ack charity. Now unbelievers do not seem
to be capable of eating this sacrament, since in the sacramental form
it is called the "Mystery of Faith." Therefore, for like reason, the
sinner cannot eat Christ's body sacramentally.

Obj. 3: Further, the sinner is more abominable before God than the
irrational creature: for it is said of the sinner (Ps. 48:21): "Man
when he was in honor did not understand; he hath been compared to
senseless beasts, and made like to them." But an irrational animal,
such as a mouse or a dog, cannot receive this sacrament, just as it
cannot receive the sacrament of Baptism. Therefore it seems that for
the like reason neither may sinners eat this sacrament.

_On the contrary,_ Augustine (Tract. xxvi in Joan.), commenting on
the words, "that if any man eat of it he may not die," says: "Many
receive from the altar, and by receiving die: whence the Apostle
saith, 'eateth and drinketh judgment to himself.'" But only sinners
die by receiving. Therefore sinners eat the body of Christ
sacramentally, and not the just only.

_I answer that,_ In the past, some have erred upon this point, saying
that Christ's body is not received sacramentally by sinners; but that
directly the body is touched by the lips of sinners, it ceases to be
under the sacramental species.

But this is erroneous; because it detracts from the truth of this
sacrament, to which truth it belongs that so long as the species
last, Christ's body does not cease to be under them, as stated above
(Q. 76, A. 6, ad 3; Q. 77, A. 8). But the species last so long as the
substance of the bread would remain, if it were there, as was stated
above (Q. 77, A. 4). Now it is clear that the substance of bread
taken by a sinner does not at once cease to be, but it continues
until digested by natural heat: hence Christ's body remains just as
long under the sacramental species when taken by sinners. Hence it
must be said that the sinner, and not merely the just, can eat
Christ's body.

Reply Obj. 1: Such words and similar expressions are to be understood
of spiritual eating, which does not belong to sinners. Consequently,
it is from such expressions being misunderstood that the above error
seems to have arisen, through ignorance of the distinction between
corporeal and spiritual eating.

Reply Obj. 2: Should even an unbeliever receive the sacramental
species, he would receive Christ's body under the sacrament: hence he
would eat Christ sacramentally, i