Original Douay–Rheims Annotations1 Corinthians 10

The same.

^[1] The red sea and the cloud, a figure of our Baptism: the Manna from heaven and water miraculously drawn out of the rock, a figure of the holy Sacrament of Christ's body and blood: our Sacraments containing the things and graces in truth, which theirs only signified ^[2]. And it is an impudent forgery of the Calvinists ^[3], to write upon this place, that the Jews received no less the truth and substance of Christ and his benefits in their figures or Sacraments, than we do in ours: and that they and we all eat and drink of the selfsame meat and drink: the Apostle saying only, that they among themselves did all feed of one bread, & drink of one rock: which was a figure of Christ, therein especially, that out of Christ's side pierced upon the Cross, gushed out blood and water for the matter of our Sacraments.

• 1 The old figures of our Sacraments.
• 2 We receive greater benefits by our Sacraments than the Jews did by theirs.
• 3 Calv. in hunc loc.

As to wise men.

^◦ To cause them to leave the sacrifices and meats or drinks offered to Idols, he putteth them in mind of the only true Sacrifice and meat and drink of Christ's body and blood: of which, and the sacrifice of Idols also, they might not be in any case partakers. Using this term, ut prudentibus loquor, in the same sense (as it is thought) as the Fathers of the primitive Church did give a watch-word of keeping secret from the Infidels and unbaptized, the mystery of this divine Sacrifice, by these words, Norunt fideles, norunt qui initiati sunt. August. in Ps. 39. & 33. Conc. 1. 2. & Ps. 109. Ho. 42. c. 4. in lib. 50. hom. Orig. in Levit. ho. 9. Chrys. ho. 27. in Gen. in fine ho. 51. ad po. Antioch. ho. 5. in 1. Tim. S. Paul saith, I speak to you boldly of this mystery as to the wiser and better instructed in the same.

• ◦ The Apostle and ancient fathers speak covertly of the B. Sacrament.

Which we bless.

^[1] That is to say, ^[2] the Chalice of Consecration which we Apostles and Priests by Christ's commission do consecrate, by which speech as well the Calvinists (that use no consecration of the cup at all, blasphemously calling it magical murmuration, and perversely referring the benediction, to thanks-giving to God) as also the Lutherans be refuted, who affirm Christ's body and blood to be made present by receiving & in the receiving only. For the Apostle expressly referreth the benediction to the chalice, and not to God, making the holy blood and the communicating thereof the effect of the benediction.

• 1 The Apostles blessed the Chalice, & so consecrated.
• 2 Calix cui benedicimus. ὃ εὐλογοῦμεν.

The participation of the body.

^◦ The holy Sacrament and Sacrifice of Christ's body and blood being received of us, joineth us in soul & body and engrafteth us into Christ himself, making us partakers, and as a piece of his body & blood, For not by love or spirit only (saith S. Chrysostom) but in very deed we are united in his flesh, made one body with him, members of his flesh and bones. Chrys. ho. 45. in Io. sub finem. And S. Cyril, Such is the force of mystical benediction that it maketh Christ corporally by communicating of his flesh to dwell in us. Cyril. li. 10. in Io. c. 13.

• ◦ Our uniting to Christ by the B. Sacrament.

One bread, one body.

^◦ As we be first made one with Christ by eating his body and drinking his blood, so secondly are we conjoined by this one bread which is his body, & cup which is his blood, in the perfect union and fellowship of all Catholic men, in one Church which is his body Mystical. Which name of Body mystical is specially attributed and appropriated to this one commonwealth and Society of faithful men, by reason that all the true persons and true members of the same, be marvelously knit together by Christ's own one body, and by the self-same blood in this divine Sacrament. See S. August. li. 21. c. 25. de civ. Dei. Hilar. li. 8. de Trin. circa med.

• ◦ Our union among ourselves by the B. Sacrament.

They that eat the hosts.

It is plain also by the example of the Jews in their Sacrifices, that he that eateth any of the host immolated, is partaker of the Sacrifice, and joined by office and obligation to God, of whose sacrifice he eateth.

I will not have you.

^◦ I conclude then (saith the Apostle) thus: that as the Christian which eateth and drinketh of the sacrifice or Sacrament of the altar, by his eating is participant of Christ's body, and is joined in fellowship to all Christian people that eat and drink of the same, being the host of the new Law: and as all that did eat of the hosts of the Sacrifices of Moyses' Law, were belonging and associated to that state and to God to whom the Sacrifice was done: even so whosoever eateth of the meats offered to Idols, he sheweth and professeth himself to be of the Communion and Society of the same Idols.

• ◦ Participation in Sacrament or sacrifice, sheweth of what society we are.

You cannot drink.

^[1] Upon the premises he warneth them plainly, that they must either forsake the sacrifice and fellowship of the Idols and Idolaters, or else refuse the Sacrifice of Christ's body and blood in the Church. In all which discourse we may observe that our bread and chalice, our table and altar, the participation of our host and oblation, be compared or resembled point by point, in all effects, conditions, and proprieties, to the altars, hosts, sacrifices and immolations of the Jews and Gentiles. Which the Apostle would not, nor could not have done in this Sacrament of the Altar, rather than in other Sacraments or service of our religion, if it only had not been a Sacrifice and the proper worship of God among the Christians, as the other were among the Jews and Heathen. ^[2] And so do all the Fathers acknowledge, calling it only, & continually almost, by such terms as they do no other Sacrament or ceremony of Christ's religion: The lamb of God laid upon the table: Conc. Nic. the unbloody service of the Sacrifice, In Conc. Ephes. ep. ad Nestor. pag.

• 1 The sacrifice of the altar is proved, by the Apostle's comparison with the sacrifices of Jews and gentiles.
• 2 It is proved to be a sacrifice, out of the fathers.

Partakers of the table.

^[1] Though the faithful people be many ways known to be God's peculiar, and be joined both to him & among themselves, and also severed and distinguished from all others that pertain not to him, as well Jews and Pagans, as Heretics and Schismatics, by sundry other external signs of Sacraments, doctrine, and government: yet the most proper and substantial union or difference consisteth in the Sacrifice and Altar: by which God so specially bindeth his Church unto him, and himself unto his Church, that he acknowledgeth none to be his, that is not partaker of his one only Table and Sacrifice in his Church: and acquitteth himself of all such as join in fellowship with any of the Heathen at their Idolatry, or with the Jews at their Sacrifices, or with Heretics and Schismatics at their profane and detestable table. Which because it is the proper badge of their separation from Christ and his Church, and an altar purposely erected against Christ's Altar, Priesthood, and Sacrifice, is indeed a very sacrifice, or (as the Apostle here speaketh) ^[2] a table and cup of Devils, that is to say, wherein the Devil is properly served, and Christ's honour (no less than ^[3] by the altars of Jeroboam or any profane superstitious rites of Gentility) defiled. And therefore all Catholic men, if they look to have fellowship with Christ and his members in his body and blood, must deem of it as of Idolatry or sacrilegious superstition, and abstain from it and from all society of the same, as good Tobie ^[4] did from Jeroboam's calves and the altars in Dan and Bethel: and as the good faithful did from the Excelses ^[5], and from the temple and sacrifices of Samaria. Now in the Christian times we have no other Idols, but heresies, nor Idolothytes, but their false services shifted into our Churches instead of God's true and only worship. Cypr. de unit. Ec. nu. 2. Hiero. in 11. Osee. & 8. Amos. & in 2. Habac. Aug. in Ps. 80. v. 10. De Civ. Dei li. 18. c. 51.

• 1 The distinction of Christian Catholics from the rest, is by not communicating with them specially in their sacrifices, and at the Communion table.
• 2 The heretics' Communion is the very table and cup of Devils.
• 3 3. Reg. 12.
• 4 Tob. 1.
• 5 3. Reg. 12.

All things are lawful.

^[1] Hitherto the Apostle's arguments and examples whereby he would avert them from the meats offered to Idols, seem plainly to condemn their fact as Idololatrical, or as participant & accessory to Idolatry, & not only as of scandal given to the weak brethren: and so no doubt it was in that they went into the very temple of the Idols, and did with the rest that served the Idols, eat and drink of the flesh and libaments directly offered to the Idol, yea and feasted together in the same banquets made to the honour of the same Idols: which could not but defile them and entangle them with Idolatry: not for that the meat itself was justly belonging to any other but to God, or could be defiled, made noisome or unlawful to be eaten, but for and in respect of the abuse of the same and detestable dedicating of that to the devil, which belonged not to him, but to God alone. Of which sacrilegious act they ought not to be partakers, as needs they must, entering and eating with them in their solemnities. To this end hath S. Paul hitherto admonished the Corinthians. ^[2] Now he declareth that otherwise in profane feasts it is lawful to eat without curious doubting or asking whether this or that were offered meats, and in markets to buy whatsoever is there sold, without scruple and without taking knowledge whether it be of the Idolothytes or no: with this exception, first, that if one should invite him to eat, or buy this or that as sacred and offered meats, that then he should not eat it, lest he should seem to approve the offering of it to the Idol, or to like it the better for the same. Secondly, when the weak brother may take offence by the same. For though it be lawful in itself to eat any of these meats without care of the Idol: yet all lawful things be not in every time and place expedient to be done.

• 1 How by participation with idolaters, idolatry is committed.
• 2 How to avoid scandal in things indifferent.

the Sacrifice of sacrifices: Dionys. Ec. Hier. c. 3. the quickening holy sacrifice: the unbloody host and victim: Cyril. Alex. in Conc. Ephes. Anath. 11. the propitiatory sacrifice both for the living and the dead: Tertul. de cor. Milit. Chrys. ho. 41. in 1. Cor. Ho. 3. ad Philip. Ho. 66. ad po. Antioch. Cypr. ep. 66. & de coen. Do. nu. 1. August. Ench. 109. Quæst. 2. ad Dulcit. to. 4. Ser. 34. de verb. Apost. the Sacrifice of our Mediator: the sacrifice of our price: the Sacrifice of the new Testament: the sacrifice of the Church: August. li. 9. c. 13. & li. 3 de bapt. c. 19. the one only inconsumptible victim without which there is no religion: Cyprian. de coen. Do. nu. 2. Chryst. ho. 17. ad Hebr. ^[3] The pure oblation, the new offering of the new Law: the vital and impolluted host: the honorable and dreadful Sacrifice: the Sacrifice of thanks-giving or Eucharistical: and the Sacrifice of Melchisedec. Which Melchisedec by his oblation in bread and wine did properly and most singularly prefigurate this office of Christ's eternal Priesthood and sacrificing himself under the forms of bread and wine: which shall continue in the Church throughout all Christian Nations instead of all the offerings of Aaron's Priesthood, as the ^[4] Prophet Malachie did foretell, as S. Cyprian, S. Justine, S. Irenæus and others the most ancient Doctors and Martyrs do testify. Cypr. ep. 63. nu. 2. Iustin. Dial. cum Trypho. post med. Irenæ. li. 4. c. 32. And S. Augustine li. 17. c. 20. de civ. Dei. & li. 1. cont. adv. leg. & proph. c. 18. & li. 3. de bapt. c. 19: S. Leo ser. 8. de Passione: and others do expressly avouch that this one Sacrifice hath succeeded all other and fulfilled all other differences of sacrifices, that it hath the force and virtue of all other, to be offered for all persons and causes that the others, for the living and the dead, for sins and for thanks-giving, and for what other necessity so ever of body or soul. ^{[5] [6]} Which holy action of Sacrifice they also call the Masse in plain words. August. ser. 251. 91. Con. Carthag. 2. c. 3. 4. c. 84. Milevit. c. 12. Leo ep. 88. 81. c. 2. Grego. li. 2. ep. 9. 93. &c. This is the Apostles' and Fathers' doctrine. God grant the Adversaries may find mercy to see so evident and invincible a truth.

• 3 * Cypr. Iustin. Irenæ. infra.
• 4 * Malac. 1, 11.
• 5 The fathers called this sacrifice, the MASS.
• 6 * Ambros. ep. 33.