"that the mingled drink of the Cup was "His Own Blood." * S. CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA lived at the end of the second Century. He says, comparing the Church to a mother nourishing her children with food: "One is FATHER of all. One also the "WORD of all, and the HOLY SPIRIT one "and the same everywhere; and one only Virgin-Mother is formed. I would call "her The Church." Now as it is clear, by the terms of the proposition which we have to discuss, that the natural, or carnal, or fleshly, Body and Blood of CHRIST are not meant when we speak of His "Real Presence," but on the contrary it is expressly asserted that it is the immaterial, invisible, spiritual Presence of which we speak ; and when we compare that assertion with the decree of the Synod of Trent, no one can for a moment" with the least reflection confound the one with the other. This being premised, we must go at once for the proof of the true doctrine, distinguished from Transubstantiation, to that great stream of authority which is to be found scattered throughout the writings of the ancient Fathers, Doctors, and Bishops of the Church. 66 In the end of the first Century, S. IGNATIUS was Bishop of Antioch, consecrated a Bishop by S. Peter himself, Speaking of certain heretics who denied. that our LORD had a true Body, he says: They abstain from Eucharist and Prayers, because they confess not that "the Eucharist is the Flesh of our Saviour "Jesus Christ, Which suffered for our sins, "and Which the Father in His mercy "raised again. Haste ye "then to partake of the One Eucharist; "for there is One Flesh of our LORD "JESUS CHRIST, and One Cup for the Uniting of His Blood, and One Altar." * In the middle of the second Century we find S. JUSTIN MARTYR. He describes the manner of the celebration of the LORD's Supper in his day, and says: And then he describes the Church nourishing the children as with milk, and speaks of The Infant Word which stood in the place of milk, and then goes on: "O holy Birth! O holy Swaddling "Bands! The Word is all to the Infant "-Father and Mother, Instructor and "Nourisher. Eat ye, He saith, My Flesh "and Drink My Blood. This Food from "Himself the LORD provideth for us, and "offereth Flesh, and poureth out Blood, "and nothing is wanting to the Childrens' growth. O marvellous Mystery!" + 66 ORIGEN, also, was a most learned Father of the Church. He lived in the beginning of the third Century-a Priest and Catechist of Alexandria-excelling, perhaps, all others, except S. Jerome, in knowledge of the Scriptures. He writes thus: "Ye, who are wont to be present at the "Divine Mysteries, know how, when ye "receive the Body of the Lord, ye keep it "with all care and veneration, lest any "particle of It should fall, lest any of the "Consecrated Gift should escape you. For "ye believe yourselves guilty (and ye be"lieve rightly) if any thereof fall through negligence. But if ye use so great caution and rightly use it in preserving His Body, how do ye think it less guilty, to "have neglected the Word of GOD, than "His Body."+ 66 We do not receive It as common "Bread or as common drink, but in the "way in which JESUS CHRIST Our Saviour," being, through the Word of GOD, Incarnate, had both flesh and Blood for our Salvation; so also have we been taught "that the Food, over which Thanksgiving "has been made by the Prayer of the "Word which is from Him (from which And again: "Afore time in similitude was a Baptism "in the cloud and in the sea; now in reality, is regeneration in water and The "HOLY SPIRIT. There in similitude was manna food, now in reality, is The Flesh of the Word of God true Food, as He Himself also saith-My Flesh is Meat "indeed, and My Blood is Drink indeed."§ And again: 66 S. IRENEUS was a martyr of the Church," and lived as the two preceding, near the time of the Apostles. He writes thus: "If the LORD belonged to another Father, how was it just that taking bread "of this our creation, He confessed that "it was His Own Body, and He affirmed † Apol 1. 65. * Ep: ad Smyrn: N. 7. "Who is more a Priest of the Most High GOD than our LORD JESUS CHRIST, "who offered a Sacrifice to God the Father, "and offered that same which Melchize"deck offered-that is, Bread and Wine, "namely, His own Body and Blood." + MAGNES was Bishop of the Church about the middle of the third Century, was at the Council of Antioch, and his writings were held in great esteem. Hear what he says: "For it is not a type of the Body, nor a type of the Blood, as some have blindly "and idly said, but is in truth the Body "and Blood of Christ. Through that "union whereby I am united, the Holy "with the earthly, I give bread and wine, "commanding them to be My Body and "Blood." Next let us turn to EUSEBIUS OF CESAREA-Bishop. He was an Arian, but held the Orthodox Faith on the Holy Eucharist. He writes thus: "On every day of The LORD's Resurrection, which is called The LORD's Day, you may see those who partake of the Holy Food, the Saviour's Body, receive "It, and after eating worship Him, Who giveth and provideth the Life-giving Food, and marvel at the completion of "words fulfilled in deed to the very "letter."§ 66 66 S. ATHANASIUS THE GREAT, Defender of the Faith against the heretic Arius, and Archbishop of Alexandria, in the beginning of the fourth Century, wrote thus: "These words-'Sit Thou on my right “hand'—were said of The LORD's Body; "for if, as Jeremiah saith, 'I fill Heaven "and Earth saith the LORD,' and GOD "containeth all things, and is contained "by nothing-on whose Throne doth He "sit? It is the Body then to which He "saith 'Sit on my right hand;' of which Next let us turn to S. CYRIL OF JERUSALEM. He was Bishop of that See about the year of our LORD 360, and wrote as follows: 66 "He [JESUS CHRIST] once, in Cana of "Galilee, turned water into wine, which "is akin to blood, and is it incredible that "He should have turned wine into blood? "That wonderful work He miraculously wrought when called to an earthly marriage, and shall He not much rather be acknowledged to have bestowed the "fruition of His Body and Blood on the "children of the Bride-Chamber? For, as the bread and wine of the Eucharist "before the holy invocation of the Adora"ble Trinity, was simple bread and wine, "while after the invocation, the Bread "becomes the Body of Christ and the Wine "the Blood of Christ; so, in like manner, "such meats belonging to the pomp of "Satan, though in their own nature plain "and simple, become profane by the invo"cation of the evil spirit." Here the reader must observe that S. Cyril is not systematically proving the doctrine of the Real Presence; it would have been enough if it had been so, but it is much more he is proving some other point which was to be insisted upon, and illustrating that point by reference to the doctrine of the Real Presence, as a thing of course known, understood, believed and unquestioned by the whole Church. He goes on thus: "This teaching of the blessed Paul is "alone sufficient to give you a full assu"rance concerning these Divine mysteries, "which when ye are vouchsafed ye are of "the same Body and Blood with CHRIST. "For he has just distinctly said, 'That our LORD JESUS CHRIST, the same 'night in which He was betrayed, took 'bread, and when He had given thanks, "He brake it, and said, Take eat, this is 'My Body; and having taken the Cup "and given thanks, He said, Take, drink, 666 66 6 666 * Major Orat. De fide, ap Theod. Dial II. T IV. p. 137. "This is My Blood.' Since, then, He Since, then, He "Himself has declared and said of The 'Bread, 'This is My Body,' who shall "dare to doubt any longer? And since "He has affirmed and said, 'This is My "Blood,' who shall even hesitate, saying "that it is not His Blood? 66 66 Therefore, with fullest assurance, let us partake as of the Body and Blood of "CHRIST. For in the figure of bread "is given to thee His Body; and in the figure of wine His Blood, that thou, by "partaking of the Body and Blood of CHRIST, mightest be made of the same "body and the same blood with Him. "For thus we come to have CHRIST in us, "because His Body and Blood are dispersed through our members. Then it is that, according to the blessed Peter, we become partakers of the Divine nature.' Contemplate, therefore, "the bread and wine not as bare elements, "for they are, according to the LORD'S "declaration, the Body and Blood of Christ, "for though sense suggest this to thee, let "faith stablish thee. Judge not the matter from taste, but from faith; be fully assured, without misgiving, that thou "hast been vouchsafed the Body and Blood "of CHRIST. 666 66 "partaking also of The Blood of Christ." * S. HILARY was Bishop of Poictiers about the middle of the fourth Century. He writes thus: "We must not, in the things of God, "speak after the way of man, or of the "world; nor may the perverseness of an "alien, and ungodly meaning be, by a "strained and reckless teaching, extorted "from the soundness of the heavenly "words. What is written let us read, and "what we have read let us understand, "and then we shall discharge the duty of a perfect faith. For what we say of the "truth of CHRIST in us by nature, unless we have learnt from Him, we say fool"ishly and impiously. For He Himself "saith: He that eateth My Flesh and "drinketh My Blood, dwelleth in Me and "I in him. As the Living Father hath "sent Me, and I live by the Father, so he "that eateth Me, even he shall live by "Me.' Of the truth of the Flesh and "Blood there is no room left for doubt. "For now, according both to the declara"tion of the LORD Himself and our faith, "it is truly Flesh and truly Blood. And "these received and drunk into us, cause "that both we are in CHRIST and CHRIST "is in us. Is not this truth? Be it not "truth to those who deny that CHRIST "JESUS is True GOD. He Himself then "of the holy mysteries, and saying, "O" is in us through the flesh, and we are in "Taste and see that the LORD is good.' "Trust not the decision to thy bodily "palate; no, but to faith unfaltering; "for when we taste we are bidden to taste, "not bread and wine, but the Anti-type "-the Body and Blood of CHRIST. After "this ye hear the Chanter with a sacred melody inviting you to the communion 'O 'Him, since this, which we are, is with "Him in GOD." But how much we are "in Him through the Sacrament of this "communicated Body and Blood, He Him"self beareth witness, saying, "The world "seeth Me no more, but ye shall see Me; "because I live, ye shall live also. For I am in the Father and ye in Me, and I in "you."+ "Approaching, therefore, come not with "thy wrist extended, or thy fingers open," "but make thy left hand as if a throne for 'thy right, which is on the eve of receiv And a still stronger passage runs thus ing The King-and having hollowed thy-apostrophizing the Emperor, he speaks palm, receive the Body of Christ, saying "after it, Amen. Then after thou hast "with carefulness hallowed thine eyes by "the touch of the Holy Body, partake "thereof; giving heed lest thou lose any "of It, for what thou losest is a loss to "thee, as it were from one of thine own "members. Then after "having partaken of the Body of CHRIST, "approach also to the cup of His Blood"not stretching forth thine hands, but "bending and saying, in the way of worship "and reverence, Amen, be thou hallowed by "Thy Tribunes came to the Holy of "Holies, and with all cruelty, opening a "way for themselves through the people, "dragged forth the Priests from the Altar. "Thinkest thou, then, wicked one, that "thy sins were lighter than the impiety "of the Jews? They, indeed, shed the "blood of Zacharias, but thou as much as "in thee lay, didst sever from CHRIST (from "the Altar where the Body of CHRIST WAS *Lect. XIX. Myst. 1., § 7. † De Trin. VIII., 13-17. "laid) those incorporated into CHRIST. What frenzy didst thou exercise. The Clergy were beaten with gloves armed "with lead, and on Himself as the holy "will understand-on Christ Himself, hands were laid."* S. AMBROSE is a well-known nameBishop of Milan at the close of the fourth Century. He writes thus: 46 "Thou hast Apostolic food: eat it, and "thou wilt not fail. Eat this first, that "thou mayest come to the Food of CHRIST, "the Food of the Lord's Body, The Feast of the Sacrament, that Cup whereby the "affections of the faithful are inebriated, "so that they are clad with joy for the "remission of sins, and lay aside the cares "of this world, the fear of death, and all "anxiety. Through this inebriation the "body stumbleth not, but riseth again; "the mind is not confounded, but conse"erated. I, aforetime a despised people "of sinners, am admitted to the venerable and heavenly Sacraments. I am now "received to the honour of the Heavenly Table. Rain doth not stream down for "my feasts, nor doth the earth travail for "me, nor fruits of trees. Rivers and foun'tains are not to be sought for my drink. Christ is Food to me; Christ is Drink "to me. The Flesh of God is Food to me; "the Blood of God is Drink to me. "not now for the annual harvest to satisfy I wait "me; CHRIST is daily ministered to me."+ S. JEROME was one of the chief Doctors of the Church, most learned in the Holy Scriptures. His writings are taken as the highest authority by all. He says thus: "Whether is greater? To pray, or to C. Const. Imp: § 11, p. 1246. 191 And now let us look to S. AUGUSTINE, who takes the lead among the chief Fathers Century. He was Bishop of Hippo. Here of the Church at the beginning of the fifth is a remarkable passage among a thousand others: 66 66 "Recollect the Gospel; when our LORD "JESUS CHRIST spake concerning His "Flesh, and drink My Blood, he shall have 'Body, He said, Except a man eat My no life in him. For My Flesh is meat "indeed, and My Blood is drink indeed.' And His disciples who followed Him 66 feared, and were shocked at His discourse; and understanding it not, they thought that our LORD JESUS CHRIST said some hard thing, as if they were to "eat His Flesh, and to drink His Blood, "it, saying, as it were, How is it? Doth "which they saw; and could not endure 66 66 66 not this seem madness, 'Eat My Flesh "and drink My Blood?' And He saying, "Whoso eateth not My Flesh, and drink"him,' seemeth to be mad. Therefore He "eth not My Blood, shall have no life in "quitted them and departed; understand"ing fled from their heart, lest they should "be able to comprehend Him." 66 CHRIST was carried in His "Own Hands. When commending His "Own Body, He said, 'This is My Body.' "For that Body He carried in His Own "Hands. This is the humility of our "LORD JESUS CHRIST; this is much com"mended unto men. According to this, "He exhorteth us, brethren, to live; that "is, that we should imitate His humility, "that we should slay Goliath, and holding CHRIST, should conquer pride. How 66 carried He It in His Own Hands? Because when He commended His Own Body and Blood, He took into His Hands That which the faithful know; "He said, 'This is My Body.' Let us "and in a manner carried Himself, when "approach to Him, and be lightened; not as the Jews approached to Him, that they might be darkened; for they approached "to Him that they might crucify Him; let us approach to Him that we may receive "His Body and Blood. They by Him "crucified were darkened; we, by eating and drinking the Crucified, are light"ened." "That Bread which ye see on the Altar, "sanctified by the Word of GOD, is the Body of Christ. That Cup, or rather "what that Cup holds, sanctified by the "Word of God, is the Blood of Christ. By these things the LORD CHRIST willed to commend the Body and Blood which "He shed for us, for the remission of "sins."* And now, lastly, let us turn to S. CYRIL oF ALEXANDRIA. He presided at the third General Council at Ephesus, and was celebrated in the Church as a Defender of the Faith. He lived on towards the middle of the fifth Century. Take this passage: "In order that we should not be horrified "seeing flesh and blood set out on the holy "Tables of our Churches, GOD, conde"scending to our infirmities, sendeth forth And now let us take S. CHRYSOSTOM. He was Bishop of Constantinople, and died the beginning of the fifth Century-cele-" the power of life into the elements, and brated for his great eloquence in preaching, "The and called from that circumstance golden-mouth." He writes thus: "The same Who adorned That Table "[The Table at which the Apostles received "the institution of the Eucharist] adorneth For it is not man who this too now. "maketh what lieth there to become the Body and Blood of Christ; but CHRIST The "Himself Who was crucified for us. "Priest standeth filling up a figure speaking the words, but the power and the grace are of GOD. This is My Body,' "He saith. This word re-ordereth what "lieth there; and as that Voice, Increase "and multiply and replenish the Earth,' "was spoken once, but throughout all "time in effect, giveth power to our race, "to the procreation of children; so also "that Voice, This is My Body,' once spoken, doth on every Table, in the "Churches, from that time, even till now, "and unto His Coming, complete the "Sacrifice."+ And again: "His Word cannot deceive, but our "How many now say, I would wish to see *Serm: 227, in Die Pasch. IV., p. 973. Prodit: Jud: § ii. 382. 66 "transfers them into the efficacy of His "own Flesh, that we might bear them for life-giving participation, and that the "Body of Life might be found in us a lifegiving seed. And doubt not that this "is true, since He clearly saith, 'This is My Body, and This is My Blood;' but "rather receive in faith the Word of the "SAVIOUR; for being Truth, He doth not "lie."+ And then further-which shall be the last extract for the present purpose-a passage, in which S. Cyril not only declares the doctrine, but with the voice of authority and of the Church, shews that it is no mere opinion, but an essential and vital doctrine of Salvation, and so pronounces Anathema, that is, the sentence of excommunication, against all who do not hold it. Thus he continues: "But since the Word, being GOD, hath "made The Body born of a woman His Own, without undergoing any alteration or change, how was it not right and true "that He said to us "Take Eat, This is My Body?' for being Life, as GOD, He "made It both Life, and Life-Giving. "If any one confess not that the Flesh "of the LORD is Life-giving, and that it is "the Own Flesh of the Word of GOD the Father, but say that it is of some other "than He, joined to Him in dignity (ie., "having, as it were, an indwelling only), "and that it is not rather Life-giving, as have said, because it is become the Own "Flesh of the Word, which can quicken all "things, we |