M. Hardinge. The .13. Diuision.
Againe, whereas the auncient and great learned Bishoppe Cyrillus teacheth plainely and at large, the maruelous vnitinge and ioyninge togeather of vs with Christ, and of our selues into one bo∣die by this Sacrament: seinge that al so vnited and made one bodie, be not for al that brought togea∣ther into one place, for they be dispersed abroade in al the worlde: thereof we may welconclude, that to this effecte the beinge togeather of Cōmunicantes in one place is not of necessitie. His woordes be these muche agreable to Dionysius Ariopagita afore mentioned. Vt igitur inter nos & Deum singulos vniret,* 1.1 quamuis corpore simul & anima distemus, modum tamen adinuenit, con∣silio patris & sapientiae suae conuenientem. Suo enim corpore credentes per Communio∣nem mysticam benedicens, & secum, & inter nos, vnum nos corpus effici••. Quis enim eos qui vnius sancti corporis vnione in vno Christo vniti sunt, ab hac naturali vnione alienos putabit? Nam si omnes vnum panem manducamus, vnum omnes corpus efficimur: diuidi enim atque seiungi Christus non patitur. That Christe might vnite euery one of vs within our selues, and with God, although we be distant bothe in Bodie and also in Soule, yet he hath diuised a meane couenable to the counsel of the Father and to his owne wisdome. For in that he blesseth them that beleue, with his owne bodie through the mystical Communion, he maketh vs one Bodie bothe with himselfe, and also betweene our selues. For who wil thinke them not to be of this natural vnion, which with the vnion of that one holy Bodie, be vnited in one Christe. For if we eate al of one Breade, then are we made al one bodie: for Christe may not be diuided nor done asunder.
Thus we see after this auncient Fathers learninge groūded vpon the Scriptures, that al the faith∣ful blissed with the bodie of Christ through the mystical Communion be made one bodie with Christ, and one Bodie between them selues. which good blissinge of Christe is of more vertue, and also of more necessitie, then that it may be made frustrate by condition of place, specially where as is no wilful breache nor contempte of most seemely and couenable order.