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The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology - Saint Mary ...

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the kingdom yet to come." BASIL prays that he may receive it as the<br />

viaticum of life everlasting <strong>and</strong> the acceptable defence before the awful bar<br />

of God. CHRYSOSTOM calls it "<strong>The</strong> table which is the sinew of our<br />

soul; the bread of the underst<strong>and</strong>ing; the ground of confidence. It is hope,<br />

salvation, light, <strong>and</strong> life." "On account of this body, I am no longer earth<br />

<strong>and</strong> ashes--am no more captive but free; for its sake I hope for heaven, the<br />

life immortal, the state of angels, the near converse with Christ."<br />

13. <strong>The</strong>y find prophecies <strong>and</strong> types of it everywhere in the Old<br />

Testament. AMBROSE: "Hear holy David speaking of the table in (Ps.<br />

xxiii. 5), foreseeing these mysteries, <strong>and</strong> rejoicing: He that receiveth the<br />

body of Christ shall never hunger." <strong>The</strong> Fathers find types of the Eucharist<br />

in the Paschal Lamb, the manna, the blood of the Old Covenant, the shewbread,<br />

<strong>and</strong> the flesh of the sacrifices.<br />

14. <strong>The</strong>y lay great stress on the divinity <strong>and</strong> omnipotence of Christ,<br />

as essential to the possibility of the sacramental presence <strong>and</strong> to the<br />

comprehension of its character. CHRYSOSTOM: "It is not man who<br />

makes the bread <strong>and</strong> wine the body <strong>and</strong> blood of Christ, but Christ himself,<br />

who was crucified for us. By the power of God, those things which are set<br />

forth are consecrated through the medium of the words, This is my body."<br />

IRENAEUS: "How shall they (the heretics) know that the Eucharistic<br />

bread is the body of their Lord, <strong>and</strong> the cup the cup of His blood, if they<br />

do not acknowledge Him as the Son of the Creator of the world, His<br />

Logos, through whom the tree grows fruitful, the fountains rise, <strong>and</strong> who<br />

giveth first the blade, then the ear; then the full corn in the ear."<br />

AMBROSE: "What word of Christ bringeth the Sacrament to pass? That<br />

word by which all things were made--the heaven, the earth, the sea. <strong>The</strong><br />

power of the benediction is greater than the power of nature." CYPRIAN:<br />

"That bread is made flesh by the omnipotence of the Word."<br />

15. <strong>The</strong>y. insist upon following the literal force of the words,<br />

accepting them by faith, however the senses <strong>and</strong> natural reason may<br />

conflict with it; <strong>and</strong> declining even to attempt to define

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