But now (my Brethren) think not because I disallow that Presence which the first Proposition maintaineth (as a Presence which I take to be forged, Fantastical, and besides the Authority of God's Word, perniciously brought into the Church by the Romanists) that I therefore go about to take away the true Presence of Christ's Body in his Supper rightly and duly administered, which is grounded upon the Word of God, and made more plain by the Commentaries of the Faithful Fathers. They that think so of me, the Lord knoweth how far they are deceived; and to make the same evident unto you, I will in few words declare what true Presence of Christ's Body in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper I hold and affirm, with the Word of God and the Ancient Fathers.
I say and confess with the Evangelist Luke, and Apostle Paul, that the Bread on the which thanks are given, is the Body of Christ, in the remembrance of him and his Death, to be set forth perpetually of the Faithful until his coming.
I say and confess the Bread which we break, to be the Communion and partaking of Christ's Body, with the Ancient and the Faithful Fathers.
I say and believe that there is not only a signification of Christ's Body set forth by the Sacrament, but also that therewith is given to the Godly and Faithful the Grace of Christ's Body, that is, the food of Life and Immortality. And this I hold with Cyprian.
I say also with St. Augustine, that we eat Life, and we drink Life; with Emisene, that we feel the Lord to be present in Grace; with Athanasius, that we receive Celestial Food that cometh from above; the propriety of natural Communion, with Hilary; the nature of Flesh, and Benediction which giveth life in Bread and Wine, with Cyril; and with the same Cyril, the virtue of the very Flesh of Christ, Life and Grace of his Body, the property of the only begotten, that is to say Life, as he himself in plain words expounded it.
I confess also with Basil, that we receive the mystical Advent and coming of Christ, Grace and Virtue of his very Nature; the Sacrament of his very Flesh, with Ambrose; the Body by Grace, with Epiphanius; Spiritual Flesh, but not that which was ⟨p. 51⟩crucified, with Hierom; Grace flowing into a Sacrifice, and the Grace of the Spirit, with Chrysostom; Grace and invisible Verity, Grace and Society of the Members of Christ's Body, with Augustine.
But now (my Brethren) think not because I disallow that Presence which the first Proposition maintaineth (as a Presence which I take to be forged, Phantastical, and besides the Authority of God's Word, perniciously brought into the Church by the Romanists) that I therefore go about to take away the true Presence of Christ's Body in his Supper rightly and duly administred, which is grounded upon the Word of God, and made more plain by the Commentaries of the Faithful Fathers. They that think so of me, the Lord knoweth how far they are deceived; and to make the same evident unto you, I will in few words declare what true Presence of Christ's Body in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper I hold and affirm, with the Word of God and the Ancient Fathers.
I say and confess with the Evangelist Luke, and Apostle Paul, that the Bread on the which thanks are given, is the Body of Christ, in the remembrance of him and his Death, to be set forth perpetually of the Faithful until his coming.
I say and confess the Bread which we break, to be the Communion and partaking of Christ's Body, with the Ancient and the Faithful Fathers.
I say and believe that there is not only a signification of Christ's Body set forth by the Sacrament, but also that therewith is given to the Godly and Faithful the Grace of Christ's Body, that is, the food of Life and Immortality. And this I hold with Cyprian.
I say also with St. Augustine, that we eat Life, and we drink Life; with Emisene, that we feel the Lord to be present in Grace; with Athanasius, that we receive Celestial Food that cometh from above; the propriety of natural Communion, with Hilary; the nature of Flesh, and Benediction which giveth life in Bread and Wine, with Cyril; and with the same Cyril, the virtue of the very Flesh of Christ, Life and Grace of his Body, the property of the only begotten, that is to say Life, as he himself in plain words expounded it.
I confess also with Basil, that we receive the mystical Advent and coming of Christ, Grace and Virtue of his very Nature; the Sacrament of his very Flesh, with Ambrose; the Body by Grace, with Epiphanius; Spiritual Flesh, but not that which was ⟨p. 51⟩crucified, with Hierom; Grace flowing into a Sacrifice, and the Grace of the Spirit, with Chrysostom; Grace and invisible Verity, Grace and Society of the Members of Christ's Body, with Augustine.
