Works › The Book on the Sacrament of the Eucharist
Volume 38 · pp. 411–413
Tractate III. Single Chapter, 1-2
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TRACTATUS III.
QUID IN HOC SACRAMENTO SIT SACRAMENTUM OMNIUM? ET, QUID SIT RES ET SACRAMENTUM? ET, QUID RES ET NON SACRAMENTUM?
CAPUT UNICUM.
1. Nunc autem dicere restat quid in sacramento sit sacramentum tantum, quid sit res et sacramentum, et quid res tantum et non sacramentum. Haec enim tria in omni sacramento novae legis inveniuntur.
Dicitur autem communiter, quod illud quod est sacramentum tantum in hoc sacramento, est species sacramentalis quae consistit in panis et vini accidentibus. Id autem quod est res et sacramentum, est corpus Christi sub speciebus panis et vini contentum. Id autem quod est res tantum, est gratia nutrimenti spiritualis, quae per se et principaliter efficitur in hoc sacramento.
Sunt quidam dubitationem facientes contra primum: quia dicit Magister Hugo de sancto Victore, quod omne sacramentum est visibile et corporale elementum, ex similitudine repraesentans, et ex institutione significans, et ex sanctificatione invisibilem gratiam conferens. Species autem quae sunt formae accidentium panis et vini, non sunt corporale elementum: quia non sunt corpora: et sic videtur, quod male dicatur, quod species sacramentales sint sacramentum.
Adhuc Beda dicit: « Accedat verbum ad elementum, et fit sacramentum. » Ergo est sacramentum ad quod accedit verbum: verbum autem vocatur verborum forma quae est forma sacramenti: hoc autem verbum in hoc sacramento non accedit nisi ad panis substantiam et non ad accidentia, quia panem transsubstantiat et non accidentia: ergo substantia panis et vini sunt sacramenta, et non accidentia.
Si autem hoc concedatur, in contrarium est, quod illud quod est sacramentum tantum, in omni sacramento manet: substantia autem panis et vini in hoc sacramento non manent.
Ulterius autem quaeritur de hoc quod est sacramentum et res. Hoc enim corpus Christi verum esse dicitur: et hoc non videtur esse verum: quia dicit Augustinus, quod sacramentum est visibilis forma speciem ingerens sensibus. Corpus autem Christi verum non videtur in sacramento: et ideo non videtur esse sacramentum et res, sed res tantum.
TRACTATE III.
WHAT IN THIS SACRAMENT IS THE SACRAMENT OF ALL? AND WHAT IS THING AND SACRAMENT? AND WHAT IS THING AND NOT SACRAMENT?
SINGLE CHAPTER.
1. But now it remains to say what in the sacrament is sacrament only, what is thing and sacrament, and what is thing only and not sacrament. For these three are found in every sacrament of the new law.
But it is commonly said that what is sacrament only in this sacrament is the sacramental species, which consists in the accidents of bread and wine. But what is thing and sacrament is the body of Christ contained under the species of bread and wine. But what is thing only is the grace of spiritual nourishment, which through itself and principally is effected in this sacrament.
Certain persons raise a doubt against the first, because Master Hugh of Saint Victor says that every sacrament is a visible and corporeal element, representing from likeness, signifying from institution, and conferring invisible grace from sanctification. But the species which are the forms of the accidents of bread and wine are not a corporeal element, because they are not bodies; and thus it seems that it is badly said that the sacramental species are the sacrament.
Moreover Bede says: "Let the word approach the element, and the sacrament comes to be." Therefore that is the sacrament to which the word approaches; but the word is called the form of words which is the form of the sacrament; but in this sacrament this word approaches only the substance of bread and not the accidents, because it transubstantiates the bread and not the accidents; therefore the substance of bread and wine are sacraments, and not the accidents.
But if this is conceded, to the contrary is that what is sacrament only remains in every sacrament; but the substance of bread and wine do not remain in this sacrament.
Further, inquiry is made concerning that which is sacrament and thing. For this is said to be the true body of Christ, and this does not seem to be true, because Augustine says that a sacrament is a visible form bringing an appearance to the senses. But the true body of Christ is not seen in the sacrament; and therefore it does not seem to be sacrament and thing, but thing only.
Adhuc autem, cum omne sacramentum consistat ex materia et forma, si Christus vel Christi corpus est sacramentum, oportet quod habeat formam. Haec autem forma non est illa quae dicta est super panem: quia illa ut forma jam functa est officio suo transsubstantiando panem in corpus Christi, et in corpore Christi nihil facit ulterius: ergo oportet illud sacramentum quod est corpus Christi verum, ulterius habeat aliam formam per quam fiat sacramentum.
Adhuc autem, cum corpus Christi mysticum etiam significetur in sacramento, quod tamen non est ultima substantialis res hujus sacramenti, videtur quod corpus mysticum etiam sit res et sacramentum. Et sic in hoc sacramento duo sunt, quae sunt res et sacramentum.
Ulterius autem etiam quaeritur de eo quod est res tantum, quae dicitur esse gratia spiritualiter nutriens ad corpus Christi incorporandum: Christo enim non incorporamur per unam gratiam, sed per multas: quia per omnes gratias gratum facientes, sicut dicit Apostolus, ad Ephes. IV, 11 et 12: Et ipse dedit quosdam quidem Apostolos, quosdam autem Prophetas, alios vero Evangelistas, alios autem pastores, et doctores, ad consummationem sanctorum in opus ministerii, in aedificationem corporis Christi. Incorporatio igitur talis non videtur esse spiritualiter res istius sacramenti.
2. Ad haec et similia non est difficile respondere ei qui apud se bene habet scientiam sacramentalem. Dici enim debet, quod sicut in omni sacramento, ita et in isto est quoddam sacramentum tantum, sicut formae sacramentales: et quoddam res et sacramentum, sicut corpus Christi verum: quoddam res tantum, sicut gratia nutriens spiritualiter ad incorporationem Christo faciendam. Formae enim sacramentales signant tantum et nihil causant. Corpus autem Christi verum signat et causat, signatur et causatur. Gratia autem nutriens spiritualiter signatur et causatur, et nihil ulterius signat, sed causat in mystico corpore incorporationem quae fit fidelium ad Christum. Et hac de causa ista tria sunt in sacramento, ita scilicet quod primum est signans et non signatum. Tertium autem est signatum et non signans. Medium autem est signans et signatum. Quidquid autem ex institutione divina signat gratiam, sacramenti nomen habet et rationem: quia sacramentum est invisibilis gratiae visibilis forma, cujus similitudinem gerat et causa existat, sicut dicit Augustinus.
Moreover, since every sacrament consists of matter and form, if Christ or the body of Christ is a sacrament, it must have a form. But this form is not that which has been said over the bread, because that, as form, has now discharged its office by transubstantiating the bread into the body of Christ, and it does nothing further in the body of Christ; therefore it is necessary that that sacrament which is the true body of Christ further have another form through which it becomes a sacrament.
Moreover, since the mystical body of Christ is also signified in the sacrament, which nevertheless is not the ultimate substantial thing of this sacrament, it seems that the mystical body is also thing and sacrament. And thus in this sacrament there are two things which are thing and sacrament.
Further, inquiry is also made concerning that which is thing only, which is said to be grace nourishing spiritually for incorporation into the body of Christ; for we are not incorporated into Christ by one grace, but by many, because by all graces making one pleasing, as the Apostle says in Ephesians 4:11 and 12: And he gave some as Apostles, some as Prophets, others as Evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, for the consummation of the saints unto the work of ministry, unto the building up of the body of Christ. Therefore such incorporation does not seem spiritually to be the thing of this sacrament.
2. To these and similar things it is not difficult to respond for one who has sacramental science well within himself. For it must be said that, as in every sacrament, so also in this one there is something that is sacrament only, as the sacramental forms; and something that is thing and sacrament, as the true body of Christ; and something that is thing only, as grace nourishing spiritually for incorporation to be made into Christ. For the sacramental forms signify only and cause nothing. But the true body of Christ signifies and causes, and is signified and caused. But grace nourishing spiritually is signified and caused, and signifies nothing further, but causes in the mystical body the incorporation which is made of the faithful to Christ. And for this cause these three are in the sacrament, namely so that the first is signifying and not signified; the third is signified and not signifying; but the middle is signifying and signified. But whatever from divine institution signifies grace has the name and account of a sacrament, because a sacrament is the visible form of invisible grace, whose likeness it bears and whose cause it exists as, as Augustine says.
Ad id ergo quod de primo objicitur, dicitur quod elementum non dicitur nisi ad similitudinem definitionis elementi corporis: quia elementum est, quod est in compositione primum, et sic id quod componit sacramentum, dicitur elementum sacramenti, dummodo componat id naturaliter, sicut corpora hujus mundi materialiter componuntur ex quatuor elementis, et sic dicuntur formae sacramentales elementum: quia materialiter componunt perfectionem sacramenti, secundum quod est signans et continens: quia sic integratur ex signante gratiam, et corpore Christi vero, et gratia significata et causata.
Ad hoc quod objicitur, quod species non sint corpora, respondendum est, quod non oportet ipsa esse corpora, sed corporalia: quia etiam aqua in sacramento baptismi non est proprie sacramentum, sed potius tinctio facta in aqua, quae, inquam, tinctio non est corpus, sed etiam corporalis quaedam forma ad modum habitus aptata baptizato.
Ad id quod ex verbo Bedae objicitur, dicendum quod elementum dicitur duobus modis: quia et ipsa materia unde sumitur sacramentum, vocatur elementum, sicut aqua in baptismo, et ipsa forma corporalis a qua trahitur similitudo ad gratiam signandam, etiam dicitur elementum: et ad utrumque accedit verbum: quia sine verbo nec bene signaret, nec penitus aliquid efficeret: et ideo verbum dictum super panem facit, quod formae sacramentales signant refectionem cibi spiritualis. Quod non facerent, si verba formae sacramenti ad illas formas non accederent, quin potius refectionem cibi carnalis signarent: et sic verum est quod dicit Beda generaliter in omni sacramento.
Therefore to that which is objected concerning the first, it is said that element is said only according to the likeness of the definition of bodily element, because an element is what is first in composition, and thus what composes the sacrament is called the element of the sacrament, provided that it composes it naturally, as the bodies of this world are materially composed from the four elements; and thus the sacramental forms are called an element, because they materially compose the perfection of the sacrament insofar as it is signifying and containing, because thus it is integrated from what signifies grace, and the true body of Christ, and the grace signified and caused.
To this which is objected, that the species are not bodies, it must be answered that they need not be bodies, but corporeal things, because even water in the sacrament of baptism is not properly the sacrament, but rather the dipping made in water; which dipping, I say, is not a body, but also a certain corporeal form adapted to the baptized in the mode of a habit.
To that which is objected from the word of Bede, it must be said that element is said in two ways, because both the matter itself from which the sacrament is taken is called element, as water in baptism, and the corporeal form itself from which likeness is drawn for signifying grace is also called element; and the word approaches each, because without the word it would neither signify well nor effect anything completely; and therefore the word said over the bread makes the sacramental forms signify the refreshment of spiritual food. They would not do this if the words of the form of the sacrament did not approach those forms; rather, they would signify the refreshment of carnal food; and thus what Bede says generally in every sacrament is true.
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