Chapter 17

We believe the other Mystery instituted by the Lord to be what we call the Eucharist. For in the night wherein the Lord gave Himself up, taking bread and blessing, He Said ο ΗΝ Αροείεςς, ‘lake, eat) πε Dhis as My Body.’ And taking the Chalice and giving thanks, He said: ‘ Drink ye all of It, This is My Blood, Which for you is poured out ; This do ye for My Memorial.’ And Paul addeth: ‘For as often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Chalice, ye proclaim the death of the Lord.’ This is the simple, true, and genuine tradition of this wondrous Mystery, in the performance and administration of which we acknowledge and believe is the true and real presence of our Lord Jesus Christ ; nevertheless, such as our faith presenteth and offereth unto us, not such as transubstantiation T vainly

‘ And taking the Chalice of thanksgiving, He said.’ Ihave, analogously to what is said of the bread, and agreeably to the Latin, which has: ‘Et accepto Calice gratias agens, dicebat.’

invented teacheth. For we believe the Faithful that partake in the Supper eat the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, not by perceptibly pressing and dissolving the communion with the teeth, but by the soul realising communion. For the Body of the Lord is not what is seen in the Mystery with the eyes and received, but what faith spiritually apprehending presenteth unto us and bestoweth. Whence it is true that we eat, and partake, and have communion, if we believe. If we believe not, we are deprived of all benefit of the Mystery; consequently to drink the Chalice in the Mystery is to really drink the Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the same manner as is said of the Body. For as the Institutor gave commandment concerning His own Body, so also did He concerning His own Blood, which commandment ought not to be mutilated according to the fancy of every one; but rather the tradition of the institution should be preserved entire. When, therefore, we worthily partake, and entirely communicate in the Mystery of the Body and

in Augustine on John vi. (Migne’s P. L., vol. 34, pp. 1614, 1615).

Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are already, we confess, reconciled to our Head, and united with Him, and one body with Him, with certain hope of also being co-heirs with Him

in the Kingdom.

Matt) xxvii, 26. Mark xiv.,’22:

Luke xxii., ro. ο ο σα 19

58, 60.

CuarpTrer XVIII.

We believe that the souls of those that have fallen asleep are either in blessedness, or in condemnation, according to what each one hath wrought. For when they depart from their bodies, they depart immediately, either to Christ, or to condemnation. For as any one is found in death, he receiveth the corresponding talent, there being no repentance after death. For the time of grace is the present life. Therefore, they

that are justified here, will hereafter in no wise be subject to condemnation. And again as many as are not justified when they fall asleep, will inherit eternal condemnation. From which it is evident, we ought not to admit the fable of Purgatory ; but to maintain in truth, that each one ought to repent in the present life, and seek forgiveness of sin through our Lord Jesus Christ, if he would be saved. And this is so.

This, our concise Confession, will, we conjecture, be for a sign to be spoken against by those that love to unjustly calumniate and persecute us. But we, taking courage in the Lord, are sure that He will not neglect His own, nor forsake them, nor will He altogether leave the rod of the malignant upon the lot of the righteous.

ορ κ δι Duke xvi 22. H ccles; χὶι 3, A poe, xivi<(1 3 sai.) lyil., 1. περ πα. Rom. xiv., 8. QC Ot VELL ΕΙ οι 22! 3 Tim. ivi; 6. Luke ος 3 xxiit), 45. sar. 1. 6. Perixxxii xeon , (Oy a) ος,

Kia

Eccles. ix., 6.

Ezech. xviil., 4.

1 Peter i, 18.

STO!

ου vin it,

ο κ. 5,

Acts xv., 9.

feat.) ΧΙ, ας,

Gali νο,

Matt. xvi., 26.

Ps. xlviit. xlix: , 6.

bac. 11;,’4:

Rom. iii., 24.

Apoc. 1, 5.

John αν -ᾱ,

Feit jy 12:

Ezech. xviii., 21 ; XxXxvi., 25.

Romi να να 3 )14), 30; 38.

Ohm 1) ο, σος, 24. Having first written the above Confession in Latin, we have now translated it into our

own tongue, word by word, as it standeth in the Latin prototype; in which, having used conciseness, we have not presented such an ample treatise as perhaps the nature of the case required. But let this be reserved; for shortly, with God’s assistance, we will take

care that everyone know that our faith is that which our Lord Jesus Christ delivered, and the Apostles preached, and Orthodoxy hath taught. Wherefore, since some Orthodox have asked us how we think concerning certain particular articles, and have required of us our opinion, therefore, we have added to the above what followeth, as ye see.