Works › The Book on the Sacrament of the Eucharist
Volume 38 · pp. 290–293
Chapter III. What sort this drink ought to be in mixture
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Caput III. Qualis debeat esse hic potus in mixtione?
1. Cur aqua vino misceatur? Tertio autem hic inserendum est qualiter vinum sacramentale sanguinis Christi, et qua de causa sit miscendum. Quamvis enim in praemissis de hoc dicta sint, tamen hic ex intentione de hoc est dicendum.
Sciendum est ergo, quod aqua ad vinum in calice ponenda est tanta, ut vinositatem vini in alterum non mutet saporem, sed quae significet id quod in sacramento est significandum, et hoc est conjunctionem humanae naturae cum Christo: quia aqua propter suam insipiditatem significat hominem insipidum, et conjunctio aquae cum vino debet esse, quae saporem vini accipiat perdendo propriam insipiditatem: non quod saporem vini trahat ad aquae insipiditatem: quia homo saporem gratiae accepit a Christo, et non Christus perdit saporem gratiae ex homine. Ponitur igitur aqua ad significandum tantum, et non ad hoc quod vino auferat suam fortitudinem vel vinositatem. Tantum autem significat una gutta, quantum mille amphorae vel totum mare: et ideo ad perfectionem sacramenti nullum periculum est parum in ponendo de aqua, sed est periculum in multum ponendo: quia si tanta ponatur aqua, quod a vino tollat vinositatem, tunc non fit sacramenti confectio: tunc enim non est vinum, sed est aqua aliquantulum vinata. Unde de vappa non potest fieri sacramenti confectio. Vappa enim est aqua fusa super acinos uvarum, postquam expressum est vinum: quae aqua aliquantulum habet de vini acumine, et a pauperibus bibitur, et tamen non est vinum.
2. Quod autem aqua in sacramento ponitur ad significandum, tres sunt causae. Una tamen: quia cum Christi latus apertum proflueret sacramenta nos sanctificantia, tunc aqua cum sanguine et non solus sanguis exivit. Joan. XIX, 34: Unus militum lancea latus ejus aperuit, et continuo exivit sanguis et aqua. Et haec est causa potissima: quia in hoc significabatur, quod populus in sanctificatione necessario conjungendus est Christo: quia aliter gratiam redemptionis non obtineret. Apocal. XVII, 15: Aquae quas vidisti ubi meretrix sedet, populi sunt, et gentes, et linguae. Ibi habet alia translatio: « Aquae multae populi multi. » Et dicitur, Proverb. IX, 5, ubi loquitur Salomon de coena sapientiae, dicens: Bibite vinum quod miscui vobis. Semper enim vinum insipidum sapori Christi est immiscendum, ut fiat acceptum. Unde dicit Chrysostomus: « Sunt quidem homines insipidi in nullo ab aqua differentes: hos adducamus ad Christum, et ad saporem caelestem per Christum mutabuntur. » In hujus rei signum Christus mutavit aquam in vinum bonum, quod omnium gustum delectaret. Joan. II, 9 et 10: Ut autem gustavit architriclinus aquam vinum factam, et non sciebat unde esset, ministri autem sciebant qui hauserant aquam, vocat sponsum architriclinus, et dicit ei: Omnis homo primum bonum vinum ponit: et cum inebriati fuerint, tunc id quod deterius est: tu autem servasti bonum vinum usque adhuc. Vinum enim sacramenti prae omnibus et dulce et bonum, et ideo per mulsum signatur, quod est vinum melle purissimo conditum. Nehemiae seu II Esdrae, VIII, 10: Comedite pinguia, et bibite mulsum. Pingue enim adipe devotionis est corpus Domini. Mulsum autem melle deitatis conditum, est vinum dulcissimi sanguinis.
Chapter III. What sort this drink ought to be in mixture.
1. Why water is mixed with wine. Third, however, it must be inserted here how the sacramental wine of the blood of Christ is to be mixed, and for what cause. For although things have been said about this in what went before, nevertheless here it must be spoken of intentionally.
Therefore it must be known that the water to be put with the wine in the chalice is so much that it does not change the vinosity of the wine into another taste, but signifies that which must be signified in the sacrament, and this is the conjunction of human nature with Christ; because water, because of its tastelessness, signifies tasteless man, and the conjunction of water with wine ought to be such as receives the taste of wine by losing its own tastelessness, not such that it draws the taste of wine to the tastelessness of water, because man received the taste of grace from Christ, and Christ does not lose the taste of grace from man. Therefore water is put in only for signifying, and not for taking away from wine its strength or vinosity. But one drop signifies as much as a thousand amphorae or the whole sea; and therefore for the perfection of the sacrament there is no danger in putting in little water, but there is danger in putting in much, because if so much water is put in that it takes vinosity away from the wine, then the consecration of the sacrament does not happen; for then it is not wine, but water somewhat wined. Hence from vappa the consecration of the sacrament cannot happen. For vappa is water poured over grape-skins after the wine has been pressed out; this water has somewhat of the sharpness of wine and is drunk by the poor, and nevertheless is not wine.
2. But that water is put in the sacrament for signifying has three causes. One, however: because when Christ's opened side poured forth the sacraments sanctifying us, then water came out with blood, and not blood alone. John 19:34: "One of the soldiers opened his side with a lance, and immediately blood and water came out." And this is the chief cause, because in this it was signified that the people in sanctification must necessarily be joined to Christ, because otherwise they would not obtain the grace of redemption. Apocalypse 17:15: "The waters which you saw where the harlot sits are peoples and nations and tongues." There another translation has: "Many waters are many peoples." And it is said, Proverbs 9:5, where Solomon speaks of the supper of wisdom, saying: "Drink the wine which I have mixed for you." For tasteless wine must always be mixed into the taste of Christ, so that it may be made acceptable. Hence Chrysostom says: "There are indeed tasteless men differing in nothing from water; let us bring these to Christ, and through Christ they will be changed to the heavenly taste." As a sign of this thing Christ changed water into good wine, which would delight the taste of all. John 2:9 and 10: "But when the chief steward tasted the water made wine, and did not know whence it was, but the ministers who had drawn the water knew, the chief steward calls the bridegroom and says to him: Every man first sets out the good wine; and when they have been made drunk, then that which is worse; but you have kept the good wine until now." For the wine of the sacrament is sweet and good before all things, and therefore it is signified by mulsum, which is wine seasoned with purest honey. Nehemiah or 2 Esdras 8:10: "Eat fat things and drink mulsum." For the Lord's body is fat with the fatness of devotion. But mulsum seasoned with the honey of deity is the wine of the sweetest blood.
Haec igitur est causa una.
3. Secunda causa est: quia haec praecessit in figura Veteris Testamenti: quia infectio originalis peccati per leprae infectionem signatur, et sicut in figura curatur lepra, ita per veritatem in sacramento curatur infectio peccati. Unde, Levit. XIV, 4 et seq., in purificatione leprae dicitur: Praecipiet ei qui purificatur, ut offerat duos passeres vivos pro se, quibus vesci licitum est, et lignum cedrinum, vermiculumque et hyssopum. Et unum ex passeribus immolari jubebit in vase fictili super aquas viventes: alium autem vivum cum ligno cedrino, et cocco et hyssopo, tinget in sanguine passeris immolati, quo asperget illum, qui mundandus est, septies. Duo enim passeres sunt duae naturae in Christo, quarum una extra passibilitatem evolavit, non humanam naturam deserendo, sed passionem non sentiendo, scilicet divina: altera autem est immolata in passione, scilicet humana. Lignum autem cedrinum, sanguinis Christi signat imputribilitatem, quae nos a putredine servat. Hyssopus autem sanguinis ejusdem signat puritatem, qui nos purificat. Coccus autem qui rubicundissimi est sanguinis, signat in Christo in effusione sanguinis patientiam et charitatem, quae per ruborem significari consueverunt. Aqua autem viva aquam signat de Christi latere exeuntem, omnia purificantem. Nec purificatur aliquis, nisi in sanguine et aquae tinctione septies domus cordis ejus aspergatur. Quia sicut dicunt sancti, sanguis septem locis elicitus est de corpore Domini, scilicet in circumcisione in damnationem et cauterium concupiscentiae. In sudore sanguineo in signum doloris et angustiae. In compunctione per flagella in signum ejus quam pro nostris excessibus sustinuit disciplinae. Isa. LIII, 5: Disciplina pacis nostrae super eum, et livore ejus sanati sumus. In duobus vulneribus pedum ad nostrum sanandum affectum. In duobus vulneribus manuum ad sanandum nostri operis effectum. Et sic septies adspergimur in sanitatem. Zachar. XIII, 6: Quid sunt plagae istae in medio manuum tuarum? Et dicet: His plagatus sum in domo eorum qui diligebant me, hoc est, qui me diligere debebant. Hoc etiam significatum est, Numer. XIX, 9, ubi dicitur, quod aqua expiationis fit de sanguine vitulae rufae, per quam aquam omnia tam tabernaculum quam ea quae erant in usum tabernaculi, expiabantur, et vitula rufa quae sanguine suo Christum rubricatum significat. Combustio autem vitulae, Christi significat passionem, et sanguis ejus Christi significat sanguinem, et aqua significat aquam quae de latere Christi fluxit, quae est aqua verae expiationis. Ad Hebr. IX, 19 et seq.: Lecto enim omni mandato legis a Moyse universo populo, accipiens sanguinem vitulorum et hircorum, cum aqua, et lana coccinea, et hyssopo, ipsum quoque librum, et omnem populum aspersit, dicens: Hic sanguis testamenti quod mandavit ad vos Deus. Etiam tabernaculum et omnia vasa ministerii sanguine similiter aspersit: et omnia pene in sanguine secundum legem mundantur, et sine sanguinis effusione non fit remissio, scilicet peccati. Ex hoc accipitur idem quod prius, nisi quod sanguis hircorum significat Christi sanguinem pro peccatis nostris effusum. Sanguis autem vitulorum significat Christi sanguinem effusum pro nostra petulantia.
This therefore is one cause.
3. The second cause is that this preceded in the figure of the Old Testament, because the infection of original sin is signified by the infection of leprosy, and just as leprosy is cured in figure, so by truth in the sacrament the infection of sin is cured. Hence, Leviticus 14:4 and following, in the purification of leprosy it is said: "He will command him who is purified to offer for himself two living sparrows, which it is lawful to eat, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop. And he will order one of the sparrows to be immolated in an earthen vessel over living waters; but the other, living, with cedar wood and scarlet and hyssop, he will dip in the blood of the immolated sparrow, with which he will sprinkle seven times the one who must be cleansed." For the two sparrows are the two natures in Christ, of which one flew beyond passibility, not by deserting human nature, but by not feeling passion, namely the divine; but the other was immolated in the passion, namely the human. But cedar wood signifies the incorruptibility of Christ's blood, which keeps us from rottenness. But hyssop signifies the purity of the same blood, which purifies us. But the scarlet, which is of reddest blood, signifies in Christ, in the pouring out of blood, patience and charity, which have been accustomed to be signified through redness. But the living water signifies the water coming out of Christ's side, purifying all things. Nor is anyone purified unless the house of his heart is sprinkled seven times in blood and in the dipping of water. For as the saints say, blood was drawn out from the Lord's body in seven places, namely in circumcision for the condemnation and cautery of concupiscence; in bloody sweat as a sign of sorrow and anguish; in the piercing through scourges as a sign of the discipline which he sustained for our excesses. Isaiah 53:5: "The discipline of our peace was upon him, and by his bruise we are healed." In the two wounds of the feet for healing our affection; in the two wounds of the hands for healing the effect of our work. And thus we are sprinkled seven times unto health. Zechariah 13:6: "What are those wounds in the middle of your hands? And he will say: With these I was wounded in the house of those who loved me," that is, who ought to have loved me. This was also signified, Numbers 19:9, where it is said that the water of expiation is made from the blood of the red heifer, through which water all things, both the tabernacle and the things which were for the use of the tabernacle, were expiated; and the red heifer by its blood signifies Christ reddened. But the burning of the heifer signifies Christ's passion, and its blood signifies Christ's blood, and the water signifies the water which flowed from Christ's side, which is the water of true expiation. Hebrews 9:19 and following: "For when every commandment of the law had been read by Moses to the whole people, taking the blood of calves and goats with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, he sprinkled also the book itself and all the people, saying: This is the blood of the testament which God has commanded to you. He also similarly sprinkled the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry with blood; and almost all things according to the law are cleansed in blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no remission," namely of sin. From this the same thing as before is taken, except that the blood of goats signifies the blood of Christ poured out for our sins. But the blood of calves signifies the blood of Christ poured out for our wantonness.
Sic igitur patet, quod immissio aquae in sanguinem, quae significat conjunctionem populi cum sanguine redemptionis, praecessit in figuris Veteris Testamenti. Propter quod etiam in veritate sacramenti novae legis aqua cum vino debet misceri.
4. Tertia autem causa est: quia in aqua magis est vis expiativa, in sanguine autem magis est pretium nostrae redemptionis: et quia in sacramento utrumque est, scilicet expiatio et redemptio, ideo unum cum alio debet misceri. Hoc est quod dicitur, Ezechiel. XXXVI, 25: Effundam super vos aquam mundam, et mundabimini ab omnibus inquinamentis vestris. Haec est aqua, quae sicut dicitur, Ezechiel. XLVII, 2, egressa est de templo corporis Christi a latere dextro, et omnia ad quae venit, purificavit et vivificavit. Haec est aqua de qua dicitur, Eccli. XV, 3: Aqua sapientiae salutaris potabit illum. Non enim habet aqua de se saporem, nisi accipiat eum de sanguine de corde sapientiae Dei exeunte: quia Christus Dei sapientia et Dei virtus.1 Et ideo ista sapientiae aqua potat et ad saporem gratiae et ad expiationem veniae.
Hae igitur sunt causae propter quas aqua cum vino sanguinis in sacramento est ponenda.
Thus therefore it is clear that the sending of water into blood, which signifies the conjunction of the people with the blood of redemption, preceded in the figures of the Old Testament. On account of this, also in the truth of the sacrament of the new law, water must be mixed with wine.
4. But the third cause is that in water there is more the expiative force, but in blood there is more the price of our redemption; and because both are in the sacrament, namely expiation and redemption, therefore one must be mixed with the other. This is what is said, Ezekiel 36:25: "I will pour clean water over you, and you will be cleansed from all your defilements." This is the water which, as is said, Ezekiel 47:2, went forth from the temple of Christ's body from the right side, and purified and vivified all things to which it came. This is the water of which it is said, Ecclesiasticus 15:3: "He will give him to drink the water of saving wisdom." For water does not have taste from itself unless it receives it from the blood coming forth from the heart of God's wisdom, because Christ is the wisdom of God and the power of God.1 And therefore that water of wisdom gives drink both toward the taste of grace and toward the expiation of pardon.
These, then, are the causes on account of which water must be put with the wine of blood in the sacrament.
5. Utrum aqua et vinum quae miscentur in calice, possunt separari? Dicunt tamen quidam, quod in vino sacramenti aqua a vino non absumitur, nec convertitur in vini saporem, sicut diximus, et putant se philosophari et esse sapientes dicentes, quod si quis substantiam raram quae est in scyrpo vel radices carecti decorticatas ponat in vinum, quod aqua infusa in vinum extrahitur, et remanet ipsa vini natura fortior quam ante fuerat. Et addunt, quod ex quo potest aquae substantia extrahi a vino, remanente vini natura, quod aqua absumpta a vino non fuerat, et ideo in sacramento aqua a vino non absumitur. Sed isti fatui sunt, non intelligentes neque quae dicunt, neque de quibus affirmant: quia omnia quaecumque sunt in natura, attrahunt per suam similitudinem et similia sibi: et ideo si scyrpi medulla et radicis carecti medulla, quae omnino aquea sunt, in vino non mixto ponantur, id quod est in vino aquosum, ex sua cum aqueo similitudine attrahunt, quo attracto, id quod remanet, et spissius et vinosius apparet. Haec igitur non attrahunt aquam quae separata manet in vino, sed aqueum de partibus vinosis exsugunt, quod tamen prius partibus vinosis erat admixtum. Et quod dicitur, quod si separetur ab eo, quod tunc non erit admixtum, consequentia est, quae nihil valet: quia omne miscibile, ut dicit Aristoteles, separatur a mixto in quo est, et tamen antequam separetur ab ipso, erat illi admixtum. Unde potius oppositum sequitur, scilicet quod si separatur ab ipso, quod pro certo erat illi admixtum: mixta enim remanent in eo quod mixtum est secundum substantiam suae formae, quamvis non maneant in ipso secundum excellentias suarum qualitatum.2 Mixtio enim est miscibilium alteratorum unio, et non est miscibilium corruptorum corruptio vel generatio: et hoc est quod signando haec dicit Dominus, Joan. VI, 57: Qui manducat meam carnem, et bibit meum sanguinem, in me manet, et ego in eo. Sic enim immissi in Christum, unum cum eo efficimur, et inseparabiles ab ipso. Ad Galat. II, 20: Vivo autem, jam non ego, vivit vero in me Christus. Quod autem nunc vivo in carne, in fide vivo Filii Dei, qui dilexit me, et tradidit semetipsum pro me. Sicut enim Christus per unionem unitur Patri, ita et nos per immissionem cum sanguine ejus subhaeremus Christo, ut sic colligamur ad Deum Patrem fontem unionis istius. I ad Corinth. XI, 3: Omnis viri caput Christus est: caput autem mulieris, vir: caput vero Christi, Deus.
Et sic omnia ad unum referuntur, et hoc est quod intendimus.
5. Whether the water and wine which are mixed in the chalice can be separated. Some nevertheless say that in the wine of the sacrament the water is not consumed by the wine, nor converted into the taste of wine, as we said, and they think themselves to philosophize and to be wise, saying that if someone puts into wine the rare substance which is in rush, or peeled roots of sedge, then the water poured into the wine is drawn out, and the nature itself of the wine remains stronger than it had been before. And they add that, since the substance of water can be drawn out from wine while the nature of wine remains, the water had not been consumed by wine, and therefore in the sacrament water is not consumed by wine. But these men are fools, understanding neither the things they say nor the things about which they make assertions, because all things whatsoever that are in nature attract through their likeness and things similar to themselves. And therefore if the pith of rush and the pith of sedge root, which are wholly watery, are put in unmixed wine, they attract what is watery in the wine from their likeness with the watery; and when this has been attracted, what remains appears thicker and more vinous. Therefore these do not attract water which remains separated in wine, but suck out the watery from the vinous parts, which nevertheless previously had been mixed with the vinous parts. And what is said, that if it is separated from it, then it will not have been mixed, is a consequence which is worth nothing, because every mixable thing, as Aristotle says, is separated from the mixture in which it is, and nevertheless before it is separated from it, it was mixed with it. Hence rather the opposite follows, namely that if it is separated from it, certainly it had been mixed with it. For mixed things remain in that which is mixed according to the substance of their form, although they do not remain in it according to the excellences of their qualities.2 For mixture is the union of altered mixable things, and is not the corruption or generation of corrupted mixable things; and this is what the Lord says, signifying these things, John 6:57: "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him." For thus, sent into Christ, we are made one with him and inseparable from him. Galatians 2:20: "But I live, now not I, but Christ lives in me. But that I now live in the flesh, I live in the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and handed himself over for me." For just as Christ by union is united to the Father, so also we by being sent in with his blood subsistently cling to Christ, so that thus we may be bound together to God the Father, the fountain of this union. 1 Corinthians 11:3: "The head of every man is Christ; but the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God."
And thus all things are referred to one, and this is what we intend.
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