The  foundation  of  it  was  laid  in  the  mystical  expressions  of  certain  of
the  Greek  Fathers.  It  had  so  taken  hold  of  the  church  before  the
middle  of  the  eleventh  century  that  Berengarius  of  Tours  was  con-
demned for  denying  it.  Formal  church  sanction  was  given  to  the
doctrine  in  121 5  at  the  Fourth  Lateran  Council,  and  from  that  time
it  has  been  a  central  and  characteristic  dogma  of  Rome.  It  is
repudiated  by  our  Confession  on  a  threefold  ground — (i)  Being
irrational  in  the  exact  sense  that  involves  being  unscriptural ;  (2)  Con-
tradicting the  idea  of  a  sacrament,  because  it  identifies  the  sign  and
the  thing  signified  ;  (3)  Occasioning  many  superstitions  and  idolatries
— adoration  of  the  host,  and  signs  of  reverence  due  only  to  God.
W\.  — Worthy  receivers^  outwardly partaki7ig  of  the  visible  ele7)ients
in  this  sacra77ie7it^  do  the?i  also  inwardly  by  faith,  really  a7id
indeed,  yet  7iot  car7ially  a7id  corporally,  but  spiritually,  receive
a7idfeed  upon  Christ  crucified,  a7id  all  be7iefits  of  his  death  :  the
body  a7id  blood  of  Christ  bei7ig  the7i  7iot  corporally  or  carnally  Z7i,
luithf  or  imder  the  bread  a7id  wi7iej  yet  as  really,  but  spiritually ^


OF  THE  LORD  S  SUPPER.  1 57

present  fo  the  faith  of  believers  in  that  ordinance,  as  the  elements
themselves  are  to  their  outward  senses.
Here  we  have  an  express  repudiation  of  the  Lutheran  doctrine  of
Consubstantiation.  According  to  this  Lutheran  theory,  the  substance
of  the  bread  and  wine  is  not  destroyed,  as  in  the  theory  of  Transub-
stantiation,  but  really  continues,  while  in,  with,  and  under  these
substances, — bread  and  wine, — when  consecrated  as  sacramental
elements,  there  are  presented  the  actual  body  and  blood  of  Christ.
