The Doctrine Of The Real Presence As Contained In The Fathers From The Death Of S John The Evangelist To The Fourth General Council Vindicated In PDF Download

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1855 edition. Excerpt: ... "The5 Magi went forth from Persia: do thou go forth from cares of this life, and journey to Jesus. The interval is not long, if we will. For it is not necessary to cross the sea, nor to traverse mountaintops: but sitting at home, displaying reverence and much compunction, thou canst see Him, thou canst destroy the whole partition-wall, remove the hindrance, shorten the length of the journey. For 'I am a God near at hand, ' saith He, 'and not a God afar off: ' and 'the Lord is nigh unto all that call on Him faithfully.' But now many of the faithful have reached such a height of folly and contempt, that they, though full of ten thousand ills, and absolutely taking no care at all of themselves, approach this Table on festivals at haphazard, not knowing that the time for Communion is not feast and solemn assembly, but a pure conscience and a life freed from sin. And as he who is conscious of no evil in himself, ought to approach daily, so for him who is involved in sin, and unrepentant, it is not safe to approach even on a festival. For not the coming once a year doth free us from our sins, if we approach unworthily, but this very thing doth the more condemn us: that, whereas we approach but once, not even then do we approach in purity. Wherefore I exhort you all, not simply for the necessity of the feast to receive the Divine Mysteries; but if ye mind to partake of this holy Offering, to purify yourselves thoroughly many days beforehand by penitence, and prayer, and alms, and spiritual exercises; and not to return 'as a dog to his vomit.'" 5 pp. 499, 500. "Know * ye not that this Table is full of spiritual fire: and as fountains gush forth with the nature of water, so this too hath a certain ineffable fire. Approach not then with stubble, or...