But there lost he all
reigning: for Christ said, _Omnia traham ad meipsum_: "I will draw all
things to myself." He meaneth, drawing of man's soul to salvation. And
that he said he would do _per semetipsum_, by his own self; not by any
other body's sacrifice. He meant by his own sacrifice on the cross,
where he offered himself for the redemption of mankind; and not the
sacrifice of the mass to be offered by another. For who can offer him
but himself? He was both the offerer and the offering. And this is the
prick, this is the mark at the which the devil shooteth, to evacuate the
cross of Christ, and to mingle the institution of the Lord's supper; the
which although he cannot bring to pass, yet he goeth about by his
sleights and subtil means to frustrate the same; and these fifteen
hundred years he hath been a doer, only purposing to evacuate Christ's
death, and to make it of small efficacy and virtue. For whereas Christ,
according as the serpent was lifted up in the wilderness, so would he
himself be exalted, that thereby as many as trusted in him should have
salvation; but the devil would none of that: they would have us saved by
a daily oblation propitiatory, by a sacrifice expiatory, or remissory.
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