Wondrous gifts from the abundance on high, expended by Him for the redemption of the human race, place it under an infinite obligation to its glorious Redeemer; for the Only-begotten Son of God, after He had assumed the substance of our frailty in order that He might redeem us from the servitude of the devil and restore us to our original liberty and also bring us at last to our heavenly inheritance, offered Himself on the altar of the cross as the price for the redemption of the human race.
Moreover, that a perpetual memorial of so great a gift might remain among us and also that Christ might daily be mystically offered as a sacrifice for us who err daily, He left behind His body in the food and His blood in the drink to be received by the faithful in the sacrament of the Eucharist, the unspeakable loftiness of which is deemed an improper subject for human investigation; by virtue of which there is need to speak of this sublime and most excellent sacrament with all fear and modesty; for with respect to no sacrament is error more perilous, nor inquiry more laborious, nor invention more fruitful.
Accordingly, since I am about to examine carefully some views of this most worthy sacrament, I protest that I will not assert anything except that which the Roman Church holds and teaches. Moreover, subjecting and exposing myself to the correction of all the skilled, orthodox Catholics who are interested, I shall explain the statements of physics which are to be inserted and whatever statements are in general to be quoted, which are not authorized by the Roman Church, with all humility and modesty, that is, not by rashly approving them but by citing them only for the sake of practice and of inquiring into the truth.
However, let all men understand that I do not undertake this present little work that I may inflict some profane novelties of speech upon the ears of the faithful, but that I may show how blamelessly and temperately I have spoken on this most worthy sacrament when I expressed my opinions.
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