Epistle LXII.552    Oxford ed.: Ep. lxiii. a.d. 253.

Cæcilius, on the Sacrament of the Cup of the Lord.

Argument.—Cyprian Teaches, in Opposition to Those Who Used Water in the Lord’s Supper, that Not Water Alone, But Wine Mixed with Water, Was to Be Offered; That by Water Was Designated in Scripture, Baptism, But Certainly Not the Eucharist. By Types Drawn from the Old Testament, the Use of Wine in the Sacrament of the Lord’s Body is Illustrated; And It is Declared that by the Symbol of Water is Understood the Christian Congregation.

1. Cyprian to Cæcilius his brother, greeting. Although I know, dearest brother, that very many of the bishops who are set over the churches of the Lord by divine condescension, throughout the whole world, maintain the plan of evangelical truth, and of the tradition of the Lord, and do not by human and novel institution depart from that which Christ our Master both prescribed and did; yet since some, either by ignorance or simplicity553    [A kindly rebuke of those Encratites who were called Hydroparastatæ. Epiphan., iii. p. 9, ed. Oehler.] in sanctifying the cup of the Lord, and in ministering to the people, do not do that which Jesus Christ, our Lord and God, the founder and teacher of this sacrifice, did and taught, I have thought it as well a religious as a necessary thing to write to you this letter, that, if any one is still kept in this error, he may behold the light of truth, and return to the root and origin of the tradition of the Lord.554    [1 Cor. xi. 2. Our author evidently has this in mind. He is admonished by such Scriptures to maintain apostolic traditions.] Nor must you think, dearest brother, that I am writing my own thoughts or man’s; or that I am boldly assuming this to myself of my own voluntary will, since I always hold my mediocrity with lowly and modest moderation. But when anything is prescribed by the inspiration and command of God, it is necessary that a faithful servant should obey the Lord, acquitted by all of assuming anything arrogantly to himself, seeing that he is constrained to fear offending the Lord unless he does what he is commanded.

2. Know then that I have been admonished that, in offering the cup, the tradition of the Lord555    [1 Cor. xi. 2. Our author evidently has this in mind. He is admonished by such Scriptures to maintain apostolic traditions.] must be observed, and that nothing must be done by us but what the Lord first did on our behalf, as that the cup which is offered in remembrance of Him should be offered mingled with wine. For when Christ says, “I am the true vine,”556    John xv. 1. the blood of Christ is assuredly not water, but wine; neither can His blood by which we are redeemed and quickened appear to be in the cup, when in the cup there is no wine whereby the blood of Christ is shown forth, which is declared by the sacrament and testimony of all the Scriptures.

3. For we find in Genesis also, in respect of the sacrament in Noe, this same thing was to them a precursor and figure of the Lord’s passion; that he drank wine; that he was drunken; that he was made naked in his household; that he was lying down with his thighs naked and exposed; that the nakedness of the father was observed by his second son, and was told abroad, but was covered by two, the eldest and the youngest; and other matters which it is not necessary to follow out, since this is enough for us to embrace alone, that Noe, setting forth a type of the future truth, did not drink water, but wine, and thus expressed the figure of the passion of the Lord.

4. Also in the priest Melchizedek we see prefigured the sacrament of the sacrifice of the Lord, according to what divine Scripture testifies, and says, “And Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine.”557    Gen. xiv. 18. Now he was a priest of the most high God, and blessed Abraham. And that Melchizedek bore a type of Christ, the Holy Spirit declares in the Psalms, saying from the person of the Father to the Son: “Before the morning star I begat Thee; Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek;”558    Ps. cx. 4. which order is assuredly this coming from that sacrifice and thence descending; that Melchizedek was a priest of the most high God; that he offered wine and bread; that he blessed Abraham. For who is more a priest of the most high God than our Lord Jesus Christ, who offered a sacrifice to God the Father, and offered that very same thing which Melchizedek had offered, that is, bread and wine, to wit, His body and blood? And with respect to Abraham, that blessing going before belonged to our people.  For if Abraham believed in God, and it was accounted unto him for righteousness, assuredly whosoever believes in God and lives in faith is found righteous, and already is blessed in faithful Abraham, and is set forth as justified; as the blessed Apostle Paul proves, when he says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Ye know, then, that they which are of faith, these are the children of Abraham. But the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles through faith, pronounced before to Abraham that all nations should be blessed in him; therefore they who are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.”559    Gal. iii. 6–9. Whence in the Gospel we find that “children of Abraham are raised from stones, that is, are gathered from the Gentiles.”560    Matt. iii. 9. And when the Lord praised Zacchæus, He answered and said “This day is salvation come to this house, forasmuch as he also is a son of Abraham.”561    Luke xix. 9. In Genesis, therefore, that the benediction, in respect of Abraham by Melchizedek the priest, might be duly celebrated, the figure of Christ’s sacrifice precedes, namely, as ordained in bread and wine; which thing the Lord, completing and fulfilling, offered bread and the cup mixed with wine, and so He who is the fulness of truth fulfilled the truth of the image prefigured.

5. Moreover the Holy Spirit by Solomon shows before the type of the Lord’s sacrifice, making mention of the immolated victim, and of the bread and wine, and, moreover, of the altar and of the apostles, and says, “Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath underlaid her seven pillars; she hath killed her victims; she hath mingled her wine in the chalice; she hath also furnished her table: and she hath sent forth her servants, calling together with a lofty announcement to her cup, saying, Whoso is simple, let him turn to me; and to those that want understanding she hath said, Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled for you.”562    Prov. ix. 1–5. He declares the wine mingled, that is, he foretells with prophetic voice the cup of the Lord mingled with water and wine, that it may appear that that was done in our Lord’s passion which had been before predicted.

6. In the blessing of Judah also this same thing is signified, where there also is expressed a figure of Christ, that He should have praise and worship from his brethren; that He should press down the back of His enemies yielding and fleeing, with the hands with which He bore the cross and conquered death; and that He Himself is the Lion of the tribe of Judah, and should couch sleeping in His passion, and should rise up, and should Himself be the hope of the Gentiles. To which things divine Scripture adds, and says, “He shall wash His garment in wine, and His clothing in the blood of the grape.”563    Gen. xlix. 11. But when the blood of the grape is mentioned, what else is set forth than the wine of the cup of the blood of the Lord?

7. In Isaiah also the Holy Spirit testifies this same thing concerning the Lord’s passion, saying, “Wherefore are Thy garments red, and Thy apparel as from the treading of the wine-press full and well trodden?”564    Isa. lxiii. 2. Can water make garments red? or is it water in the wine-press which is trodden by the feet, or pressed out by the press? Assuredly, therefore, mention is made of wine, that the Lord’s blood may be understood, and that which was afterwards manifested in the cup of the Lord might be foretold by the prophets who announced it. The treading also, and pressure of the wine-press, is repeatedly dwelt on; because just as the drinking of wine cannot be attained to unless the bunch of grapes be first trodden and pressed, so neither could we drink the blood of Christ unless Christ had first been trampled upon and pressed, and had first drunk the cup of which He should also give believers to drink.

8. But as often as water is named alone in the Holy Scriptures, baptism is referred to, as we see intimated in Isaiah: “Remember not,” says he, “the former things, and consider not the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, which shall now spring forth; and ye shall know it. I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the dry place, to give drink to my elected people, my people whom I have purchased, that they might show forth my praise.”565    Isa. xliii. 18–21. There God foretold by the prophet, that among the nations, in places which previously had been dry, rivers should afterwards flow plenteously, and should provide water for the elected people of God, that is, for those who were made sons of God by the generation of baptism.566    [For a full view of all theories of election, see Faber, On the Primitive Doctrine of Election, New York, ed. 1840.] Moreover, it is again predicted and foretold before, that the Jews, if they should thirst and seek after Christ, should drink with us, that is, should attain the grace of baptism. “If they shall thirst,” he says, “He shall lead them through the deserts, shall bring forth water for them out of the rock; the rock shall be cloven, and the water shall flow, and my people shall drink;”567    Isa. xlviii. 21. which is fulfilled in the Gospel, when Christ, who is the Rock, is cloven by a stroke of the spear in His passion; who also, admonishing what was before announced by the prophet, cries and says, “If any man thirst, let him come and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture saith, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.” And that it might be more evident that the Lord is speaking there, not of the cup, but of baptism, the Scripture adds, saying, “But this spake He of the Spirit, which they that believe on Him should receive.”568    John vii. 37–39. For by baptism the Holy Spirit is received; and thus by those who are baptized, and have attained to the Holy Spirit, is attained the drinking of the Lord’s cup. And let it disturb no one, that when the divine Scripture speaks of baptism, it says that we thirst and drink, since the Lord also in the Gospel says, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness;”569    Matt. v. 6. because what is received with a greedy and thirsting desire is drunk more fully and plentifully. As also, in another place, the Lord speaks to the Samaritan woman, saying, “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again; but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall not thirst for ever.”570    John iv. 13, 14. By which is also signified the very baptism of saving water, which indeed is once received, and is not again repeated. But the cup of the Lord is always both thirsted for and drunk in the Church.

9. Nor is there need of very many arguments, dearest brother, to prove that baptism is always indicated by the appellation of water, and that thus we ought to understand it, since the Lord, when He came, manifested the truth of baptism and the cup in commanding that that faithful water, the water of life eternal, should be given to believers in baptism, but, teaching by the example of His own authority, that the cup should be mingled with a union of wine and water.571    [See Justin, vol. i. p. 185, this series.] For, taking the cup on the eve of His passion, He blessed it, and gave it to His disciples, saying, “Drink ye all of this; for this is my blood of the New Testament, which shall be shed for many, for the remission of sins. I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day in which I shall drink new wine with you in the kingdom of my Father.”572    Matt. xxvi. 28, 29. In which portion we find that the cup which the Lord offered was mixed, and that that was wine which He called His blood. Whence it appears that the blood of Christ is not offered if there be no wine in the cup, nor the Lord’s sacrifice celebrated with a legitimate consecration unless our oblation and sacrifice respond to His passion. But how shall we drink the new wine of the fruit of the vine with Christ in the kingdom of His Father, if in the sacrifice of God the Father and of Christ we do not offer wine, nor mix the cup of the Lord by the Lord’s own tradition?

10. Moreover, the blessed Apostle Paul, chosen and sent by the Lord, and appointed a preacher of the Gospel truth, lays down these very things in his epistle, saying, “The Lord Jesus, the same night in which He was betrayed, took bread; and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, This is my body, which shall be given for you: do this in remembrance of me. After the same manner also He took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye shall show forth the Lord’s death until He come.”573    1 Cor. xi. 23–26. But if it is both enjoined by the Lord, and the same thing is confirmed and delivered by His apostle, that as often as we drink, we do in remembrance of the Lord the same thing which the Lord also did, we find that what was commanded is not observed by us, unless we also do what the Lord did; and that mixing the Lord’s cup in like manner we do not depart from the divine teaching; but that we must not at all depart from the evangelical precepts, and that disciples ought also to observe and to do the same things which the Master both taught and did.  The blessed apostle in another place more earnestly and strongly teaches, saying, “I wonder that ye are so soon removed from Him that called you into grace, unto another gospel, which is not another; but there are some that trouble you, and would pervert the Gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any otherwise than that which we have preached to you, let him be anathema. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be anathema.”574    Gal. i. 6–9.

11. Since, then, neither the apostle himself nor an angel from heaven can preach or teach any otherwise than Christ has once taught and His apostles have announced, I wonder very much whence has originated this practice, that, contrary to evangelical and apostolical discipline, water is offered in some places in the Lord’s cup, which water by itself cannot express the blood of Christ. The Holy Spirit also is not silent in the Psalms on the sacrament of this thing, when He makes mention of the Lord’s cup, and says, “Thy inebriating cup, how excellent it is!”575    Ps. xxiii. 5. [Vulgate, “calix inebrians.” Ps. xxii. 5.] Now the cup which inebriates is assuredly mingled with wine, for water cannot inebriate anybody. And the cup of the Lord in such wise inebriates, as Noe also was intoxicated drinking wine, in Genesis. But because the intoxication of the Lord’s cup and blood is not such as is the intoxication of the world’s wine, since the Holy Spirit said in the Psalm, “Thy inebriating cup,” He added, “how excellent it is,” because doubtless the Lord’s cup so inebriates them that drink, that it makes them sober; that it restores their minds to spiritual wisdom; that each one recovers from that flavour of the world to the understanding of God; and in the same way, that by that common wine the mind is dissolved, and the soul relaxed, and all sadness is laid aside, so, when the blood of the Lord and the cup of salvation have been drunk, the memory of the old man is laid aside, and there arises an oblivion of the former worldly conversation, and the sorrowful and sad breast which before was oppressed by tormenting sins is eased by the joy of the divine mercy; because that only is able to rejoice him who drinks in the Church which, when it is drunk, retains the Lord’s truth.576    [A happy conception of the inebriation of the Spirit, “where drinking largely sobers us again.”]

12. But how perverse and how contrary it is, that although the Lord at the marriage made wine of water, we should make water of wine, when even the sacrament of that thing ought to admonish and instruct us rather to offer wine in the sacrifices of the Lord. For because among the Jews there was a want of spiritual grace, wine also was wanting. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts was the house of Israel; but Christ, when teaching and showing that the people of the Gentiles should succeed them, and that by the merit of faith we should subsequently attain to the place which the Jews had lost, of water made wine; that is, He showed that at the marriage of Christ and the Church, as the Jews failed, the people of the nations should rather flow together and assemble: for the divine Scripture in the Apocalypse declares that the waters signify the people, saying, “The waters which thou sawest, upon which the whore sitteth, are peoples and multitudes, and nations of the Gentiles, and tongues,”577    Apoc. xvii. 15. which we evidently see to be contained also in the sacrament of the cup.

13. For because Christ bore us all, in that He also bore our sins, we see that in the water is understood the people, but in the wine is showed the blood of Christ. But when the water is mingled in the cup with wine, the people is made one with Christ, and the assembly of believers is associated and conjoined with Him on whom it believes; which association and conjunction of water and wine is so mingled in the Lord’s cup, that that mixture cannot any more be separated. Whence, moreover, nothing can separate the Church—that is, the people established in the Church, faithfully and firmly persevering in that which they have believed—from Christ, in such a way as to prevent their undivided love from always abiding and adhering. Thus, therefore, in consecrating the cup of the Lord, water alone cannot be offered, even as wine alone cannot be offered. For if any one offer wine only, the blood of Christ is dissociated from us; but if the water be alone, the people are dissociated from Christ; but when both are mingled, and are joined with one another by a close union, there is completed a spiritual and heavenly sacrament. Thus the cup of the Lord is not indeed water alone, nor wine alone, unless each be mingled with the other; just as, on the other hand, the body of the Lord cannot be flour alone or water alone, unless both should be united and joined together and compacted in the mass of one bread; in which very sacrament our people are shown to be made one, so that in like manner as many grains, collected, and ground, and mixed together into one mass, make one bread; so in Christ, who is the heavenly bread, we may know that there is one body, with which our number is joined and united.578    [This figure, copied by St. Augustine (vol. v. p. 1247, ed. Migne), is retained in the liturgy of the Reformed Dutch communion.]

14. There is then no reason, dearest brother, for any one to think that the custom of certain persons is to be followed, who have thought in time past that water alone should be offered in the cup of the Lord. For we must inquire whom they themselves have followed. For if in the sacrifice which Christ offered none is to be followed but Christ, assuredly it behoves us to obey and do that which Christ did, and what He commanded to be done, since He Himself says in the Gospel, “If ye do whatsoever I command you, henceforth I call you not servants, but friends.”579    John xv. 14, 15. And that Christ alone ought to be heard, the Father also testifies from heaven, saying, “This is my well-beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye Him.”580    Matt. xvii. 5. Wherefore, if Christ alone must be heard, we ought not to give heed to what another before us may have thought was to be done, but what Christ, who is before all, first did. Neither is it becoming to follow the practice of man, but the truth of God; since God speaks by Isaiah the prophet, and says, “In vain do they worship me, teaching the commandments and doctrines of men.”581    Isa. xxix. 13. And again the Lord in the Gospel repeals this same saying, and says, “Ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.”582    Mark vii. 13. Moreover, in another place He establishes it, saying, “Whosoever shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven.”583    Matt. v. 19. But if we may not break even the least of the Lord’s commandments, how much rather is it forbidden to infringe such important ones, so great, so pertaining to the very sacrament of our Lord’s passion and our own redemption, or to change it by human tradition into anything else than what was divinely appointed! For if Jesus Christ, our Lord and God, is Himself the chief priest of God the Father, and has first offered Himself a sacrifice to the Father, and has commanded this to be done in commemoration of Himself, certainly that priest truly discharges the office of Christ, who imitates that which Christ did; and he then offers a true and full sacrifice in the Church to God the Father, when he proceeds to offer it according to what he sees Christ Himself to have offered.

15. But the discipline of all religion and truth is overturned, unless what is spiritually prescribed be faithfully observed; unless indeed any one should fear in the morning sacrifices,584    According to some texts is read here, “to offer wine, lest in the morning hours, through the flavour of the wine, its smell should be recognised by its fragrant odour by the perception of unbelievers, and he should be known to be a Christian, since we commemorate the blood of Christ in the oblation of wine.” [The heathen detected Christians by this token when searching victims for the persecutor. lest by the taste of wine he should be redolent of the blood of Christ.  Therefore thus the brotherhood is beginning even to be kept back from the passion of Christ in persecutions, by learning in the offerings to be disturbed concerning His blood and His blood-shedding.  Moreover, however, the Lord says in the Gospel, “Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed.”585    Mark viii. 38. [Bingham, book xv. cap. ii. sec. 7.] And the apostle also speaks, saying, “If I pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”586    Gal. i. 10. But how can we shed our blood for Christ, who blush to drink the blood of Christ?

16. Does any one perchance flatter himself with this notion, that although in the morning, water alone is seen to be offered, yet when we come to supper we offer the mingled cup?  But when we sup, we cannot call the people together to our banquet, so as to celebrate the truth of the sacrament in the presence of all the brotherhood.587    [Much light is thrown on this by the Hebrew usages. See Freeman, On the Principles of Divine Service, vol. ii. p. 293.] But still it was not in the morning, but after supper, that the Lord offered the mingled cup. Ought we then to celebrate the Lord’s cup after supper, that so by continual repetition of the Lord’s supper588    “Frequentandis dominicis.” we may offer the mingled cup? It behoved Christ to offer about the evening of the day, that the very hour of sacrifice might show the setting and the evening of the world; as it is written in Exodus, “And all the people of the synagogue of the children of Israel shall kill it in the evening.”589    Ex. xii. 6. And again in the Psalms, “Let the lifting up of my hands be an evening sacrifice.”590    Ps. cxli. 2. But we celebrate the resurrection of the Lord in the morning.

17. And because we make mention of His passion in all sacrifices (for the Lord’s passion is the sacrifice which we offer), we ought to do nothing else than what He did. For Scripture says, “For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do show forth the Lord’s death till He come.”591    1 Cor. xi. 26. As often, therefore, as we offer the cup in commemoration of the Lord and of His passion, let us do what it is known the Lord did. And let this conclusion be reached, dearest brother: if from among our predecessors any have either by ignorance or simplicity not observed and kept this which the Lord by His example and teaching has instructed us to do, he may, by the mercy of the Lord, have pardon granted to his simplicity. But we cannot be pardoned who are now admonished and instructed by the Lord to offer the cup of the Lord mingled with wine according to what the Lord offered, and to direct letters to our colleagues also about this, so that the evangelical law and the Lord’s tradition may be everywhere kept, and there be no departure from what Christ both taught and did.

18. To neglect these things any further, and to persevere in the former error, what is it else than to fall under the Lord’s rebuke, who in the psalm reproveth, and says, “What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant into thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee? When thou sawest a thief, thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.”592    Ps. l. 16–18. For to declare the righteousness and the covenant of the Lord, and not to do the same that the Lord did, what else is it than to cast away His words and to despise the Lord’s instruction, to commit not earthly, but spiritual thefts and adulteries? While any one is stealing from evangelical truth the words and doings of our Lord, he is corrupting and adulterating the divine precepts, as it is written in Jeremiah. He says, “What is the chaff to the wheat? Therefore, behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, who steal my words every one from his neighbour, and cause my people to err by their lies and by their lightness.”593    Jer. xxiii. 28, 30, 32. Also in the same prophet, in another place, He says, “She committed adultery with stocks and stones, and yet for all this she turned not unto me.”594    Jer. iii. 9, 10.  That this theft and adultery may not fall unto us also, we ought to be anxiously careful, and fearfully and religiously to watch. For if we are priests of God and of Christ, I do not know any one whom we ought rather to follow than God and Christ, since He Himself emphatically says in the Gospel, “I am the light of the world; he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”595    John viii. 12. Lest therefore we should walk in darkness, we ought to follow Christ, and to observe his precepts, because He Himself told His apostles in another place, as He sent them forth, “All power is given unto me in heaven and earth. Go, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”596    Matt. xxviii. 18–20. Wherefore, if we wish to walk in the light of Christ, let us not depart from His precepts and monitions, giving thanks that, while He instructs for the future what we ought to do, He pardons for the past wherein we in our simplicity have erred. And because already His second coming draws near to us, His benign and liberal condescension is more and more illuminating our hearts with the light of truth.597    [A very important monition that clearer light upon certain Scriptures may break in as time unfolds their purpose. Phil. iii. 15.]

19. Therefore it befits our religion, and our fear, and the place itself, and the office of our priesthood, dearest brother, in mixing and offering the cup of the Lord, to keep the truth of the Lord’s tradition, and, on the warning of the Lord, to correct that which seems with some to have been erroneous; so that when He shall begin to come in His brightness and heavenly majesty, He may find that we keep what He admonished us; that we observe what He taught; that we do what He did.598    [Even these minute maxims show that the spirit of the third century was to adhere to the example of Christ and His Apostles.  This gives us confidence that no intentional innovations were admitted.] I bid you, dearest brother, ever heartily farewell.

EPISTOLA LXIII. (Erasm., II, 3. Pamel., Rigalt., Baluz., LXIII. Paris., LXII Oxon., Lips., LXIII.)AD CAECILIUM DE SACRAMENTO DOMINICI CALICIS.

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ARGUMENTUM.---Docet Cyprianus, contra aquarios, in calice Dominico non aquam solam, sed vinum aqua mixtum esse offerendum; per eam in Scripturis Baptismum, minime vero Eucharistiam designari. Typis ex Veteri Testamento sumptis, usus vini in Sacramento corporis Dominici illustratur, populumque 0373Achristianum per aquae symbolum intelligi declaratur.

I. Cyprianus Caecilio fratri salutem. Quamquam sciam, frater charissime, episcopos plurimos, ecclesiis Dominicis in toto mundo divina dignatione praepositos, evangelicae verita tis ac Dominicae traditionis tenere rationem, nec ab eo quod Christus magister et praecepit et gessit humana et novella institutione decedere; tamen, quoniam quidam, vel ignoranter vel simpliciter, in calice Dominico sanctificando et plebi ministrando non hoc faciunt quod Jesus Christus Dominus et Deus noster, sacrificii hujus auctor et doctor fecit et docuit, religiosum pariter ac necessarium duxi has ad vos litteras facere; ut, si quis in isto errore adhuc tenetur , veritatis luce perspecta, 0374A ad radicem atque originem traditionis Dominicae revertatur. Nec nos putes, frater charissime, nostra et humana conscribere aut ultronea voluntate hoc nobis audacter assumere, cum mediocritatem nostram semper humili et verecunda moderatione teneamus. Sed quando aliquid Deo inspirante et mandante praecipitur, necesse est Domino servus fidelis obtemperet, excusatus apud omnes quod nihil sibi arroganter assumat, qui offensam Domini timere compellitur, nisi faciat quod jubetur.

II. Admonitos autem nos scias ut in calice offerendo Dominica traditio servetur, neque aliud fiat a nobis quam quod pro nobis Dominus prior fecerit, ut calix qui in commemorationem ejus offertur, mixtus vino offeratur. Nam cum dicat Christus, Ego 0375Asum vitis vera (Joa. XV, 1), sanguis Christi non aqua est utique, sed vinum. Nec potest videri sanguis ejus, quo redempti et vivificati sumus, esse in calice quando vinum desit calici, quo Christi sanguis ostenditur, qui Scripturarum omnium sacramento ac testimonio praedicetur .

III. Invenimus enim et in Genesi circa sacramentum in Noe hoc idem praecucurrisse et figuram Dominicae passionis illic extitisse quod vinum bibit, quod inebriatus est (Gen. IX, 21), quod in domo sua nudatus est, quod fuit recubans nudis et patentibus femoribus, quod nuditas illa patris a medio filio denotata est et foras nuntiata, a duobus vero, majore et minore, contecta, et caetera quae necesse non est exequi, cum satis sit hoc solum complecti, quod Noe, typum futurae 0375B veritatis ostendens, non aquam sed vinum biberit, et sic imaginem Dominicae passionis expresserit.

IV. Item in sacerdote Melchisedech sacrificii Dominici sacramentum praefiguratum videmus, secundum quod Scriptura divina testatur et dicit: 0376AEt Melchisedeh, rex Salem, protulit panem et vinum (Gen. XIV, 18). Fuit autem sacerdos Dei summi, et benedixit Abraham. Quod autem Melchisedech typum Christi portaret, declarat in Psalmis Spiritus sanctus ex persona Patris ad Filium dicens: Ante luciferum genui te. Tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech (Psal. CIX, 4, 5). Qui ordo utique hic est de sacrificio illo veniens et inde descendens, quod Melchisedech sacerdos Dei summi fuit, quod panem et vinum obtulit, quod Abraham benedixit. Nam quis magis sacerdos Dei summi quam Dominus noster Jesus Christus, qui sacrificium Deo Patri obtulit, et obtulit hoc idem quod Melchisedech obtulerat, id est panem et vinum, suum scilicet corpus et sanguinem? Et circa Abraham 0376B benedictio illa praecedens ad nostrum populum pertinebat. Nam, si Abraham Deo credidit et deputatum est ei ad justitiam (Gen. XV, 6.), utique quisquis Deo credit et fide vivit, justus invenitur, et jam pridem in Abraham fideli benedictus et justificatus 0377A ostenditur, sicut beatus apostolus Paulus probat dicens: Credidit Abraham Deo, et deputatumest ei ad justitiam (Gal. III, 6, 7). Cognoscitis ergo quia qui ex fide sunt, hi sunt filii Abrahae. Providens autem Scriptura quia ex fide justificat gentes Deus, praenuntiavit Abrahae quia benedicentur in illo omnes gentes (Gen. XII, 3). Igitur qui ex fide sunt benedicti sunt cum fideli Abraham. Unde in Evangelio invenimus de lapidibus excitari, id est de gentibus colligi filios Abrahae (Matth. III, 9). Et cum Zachaeum laudaret Dominus, respondit et dixit: Salus hodie domui huic facta est, quia et hic filius est Abrahae (Luc. XIX, 9). Ut ergo in Genesi per Melchisedech sacerdotem benedictio circa Abraham posset rite celebrari, praecedit ante imago sacrificii 0377B Christi, in pane et vino scilicet constituta; quam rem perficiens et adimplens Dominus panem et calicem mixtum vino obtulit, et qui est plenitudo veritatis veritatem praefiguratae imaginis adimplevit.

V. Sed et per Salomonem Spiritus sanctus typum Dominici sacrificii ante praemonstrans immolatae hostiae et panis et vini sed et altaris et Apostolorum faciens mentionem, Sapientia, inquit, aedificavit sibi domum, et subdidit columnas septem. Mactavit suas hostias, miscuit in cratera vinum suum, et paravit mensam suam. Et misit servos suos, convocans cum excelsa praedicatione ad crateram dicens: 0378AQui est insipiens declinet ad me. Et egentibus sensu dixit: Venite, edite de meis panibus, et bibite vinum quod miscui vobis (Prov. IX, 1-5). Vinum mixtum declarat, id est calicem Domini aqua et vino mixtum prophetica voce praenuntiat, ut appareat in passione Dominica id esse gestum quod fuerat ante praedictum.

VI. In benedictione quoque Judae hoc idem significatur, ubi et illic Christi figura exprimitur, quod a fratribus suis laudari et adorari haberet, quod inimicorum dorsa cedentium atque fugientium manibus, quibus crucem pertulit et mortem vicit, compressurus fuisset, quodque ipse sit leo de tribu Juda, et recubet dormiens in passione, et surgat, et sit ipse spes gentium. Quibus Scriptura divina adjungit et dicit: Lavabit in vino stolam suam 0378Bet in sanguine uvae amictum suum (Gen. XLIX, 11). Quando autem sanguis uvae dicitur, quid aliud quam vinum calicis Dominici sanguinis ostenditur?

VII. Necnon et apud Esaiam hoc idem Spiritus sanctus de Domini passione testatur dicens: Quare rubicunda sunt vestimenta tua, et indumenta tua velut a calcatione torcularis pleni et percalcati (Isa. LXIII, 2)? Numquid rubicunda vestimenta aqua potest facere, aut in torculari aqua est quae pedibus calcatur vel praelo exprimitur? Vini utique mentio ideo ponitur ut Domini sanguis intelligatur , et quod in calice Dominico postea manifestatum est 0379A Prophetis annuntiantibus praediceretur . Torcularis quoque calcatio et pressura taxatur, quia, quomodo ad potandum vinum veniri non potest nisi botrus calcetur ante et prematur, sic nec nos sanguinem Christi possemus bibere , nisi Christus calcatus prius fuisset et pressus, et calicem prior biberet, in quo credentibus propinaret.

VIII. Quotiescumque autem aqua sola in Scripturis sanctis nominatur, Baptisma praedicatur, ut apud Esaiam significari videmus: Nolite, inquit, priora meminisse et antiqua nolite reputare: ecce ego facio nova quae nunc orientur, et cognoscetis , et faciam in deserto viam, et flumina in loco inaquosoadaquare genus meum electum, plebem meam, quam acquisivi, ut virtutes meas exponeret (Isa. XLIII, 18-21). 0379B Praenuntiavit illic per prophetam Deus quod apud Gentes in locis quae inaquosa prius fuissent, flumina postmodum redundarent et electum genus Dei, id est per generationem Baptismi filios Dei factos, adaquarent. Item, denuo praecanitur et ante praedicitur Judaeos, si sitierint et Christum quaesierint, apud nos esse potaturos, id est Baptismi gratiam consecuturos: Si sitierint, inquit, per deserta adducet illos,aquam de petra producet illis, findetur petra, et fluet aqua, et bibetplebs mea (Isa. XLVIII, 21). Quod in Evangelio adimpletur, quando Christus, qui est petra, finditur ictu lanceae in passione: qui et admonens quid per prophetam sit ante praedictum clamat et dicit: Si quis sitit, veniat et bibat. Qui credit in me, sicut Scriptura dicit , flumina de 0379Cventre ejus fluent aquae vivae (Joan. VII, 37-39). Atque, ut magis posset esse manifestum quia non de calice sed de Baptismo illic loquitur Dominus, addidit 0380A Scriptura dicens: Hoc autem dixit de Spiritu quem accepturi erant qui in eum credebant. Per Baptisma enim Spiritus sanctus accipitur, et sic a baptizatis et Spiritum sanctum consecutis ad bibendum calicem Domini pervenitur. Neminem autem moveat quod, cum de Baptismo loquatur Scriptura divina, sitire nos dicit et bibere, quando et Dominus in Evangelio dicat: Beati esurientes et sitientes justitiam (Matth. V, 6); quia quod avida et sitienti cupiditate suscipitur, plenius et uberius hauritur. Sicut et alio loco ad Samaritanam mulierem Dominus loquitur dicens : Omnis qui biberit ex aqua ista, sitiet iterum: qui autem biberit ex aqua quam ego dedero, non sitiet in aeternum (Joan. IV, 13, 14). Quo et ipsum Baptisma salutaris aquae significatur , quod semel 0380B scilicet sumitur, nec rursus iteratur. Caeterum calix Domini in Ecclesia semper et sititur et bibitur.

IX. Nec argumentis plurimis opus est, frater charissime, ut probemus appellatione aquae Baptisma significatum semper esse et sic nos intelligere debere , quando Dominus adveniens Baptismi et Calicis manifestaverit veritatem, qui aquam illam fidelem, aquam vitae aeternae, praeceperit credentibus in Baptismo dari, calicem vero docuerit exemplo magisterii sui vini et aquae conjunctione misceri. Calicem etenim sub die passionis accipiens, benedixit et dedit discipulis suis dicens: Bibite ex hoc omnes. Hic est enim sanguis novi testamenti, qui pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum. Dico vobis, non bibam amodo ex ista creatura vitis usque in diem 0380Cillum quo vobiscum bibam novum vinum in regno Patris mei (Matth. XXXVI, 28, 29). Qua in parte invenimus calicem mixtum fuisse quem Dominus obtulit 0381A , et vinum fuisse quod sanguinem suum dixit. Unde apparet sanguinem Christi non offerri si desit vinum calici, nec sacrificium Dominicum legitima sanctificatione celebrari nisi oblatio et sacrificium nostrum responderit passioni. Quomodo autem de creatura vitis novum vinum cum Christo in regno Patris bibemus, si in sacrificio Dei Patris et Christi vinum non offerimus, nec calicem Domini Dominica traditione miscemus?

X. Beatus quoque apostolus Paulus, a Domino electus et missus et praedicator veritatis evangelicae constitutus, haec eadem in Epistola sua ponit dicens : Dominus Jesus in qua nocte tradebatur accepit panem, et gratias egitet fregit et dixit: Hoc est corpus meum quod pro vobis tradetur. Hoc facite in meam 0381Bcommemorationem. Simili modoet calicem, postquam coenatum, est accepit dicens: Hic calix novum testamentumest in meo sanguine. Hoc facite, quotiescumque biberitis, in meam commemorationem. Quotiescumque enim ederitis panem istum et calicem biberitis, mortem Domini annuntiabitis quoadusque veniat (I Cor. II, 23-26). Quod si et a Domino praecipitur , et ab Apostolo ejus hoc idem confirmatur et traditur, ut quotiescumque biberimus, in commemorationem Domini hoc faciamus quod fecit et Dominus, invenimus non observari a nobis quod mandatum est, nisi eadem quae Dominus fecit nos quoque faciamus, et calicem Domini pari ratione miscentes a divino magisterio non recedamus. Ab evangelicis autem praeceptis omnino recedendum non esse , et eadem quae 0381C magister docuit et fecit discipulos quoque observare 0382A et facere debere, constantius et fortius alio in loco beatus Apostolus docet dicens: Miror quod sic tam cito demutaminiab eo qui vos vocavit ad gratiam, ad aliud evangelium, quod non est aliud, nisi si sunt aliqui qui vos conturbant et volunt convertere Evangelium Christi. Sed, licet aut nos aut Angelus de coelo aliter annuntiet praeterquam quod annuntiavimus vobis, anathema sit. Sicut praediximus, et nunc iterum dico: Si quis vobis annuntiaverit praeterquam quod accepistis, anathema sit (Gal. I, 6-9).

XI. Cum ergo neque ipse Apostolus neque Angelus de coelo annuntiare possit aliter aut docere praeterquam quod semel Christus docuit et Apostoli ejus annuntiaverunt, miror satis unde hoc usurpatum sit ut, contra evangelicam et apostolicam disciplinam, quibusdam 0382B in locis aqua offeratur in Dominico calice, quae sola Christi sanguinem non possit exprimere. Cujus rei sacramentum nec in Psalmis tacet Spiritus sanctus faciens mentionem dominici calicis et dicens: Calix tuus inebrians perquam optimus (Psal. XXII, 5). Calix autem qui inebriat, utique vino mixtus est : neque enim aqua inebriare quemquam potest. Sic autem calix Dominicus inebriat ut et Noe in Genesi vinum bibens inebriatus est. Sed, quia ebrietas Dominici calicis et sanguinis non est talis qualis est ebrietas vini saecularis, cum diceret Spiritus sanctus in Psalmo, Calix tuus inebrians, addidit perquam optimus, quod scilicet calix Dominicus sic bibentes inebriat ut sobrios faciat, ut mentes ad spiritalem sapientiam redigat, ut a sapore isto saeculari ad intellectum Dei 0382C unusquisque resipiscat, et quemadmodum vino isto 0383A communi mens solvitur et anima relaxatur et tristitia omnis exponitur, ita, epotato sanguine Domini et poculo salutari, exponatur memoria veteris hominis, et fiat oblivio conversationis pristinae saecularis, et moestum pectus ac triste, quod prius peccatis angentibus premebatur, divinae indulgentiae laetitia resolvatur; quod tunc demum potest laetificare in Ecclesia Domini bibentem, si quod bibitur Dominicam teneat veritatem.

XII. Quam vero perversum est quamque contrarium ut, cum Dominus in nuptiis de aqua vinum fecerit (Joan. II, 7), nos de vino aquam faciamus, cum sacramentum quoque rei illius admonere et instruere nos debeat ut in sacrificiis Dominicis vinum potius offeramus. Nam, quia apud Judaeos defecerat gratia spiritalis, defecit et vinum: vinea enim Domini sabaoth 0383B domus erat Israël (Isa. V, 7). Christus autem, docens et ostendens gentium populum succedere, et in locum quem Judaei perdiderant nos postmodum merito fidei pervenire, de aqua vinum fecit, id est, quod ad nuptias Christi et Ecclesiae, Judaeis cessantibus, plebs magis gentium conflueret et conveniret ostendit. Aquas namque populos significare in Apocalypsi Scriptura divina declarat dicens: Aquae quas vidisti, super quas sedet meretrix illa, populi et turbae et gentes ethnicorum sunt et linguae (Apoc. XVII, 15). Quod scilicet perspicimus et in sacramento calicis contineri.

XIII. Nam, quia nos omnes portabat Christus, qui et peccata nostra portabat, videmus in aqua populum intelligi, in vino vero ostendi sanguinem Christi. 0384A Quando autem in calice vino aqua miscetur, Christo populus adunatur, et credentium plebs ei in quem credidit copulatur et conjungitur. Quae copulatio et conjunctio aquae et vini sic miscetur in calice Domini ut commixtio illa non possit ab invicem separari. Unde et Ecclesiam, id est plebem in Ecclesia constitutam, fideliter et firmiter in eo quod credidit perseverantem, nulla res separare poterit a Christo quominus haereat semper et maneat individua dilectio. Sic autem in sanctificando calice Domini offerri aqua sola non potest, quomodo nec vinum solum potest. Nam, si vinum tantum quis offerat, sanguis Christi incipit esse sine nobis: si vero aqua sit sola, plebs incipit esse sine Christo. Quando autem utrumque miscetur et adunatione confusa sibi invicem copulatur, tunc sacramentum spiritale et coeleste perficitur. Sic vero 0384B calix Domini non est aqua sola aut vinum solum, nisi utrumque sibi misceatur, quomodo nec corpus Domini potest esse farina sola aut aqua sola, nisi utrumque adunatum fuerit et copulatum et panis unius compage solidatum. Quo et ipso sacramento populus noster ostenditur adunatus; ut, quemadmodum grana multa in unum collecta et commolita et commixta panem unum faciunt, sic in Christo, qui est panis coelestis, unum sciamus esse corpus, cui conjunctus sit noster numerus et adunatus.

XIV. Non est ergo, frater charissime, quod aliquis existimet sequendam esse quorumdam consuetudinem, si qui in praeteritum in calice Dominico aquam solam offerendam putaverunt. Quaerendum est enim ipsi 0385A quem sint secuti. Nam, si in sacrificio quod Christus obtulit, non nisi Christus sequendus est, utique id nos obaudire et facere oportet quod Christus fecit et quod faciendum esse mandavit, quando ipse in Evangelio dicat: Si feceritis quod mando vobis, jam non dicovos servos, sed amicos (Joan. XV, 14, 15). Et quod Christus debeat solus audiri, Pater etiam de coelo contestatur dicens: Hic est filius meus dilectissimusin quo bene sensi, ipsum audite (Matth. XVII, 5). Quare, si solus Christus audiendus est, non debemus attendere quid alius ante nos faciendum esse putaverit, sed quid qui ante omnes est Christus prior fecerit. Neque enim hominis consuetudinem sequi oportet, sed Dei veritatem, cum per Esaiam prophetam Deus loquatur et dicat: Sine causa autem colunt me, mandata et doctrinas hominum docentes (Isa. XXIX, 13). Et iterum Dominus 0385B in Evangelio hoc idem repetat dicens: Rejicitis mandatum Dei, ut traditionem vestram statuatis (Marc. VII, 13). Sed et alio in loco ponit et dicit: Qui solverit unum ex mandatis istis minimis, et sic docuerit homines, minimus vocabitur in regno coelorum (Matth. V, 19). Quod si nec minima de mandatis Dominicis licet solvere, quanto magis tam magna, tam grandia, tam ad ipsum Dominicae passionis et nostrae redemptionis sacramentum pertinentia fas non est infringere, aut in aliud quam quod divinitus institutum sit humana traditione mutare? Nam, si Jesus Christus Dominus et Deus noster ipse est summus sacerdos Dei 0385C Patris, et sacrificium Patri se ipsum primus obtulit , 0386A et hoc fieri in sui commemorationem praecepit, utique ille sacerdos vice Christi vere fungitur qui id quod Christus fecit imitatur, et sacrificium verum et plenum tunc offert in Ecclesia Deo Patri, si sic incipiat offerre secundum quod ipsum Christum videat obtulisse.

XV. Caeterum omnis religionis et veritatis disciplina subvertitur, nisi id quod spiritaliter praecipitur fideliter reservetur , nisi si in sacrificiis matutinis hoc quis veretur ne per saporem vini redoleat sanguinem Christi. Sic ergo incipit et a passione Christi in persecutionibus fraternitas retardari, dum in oblationibus discit de sanguine ejus et cruore confundi. Porro autem Dominus in Evangelio dicit: Qui confusus me fuerit, confundetureum Filius hominis.0386B (Marc. VIII, 38). Et Apostolus quoque loquitur dicens: Si hominibus placerem, Christi servus non essem (Gal. I, 10). Quomodo autem possumus propter Christum sanguinem fundere, qui sanguinem Christi erubescimus bibere?

XVI. An illa sibi aliquis contemplatione blanditur, quod, etsi mane aqua sola offerri videtur, tamen, cum ad coenandum venimus, mixtum calicem offerimus. Sed cum coenamus ad convivium nostrum plebem convocare non possumus, ut sacramenti veritatem fraternitate omni praesente celebremus. Atenim non mane, sed post coenam, mixtum calicem obtulit Dominus. Numquid ergo Dominicum post coenam celebrare 0386C debemus, ut sic mixtum calicem frequentandis 0387A dominicis offeramus? Christum offerre opportebat circa vesperam diei, ut hora ipsa sacrificii ostenderet occasum et vesperam mundi, sicut in Exodo scriptum est: Et occident illum omne vulgus synagogae filiorum Israel ad vesperam (Exod. XII, 6). Et iterum in Psalmis: Allevatio manuum mearum sacrificium vespertinum (Psal. CXL, 2). Nos autem resurrectionem Domini mane celebramus.

XVII. Et quia passionis ejus mentionem in sacrificiis omnibus facimus (passio est enim Domini sacrificium quod offerimus), nihil aliud quam quod ille fecit facere debemus. Scriptura enim dicit: Quotiescumque enim ederitis panem istum et calicem istum biberitis, mortem Domini annuntiabitis quoadusque veniat (I Cor. II, 26). Quotiescumque ergo calicem in commemorationem 0387B Domini et passionis ejus offerimus, id quod constat Dominum fecisse faciamus. Et viderit, frater charissime; si quis de antecessoribus nostris vel ignoranter vel simpliciter non hoc observavit et tenuit quod nos Dominus facere exemplo et magisterio suo docuit, potest simplicitati ejus de indulgentia Domini venia concedi. Nobis vero non poterit ignosci, qui nunc a Domino admoniti et instructi sumus ut calicem Dominicum vino mixtum, secundum quod Dominus obtulit, offeramus; et de hoc quoque ad collegas nostros litteras dirigamus, ut ubique lex evangelica et traditio Dominica servetur, et ab eo quod Christus et docuit et fecit non recedatur.

XVIII. Quae ultra jam contemnere et in errore pristino perseverare, quid aliud est quam incurrere in 0387C objurgationem Domini increpantis in Psalmo et dicentis: Ad quid exponis justificationes meas et assumis testamentum meum per os tuum? Tu autem odisti disciplinam, et abjecisti sermones meos retro. Si videbas furem, concurrebas ei, et inter moechos particulam ponebas (Psal. XLIX, 16-18). Exponere enim justificationes 0388A et testamentum Domini, et non hoc idem facere quod fecerit Dominus, quid aliud est quam sermones ejus abjicere et disciplinam Dominicam contemnere, nec terrena sed spiritalia furta et adulteria committere, dum quis de evangelica veritate furatur Domini nostri verba et facta, corrumpit atque adulterat praecepta divina? Sicut apud Hieremiam scriptum est: Quid est, inquit, paleis ad triticum? Propter hoc ecce ego ad prophetas, dicit Dominus, qui furantur verba mea unusquisque a proximo suo, et seducunt populum meum in mendaciis suis et in erroribus suis (Hier. XXIII, 28, 30, 32). Item apud eumdem alio loco: Et moechata est, inquit, in lignum et lapidem , et in his omnibus non est reversa ad me (Hier. IX, 10). Quod furtum et adulterium ne in nos etiam cadat cavere 0388B sollicite et timide ac religiose observare debemus. Nam, si sacerdotes Dei et Christi sumus, non invenio quem magis sequi quam Deum et Christum debeamus, quando ipse in Evangelio maxime dicat: Ego sum lumen saeculi. Qui me secutus fuerit, non ambulabitin tenebris, sed habebit lumen vitae (Joan. VIII, 12). Ne ergo in tenebris ambulemus, Christum sequi et praecepta ejus observare debemus, quia et ipse in alio loco, mittens Apostolos, dixit: Data est mihi omnis potestas in coelo et in terra. Ite ergo et docete omnes Gentes, tingentes eos in nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus sancti, docentes eos observare omnia quaecumque praecepivobis (Matth. XXIII, 18-20). Quare si in lumine Christi ambulare volumus, a praeceptis et monitis ejus non recedamus, agentes gratias quod, dum 0388C instruit in futurum quid facere debeamus, de praeterito ignoscit quod simpliciter erravimus. Et quia jam secundus ejus adventus nobis appropinquat, magis ac magis benigna ejus et larga dignatio corda nostra luce veritatis illuminat.

XIX. Religioni igitur nostrae congruit et timori et 0389A ipsi loco atque officio sacerdotii nostri, frater charissime, in Dominico calice miscendo et offerendo custodire traditionis Dominicae veritatem, et quod prius apud quosdam videtur erratum, Domino monente, corrigere; ut, cum in claritate sua et majestate coelesti venire coeperit, inveniat nos tenere quod monuit, observare quod docuit, facere quod fecit. Opto te, frater charissime, semper bene valere.