網頁圖片
PDF
ePub 版
[ocr errors]

"Prophets, fome Evangelifts, and fome Paftors and "Teachers, &c." But makes no mention at all of the Sacrificers of Chrift's Body and Blood: Nor, when St. J Paul (a) defcribes the Duty of Bishops, Presbyters, and Deacons, he makes not the leaft mention of this facrificing Chrift's Body and Blood: And for any. Thing that may appear by any Claufe or Sentence, either of the new Teftament, or of the Old, God never appointed any fuch Sacrifice to be made by any mortal Man; therefore, this new Article of Chriftian Religion, of the real Sacrificing and Shedding of Chrift's Blood at the Table, is neither true in itfelt, nor poffible to be proved; because Chrift never gave his Apoftles, nor any of their Succef fors, Commiffion to do more in that Behalf than he E himself had done.

3dly, If Jefus Chrift had offered unto God his Father, at his last Supper, a Sacrifice of his Body and Blood, propitiatory for the Sins of the Living and the Dead, he needed not to have been facrificed again upon the Cross; becaufe, having already expiated our Sins in the Sacrifice of the Eucharift, there was no need he fhou'd expiate them again upon the Crofs.

Lastly, Jefus Chrift hath offered him!elf to his Father: once for all upon the Crofs, to take away our Sins, and will be no more on Earth, 'till he comes to judge the Quick and the Dead. Thus the Prophet fpeaks by the Spirit of God, (b) "He was tormented for our Tranf "greffions, he was bruifed for our Iniquities, and by "his Wounds we are made whole." Thus the Apostle ipeaks, (c)" Chrift was once offered to take away the "Sins of many. (d) By one Sacrifice he hath made perfect them for ever that are fanctified. (e) Christ in his Body bare our Sins upon the Tree. (1) And by.

(a) 1 Tim. & Epift. to Titus.

(b) Ifai. 53.

(c) Heb.9.28. (d) Heb. 10, 14. (c) 1 Peter. (f) Heb.9.

of the

"the Oblation thereof once made upon the Crofs, hath "fanctified us for ever, and hath purchased for us ever"lafting Redemption. (a) And, there is none other "Name or Sacrifice under Heaven, whereby we can "be faved, but only the Name or Sacrifice of Jefus "Chrift. (b) God forbid that I fou'd glory in any Thing

faving only in the Crofs of our Lord Jefus Chrift.** Thus our bleffed Saviour himfelt fpoke, when he was hanging upon the Crofs, and yielding up the Ghoft, (c)" It is finished." This Sacrifice is perfectly wrought for ever; and therefore, to fay that any mortal Man hath Power and Authority, to facrifice the Son of God, is a manifeft and a wicked Blafphemy.

But fure there cannot be any thing more impious and vain, than for thefe Romish Doctors to perfuade poor unhappy People, and delude them to believe, that they are able, by their Maffes, to diftribute and apply unto Mens Neceffiries all the Merits of Chrifts Death, tho' the Parties concerned know nothing of the Matter. Nay, that they receive for them, and that the feeing thereof, (for they require nothing of the People but that they fhou'd go to Mais) is fufficient and meritorious. But what Commiffion have these Priests fo to do? or from whom & Or how can the Prieft certainly tell, that his receiving the Communion fhall be available for the People, or for thofe who are living, or for those who are dead? For if it be fo, what need had Chrift to fay, (d)" Take, drink ye "all of this" Or if we may receive the Sacrament of Chrift's Body one for another, why may we not as well be baptized one for another? Why may we not confess our Faults before the Congregation, and receive Abfolution one for another? Why may we not hear the Gofpel, and believe, one for another? "Tis furprifing, that these Follies, fo weak and fo vain, without Shew or Shadow of any Truth, and to contrary to all Principles of true and reasonable Religion, fhou'd ever enter into a Chriftian

(a) Acts 4.. (b) Gall. 6. 14, (d) Matt. 26. Luke 22.

(c) Heb. 9.

Heart

Hi

او

Heart or take Place in God's Religion; because it is our Faith that applies the Death and Crofs of Chrift to our Benefit, and not the Act of the maffing Priefts: Neither is the Favour of God to be purchased by Mony, as the Word of God amply teftifies.

St. Paul pronounces, that (a) "He that eateth and "drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh Damnation (not unto others, but) unto him felt." And God

[ocr errors]

hath fet it down in his Law exprefly, that, (b) "Asthe "Sin of the Sinner, fo the Righteoufnefs of the Righ"teous fhall be upon him felf.

[ocr errors]

St. Peter fays, (c)" Forafmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible Things, as Silver " and Gold, from your vain Converfation received by "Tradition from your Fathers; but with the precious "Blood of Chrift, as of a Lamb without Blemish and "without Spot, God gave him Glory, that your Faith and Hope might be in God"

[ocr errors]

It is not therefore the Faith or the Doings of the Prieft, but our own Doings, and our own Faith, that applieth unto us the Virtue and Merit of Chrift's Death; for without Faith, the Sacraments of Chrift do not profit thofe that are alive, much lefs do they profit thofe that are dead.

(a) 1 Cor. 11. 29. (b) Ezek. 18. 20. (c) 1 Pès. Lie 18, 19, 21.

CHAP.

CHA P. V.

Against the Adoration or Worshiping of the Hoft.

TH

HE Church of Rome has decreed, (a) “ That the "Elements of the Lord's Supper are to be ador'd " with Latria; "which is the highest Worship of the fupreme God. This is a Thing of great Confequence, and of very great Danger; because it is an Honour belonging only to God, and yet made an Article of Faith, without any Warrant of God's Word; for Chrift, that beft knows what ought to be done herein, when he ordained and delivered the Sacrament of his Body and Blood, gave no Command that any Man fhou'd fall down to it or Worfhip it. (b) St. Paul, who has deliver'd the Doctrine of the Sacraments very copiously and diftinctly, never directed Adoration, or Godly Honour to be given to it. The old Doctors and holy Fathers of the Church, St. Cyprian, St. Chryfoftom, St. Ambrofe, St. Hierom, St. Auftin, and others, never make mention in any of their Books, of adoring and worshiping the Elements of the Lord's Sup per; neither was it ever known or practifed in the pri mitive Church. But about four hundred Years ago, Honorius, being then Bishop of Rome, commanded the Sacrament to be lifted up, and the People reverendly to fall down to it. After him Pope Urbanus the 4th. appoint

(a) Concil. Trident. Seff. 3. Can. 5. & Seff. 13. Can.. 6. de Eucharift. (b) 1 Cor. 11. 23, OC.

ed a holy Day of Corpus Chrifti, and granted out large Pardons to thofe who kept it holy.

This is the greateft Antiquity of the whole Matter; about four hundred Years ago, in a moft iniquitous Age, this new invented Doctrine was found out, and put in Practice; but Chrift and his Apoftles, the holy Fathers in the primitive Church, and the other learned and godly Men that followed them, for the Space of twelve hundred Years and upwards, never heard of it: No, not for the Space of twelve hundred Years after Chrift's Afcenfion into Heaven, was this Worshiping of the Sacrament ever known or practifed, in any Place within the whole Catholick Church of Chrift throughout the World.

The better therefore to confute an Opinion fo dange Tous and fo palpably falfe, we fhall evidently prove, that there can be no certainty, according to the Tenets of the Roman Church, that there is fuch a Tranfubftantiation as is pretended to be in the Hoft; and confequently, those that worship the Elements of the Eucharift with external Adoration, must be in great danger of Idolatry.

The Romanifts can never be affur'd, that the Hoft which they worship is the true God, but they have undoubted Reafon to fufpect, that they worship a Morfel of Bread, instead of the Redeemer of the World, and confequently, are guilty of grofs Idolatry; because, according to their own Tenets, the real Prefence of Chrift's Body in the Hoft, depends on lawful Confecration, and lawful Confecration depends upon the Quality of the Prieft: And, what if the Prieft fhou'd happen not to confecrate or, what if he shou'd leave out the Words of Confecration, and never speak them? (as it is known Priests have done for many Years together)Or, what if the Priest hath no Intention or Mind to confecrate? For, there is no Confecration they confefs, when either he that celebrates Mafs is no Prieft, or doth not pronounce the Words that are effentially neceffary to Confecration, or doth not pronounce them with Intention to confecrate; and confequently, in thefe Cafes, the Hoft remains meer Bread. Now, it is impoffible to know thefe Things

with

« 上一頁繼續 »