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The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology - Saint Mary ...

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<strong>and</strong> blood of the Lord." And as no indignity which they could offer to the<br />

raiment of our Lord could make them guilty of His body <strong>and</strong> blood, so<br />

may we reason that no indignity offered to bread <strong>and</strong> wine, even if they<br />

were the sacramental medium of the body <strong>and</strong> blood of Christ, <strong>and</strong> still<br />

less if they were but bread <strong>and</strong> wine, could make those who offered it<br />

guilty of the body <strong>and</strong> blood of Christ. <strong>The</strong> truth is, that the terms in which<br />

the guilt of the unworthy communicants is characterized, <strong>and</strong> the fearful<br />

penalties with which it was visited, to wit, temporal judgments, even unto<br />

death, <strong>and</strong> eternal condemnation with the world, if the sin was not repented<br />

of, make it inconceivable that the objective element in the Lord's Supper is<br />

bread <strong>and</strong> wine merely; but if the body <strong>and</strong> blood be there objectively,<br />

then must they be received sacramentally by all communicants. If it be said<br />

Christ cannot be substantially present to unworthy communicants<br />

according to His human nature, otherwise they must derive benefit from it,<br />

it might be correctly replied, neither can He be substantially present with<br />

them according to His divine nature. otherwise they must derive benefit<br />

from that; but the latter is conceded by the objector, therefore he must<br />

concede that his argument is of no weight against the possibility of the<br />

former. Christ is a Saviour, but He is also a judge.<br />

But if it be granted that the presence of the body <strong>and</strong> blood of Christ<br />

in the Supper is one which is fixed, absolute, <strong>and</strong> unchanging, then must it<br />

be substantial, <strong>and</strong> not imaginary; not a thing of our minds, but of His<br />

wonderful person; not ideal, but true; faith does not make it, but finds it,<br />

unto life; unbelief does not unmake it, but, to its own condemnation, fails to<br />

discern it. <strong>The</strong> sacramental presence is fathomless, like the Incarnation; like<br />

it, also, it is in the sphere of supernatural reality, to which the natural is as<br />

the shadow. <strong>The</strong> presence of the communicant at the Supper belongs to a<br />

lower sphere of actuality than the presence of the undivided Christ in it;<br />

<strong>and</strong> the outward taking <strong>and</strong> eating is the divinely appointed means<br />

whereby the ineffable mystery of the communion of Christ's body <strong>and</strong><br />

blood is consummated, a communion heavenly <strong>and</strong> spiritual in its manner<br />

over against all that is earthly

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