Jackson on Article XXIX: Of the Wicked which eat not the Body of Christ in the use of the Lord's Supper

This is a further safeguard against mechanical views of the Sacrament. ‘‘ According to the theology of Aquinas (and of the Church of Rome), those who do not eat the body of Christ spiritually do yet in the Sacrament eat Christ really.””* Ac- cording to the teaching of this Article, there is no such distinction. The spiritual is the only real partaking. The wicked, not only do not eat the body of Christ spiritually, but are “‘ in nowise partakers of Christ.” What they do eat and drink is ‘‘ the sign or sacrament (sacramentum seu. symbolum) of so great a thing.’’ In this ex- pression the Article adds the words “ seu

ee a a cntituinammmmnr meiemeecmenninnenre tene

ssymbolum ’’ to the words quoted from Augustine

by way of interpreting the meaning of his word ** sacramentum.”’

The words ‘“‘to their condemnation ’’ (ad judicium) are based on | Cor. xi., 29, as in Article XXV. The use of the words here helps to ex- plain their meaning in both places. It is because the Lord’s Supper is ‘‘ the sign or sacrament of so great a thing ’’ that it is so serious a matter for any one to eat and drink unworthily. (For a definition of worthy participation see answer to last question in Catechism, and the Short Ex- hortation in Service of Holy Communion.)

ARTICLE XXX. OF soTH KInps.

Notes

• See Dimock’s ‘‘ Notes on the Fulham Conference,” 1900, p. 75. ,