The testimony of the fathers in support of the view which we have advanced.Having now presented the arguments which may be drawn from the holy Scriptures, and from the foundation of our faith, we may next adduce the testimony of the Fathers of the early and purer church, from which it will be seen that they teach the very same doctrine, which we do concerning the holy supper. We shall merely produce, from a very large number of extracts that might be made from their writings, a few passages which may serve as an index to the views, which they held and taught in reference to this subject.
Irenseus: Panis terrenus accepta vocatione a verbo Dei, non amplius est communis panis, sed efficitur eucharistia, quce constat ex duabus rebus, terrena fy ccelesti. Lib. 4. c. 34.
Irenaeus says: The earthly bread being so called by the word of God, is no longer common bread; but becomes the eucharist, which consists of two things, the earthly, and the heavenly.
Terrullianus: Acceptum panem distributum discipulis, corpus suum ilium fecit: hoc est corpus rneum, dicendo; id est, FiGURA CORPORIS MEI Lib. 4. cont Marcion.
Tertullian says: The bread which Christ took, and distributed among the disciples, he made his own body, saying, This is my body, that is, The figure of my body.
Clemens Alexandrinus: Hoc est bibere Jesu sanguinem, esse participem incorruptionis Domini. Paedag. lib. 2 cap. 2.
Clemens, of Alexandria, says: To drink the blood of Jesus is to be made a partaker of our Lord’s immortality.
Cyprianus: Nee potest videri sanguis ejus quo redemti & justificati sumus; esse in calice, quando vinum desit calici, quo Ghristi sanguis OSTENDITUR, qw scripturarum omnium sacramento & testimonio predicatur. Idem: Hæc quoties agimus, non denies ad mordendum acuimus; sed fide sincera panem sanc tum frangimus, & partimur, dum quod divinum 8? humanum est, distinguimus, -et separamus, itemque sirnul separata jungentes, unum Deum & homineni fatemur; sed & nos ipsi corpus ejus effecti sacramento, & re sacramenti capiti nostro connectimur & unimar. Lib. 2. epistola 3. Serm. de coena.
Cyprian says: The blood of Christ with which we are redeemed and justified cannot seem to be in the chalice, when there is no wine in it, by which the blood of Christ is showed, which is spoken of in every sacrament and testimony of the Scriptures. Again: As often as we do this, we do not sharpen our teeth for the purpose of eating, but we break and distribute the holy bread with a true faith, whilst we distinguish, and separate that which is divine from that which is human, and joining them again when they are separated, we confess one God and man; we are also by this sacrament made his body, and are cemented, and united to our head by the thing signified.
Canon concelii Niceni: In divina mensa rursus et jam hie non proposito panis & vino pueriliter adhereamus, sed sublato inaltum mente per fide ni; consid er emus proponi in sacra ilia mensa agnum Dei tollentem peccata mundi; qui sine mactatione a sacerdotibus sacrificatur: & pretiosum ejus corpus sangui nem vere accipientes nos, credamus hcec esse nostrce resurrectionis SYMBOLA. Nam ideo etiam non multum, sed parum accipimus: ut agnoscamus quod non <ad satietatem, sed ad sanctificationem accipiatur. De divina mensa, & quid.
The canon of the Council of Nice says: Here is also the Lord’s table; let us not childishly cleave to the bread and wine set before us, but let us, lifting our minds to heaven by faith, consider that on that holy table is placed the Lamb of God which takes away the sins of the world, who offered himself as a sacrifice without being slain by the priests; and let us, receiving his body and precious blood, believe that they are signs of our resurrection. It is for this reason that we only receive a small quantity, that we may know that it is not received for satisfying, but for our sanctification.
Basilius: Apposuimus ANTITYPTA sancti corporis & sanguinis tui. In Litur.
Basil says: We have set before us the figures of the holy body and blood of Christ.
Hilarius: Hcec accepta at.que hausta id efficiunt, ut & nos in Christo fy Christus in nobis sit. De Trin. lib.
Hilary says: That which is eaten, and drunk produces this effect, that we are in Christ, and Christ in us.
Gregorius Nazianz. ANTITYPTA pretiosi sanguinis & corporis Christi. Orat. de Pasch.
Gregory Nizeanzen says: The figures of the body and precious blood of Christ.
Ambrosius: Quia morte Domini liberati sumus, hujus rei memores, in edendo & potando carnem & sangninem Domini pro nobis oblata sunt, SIGNIFICAMUS. Idem: Haec oblatio est FIGURA CORORIS & SANGUINIS Domini nostri Jesu Christi. In 1. Cor. 2. De Sacr. lib. 4. c. 5.
Ambrose says: Because we have been redeemed by the death of our Lord, we, being mindful thereof, signify in eating and drinking the flesh and blood of the Lord which were offered for us. Again: This offering is a figure of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. In 1 Cor. 11. De Sacr. lib. 4. c. 5.
Augustinus: Non dubitavit Dominus dicere, Hoc est corpus meum, cum daret signum sui corporis. Idem: Dominus Judam adhibuit ad concivium; in quo corporis & sanguinis fui FIGURAM discipidis suis commendavit & tradidit. Idem: Si sacranunta quondam similifudinem earum rerum quarum sacramenta sunt, non haberent, omnino sacramenta nan essent. Ex hac autem similitudine plerumque eliam ipsarum rerum nomina accipiunt Sicut ergo secundum quondam modum, sacramentum corporis Christi, corpus Christi est, sacramentum sanguinis Christi sanguis Christi est: it a sacra mentum fidei fides este. Idem: Sicut ergo ccelestis panis, qui caro Christi est, SUO MODO vocatur corpus CHRISTI; cum, revera sit SACRAMENTUM CORPORIS CHRISTI; illius videlicet, quod visibile, palpabile, mortale in cruce positum est: vocuturque ipsa immolatio carnis, quæ sacerdotis manibus fit, CHRISTI passio, mors, crucijixio, NON REI VERITATE, SED SIGIFICANTE MYSTERIO: sic sacramentum fid ei, quo buptismus intelligitur, fides est. Idem: Ista, Jratres, ideo dicuntur sacramenta, quod in eis aliud videtur, aliud inlelligitur. Quod videtur, speciem, habet corporalem: quod intelligitur, fructum habet spiritualem, Cont. Adem. c 12. In Psal. 3. Epist. 23. ad Bonif. In fentet. Prosper, de consec. dist. 2. c. hoc est. Ser. ad infant.
Augustin says: Our Lord did not hesitate to say, This is my body when he gave the sign of his body. Again: The Lord admitted Judas to that feast in which he gave to his disciples the figure of his body and blood. Again: If the sacraments had not a certain correspondence with the things of which they are sacraments, they would be no sacraments at all. And it is on account of this correspondence that they very often receive the names of the things themselves. As, therefore, the sacrament of the body of Christ is, after a certain manner, the body of Christ, and as the sacrament of the blood of Christ is his blood, so the sacrament of faith is faith. Again: As the celestial bread, which is Christ’s flesh, is in some way called the body of Christ in as much as it is the sacrament of his body; which is to say, of that visible, tangible, and mortal body which was nailed to the cross; and as the sacrificing of his flesh, which was accomplished by the hands of the priest, is called the passion, death, and crucifixion, not in the truth, of the thing, but signifying it in a mystery; so the sacrament of faith, which is baptism, is faith. Again: These, my brethren, are called sacraments, because in them one thing is seen, and another is understood. That which is seen has a corporal form, whilst that which is understood has a spiritual benefit.
Chrysostonras: Hie est sanguis meus, qui effunditur in remissionem peccatorum: quod dicebat, ut ostenderet, passionem & crucem mysterium esse, & discipulos consolaretur. In Matt. hom. 83. Chrysostom says: This is my blood which is shed for the remission of sins, which Christ said to show that his passion, and cross constitute a mystery, and that it might administer comfort to his disciples. In Matt. hom. 83.
Theodoretus: Servator certe noster nomina commutavit, & corpori quidem idem, quod erat symboli ac signi, nomen imposuit: symbalo autem quod erat corporis. Causa mutalionis manifesta, est iis, qui sunt divinis mysteriis initiati. Voltbat enim eos, qui sunt divinorum mysteriorum participes, non attendere naturam eorum quae videntur; sed propter nominum mutationem, mutationi, quae fit ex gratia credere. Qui enim, quod natura est corpus, triticum & panem appellavit, & vitem se ipsum rursus nominavit, is symbola. quae videntur i appellatione corporis & sanquinis honoravit, non naturam quidem, mutans; sed naturae grafiam adjiciens. Dial. 1.
Theodoret says: Our Saviour evidently changed the names of the signs, and the things signified, and gave the same name to his body which belongs to the sign; and to the sign that which belongs to his body. The reason of this change is manifest to those who have been initiated into divine mysteries. For he designs that those who partake of these divine mysteries, should not look to the things which are seen; but on account of the change of the names should believe the change which is made through grace. For he who called, that which is naturally a body, wheat and bread, and also called himself a vine, honored the signs which are seen with the title of his body and blood, not indeed by changing their nature, but by adding grace thereto.
There is a notable saying of Macarius, the Monk, which we may also here repeat: “The bread and wine are a type or figure corresponding with the flesh, and blood of Christ; and those who receive the bread which is showed, eat the flesh of Christ spiritually.” Macarius Homil. 27. We might add many other testimonies from the writings of the Fathers, which for the sake of brevity we omit.
