Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Sacrament of the Eucharist · Book II: On the Real Presence, from the Testimonies of the Fathers
Chapter 39: A Compendium of the Arguments Taken from the Fathers
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. IV, De Sacramento Eucharistiae, Book II: On the Truth of the Body of the Lord in the Eucharist, from the Testimonies of the Fathers. The Latin source text is public domain; this English rendering is released with the site. Scripture quotations follow Bellarmine's Vulgate citations, rendered in Douay-Rheims wording where he quotes exactly. Click “Show the Latin” for the original (raw OCR of the scan; scanning errors remain — the scan itself is the authority).
If anyone should wish to reduce to classes all the arguments by which we prove what the Fathers, in the passages already cited by us, thought of this Sacrament, he will be able to reduce all to six classes.
The first will be from the manner of the Fathers’ speaking of this Sacrament. For the ancient Fathers use certain words from which our Sacramentarians greatly shrink; which certainly they would not do if they agreed with the Fathers in opinion. For the Sacramentarians scarcely ever call the Eucharist otherwise than the symbols of the body and blood of the Lord. But all the ancients everywhere call it the body and blood of the Lord, which they do not do when they speak of other signs. Besides, they call it the precious body, the tremendous mysteries, the pledge of salvation, our price. See Optatus, Chrysostom, Ephrem, Augustine, and others. Finally, Damascene, Theophylact, Euthymius, Paschasius, and others say in express words that it is not a figure, but the very true body.
The second will be from the comparison of this Sacrament with other things; and first with the Sacraments of the Hebrews. For the Fathers do not fear openly to affirm that this Sacrament differs from the manna, the paschal lamb, the bread of proposition, and like things, as the truth from figures, and the body from the shadow, and a heavenly, divine, and inconsumable thing from an earthly and consumable thing. See Origen, Cyprian, Ambrose, Jerome, Chrysostom, Augustine, Cyril of Alexandria. Secondly, they compare it with the mystery of the Incarnation, as Justin, Ambrose, Chrysostom, Theodoret, Gelasius, Remigius, Damascene. Thirdly, Chrysostom compares Christ, as He is on the altar through the Eucharist, with the same Christ in the manger, and with Christ in heaven. Fourthly, Augustine compares Christ in the Eucharist with the Angels appearing in bodily form. Fifthly, Tertullian, Cyprian, Basil, and others compare those who handle the Eucharist unworthily with those who slew Christ.
The third class is taken from the change of the bread. For the Fathers indicate that a real change is made in many ways. First, because they say that the bread does not remain after the change, as Cyril of Jerusalem, Ambrose, Gaudentius, Chrysostom, Gregory of Nyssa, Eusebius of Emesa. Secondly, they say that the senses are deceived in this matter, as the same authors, and besides Hilary and Epiphanius. Thirdly, they say that the bread is so changed into flesh as it was changed by nutrition when Christ ate, as Nyssen, Damascene, and Theophylact. Fourthly, they compare it with the real changes of water into wine, of rods into serpents, and the like. See Ambrose, Cyril of Jerusalem, Cyril of Alexandria, Augustine, Eusebius of Emesa, Damascene. Fifthly, they say that for that change the omnipotence of God is required: Justin, Irenaeus, Cyprian, Hilary, Ambrose, Nyssen, Gaudentius, Proclus, and others.
The fourth class is taken from the most lofty mystery which the Fathers acknowledged in the Eucharist. For first they said that it cannot be understood without faith, as Andrew the Apostle, Ephrem, Gaudentius, Augustine, Damascene. Secondly, they often exhorted to a certain faith, and to not doubting of the truth of this mystery, as Hilary, Cyril of Jerusalem, Ambrose, Nazianzen, Epiphanius, Ephrem, Gaudentius, Chrysostom, Eusebius of Emesa, Cyril of Alexandria. Thirdly, they said that it is a miracle surpassing human grasp: Ephrem, Chrysostom, Augustine, Gaudentius, Hesychius. Fourthly, they did not speak of it before the heathen and catechumens except covertly, as in those words, “The faithful know.” See Tertullian, Origen, Chrysostom, Augustine, Theodoret. Fifthly, to those asking, How can this be done? they referred to the omnipotence, as Cyril of Alexandria, Euthymius, Theophylact, and others.
The fifth class is taken from veneration. For first they adored the Eucharist. See Cyril of Jerusalem, Ambrose, Nazianzen, Chrysostom, Augustine, Theodoret. Secondly, they invoked it, or said it was to be invoked. See Dionysius the Areopagite, Origen, Nazianzen, and Chrysostom. Thirdly, they took most diligent care lest it fall to the ground. See Pope Pius, Tertullian, Origen, Cyril of Jerusalem, Augustine. Fourthly, they did not permit it to be seen by unbelievers or catechumens. See Basil and Augustine. Fifthly, they asserted that the Angels stand near the altar while the sacrifice is performed: Ambrose, Chrysostom, Pope Gregory; of whom Chrysostom openly says that the Angels stand with bowed head before the Eucharist.
The sixth class is taken from the effect which they attribute to the Eucharist. For first they say that through it Christ is united to us bodily: Hilary, Nyssen, Chrysostom, Cyril of Jerusalem, and Cyril of Alexandria. Secondly, they say that our bodies will rise because they are united with the body of Christ: the Council of Nicaea, Irenaeus, Hilary, Ambrose, Optatus, Nyssen, Gaudentius, Chrysostom, Cyril. Thirdly, Chrysostom says that Christ gives Himself to us through the Eucharist, that we may truly have Him within us, in the manner in which men desire, and cannot, to give themselves to those whom they love. Fourthly, Chrysostom and Cyril of Alexandria and others say that Christ is joined with us not only through faith and charity, but also really, when we receive Him in the Eucharist. Fifthly, they say that through the reception of this Sacrament we are made partakers of the divine nature, as Cyril of Jerusalem and others.
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT XXXIX. Compendium argumentorum , quae sumuntur ex Patribus. Si quis velit ad classes reducere argu¬ menta omnia, ex quibus probamus, quid Patres locis jam antea a nobis citatis, de hoc Sacramento senserint , poterit ad sex classes omnia revocare. Prima erit ex modo loquendi Patrum de hoc Sacramento. Utuntur enim veteres Pa¬ tres vocabulis quibusdam, a quibus Sacra- mentarii nostii valde abhorrent ; quod certe non facerent, si cum Patribus in sententia convenirent. Nam Sacramentarii vix un¬ quam aliter Eucharistiam appellant, quam symbola corporis , et sanguinis Domini. At veteres omnes passim appellant, corpus et sanguinem Domini, quod non faciunt, cum de aliis signis loquvntur. Praeterea vocant pretiosum corpus , tremenda mysteria, pi¬ gnus salutis, pretium nostrum. Vide Opta¬ tum, Ghysostomum, Ephrem, Augustinum, et alios. Denique Damascenus, Theophylac- tus, Euthymius, Paschasius et alii, disertis verbis dicunt non figuram esse, sed ipsum verum corpus. Secunda erit ex comparatione hujus Sa¬ cramenti cum aliis rebus : ac primo cum Sacramentis Hebraeorum. Patres enim pa¬ lam affirmare non timent, differre hoc Sacra¬ mentum a manna, agno paschali, pane pro¬ positionis, et similibus rebus ; ut veritatem a figuris, et corpus ab umbra, et rem coele¬ stem, divinam, et inconsumptibilem a re ter¬ rena, et consumptibili. Vide Origenem, Cy¬ prianum, Ambrosium, Hieronymum, Chry- sostomum, Augustinum, Cyrillum Alexan¬ drinum. Secundo comparant cum myste¬ rio Incarnationis, ut Justinus, Ambrosius, Chrysostomus, Theodoretus, Gelasius, Re- migius, Damascenus. Tertio comparat Chry¬ sostomus Christum, ut est in altari per Eu¬ charistiam , cum eodem Christo in pra?- sepi, et cum Christo in ca?lo. Quarto com¬ parat Augustinus Christum in Eucharisti», cum Angelis apparentibus in forma corpora¬ li. Quinto comparant Tertullianus, Cypria¬ nus, Basilius, et alii, indigne tractantes Eu¬ charistiam cum illis qui Christum occide¬ runt. Tertia classis sumitur ex mutatione pariis. Nam indicant Patres realem mutationem fieri multis modis. Primo, quia dicunt, non remanere panem post mutationem, ut Cyril- lus Hierosolymitanus, Ambrosius, Gauden¬ tius, Chrysostomus, Gregorius Nyssenus, Emissenus. Secundo dicunt, sensus falli in hac re : ut iidem auctores, et praeterea Hila¬ rius, et Epiphanius. Tertio dicunt, sic mu¬ lari panem in carnem, ut mutabatur per nu- tritionem Christo comedente, ut Nyssenus, Damascenus, et Theophylactus. Quarto com¬ parant cum realibus mutationibus aqua? in vinum, virgarum in serpentes, et similibus. Vide Ambrosium, Cyrillum Hierosolymita¬ num, Cyrillum Alexandrinum, Augustinum, Emissenum, Damascenum. Quinto dicunt, ad istam mutationem requiri omnipotentiam Dei ; Justinus, Irena?us, Cyprianus, Hilarius, Ambrosius, Nyssenus, Gaudentius, Proclus, et alii. Quarta classis sumitur ex mysterio altis- simo , quo d Patres in Eucharistia agnoscebant. Nam primo dicebant, non posse intelligi sine fide, ut Andreas Apostolicus, Ephrem, Gau¬ dentius Augustinus, Damascenus. Secundo hortabantur scepe ad fidem certam, et ad non dubitandum de veritate hujus mysterii; ut Hilarius, Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus, Ambro¬ sius, Nazianzenus, Epiphanius, Ephrem, Gaudentius, Chrysostomus, Emissenus, Cyril>j lus Alexandrinus. Tertio dicebant, miraculum esse superans humanum captum; Ephrem, Chrysostomus, Augustinus, Gaudentius, Isi- CAPUT XXXIX. 131 chias. Quarto non loquebantur de eo coram ethnicis et catechumenis, nisi tecte, ut illis verbis: «Norunt fideles.» Vide Tertullianum Origenem , Chrysostomum , Augustinum , Theodorum. Quinto interrogantes, Quomodo potest fieri? remittebant ad omnipotentiam ; Ut Cyrillus, Alexandrinus, Euthymius, Theo- phyl ;ctus, et alii. Quinta classis sumitur ex veneratione. Nam primo adorabant Eucharistiam. Vide Cyril- lum Hierosolymitanum, Ambrosium, Nazian- zenum, Chrysostomum, Augustinum, Theo- doretum. Secundo invocabant, vel invocan¬ dam dicebant. Vide Dionysium Areopagi¬ tam Origenem, Nazianzenum, et Chrysosto- mpm. Tertio diligentissime cavebant ne caderet in terram. Vide Pium Papam, Ter¬ tullianum, Origenem, Cyrillum Hierosoly¬ mitanum, Augustinum. Quarto non permitte¬ bant videri ad infidelibus, vel catechumenis. Vide Basilinm et Augustinum. Quinto asse¬ rebant, Angelos altare prope adstare dum peragitur sacrificium, Ambrosius, Chryso- stomus, Gregorius Papa: ex quibus Chryso- stomus aperre dicit, Angelos capite inclinato adstare coram Eucharistia. Sexta classis sumitur ex effeciu, quem tribuunt Eucharistia}. Nam primo dicunt nobis per eam uniri Christum corporaliter ; Hilarius, Nyssenus, Chrysostomus, Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus, et Cyrillus Alexandrinus. Secundo dicunt, nostra corpora resurrectura quia uniuntur cum Christi corpore : Conci¬ lium Nicaenum, Irenaeus, Hilarius, Ambro¬ sius, Optatus, Nyssenus, Gaudentius, Chry¬ sostomus, Cyrillus. Tertio dicit Chrysostomus, donare Christum se nobis per Eucharistiam, ut eum vere habeamus intra nos, quomodo cupiunt, et non possunt donaro se homines iis, quos amant. Quarto dicunt, Chrysosto¬ mus, et Cyrillus Alexandrinus, et alii, con¬ jungi Christum nobiscum, non solum per fidem, et charitatem, sed etiam reipsa, cum eum in Eucharistia percipimus. Quinto dicunt; per hujus Sacramenti perceptionem, nos fieri divinae consortes naturae, ut Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus, et alii. I