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but only his Grace accompanying this Sacrament which may as well accompany it without any Change of the Bread and Wine, as it accompanies that of Baptifm, without any Change of the Water.

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We fee then that Scripture by no Means favours Tranfubftantiation. It is indeed express against it. For St. Paul more than once tells us, that what we eat in the Sacrament is Bread, and as for what we drink, when our Saviour fays, this is my Blood which is fhed for you, if he had meant literally, he had spoke falsely: for his Blood was not hed till afterwards, and could not be drank then. Neither is it in a Condition of being shed at fore cannot be drank now. been faid of this monftrous Doctrine, to which the Indiscretion of well-meaning Writers gave the firft Occafion pretty early, whilft they affected to heighten the figurative Expreffions of Scripture, by still more figurative ones of their own; little thinking at the fame Time, that fuch an abfurd Meaning, as the Papifts now plead for, could ever be afcribed to them; and plainly fhowing, by innumerable Proofs, that it is unjustly afcribed to them. But as Ignorance and Superftition increased, about 800 Years after

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Chrift

Chrift this amazing Notion began to be diftinctly, and explicitly entertained and afferted, which fome had the good Senfe to oppofe; fome the Weakness to receive, as a Mystery that promoted the Reverence of the Sacrament; others the Wickedness to fupport with Zeal, as an Artifice that increased the Authority of the Prieft: for what could he not do, who, as they blafphemously exprefs it, could make God? By Degrees then this Doctrine prevailed; till, in the 13th Century, it was established as an Article of Faith. And when once the speculative Error, of believing the confecrated Bread and Wine to be literally the Body and Blood of Christ, obtained, the practical one of worshipping them as fuch, quickly followed. For though a decent Respect was always paid to the Sacrament, yet a direct Adoration to the Elements was never paid, till the dark and fuperftitious Ages abovementioned introduced fo fenfeless an Idolatry, to the infinite Scandal of Religion. May God, who mercifully winked at the Times of Heathen Ignorance, overlook this lefs excufable Folly of Chriftians, and forgive them, for they know not what they do. But let us all remember, that our Cafe will be much worse

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than theirs, if, after the Light hath fo clearly fhone upon us, we return to Darkness again: if, as the Apostle expreffes it, we change the Truth of God into a Lie, and worship the Creature inftead of the Creator, who is blessed for evermore. Amen.

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SERMON XIV.

I PET. V. 12.

-Exhorting and teftifying that this is the true Grace of God wherein ye ftand.

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AVING propofed from thefe Words, first, to show what is the Rule of Chriftian Faith and Practice; and, fecondly, to examine by this Rule the chief Differences between the Church of Rome and ours: the former Head I have finifhed, and made fome Progress in the latter. The Honour paid by them to Saints and Images, the Doctrine of Tranfubftantiation, and the Worship built upon it of the Sacramental Bread and Wine, have been confidered: and now I proceed to another Peculiarity of theirs, with Respect to the Sacrament, withholding the Cup from the Laity. That our Saviour administered the Holy Eucharist in both Kinds, they acknowledge: nay,

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