Instruction concerning penance and holy communion the second part fo the instruction of youth, containing the means how we may return to God by penance, and remain in his grace by the good and frequent use of the sacraments. By Charles Gobinet, Doctor of Divinity, of the house and Society of Sorbon, principal of the college of Plessis-Sorbon.

ARTICLE II. Of the Wonders which occurr in this Sacrament.

MAny and almost innumerable are the Won∣ders, and Miracles, which God works by his Almighty Power in this great Mystery, whereof seven are more remarkable.

The First is, that the Son of God in that very moment the words are pronounced becomes re∣ally present in the Eucharist: and without de∣parting from Heaven where he still remains, his Body becomes truly present in the Sacred Host, where before the Consecration it never was.

The Second which follows from the First, is, that the Body of the Son of God is at one and the same time truly in many places; and in as many, as there are Consecrated Hosts.

The Third is, this admirable change of the substance of Bread and Wine into the substance of the Body and Blood of the Son of God; so that at the moment of Consecration the Bread is no more Bread, and the Wine is no more Wine. Before Consecration, saith St. Ambrose, l. 4. de Sa∣cram. c. 4. the Bread is Bread, after Consecration, of Bread it becomes the Body of Christ.

The Fourth Miracle is, that the accidents of

Bread and Wine after the Consecration subsist separate from their proper substance, which 'till then sustained them, God by his Omnipotence preserving them thus in being.

The Fifth is, that the Body of the Son of God is all whole, entire and perfect in the Host, yet without taking up any place as other Bodies do, but after a Spiritual manner; so that it is whole and totally entire in the whole Host, and also whole and totally entire in each part of every Host, after the manner of Spiritual things; as for example, the Soul, which is all whole and en∣tire in the whole, and all whole and entire in e∣very part of the Body: from whence it follows of necessity that the body of the Son of God, is as entire under the least, as under the greatest part of the Host, and he, who receives but one part of the Host, receives as much, as he who re∣ceives the whole.

The Sixth which follows from the former, that tho' the Host be divided or broken into ma∣ny Parts, the Body of the Son of God is neither divided nor broken, because being Indivisible he continues in each part, as he was before.

The Seventh is, when the Host is consumma∣ted, the Body of the Son of God is not consum∣mated nor corrupted; that altogether divine Body being incapable of any alteration: what happens to it in that moment is only this; it leaves or ceaseth to be in the Sacrament, when the accidents of Bread or Wine are Corrupted and cease to be any longer the Accidents of Bread and Wine.

All these and innumerable other wonders with which this Sacrament abounds, and which it is

impossible to relate, much more to comprehend, oblige us to look upon it, as an Abridgment of all the wonderfull effects of the Almighty Power, according to that of David. Psalm. 110.4. (where so long before by a Prophetick Spirit he foretold, that God, as a speciall token of his Mercy, had made an abridgment of his Marvells in giving Meat to them that fear him) and to behold it as the most endearing pledge, which our Redeemer, as the Council of Trent hath it, Sess. 13. c. 2. being ready to depart from this World to his Father, sum∣ming up, as we may say, all the riches of his divine love to men, most liberally bestowed upon us.