e rather the Saviour's words
with faith; for since He is the Truth, He lieth not."

Now this is suitable, first for the perfection of the New Law. For,
the sacrifices of the Old Law contained only in figure that true
sacrifice of Christ's Passion, according to Heb. 10:1: "For the law
having a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the
things." And therefore it was necessary that the sacrifice of the New
Law instituted by Christ should have something more, namely, that it
should contain Christ Himself crucified, not merely in signification
or figure, but also in very truth. And therefore this sacrament which
contains Christ Himself, as Dionysius says (Eccl. Hier. iii), is
perfective of all the other sacraments, in which Christ's virtue is
participated.

Secondly, this belongs to Christ's love, out of which for our
salvation He assumed a true body of our nature. And because it is the
special feature of friendship to live together with friends, as the
Philosopher says (Ethic. ix), He promises us His bodily presence as a
reward, saying (Matt. 24:28): "Where the body is, there shall the
eagles be gathered together." Yet meanwhile in our pilgrimage He does
not deprive us of His bodily presence; but unites us with Himself in
this sacrament through the truth of His body and blood. Hence (John
6:57) he says: "He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood,
abideth in Me, and I in him." Hence this sacrament is the sign of
supreme charity, and the uplifter of our hope, from such familiar
union of Christ with us.

Thirdly, it belongs to the perfection of faith, which concerns His
humanity just as it does His Godhead, according to John 14:1: "You
believe in God, believe also in Me." And since faith is of things
unseen, as Christ shows us His Godhead invisibly, so also in this
sacrament He shows us His flesh in an invisible manner.

Some men accordingly, not paying heed to these things, have contended
that Christ's body and blood are not in this sacrament except as in a
sign, a thing to be rejected as heretical, since it is contrary to
Christ's words. Hence Berengarius, who had been the first deviser of
this heresy, was afterwards forced to withdraw his error, and to
acknowledge the truth of the faith.

Reply Obj. 1: From this authority the aforesaid heretics have taken
occasion to err from evilly understanding Augustine's words. For when
Augustine says: "You are not to eat this body which you see," he
means