Tillotson - BX5037 T451 1712 v1

pf'Conftancy in the Profeffion of the TrueReligion. Voh I. The next Inflance,fhall be in the Doctrine of Tranlubfantiation; which is contrary to the Scriptures, which after Confecration fo frequently call the Ele- ments Bread and Wine ; and which, without Reafon or Neceflity, puts an abfurd and impoffible Senfe upon thofe Words of our Saviour, This is my Body ; which do no more prove Tranfübfantiation, than thofe Words, This Cup is the New Tefament, do prove that the material Cup which was ufed in the Sacrament was fubftantially changed into the New Teftament ; and no more, than thofe Texts which affirm God to have Eyes, and Ears, and Hands, do prove that he really hath fo. But befides the Contrariety of this Doctrine to Scripture, nothing can be more repugnant to Reafon. It is fo big with Contradiftions, and fo fur- feited ofImpoflibilities, that it would be endlefs to reckon them up. And be- fides all this, itplainly contradi&s the clear and confiant Evidence offour of our five Senfes; which, whoever contradi&s , undermines the Foundation of all Certainty. And then the Communion in one Kind is plainly contrary to our Saviour's In- ftitution ofthe Sacrament in both Kinds, as they themfelves acknowledge. And therefore the Council of Confance, being fenfible of this, was forced to decree it with an exprefs Non obflente to the Inftitution of Chrift, and the Pra lice of the Apoftles and the Primitive Church. And their Doctrine of Concomitancy (as if the Blood were in the FIefh, and together with it) will not help the Mat- ter : Beçaufe in the Sacrament Chyift's Body is reprefented as broken, and pierced, and exhaufted, and drain'd of its Blood ; and his Blood is reprefented as fhed and poured out ; fo that one Kind can by no means contain and exhibit both. The next Inftance is, the Repetition' of Chr's Propitiatory Sacrifice in the Mafs, fo often as that is celebrated : Agáinft all Reafon ; becaufe the Sacrifice of Chrift once offered upon the Crofs, was a full and perfeft Propitiation for the ,Sins ofthe whole World ; and therefore ought not, becaufe it needs not, to be again repeated for that End, in any manner whatfoever. And it is dire&ly con- trary to the main Scope of a great part of this Epiftle to the Hebrews, which fhews the Excellency of the Gofpel above the Law in this refpe&, That the Ex- piatory Sacrifice of the Gofpel was offered once for all ; whereas the Sacrifices of theLaw were perpetually repeated. Chap. 7. 27. fpeaking ofChrift; Who needs not daily", as thofe High-Priefis, to offer up Sacrifices ; frfffor his own Sins, and then for the Peoples : fir this he did once, when he offered up himfelf, Chap. 9. 26. But once in the End of the World bath he appeared, to take away Sin by the Sacrifice ofhimfelf: And as it is appointedfor all Men once to die ;fä Chrifl was once offered to bear the Sins ofmany. And Chap. so. t o.' By the which Will we are famPified, through the Offering of the Body of Yefus Chrif1 once for all. And Verfe the r2th, But this Man, after he had offered one Sacrifice for Sins, for ever fate down on the right hand of God. And Verfe the r¢th; For by one Offering he bath perfetledfor ever them that are fanllified. There cannot be plainer Texts for any thing in the Bible, than that this Propitiatory Sacrifice was never to be repeated. And whereas they fay, that the Sacrifice of the Mafs is an unbloody Sacrifice This, inflead of bringing them off, Both but entangle the Matter more. For if Blood be offered in the Sacrifice of the Mafs, how is it an unbloody Sacrifice? What can be more bloody than Blood ? And if Blood be not offered, how is it Propitiatory ? Since the Apoflle lays it down for a certain Rule, That without jhedding ofBlood, there is no Remigion of Sins ; i. e. There can be no Propiti- ation for the Sins of the Living or the Dead ; which the Church of Rome affirms there is. I might have added one or two Inftances more and then fhould have pro- ceeded to thew, in the Third place, That we are to bold fall the Profeffion of our Faith without wavering, agàinfl all the Temptations and Terrors of the World.; which is more efpecially and principally here intended by the Apoftle in this Exhortation. But I thall proceed no farther at prefent. SERMON

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