In the former he proves, That the Son of God after he had taken upon him a Nature like to Ours by the Incarnation, was likewise pleas'd visibly to communicate thereof to us, by giving us his Body and his Blood, not only in a figure, but likewise in reality under the Sa∣crament of Bread and Wine. That there are two Things to be distinguish'd in the Eucharist; the Sacrament, and the Matter of the Sacrament. That the Sacrament is the Form, the Fi∣gure, and the other Qualities of the Bread and Wine; and that the Matter of the Sacra∣ment is the invisible Substance of the Body of JESUS CHRIST, which is contain'd in that Sacrament, and into which the Substance of the Bread and Wine has been chang'd. That it cannot be said, That JESUS CHRIST is united to the Bread, as the Son of God is personally united to Man, because the Substance of the Bread and Wine is no longer there, but chang'd into the Body and Blood of JESUS CHRIST. That tho' the Bo∣dy of JESUS CHRIST in the Eucharist, is spiritual and invisible, yet 'tis really there; and that God has sometimes permitted that it should plainly and manifestly appear to be as really in the Eucharist, as it is in Heaven, at the Right hand of the Father. That 'tis the same whole and entire Body, which is distributed to all the Faithful under several consecrated Wafers. That it is not Sacrific'd nor offer'd up after the same manner, as it was upon the Cross, but that this mystical Sacrifice or Immolation is the Figure and Re∣presentat on of that which was offer'd upon the Cross, tho' it be the same CHRIST, both upon the Cross and the Altar. That the invisible Body may in one sense be said to be the Figure of the visible Body, but that for all this, 'tis no less the real Body. That the Cor∣poreal Communion is the Figure of the Spiritual Communion; but that by this Corporeal Communion, the Wicked as well as the Good, receive the Body of JESUS CHRIST Corporeally, tho not Spiritually. These are the principal Points which Alger establishes upon the Testimonies of the Fathers in this first Book.
In the second Par•• he treats of other Questions relating to the Sacrament, and particularly whether the Eucharist be capable of any alteration, or subject to the same condition with other Aliments, part of which turns to Execrements? Upon this Head he sets upon the Gre∣cians, who maintain'd, That by receiving the Communion, Men broke their Fasts. He owns that Men might live of Consecrated Bread and Wine, and that there are Instances of it: But he denies that any part of the Eucharist is Corrupted, or turn'd into Execrements; or if any are voided, they are produc'd by the flesh of the Man himself, or supply'd some other way. He further maintains, That tho' the Bread and Wine seem to be subject to al∣teration, as for Instance, to be devour'd by Animals, or consum'd by Fire; yet this is not in reality, but only in appearance, to punish the Incredulity of the Wicked, or the Carelessness of Ministers. After he had thus resolv'd that Question, he passes on to others that are less Considerable: Namely, (1.) Why God, who is invisible, would have us to offer him a vi∣sible Sacrifice? To this he answers, That 'tis to put Men in mind of what they owe him; and because Man being a Compound Creature made up of a Soul and Body, 'tis reasonable he should offer to God both Corporeal and Spiritual Sacrifices. (2.) The second Question is, Why the Sacrifice of the Church is made up of a Sacrament and the Body of JESUS CHRIST, and why 'tis not either a simple Sacrament, or the visible Body of JESUS CHRIST? This he resolves by saying, That if the Eucharist were a simple Sacrament, it would not be different from the Sacraments of the old Law; and that if the Body of JESUS CHRIST should appear therein openly, it would be subject to great Incon∣veniences. For (says he) it would appear either alive or dead; but it cannot appear as dead, since he is living; and if it appear'd alive, it would either be in the same State wherein it was before his Passion, or in the same State wherein it was after his Resurrection: In the first Case, it would be impossible to swallow it; and in the second, Men would not be able to endure the brightness of its Glory. That besides, it was necessary that the Body of JESUS CHRIST should be conceal'd under shadows and representations, to exercise the Faith of the One, and to prevent others from uttering Blasphemies, and from charging the Christians with eating and drinking humane Flesh and Blood. The third Question is, (3.) Why God requires so much Faith in this Sacrament? He answers, That Man being in a laps'd State, because Adam by giving too much Credit to the Words of the Devil, had eaten of the forbidden Fruit; 'tis necessary we should be sav'd by believing the Word of God, who injoyns us to eat his Body, and drink his Blood in this Sacrament. (4.) The fourth Question is, Why we make use of Bread and Wine, rather than any other Creature? For this he assigns several Reasons, Because Bread and Wine are the ordinary Nourish∣ment of Man, which supports the corporeal Life, as the Eucharist is the Nourishment of the Soul, which supports the spiritual Life: Because as the Bread and Wine are chang'd into Flesh and Blood, so they are here chang'd into the Body and Blood of JESUS CHRST: Because the Bread being made up of several Grains of Corn, and the Wine out of several Bunches of Grapes, is a figure of the Unity of the Church which is made up of several Persons. (5.) The fifth Question is, Why we do not immediately enjoy Life eternal, after having receiv'd the Body of JESUS CHRIST? He replies, That 'tis because we may have time to exercise our selves in Virtue. (6.) The sixth Question is, Why God bestows an eternal Recompence on temporal Merits? 'Tis, says he, Because he