BRITISH MAGAZINE, AND MONTHLY REGISTER OF RELIGIOUS AND ECCLESIASTICAL INFORMATION, PAROCHIAL HISTORY, AND DOCUMENTS RESPECTING THE STATE OF THE POOR, PROGRESS OF EDUCATION, &c. VOL. XVIII. LONDON: J. G. F. & J. RIVINGTON, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD, AND WATERLOO PLACE, PALL MALL; J. TURRILL, 250, REGENT STREET, AND T. CLERC SMITH, REGENT STREET. M DCCC XL. THE BRITISH MAGAZINE. JULY 1, 1840. ORIGINAL PAPERS. ON TRANSUBSTANTIATION. "Unus tantum est in omnibus sacris libris verborum sensus."-Mosheim. "Thou shalt understand, therefore, that the scripture hath but one sense, which is the literal sense; and that literal sense is the root and ground of all, and the anchor that never faileth, whereunto if thou cleave thou canst never err, or go out of the way. Neverthelater, the scripture useth proverbs, similitudes, riddles, or allegories, as all other speeches do; but that which the proverb, similitude, riddle, or allegory signifieth is ever the literal sense which thou must seek out diligently." -Tyndale. "Nullus, nullus omnino, est sensus scripturæ sacræ qui non simul sit pure grammaticus respectu constructionis veræ."-Bohl. I FEAR that some of my readers may feel somewhat alarmed at the mottoes which I have chosen for this paper. The avowal of a determination to defend the literal and grammatical sense of scripture, as its true and only sense, may look rather awkward, as a commencement of a paper on Transubstantiation. However, I must beg to assure them, that they need apprehend nothing on the score of popish inclinations. Truth has nothing to fear from the plain and grammatical signification of the word of God. On the contrary, I would lay it down as the fundamental maxim in theology, that falsehood, error, and heresy, have no other ground to stand on, but the system of spiritual exposition and double senses. Take, for instance, the promise of Christ to St. Peter-"Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The Socinian has here to get over a plain promise of the perpetuity of the church: the Romanist has to make out a promise of infallibility and supremacy to the Bishop of Rome. Both find the grammatical sense of the words opposed to their contradictory systems; both endeavour to support them by explaining it away. The same observation will be found to apply to those passages of the New Testament which relate to the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. The Socinian reduces the eucharist to a mere ceremony, devoid of mystery, and destitute of any spiritual benefit, except that which results from the feelings and considerations to which the ceremony may give occasion. Such a view can be justified no otherwise than by explaining away the plain and obvious VOL. XVIII-July, 1840. B |