celebrated in memory of the Lord's passion, not only during the whole Paschal solemnity in every year, but also every day throughout the year.

XXXVII.—And although the Body of Christ, in which He once suffered, is one, and His Blood, which was shed for the salvation of the world, is one, yet the Sacraments of these things have assumed the names of the things themselves, so as to be called the Body and Blood of Christ; and this, from their likeness to the things, which they shadow forth; even as the Passion and the Resurrection, which are celebrated every year, are so called, though He suffered and rose again in His own Person but once, nor can those days now be recalled, since they have passed away. Yet the days, on which the Passion or Resurrection of the Lord is commemorated, are so called in that they have a resemblance to those days, on which the Saviour once suffered and rose again.

XXXVIII. Whence we say, To-day or to-morrow or the next day is the Passion or the Resurrection of the Lord, though the very days, on which these things were done have for many years passed away. So we may say, The Lord is sacrificed, when the Sacrament of His passion is celebrated, though He were but once sacrificed in His own 1 Pet.ii.,21. Person for the salvation of the world, as the Apostle saith, "Christ hath suffered for us, leaving you an example that ye should follow His steps." Not that He suffereth in His own Body every day—that He did once-but He hath left us an example, which is daily presented to believers in the mystery of the Lord's Body and Blood; so that whoso approacheth thereto, may know that he must have fellowship with Him in His sufferings, the image whereof he waiteth for in these sacred Prov.xxiii., mysteries, according to that saying of Wisdom, "Thou hast drawn near to the table of a mighty one, consider diligently what is set before thee, knowing that thou thyself must prepare the like."* To draw near to a mighty one's table, is to become a partaker of the Lord's offering. To consider what is set before us, is to discern the Lord's Body and Blood. Of which whoso partaketh, let him consider that he ought to prepare like things, that He may imitate Him by fellowship

1.

* knowing... like] These words are not in the Hebrew. The Septuagint version has them, and it is evident that they existed in some old Latin versions, as they are quoted by St. Ambrose and St. Augustine. They are not in the Vulgate.

in His death, the memory whereof he confesseth, not by believing only,

but also by tasting.

26, 27.

XXXIX. So St. Paul to the Hebrews: "For such an High Priest Heb. vii., became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for His own sins, and then for the people's; for this the Lord Jesus Christ did once, when He offered up Himself." What He did once, He daily repeateth; He once offered Himself for the sins of the people, yet the same oblation is every day celebrated by the faithful, but in a mystery; so that what the Lord Jesus Christ by once offering Himself fully accomplished, this in remembrance of His passion is every day performed by the celebration of the mysteries.

XL.-Yet it is not false to say that in those mysteries the Lord is sacrificed, or suffers, since they have a likeness to that death and passion, the representations of which they are. Whence they are styled the Lord's Body and the Lord's Blood, for they take the name of those things, of which they are the Sacraments. Hence St. Isidore, in his book of Etymologies, speaketh thus: "Sacrificium sacrifice is so called from sacrum factum, a thing made sacred, because it is consecrated by mystical prayer, in remembrance of the Lord's passion on our behalf. Whence by His command, we call that the Body and Blood of Christ, which, though made of the fruits of the earth, is sanctified, and becomes a Sacrament by the invisible operation of the Spirit of God. The Sacrament of this bread and cup the Greeks call Eucharist, which the Latins interpret Bona Gratia, Good grace. And what can be better than the Body and Blood of Christ? [Now the bread and wine are for this cause compared to the Lord's Body and Blood, because as the visible substance of this bread and wine doth nourish and cheer the outward man, so the Word of God, which is the living Bread, doth refresh the souls of the faithful by the participation of Himself."+]

XLI. This Catholic doctor also teacheth, that this holy mystery of our Lord's passion is to be celebrated in memory of the Lord's passion on our behalf. By so saying, he shews that the Lord's passion

* St. Isidore, Orig. book vi. ch. 19.

The words in brackets are not in the present copies of Isidore.

was once accomplished, but that the memory of it is represented in sacred and solemn rites.

XLII. So that the bread which is offered, though taken from the fruits of the earth, is by consecration changed into Christ's Body, and the wine, though it hath flowed from the Vine, yet by the consecration in this divine mystery is made the Blood of Christ, not indeed visibly, but, as this doctor saith, by the invisible operation of the Spirit of God.

XLIII. Whence they are called the Body and Blood of Christ, because they are received not as what they outwardly appear, but as they are made inwardly by the operation of the Spirit of God. And as through this invisible power they have a nature far different from that which outwardly appeareth, he maketh a distinction, saying, that bread and wine are for this cause compared to the Lord's Body and Blood; because as the visible substance of bread and wine doth nourish and make cheerful the outward man, so the Word of God, which is the living Bread, doth refresh the souls of the faithful by the participation of Himself.

XLIV.-Now in saying this, he most plainly confesseth, that in the Sacrament of the Lord's Body and Blood, whatever is outwardly received, is fitted for the refreshing of the body. But the Word of God, which is the invisible Bread, and existeth invisibly in that Sacrament, doth, by the participation of Himself, invisibly feed the souls of the faithful with a quickening virtue.

XLV. Hence too, the same doctor saith, "There is a Sacrament in the celebration of any thing, when it is so performed, that it be understood to signify somewhat, which must be spiritually taken." By these words he sheweth that every Sacrament in divine matters containeth within itself some secret thing, and that it is one thing, which appeareth to the outward eye, whilst it is another, which must be taken on faith and not on sight.

XLVI.-Immediately after he sheweth what Sacraments the faithful ought to celebrate. "The Sacraments are Baptism and Chrism,* the Body and the Blood.

These are called Sacraments, because under the

"It is usual with the ancients to divide the proper Sacraments, Baptism and the Eucharist, each of them into two or more, meaning the several parts or rites belonging to them. Thus Isidore speaks of four Sacraments in the Church, which are, Baptism, Chrism, the Body of Christ, and the Blood of Christ. As therefore the Bread and

covering of bodily things the power of God secretly worketh the salvation, which lieth in them. Whence from their hidden and sacred virtues they are called Sacraments." He afterward saith, "It is called in Greek mysterion, a mystery, because it hath a secret and hidden dispensation."

XLVII. What are we hence taught, save that the Body and Blood of the Lord are styled mysteries, because they have a secret and hidden dispensation; or, in other words, that it is one thing, which they outwardly shew, and another, which they inwardly and invisibly do work. XLVIII. For this reason too they are called Sacraments, because under the covering of bodily things, the power of God doth secretly dispense salvation to the faithful recipient.

of the fore

gument.

XLIX. From all that we have heretofore said, it hath been proved, Summary that the Body and Blood of Christ, which in the Church are received going ar by the mouths of the faithful, are figures in respect of their visible nature. But in respect of their invisible substance, that is, the power of the Word of God, they are truly the Body and Blood of Christ. Wherefore as far as they are visible creatures, they feed the body, but in virtue of a more powerful substance, they both feed and sanctify the souls of the faithful.

question.

L.-Now we must examine the second question proposed, and see, Second whether the self-same Body, which was born of Mary, which suffered, died, and was buried, and which sitteth at the right hand of the Father, be that, which daily in the Church is received by the mouths of the faithful in the mystery of the Sacrament.

brose

LI.-Let us enquire what is the judgment of St. Ambrose on this St. Ampoint. He saith in his first book of the Sacraments,* "Of a truth it is quoted. marvellous that God should rain down manna on our Fathers, and feed them from day to day with heavenly food. Whence it is said, Man Ps.lxxviii., did eat Angels' food' Yet all they who ate that bread, perished in the wilderness. But that food, which thou receivest, that living Bread, which came down from heaven, ministereth in a hidden way the sub

Wine are called two Sacraments, though they be but two parts of the same Eucharist, so the washing and the unction are called two Sacraments, though they be but two rites of the same Sacrament of Baptism." Bingham, Antiq. b. xii. ch. 1. § 4.

St. Ambr. concerning Mysteries, c. viii. § 47.

25.

John vi.,

20.

stance of everlasting life, and whoso eateth of this Bread, shall never die, and this is the Body of Christ."

LII. See in what sense this doctor saith that the Body of Christ is that food, which the faithful receive in the Church; he saith, "that living Bread which came down from heaven, ministereth in a hidden way the substance of everlasting life." Doth it, as it is seen, and corporally taken, and pressed by the teeth, and swallowed by the throat, and received into the belly, doth it so minster the substance of everlasting life? In that respect, it nourisheth only the flesh which shall die, and ministereth no incorruption, nor can we truly say of it, "Whoso eateth of this shall never die." For that which the body receiveth, is corruptible, nor can it secure to the body, that it should never die, since that which is subject to corruption, cannot give everlasting life. There is then in that Bread a life, which appeareth not to the bodily eye, but is seen by the eye of faith, which is the living Bread, that came down from heaven, and of which it may with truth be said, "Whoso eateth of this, shall never die ;" and, "This is the Body of Christ."

LIII. And afterward, speaking of the Almighty power of Christ, he saith, "Can not the word of Christ therefore, which from nothing could make that which was not, change those things which are, into that which they were not? For is it not a greater work to produce new things, than to change the nature of things that are ?"

LIV. St. Ambrose saith, that in that mystery of the Blood and Body of Christ a change is made, and that a wondrous change, because divine, and ineffable, because incomprehensible. Let them who will take nothing here according to any hidden virtue, but will weigh every thing as it outwardly appeareth, let them say, in what respect the change is here made ? For in respect of the substance of the creatures, they are after consecration what they were before. Bread and wine they were before, and after consecration they are seen to remain of the same nature. So that a change hath inwardly been wrought by the mighty power of the Holy Spirit, and this is that which faith gazeth upon, this is that which feedeth the soul, this is that which ministereth the substance of eternal life.

LV. Afterward he addeth, "Why dost thou here require the order