Wesley Corpus

And, first, you quote not one line from any Father in the third century in favour of monkery, the worship of relics, the invocation of saints, or the superstitious use either of images or consecrated oil. How is this, sir You brought eight accusations at once against the Fathers of the third as well as the following centuries; and as to five of the eight, when we call for the proof you have not one word to say! As to the sixth, you say, 'In the sacrament of the eucharist several abuses were introduced' (page 57). You instance, first, in mixing the wine with water. But how does it appear that this was any abuse at all or that 'Irenaeus declared it to have been taught as well as practiced by our Saviour' (Ibid.) The words you quote to prove this do not prove it at all; they simply relate a matter of fact--'Taking the bread, He confessed it to be His body; and the mixed cup, He affirmed it was His blood.['Accipiens panem, suum corpus esse confitebatur; et temperamentum calicis, suum sanguinem confirmavit' (Adversus omnes haereses).] You cannot be ignorant of this fact--that the cup used after the paschal supper was always mixed with water. But 'Cyprian declared this mixture to have been enjoined to himself by a divine revelation' (page 58). If he did, that will not prove it to be an abuse; so that you are wide of the point still. You instance next in their sending the bread to the sick; which (as well as the mixture) is mentioned by Justin Martyr. This fact likewise we allow; but you have not proved it to be an abuse. I grant that, near an hundred years after, some began to have a superstitious regard for this bread. But that in 'Tertullian's days it was carried home and locked up as a divine treasure' I call upon you to prove; as also that infant communion was an abuse, or the styling it 'the sacrifice of the body of Christ' (page 59). I believe the offering it up for the martyrs was an abuse; and that this, with the superstitious use of the sign of the cross, were, if not the earliest of all, yet as early as any which crept into the Christian Church.