Works › The Book on the Sacrament of the Eucharist
Volume 38 · pp. 287–290
Chapter I conclusion and Chapter II
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vinum rubeum dulce, et ova trementia, et brodia sive jura carnium recentium: sed inter haec ova trementia convertibile dant nutrimentum sicut et ipsa sunt convertibilia: et ideo hoc nutrimentum facile separatur a membris. Brodia autem sive jura carnium molle dant nutrimentum pingue aliquantulum, sicut et ipsa brodia mollia sunt et pinguia: sed frumentum, sicut in ante habitis diximus, subtile dat nutrimentum et solidum et multum membris adhaerens. Et vinum dat nutrimentum subtile bene membris incorporabile, et laetum ex subtili sanguine quem fluere facit: et ideo inter omnia panis de frumento et vinum magis conveniens praestant nutrimentum: et ideo etiam appetitibus naturalibus magis satisfaciunt secundum naturam. Unde dicit Galenus: « O quam bene fecit Deus, quando vinum fecit nasci de vite, quod animam laetificat, et sanguinem tam salubrem parat in nutrimento! »
Haec igitur est causa quare haec duo inter omnia alia meliorem dant significationem ad cibum et potum spiritualem, quae praestantur in sacramento. Et hoc significatur, Proverb. III, 10, ubi dicitur: Implebuntur horrea tua saturitate, et vino torcularia tua redundabunt. Saturitatem autem vocat tritici abundantiam, quae semper est in horreis Ecclesiae. Hoc cognovit rex Samariae, quod nulli appetitui naturali satisfieri potest nisi de his: cum mulier quaedam famescens clamaret ad eum, et diceret: Salva me, domine mi rex, respondit: Non te salvat Dominus, unde te possum salvare? de area, vel de torculari1? Quia obsessi in Samaria non poterant dare frumentum et vinum: et ideo non posse se salvare homines publice professus est rex, per quem haeretici significantur, qui non salvantur de area frumenti corporis Domini, et de vino torcularis sanguinis ejus. Hujus signum est, quod specialis cultus rusticanorum ad vitam hominis nutriendam colit frumentum et vinum. Psal. CVI, 37: Seminaverunt agros et plantaverunt vineas, et fecerunt fructum nativitatis, quo pascuntur homines. Et ideo haec duo Dominus assumpsit in nutrimento spirituali: quia haec duo naturalius et communius naturalibus appetitibus satisfaciunt, et sic constat quod superius diximus, quod vinum est potus naturalis communis.
Caput II. Qualis debeat esse hic potus in saporis qualitate?
1. Qualis sapor requiritur in vino ex quo Christi sanguis conficitur? Nunc autem secundum superius datam divisionem videndum est de hujus potus saporis qualitate.
Sed ad hoc sciendum, quod sapor vini proprius est ille qui vinosus in genere vocatur: quia quamvis sint diversi vini sapores, est aliud vinum dulce, et aliud acre, et aliud ponticum, et aliud stipticum, et aliud aromaticum, et secundum alios sapores: tamen proprius sapor in omnibus his est, qui vocatur vinosus, quem habere debet vinum quod datur in sacramento: quia cum sapor sit proxima sequela complexionis, integer sapor vinosus integram signat et non corruptam vini complexionem et non destitutam. Si enim alium saporem haberet, sicut putridum, vel acetosum, non posset fieri confectio sanguinis Christi: quia dicunt naturales, quod acetosum numquam fit vinum, eo quod cum de vino fit acetum, exhalaverunt partes complexionantes vini naturam ex vino, sicut exhalaverunt partes ignis de cinere, qui frigidus remanet, et nullam habens propriam ignis operationem. Et quod dicitur, acetum est acutum in actione, non dicitur ideo quod calidum sit sicut vinum, sed est frigidum, et acumen habet: quia calor corruptivus egit in ipsum: et ideo non calor, sed proprietas quaedam caloris quae est acumen penetrativum et divisivum substantiarum et corruptivum rei remansit in ipso. Sic et in cinere remansit acumen ignis, qui dividendo et corrumpendo lignum egit in ipsum. Et ideo de hoc quod factum est acetum perfectum, non potest fieri confectio. Si autem acidum sit et non acetum, tunc habet adhuc vinositatis saporem, et tunc fit quidem confectio, et tamen assumendum non est propter sacramenti reverentiam: quia de tali vino acetoso fuit potatus Christus in tormentum, et tale acetosum non dedit discipulis in sacramentum. Si autem putridum sit perfecta putrefactione et ad sui naturam et complexionem redire non possit, tunc nullo modo de tali confectio potest fieri: quia non est vinum, sicut homo mortuus non est homo. Si autem sit pendulum in via quidem corruptionis existens, et non corruptum, tunc assumpto tali vino in sacramentum fit confectio: quia illud est vinum, et adhuc suam quamvis aegram retinet vinositatem, sed tamen propter reverentiam sacramenti non est assumendum, si aliud de facili haberi potest. Haec igitur simplex traditio est de sapore vini.
red sweet wine, and trembling eggs, and broths or juices of fresh meats; but among these, trembling eggs give convertible nourishment just as they themselves are convertible, and therefore this nourishment is easily separated from the members. But broths or juices of meats give soft nourishment, somewhat fat, just as the broths themselves are soft and fat; but wheat, as we said in what went before, gives subtle and solid nourishment and one clinging much to the members. And wine gives subtle nourishment, well incorporable into the members, and joyful from the subtle blood which it makes flow; and therefore among all things bread from wheat and wine provide more fitting nourishment, and therefore they also satisfy natural appetites more according to nature. Hence Galen says: "O how well God acted when he made wine be born from the vine, which gladdens the soul and prepares blood so healthful in nourishment!"
This therefore is the cause why these two, among all other things, give a better signification for spiritual food and drink, which are furnished in the sacrament. And this is signified, Proverbs 3:10, where it is said: "Your barns will be filled with abundance, and your winepresses will overflow with wine." But he calls abundance the abundance of wheat, which is always in the barns of the Church. The king of Samaria knew this, that no natural appetite can be satisfied except from these things, when a certain woman, hungering, cried out to him and said: "Save me, my lord king," and he answered: "The Lord does not save you; whence can I save you? from the threshing-floor, or from the winepress?"1 Because those besieged in Samaria could not give wheat and wine; and therefore the king publicly professed that men could not be saved by him, by whom heretics are signified, who are not saved from the threshing-floor of the wheat of the Lord's body and from the wine of the winepress of his blood. A sign of this is that the special cultivation of countrymen, for nourishing the life of man, cultivates wheat and wine. Psalm 106:37: "They sowed fields and planted vineyards, and made the fruit of birth, by which men are fed." And therefore the Lord assumed these two things in spiritual nourishment, because these two more naturally and more commonly satisfy natural appetites; and thus what we said above is established, that wine is the common natural drink.
Chapter II. What sort this drink ought to be in quality of taste.
1. What taste is required in the wine from which the blood of Christ is consecrated? Now, according to the division given above, one must see concerning the quality of taste of this drink.
But for this it must be known that the proper taste of wine is that which in general is called vinous; because although there are diverse tastes of wine, one wine is sweet, another sharp, another pontic, another styptic, another aromatic, and according to other tastes, nevertheless the proper taste in all these is the one which is called vinous, which the wine given in the sacrament ought to have. For since taste is the nearest consequence of complexion, an integral vinous taste signifies an integral and not corrupted complexion of wine, and not a destitute one. For if it had another taste, such as rotten or vinegary, the consecration of the blood of Christ could not happen, because natural philosophers say that what is vinegary never becomes wine, because when vinegar is made from wine, the parts complexioning the nature of wine have exhaled from the wine, just as the parts of fire have exhaled from ash, which remains cold and has no proper operation of fire. And when it is said that vinegar is sharp in action, this is not said because it is hot like wine, but it is cold and has sharpness, because corrupting heat has acted upon it; and therefore not heat, but a certain property of heat, which is a penetrative sharpness and divisive of substances and corruptive of a thing, remained in it. So also in ash there remained the sharpness of fire, which by dividing and corrupting wood acted upon it. And therefore from that which has become perfect vinegar, consecration cannot happen. But if it is sour and not vinegar, then it still has the taste of vinosity, and then consecration indeed happens, and nevertheless it must not be taken up because of reverence for the sacrament, because Christ was given drink from such vinegary wine for torment, and he did not give such vinegary wine to the disciples as the sacrament. But if it is rotten by perfect putrefaction and cannot return to its nature and complexion, then in no way can consecration happen from such a thing, because it is not wine, just as a dead man is not a man. But if it is hanging, indeed existing on the way of corruption and not corrupted, then when such wine has been taken up into the sacrament, consecration happens, because it is wine and still retains its vinosity, although sick; nevertheless because of reverence for the sacrament it must not be taken up if another can easily be had. This therefore is the simple handing-down concerning the taste of wine.
Alii autem sapores vinositatem in vino non corrumpunt, sed etiam aliquando vinum delectabilius et sanius faciunt, sicut sapor aromaticus in vinoso. Et aliquando contra aliquas solutivas infirmitates quaeritur sapor ponticus in vinoso, et aliquando stipticus quaeritur contra easdem infirmitates si fortificatur infirmitas: quia tales sapores non mutant vinositatem, sed cum vinositate per naturam admixti confortant os stomachi et caetera intestinorum, quae nervosa sunt: acris autem sapor debilitat quidem vinositatem, sed non corrumpit eam: quia ille est ex cruditate vini, quod non ad ultimum et optimum est decoctum in vite propter caloris defectum, sed tamen tale vinum vere est vinum, quamvis non attingat optimam naturam vini.
Haec igitur veritatis de assumendo vino est traditio.
But other tastes do not corrupt vinosity in wine; sometimes they even make wine more delightful and healthier, as an aromatic taste in the vinous. And sometimes against certain loosening infirmities a pontic taste is sought in the vinous, and sometimes a styptic is sought against the same infirmities if the infirmity is strengthened, because such tastes do not change vinosity, but mixed by nature with vinosity they strengthen the mouth of the stomach and the other parts of the intestines, which are nervy. But a sharp taste indeed weakens vinosity, but does not corrupt it, because it is from the rawness of wine, which has not been cooked to the last and best in the vine because of a defect of heat; nevertheless such wine is truly wine, although it does not reach the best nature of wine.
This therefore is the tradition of truth concerning the wine to be assumed.
2. Effectus vini corporaliter bibiti, et quomodo vinum sacramentale eosdem habeat? Hujus autem causa est: quia species corporales in sacramento omnes pro signo assumuntur: et ideo quae efficit vinum materiale bibitum, debet significare in sacramento assumptum ad confectionem. Facit autem jucunditatem ex subtili calore et subtili humido claros et leves faciens spiritus. Facit bonam spem unicuique de seipso, ex hoc quod confortat et excitat virtutem. Facit oppilationem in capite quasi in oblivionem suiipsius, propter hoc quod est vaporosum. Facit etiam calorem digestivum ex hoc quod est calidum, et sic facit bonum chymum nutrientem optime ad cibum et membrorum refectionem.
Et haec quatuor videmus in sacramento spiritualiter: quia dando sanguinem Christus largitus est optimum spiritum, cujus sedes est in sanguine suo, dando sanguinem, optimam dedit nobis spem cuncta imperandi de ipso et omnia vincendi per ipsum. Adhuc autem dando sanguinem, ut Hieronymus dicit, quasi inebriatus est, in tantum quod quasi oblitus sui et denudatus a spoliantibus eum in cruce velut Noe tectus est operimento foliorum duorum, caelo lumen retrahente, et terra tenebras, ne nudus videretur, super eum tendente.
Primo, facit calorem optimum in nobis refectionis, qua corpus dedit et fecit quod vere est cibus, et sanguinem qui vere est potus, ut dicitur, Joan. VI, 56. Et ideo propter primum vinum sanguinis sui dicitur vinum bonum ab antiquo servatum. Joan. II, 10: Servasti, bonum vinum usque adhuc. Hinc est quod etiam spiritus dicitur bonus, Psal. CXLII, 10: Spiritus tuus bonus deducet me in terram rectam. Quia dulce est vinum bonum amicum naturae, et dulcis est spiritus quem in sanguine largitur Deus Christus. Eccli. XXIV, 27: Spiritus meus super mel dulcis, et haereditas mea super mel et favum. Ideo etiam dicitur de hoc sacramento: Parasti in dulcedine tua pauperi, Deus.2 Sic ergo dat bonum spiritum et dulcem.
Bonam autem spem nobis tribuit cuncta impetrandi et cuncta vincendi. Unde dicitur, Deuter. XXXIII, 7, de Juda: Manus ejus pugnabunt pro eo, et adjutor illius contra adversarios ejus erit. Unde autem ista confidentia fortitudinis sibi evenerit, dicitur, Genes. XLIX, 11: Lavit in vino stolam suam, et in sanguinem uvae pallium suum. Non enim stolam conversationis in vino sacramenti sibi spiritualiter infuso lavisset, hoc est, nisi sanguine benedictae uvae Jesu Christi pallium charitatis intinxisset, pro certo tantam confidentiam in Deo contra inimicos non habuisset. Hoc est quod dicitur, I Machab. VI, 34: Ostenderunt elephantis sanguinem uvae et mori, ad acuendos eos in praelium. Ex natura enim habet hoc animal, quod audax, et bonae spei efficitur, quando aliquid simile videtur sanguini: quia elephas propter castitatem et fortitudinem virium sanctum signat, qui acuitur sanguine Christi in praelium, qui de uva Christo et moro qui Christum signat propter similitudinem peccati quam ex nobis accepit, exprimitur. Ille enim sanguis valde nos facit audaces.
2. The effects of wine drunk corporally, and how sacramental wine has the same. But the cause of this is that all bodily species in the sacrament are assumed for a sign; and therefore what material wine, drunk, effects must signify that which is assumed in the sacrament for consecration. It makes gladness from subtle heat and subtle moisture, making the spirits clear and light. It makes good hope in each person about himself, from this, that it strengthens and excites power. It makes an obstruction in the head, as if toward forgetfulness of oneself, because it is vaporous. It also makes digestive heat from this, that it is hot, and thus makes good chyme, nourishing excellently for food and refreshment of the members.
And these four we see spiritually in the sacrament: because by giving blood Christ bestowed the best spirit, whose seat is in his blood; by giving blood, he gave us the best hope of obtaining all things from him and conquering all things through him. Moreover by giving blood, as Jerome says, he was as if made drunk, to such an extent that, as if forgetful of himself and stripped by those despoiling him on the cross, like Noah he was covered with the covering of two leaves, with heaven withdrawing light and earth stretching darkness over him, lest he be seen naked.
First, it makes in us the best heat of refreshment, by which he gave his body and made it what truly is food, and his blood which truly is drink, as is said, John 6:56. And therefore because of the first wine of his blood, it is called good wine kept from old. John 2:10: "You have kept the good wine until now." Hence also the spirit is called good, Psalm 142:10: "Your good spirit will lead me into the right land." For good wine, a friend of nature, is sweet, and the spirit which God Christ bestows in blood is sweet. Ecclesiasticus 24:27: "My spirit is sweet above honey, and my inheritance above honey and the honeycomb." Therefore it is also said of this sacrament: "You have prepared in your sweetness for the poor, O God."2 Thus therefore he gives a good and sweet spirit.
But he grants us good hope of obtaining all things and conquering all things. Hence it is said, Deuteronomy 33:7, concerning Judah: "His hands will fight for him, and his helper will be against his adversaries." But whence that confidence of strength came to him is said, Genesis 49:11: "He washed his robe in wine, and his cloak in the blood of the grape." For he would not have washed the robe of conduct in the wine of the sacrament spiritually poured into him, that is, unless he had dipped the cloak of charity in the blood of the blessed grape, Jesus Christ; certainly he would not have had such confidence in God against his enemies. This is what is said, 1 Maccabees 6:34: "They showed the elephants the blood of the grape and mulberry to sharpen them for battle." For by nature this animal has this, that it is made bold and of good hope when something similar to blood is seen; because the elephant, on account of chastity and strength of powers, signifies the holy person, who is sharpened for battle by the blood of Christ, which is pressed from the grape, Christ, and from the mulberry, which signifies Christ because of the likeness of sin which he received from us. For that blood makes us very bold.
De optima inebriatione quam tribuit hoc vinum, est quod nullius vinum de caetero sui ad commodum recordari debet, ex quo sic frater noster Christus coram nobis inebriatus est. Genes. XLIII, 34: Biberunt, et inebriati sunt cum eo. Cantic. V, 1: Comedite, amici, et bibite: et inebriamini, charissimi. Totus enim nos destituit et inebriavit ille amor, quod non sanguinem pro nobis tantum fudit, sed etiam eumdem sanguinem in sacramento nobis infudit.
Hic sanguis calore suae charitatis et dulcedine optime nos reficit, sicut etiam de optime et naturalissime reficientibus est vinum rubeum sanguini simile et dulce: quia etiam sanguis Christi dulcissimus est, et optime reficiens, et ideo vino optimo comparatur. Deuter. XXXII, 14: Sanguinem uvae bibebat meracissimum. Psal. XXII, 5: Calix meus inebrians quam praeclarus est! Propter hoc dicitur, Cantic. I, 13: Botrus Cypri dilectus meus mihi in vineis Engaddi. In quibus locis dulcissimum crescit vinum et valde nutritivum.
Hoc est igitur quod de saporis vini qualitate est notandum.
Acetum autem et putrida sunt vina gaudiorum hujus mundi, de quibus dicitur, Deuter. XXXII, 32 et 33: Uva eorum uva fellis, et botri amarissimi. Fel drachnum vinum eorum, et venenum aspidum insanabile. De hoc dicitur, ad Ephes. V, 18: Nolite inebriari vino in quo est luxuria. Isti sunt enim qui putridas et foetidas carnis insequuntur delectationes hujus mundi et carnis. De quibus dicitur, Amos, VI, 6: Bibentes in phialis vinum, et optimo unguento delibuti, nihil patiebantur super contritione Joseph. Unguenta enim meretricia procurant, et vinum gaudii mundani usque ad luxuriam potant putridum et foetidum, et qualiter contritus est coram eis Joseph, scilicet Christus, frater eorum, nihil advertunt: de quibus dicitur, Isa. XXVIII, 7: Verum hi quoque prae vino nescierunt: et prae ebrietate erraverunt: sacerdos et propheta nescierunt prae ebrietate: absorpti sunt a vino, erraverunt in ebrietate, nescierunt videntem, ignoraverunt judicium. Quia hoc habet natura corrupti vini, quod corruptam generat ebrietatem: et ideo isti omnia videntem Deum nescierunt, et judicium ejus quod fecit per Christum quo princeps hujus mundi ejectus est foras judicatus et condemnatus, ignoraverunt.
Ab hujusmodi igitur vino corrupto et foetido, ab aceto quod in poenas Christi propinatum est, omnibus fidelibus abstinendum est penitus in sacramento.
Of the best inebriation which this wine bestows, it is that no one ought thereafter to remember the wine of his own advantage, since our brother Christ was thus made drunk before us. Genesis 43:34: "They drank and were made drunk with him." Canticles 5:1: "Eat, friends, and drink, and be inebriated, dearest ones." For that love wholly deprived us of ourselves and inebriated us, because he not only poured out blood for us, but also poured that same blood into us in the sacrament.
This blood by the warmth of its charity and sweetness refreshes us excellently, just as among those things which refresh best and most naturally is red wine, like blood and sweet; because the blood of Christ also is sweetest and refreshes excellently, and therefore it is compared to the best wine. Deuteronomy 32:14: "He drank the purest blood of the grape." Psalm 22:5: "My inebriating chalice, how splendid it is!" On account of this it is said, Canticles 1:13: "A cluster of Cyprus is my beloved to me in the vineyards of Engaddi." In these places the sweetest and very nourishing wine grows.
This therefore is what must be noted concerning the quality of the taste of wine.
But vinegar and rotten things are the wines of the joys of this world, concerning which it is said, Deuteronomy 32:32 and 33: "Their grape is a grape of gall, and their clusters most bitter. Their wine is the gall of dragons and the incurable venom of asps." Concerning this it is said, Ephesians 5:18: "Do not be drunk with wine, in which there is luxury." For these are they who pursue the rotten and stinking delights of the flesh of this world and of the flesh. Of them it is said, Amos 6:6: "Drinking wine in bowls and smeared with the best ointment, they suffered nothing over the crushing of Joseph." For they procure harlot ointments and drink the rotten and stinking wine of worldly joy all the way to luxury, and in what way Joseph, namely Christ, their brother, is crushed before them, they do not notice at all. Of them it is said, Isaiah 28:7: "Truly these also did not know because of wine; and because of drunkenness they erred; priest and prophet did not know because of drunkenness; they were swallowed up by wine, they erred in drunkenness, they did not know the one seeing, they were ignorant of judgment." Because the nature of corrupted wine has this, that it generates corrupted drunkenness; and therefore these did not know God seeing all things, and they were ignorant of his judgment which he made through Christ, by which the prince of this world, cast outside, was judged and condemned.
Therefore from such corrupted and stinking wine, from vinegar which was offered for the punishments of Christ, all the faithful must abstain entirely in the sacrament.
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