do eate the flesh of the
sonne of man, and drinke hys bloud, you shall not hve lyfe in you." Then howe did the
one sort so take the saying of the Apostle, that they judged it did not lette, and the other
judged that it doth let, that the infantes may not be partakers of the Sacrament of the
Lordes Supper? Agayne, how did they understand the saying of Christe to gather upon
it, that the infants of Christian men coulde not be saved, unlesse they wer partakers of
the sacrament of the Lords Supper: and yet these men have thought, that no suche
matter ought to be gathered upon it, in so much that theyr opinion is, that the infantes of
the faithfull may be saved withoute the sacramentall communion? This diversitie of
expositions is such, that the one doth reprove the other of errour, and that in a matter of
greatest waight: that is to witte, concerning the salvation of our Children, which we so
care most for nexte after ourselves. Is this expounding of Scriptures after an agreeable
sense, I doe not invey againste the Fathers, God forbidde; but I do blame their
overthwartnesse which do condemne the giftes of God for heresie, in them which doe in
this our age expounde the holye Scriptures, bycause that they doe in many poyntes
differ one from an other. If the disagreeyng exposition of Scriptures be Heresie, lette
them charge the fathers also with all, or else harken to that saying of the Lord: Judge
not according to the outward appearance, but judge right judgment. As for me, I am so
farre from condemning the labours of learned men, whether they be olde or new,
bycause that they do in some places sundrye wayes expounde the holy Scriptures,
every one after his owne understanding, that I doe for that cause reade them the rather,
than if they were all so severily restrained to some one Doctor's judgemente, that no
man might freely declare his owne judgement. The diversitie of opinions and expositions
doth profite the wise man, so that no body do unadvisedly condemne him, which doth
dissente from him, and so breake the band of peace in the Church.
As concerning this matter whereof we talke, I suppose we shall not unfitly consider it, if
the doyng of the Elders, whiche did admitte infantes unto the sacramentes of
thanksgyving, be discretely wayed a part from the reason of it, whereby they were
moved unto it, and that we may judge thereof according unto other godlye and probable
reasons also, of which I will set forth some to be considered by the reader. The firste is,
that the signe seemeth not to be denied unto him, which is partaker of the thyng that is
signified. The seconde is, that Christe is the Saviour of his whole body, that is to say of
the church, and that the infants also do belong unto the integritie and wholenesse of the
ecclesiastical body. The third is, that Christe sayde himselfe: "Let the little ones come
unto me, and forbid them not; for to such doth belong the kingdome of heaven. For upon
these reasons me thinketh we may gather in thise wise. First, if he which is partaker of

the thyng that is signifyed, may be made partaker of the sygne, and the children of them
that do beleve, be partakers of Christes death, that is to say, of the redemption
purchased by him: ergo they may be partakers also of the Lords supper. Secondly, if
our little children be parcel of the Church, which is the bodye of Christ, it followeth that
they do perteyne also to the communion, whereby according unto the saying of the
Apostle, we be one body, whiche doe participate of one bread, and of one cuppe. Christ
is the feeding of hys whole body, ergo of our children also. Wherefore like as the little
children of the Jewes did apperteyne to the Passover, the Sacrament of their
redemption, as well as their parents: So our children also do as wel belong unto the
sacrament of our new Passover, as we. Thirdly, if Christe dyd vouchsafe to have
children come unto him to embrace them, to lay hands upon them, and blesse them,
how shal we judge them unworthy to be admitted unto the Sacramente of hys body and
bloud, seeing that there is no man, I suppose, that wil esteeme it [sc. the Supper] to be
preferred above Christ himself?
And it seemeth that an answere may be shaped to the place of Paule, "Lette a man
prove himselfe, and so eate of that bread, and drinke of the cuppe: that it is to be
understanded of them onely, in whome it is dayngerous, least they should unworthily
eate of the Lordes bread, and drinke of the cuppe, and so becomming giltie of the
Lordes bread, and drinke of the cuppe, and so becomming giltie of the Lords body and
bloud, shoulde eate and drinke their owne judgement: as the texte itself doth evidently
enough declare. But there is none of this to be feared in the little children of them that do
believe; whyche I see not why we shoulde saye, that they be unworthy of the Lords
table, seeing that they be worthy by the grace of Christ, to be incorporate unto him by
Baptisme, although that they can not yet (bycause of theyre tender age) belieeve, much
lesse confesse their faith, and trie themselves, which things be required of them that be
of perfecte yeares of understanding. And whereas the Apostle doth warne us to trie
ourselves before that we do participate of this bread and cuppe of the Lordes, it doth not
serve to make us able to come to the Lordes table by this endevour of proving our sefe:
bu that we should not rashly, lightly, and otherwise disposed than it becommeth us,
unworthily use, yea abuse the Sacrament of grace, and offende againste the body and
bloud of the Lord. This reason doth not hinder, but that the little children of such as doe
beleeve, may be partakers of this bread and cuppe of the Lordes.
Thus I suppose a godly man may thinke of the doing of the elders; and maye attribute
the reason of hym whome Augustine did greately constreyne unto the common opinion,
whereby these thinges that are spoken of the spirtuall eating, are drawen to the

sacramental eating. And grace applyed unto the sacramentall signes.

Some man will saye, ergo doest thou so allowe the doyng of the Elders, that thou doest
condemne all that which hath bin received in all other churches after them? I answer, I
condemne nor this, nor that, nor I wil not be author to any man, to goe aboute to bring in
the Communion of infantes into the Church againe. Or, that he shoulde judge it meet to
be used, and give any occasion of strife. So that those things which doe concerne their
salvation in Christe, doe remayne fast and sure. To be short, I doe not allowe that saying
of Augustine, that infantes if they be taken out of this lyfe without the outwarde
participation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper, can not be saved; but I do allow that
which is now a dayes holden, that it is not necessarie for them. Nor I will not strive, if it
be sayde that for some incommodities, it is better that they should not be brought to the
communion of the Church; but as for that, whether that it be lawful or no, that they may
be admitted unto it, my opinion is, that it may be talked upon by wise men and discretely
learned in Christe, so that it be done with a conveniente temperancie, and without all
contentious reasoning. But of this matter I have sayde peradventure more than ynough,
whyche I thoughte good to touche, to mynister some matter to the settlyng of the
consciences of godly folk, which are careful for the salvation of their little children."