Bellarmine · De Controversiis · On the Sacrament of the Eucharist · Book VI: On the Sacrifice of the Mass (Second)
Chapter 3: It Is Proved That the Same Sacrifice Is Also Impetratory
Our translation, from the Latin of the Opera Omnia (Paris: Vivès, 1870–74), vol. IV, De Sacramento Eucharistiae, Book VI: On the Sacrifice of the Mass (Second Book). 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).
Now that the sacrifice is not only propitiatory, and that the body of the Lord can be offered for the remission of sins, but that it is also impetratory of every kind of benefits, and can rightly be offered for them too, can easily be proved by the testimonies of Scripture and of the Fathers.
First, in the Old Testament there were hosts not only for offense, but also peace-offerings, both for thanksgiving and also votive for obtaining some benefit, as is clear from Leviticus 7 and elsewhere passim: and David, 2 Kings last chapter, offered peace-offerings to avert the plague, and obtained it. Onias offered a saving host for the temporal life of Heliodorus, which also he obtained, 2 Machabees 3; and the Hebrews, 1 Esdras 6, immolated hosts for the life of King Darius and his sons. Wherefore, if it is true, what Chrysostom writes on Psalm 95, Augustine Book 1 against the adversary of the law and the prophets chapter 20, and Leo sermon 8 on the passion of the Lord, that all the differences of the ancient hosts are contained in the one oblation of the Eucharist: it is necessary that the Eucharist can be offered also for obtaining benefits of this kind.
Secondly, that which the Apostle writes, 1 Timothy 2, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings are to be made in the Church for kings and all that are in high station, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life, the holy Fathers expound of the public prayers which are made in the Mass: and they will have the Apostle to have commanded this, that the sacrifice also be offered for the temporal peace and tranquillity of the Church. See Augustine in letter 59 to Paulinus, and the commentaries of Chrysostom, Theophylact, and Oecumenius on this passage, and Ambrose, Book 6 on the Sacraments, last chapter.
Thirdly, all the Liturgies, of James, Clement, Basil, Chrysostom, more than once during the offering command prayer to be made for peace, for abundance of fruits, and for other temporal benefits of that kind.
Fourthly, the ancient writers testify the same passim. Tertullian in his book to Scapula: “We sacrifice,” he says, “for the safety of the Emperor.” And in his book on the Soldier's Crown he writes that an oblation was wont to be made for birthdays. Cyril of Jerusalem, catechesis 5, mystagogical: “After that spiritual sacrifice is confected,” he says, “and that unbloody worship, over the very host of propitiation, we beseech God for the common peace of the Churches, for the tranquillity of the world, for kings, for soldiers, for allies, for the sick and afflicted, and in sum for all who need help.” Chrysostom, homilies 18 and 21 on the Acts of the Apostles, and elsewhere often teaches that the sacrifice is offered for the fruits of the earth and for other necessities. Augustine, Book 22 of the City of God, chapter 8, makes mention of the sacrifice of the Eucharist offered for purging a house from the vexation of demons. Prosper in his book on the predictions of God, chapter 6 of the half-time, writes that in his time the sacrifice of the Mass was offered for a demoniac woman, and again, she being cured, was offered again in thanksgiving. Gregory, homily 37 on the Gospels, and Bede, Book 4 of the History of England, chapter 22, write that at diverse times the same miracle happened, that when the sacrifice of the Mass was offered for a man held captive in another region, and ignorant of what was being done for him, his chains were loosed divinely in the very hour of the sacrifice.
Fifthly and lastly, reason itself teaches this: for if the oblation of the Eucharist avails for the remission of sins, certainly it ought also to avail for other necessities which have arisen from sin. And if God, appeased by this sacrifice, returns to favor with His enemies, how much more easily will He be brought, on account of the same sacrifice, to bestow temporal goods on His friends and the reconciled, if it be useful for them?
Show the Latin (Vives edition, OCR)
CAPUT III. Probatur idem sacrificium esse etiam impetratorum. Jam vero non solum propitiatorium sacri¬ ficium esse, ac pro peccatorum remissione offerri posse corpus Dominicum, sed etiam esse impetratorium omnis generis beneficio¬ rum, ac pro iis etiam rite offerri, facile pro¬ bari potest testimoniis Scripturae et Patrum. Primo, in Testamento veteri erant hos tue non solum pro delicto, sed etiam pacifica?, tum pro actione gratiarum, tum etiam voti¬ vae pro beneficio aliquo impetrando, ut patet Levit, vn. et alibi passim : et David II Reg. ult. obtulit pacifica pro peste avertenda, et impetravit. Onias obtulit hostiam salutarem pro vita temporali Heliodori, quam etiam impetravit, II Machabaeor. m, et Hebraei IEsdra? vi, immolabant hostias pro vita regis Darii, et filiorum ejus. Quare, si verum est, quod scribunt Chrysostomus in Psalm. 95. Augustinus lib. i. contra advers. legis et pro¬ pilet. cap. 20. et Leo serm. 8. de passione Domini omnes differentias hostiarum vete¬ rum una Eucharistiae oblatione contineri : necessc est, ut Eucharistia offerri possit, etiam pro impetrandis ejusmodi beneficiis. Secundo, quod scribit Apostolus, ITimot. ii. faciendas in Ecclesia obsecrationes, ora¬ tiones, postulationes, et gratiarum actiones, pro regibus, et omnibus, qui in sublimitate sunt, ut quietam, et tranquillam vitam aga¬ mus, exponunt sancti Patres de publicis pre¬ cibus, quae fiunt in Missa : et volunt Aposto¬ lum hoc praecepisse , ut sacrificium etiam offerretur pro temporali pace , et tranquilli¬ tate Ecclesia'. Vide Augustinum in epist. 59 ad Paulinuin, et commentaria Chrysostomi, Tlieophylacti, et OEcumenii in hunc locum, et Ambrosium lib. vi. de Sacramentis, cap. ult. Tertio, Lit urgue omnes, Jacobi, Clementis, Basilii, Chrysostomi, non semel inter offe¬ rendum, orandum praecipiunt pro pace, pro copia fructuum, et pro aliis id genus tempo¬ ralibus beneficiis. Quarto, veteres scriptores idem passim testantur. Tertullianus in libro ad Scapulam: « Sacrificamus, inquit, pro salute Impera¬ toris. » Et in libro de Corona militis scribit, oblationem pro natalitiis fieri solitam. Cyril- lus Hierosolymitanus catechesi 5. mystago¬ gi ca : « Postquam confectum est, inquit, illud spirituale sacrificium, et ille cultus in¬ cruentus, super ipsa propitiationis hostia, obsecramus Deum pro communi Ecclesiarum pace, pro tranquillitate mundi, pro regibus, pro militibus, pro sociis, pro aegrotis, et af¬ flictis, et in summa pro omnibus, qui egent auxilio. » Chrysostomus hom. 18. et 21. in Acta Apostolorum, et alibi sa'pe docet, of¬ ferri sacrificium pro fructibus terree, proque aliis necessitatibus. Augustinus lib. xxn. de civit. Dei, cap. 8. meminit sacrificii Eucha¬ ristia? oblati ad purgandam domum a dae¬ monum vexatione. Prosper in libro de prae¬ dictionibus Dei, cap. 0. dimidii temporis, scribit suo tempore sacrificium Missa? obla¬ tum pro daemoniaca, et rursus ea curata, ite¬ rum oblatum in gratiarum actionem. Gre¬ garius homil. 37. in Evangclia, et Beda iv. lib. liist. Angliae, cap. 22. scribunt diversis temporibus idem miraculum contigisse, ut cum sacrificium Missa? offerretur pro homine captivo in alia regione posito, et ignorante quid pro se fieret, ejus vincula divinitus sol¬ verentur ipsa hora sacrificii. Quinto et ultimo, ratio ipsa hoc docet : nam si oblatio Eucharistia? pro peccatis di¬ mittendis valet, certe etiam pro aliis neces¬ sitatibus, qua? ex peccato orta? sunt, valere debet. Et si Deus hoc sacrificio placatus in gratiam cum inimicis suis redit, quanto fa¬ cilius ob idem sacrificium adducetur, ut amicis, et reconciliatis bona temporalia tri¬ buat, si id eis utile fuerit ? ✓