applying these words to infants also, that they could not be saved without receiving sacramentally, as not only the Heretikes, but Erasmus did unlearnedly mistake him: The true meaning of S. Augustin’s words touching infants receiving of the B. Sacrament. but his sense is that they were by the right of their Baptisme joyned to Christs bodie Mystical, and thereby spiritually partakers of the other Sacrament also of Christs bodie and bloud. As al Catholike men that be in prison, joyning with the Church of God in hart and desire to receive and be partakers with the Church of this Sacrament, and those specially that devoutly heare Masse and adore in presence the bodie and bloud of Christ, joyning in hart with the Priest, al these receive life and fruit of the Sacrament, though at every time they receive not sacramentally in one or both kinds. And although in the Primitive Church the holy Sacrament in the second kind were often given even to infants to sanctifie them, yet conc. Tri. Ses. 21. c. 4.(as the holy Councel hath declared) it was never ministred unto them with opinion that they could not be saved without it. And therfore the Heretikes do untruly charge the Church and the Fathers with that errour.
The effects of the B. Sacrament both in our bodie and soule.54. I wil raise him.) As the Sonne liveth by the Father, even so do we live by his flesh, saith S. Hilarie. li. 8. de Trin. And S. Cyril againe thus: Cyril li. 4. c. 14. 15.Though by nature of our flesh we be corruptible, yet by participation of life we are reformed to the propertie of life. For not only our soules were to be lifted up by the Holy Ghost to life everlasting, but this rude grosse terrestrial body of ours is to be reduced to immoralitie, by touching, tasting, and eating this agreable food of Christs body. And when Christ saith: I wil raise him up, he meaneth that this body which he eateth, shal raise him. Our flesh Tertul. de. resur. car. nu. 7.(saith Tertullian) eateth the body and bloud of Christ, that the soule may also be fatted. Therfore they shal both have one reward at the Resurrection. And S. Irenæus,Li. 4. c. 34. How do they affirme that our bodies be not capable of life everlasting, which is nourished by the body and bloud of our Lord? Either let them change their opinion, or els cease to offer the Eucharist. St. Gregorie Nyssene also saith: Nyss. in orat. cathech magna.That lively bodie entering into our bodie, changeth it and maketh it like and immortal.
The B. Sacrament is the true Manna and water of the rock.55. Meat indeed.) Manna, was not the true meat: nor the water of the rocke, the drinke indeed: for they did but drive away death or famine for a time and for this life. But the holy Bodie of Christ is the true food nourishing to life everlasting, and his bloud the true drinke that driveth death away utterly, for they be not the body and bloud of a mere man, but of him that being joyned to life is made life: and therfore are we the bodie and members of Christ, because by this benediction of the mysterie we receive the Sonne of God himself. So saith S. Cyril li. 4. c. 16 in Jo.
The whole grace and effect therof in one kind; and therefore the people not defrauded.Conc. Trid. Ses. 21. c. 1.58. He that eateth this bread.) By this place the holy Councel proveth that for the grace and effect of the Sacrament, which is the life of the soule, there is no difference whether a man receive both kinds or one. Because our Saviour who before attributed life to the eating and drinking of his bodie and bloud, doth here also affirme the same effect, which is life everlasting, to come of eating only under one forme. Therfore the Heretikes be seditious calumniatours that would make the people beleeve, the Catholike Church and Priests to have defrauded them of the grace and benefit of one of the kinds in the Sacrament. Receiving in one or both kinds, indifferent, according to the holy Churches appointment.Nay, it is they that have defrauded the world, by taking away both the real substance of Christ, and the grace from one kind and both kinds, and from al other Sacraments. The Church doth only (by the wisedom of God’s Spirit and by instruction of Christ and his Apostles, according to time and place, for God’s most honour, the reverence of the Sacrament, and the peoples most profit thereby) dispose of the manner and order how the Priest, how the people shal receive, and al other Particular points, Ep. 118. c. 6 ad Januariaum.which himself (saith S. Augustine) did not take order for, that he might commit that to the Apostles, by whom he was to dispose his Churches affaires. Though both he and the Apostles and the Fathers of the primitive Church left us example of receiving under one kind, Lu. 24, 15.Christ at Emmaus, The Apostles Act. 2, 42. Authoritie of Scriptures and the Primitive Church for receiving in one kind.The primitive Church in giving the bloud only to children, Cypr. li. de lapsis, nu. 10. In reserving most commonly the bodie only, Tertul. li. 2 ad uxo. nu. 4. Cypr. li. de lapsis, nu. 10. In houseling the sicke therwith, Euseb. Ec. hist. li. 6 c. 36. In the holy Eremits also that received and reserved it commonly and not the bloud, in the wildernes, Basil. ep. ad Cæsariam Patritiam. And in divers other cases which were too long to rehearse.
The causes of the Churches practise and ordinance concerning one kind.Whereby the Church being warranted and in the ruling of such things fully taught by God’s spirit, as wel for the reproving of certaine heresies, that Christ God and man was not whole and al in every part of the Sacrament, as specially for that the Christian people being now enlarged, and the communicants often so many at once, that neither so much wine could be conveniently consecrated, nor without manifold accidents of sheding or abusing be received (whereof the Protestants have no regard, because it is but common wine which they occupie, but the Church knowing it to be Christs owne bloud, must have al dreadful regard) therfore I say she hath decreed and for some hundreth yeares
