Chapter 47: The Body of Christ and its Omnipresence
We also have a rule of Augustine in "De Doctrina Christiana," wherein he shows that unless an evil act is commanded, or some good work prohibited, the speech is to be taken without a figure. If this rule is applied to the choice of meats and to circumcision, it shows that the words of God must be absolutely understood. They say moreover that in the Prophets and histories, figures are easily admitted because in these the Holy Ghost deals after the manner of men and applies himself to their familiar speeches, that he may more earnestly express those things which are to be spoken. But in doctrine and precepts, we must not so judge: all things, they say, must be taken simply. This opinion of theirs is not firm or universal.
Figurative Speech in Doctrine As for precepts, the Lord says: "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees," where he manifestly uses a figure, such a figure that the apostles in that place misunderstood him. Moreover, in Matthew 7, he commanded that they should beware of false prophets, "for they will come to you," he says,
"in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." In this commandment, who does not perceive a figurative speech? In teaching doctrine, there is no doubt that figures and tropes are used. Paul says in the New Testament: "The rock was Christ," and "We are one bread." Of God, it is written that he is a consuming fire (πῦρ καταναλίσκον).
Chapter 47:
The Body of Christ and its Omnipresence They affirm that the body of Christ may be everywhere, citing the words of Christ to Nicodemus in John 3: "No man ascends into heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of Man who is in heaven." Behold,
they say, the Son of Man, that is Christ, spoke to them concerning his human nature, and was also in heaven because the human nature cannot be separated from the divine. Therefore, what he affirms of one must also be spoken of the other.
However, it is answered that we will not divide these two natures from one another, yet it does not follow that what pertains to one should be given to the other. Indeed, we grant that the divinity of Christ is everywhere, but we will not attribute the same to his body and humanity. Augustine manifestly taught this to Dardanus. And what is brought out of the third chapter of John, Augustine interprets, must be understood that the Son of Man was in heaven concerning his divine nature. Neither did Chrysostom judge otherwise when he expounded this place. He affirmed that to be in heaven was not attributed to the Son of Man but in respect of his divine nature.
The Argument of the Natures But how feeble an argument this is: These two natures are joined together; therefore, what is granted to one must be attributed also to the other. This may be shown by analogy: The body of the sun and the light thereof have between them a natural and excellent conjunction, yet the light does not extend itself to every place where the body really attains. In like manner, the body, our eyes, and sight are very much joined together, yet our sight attains to many things to which the eye of the body does not extend.
The Unique Nature of Christ's Body They argue that many things must be granted to the body of Christ beyond the common course and conditions of other bodies, for two reasons: partly because it is glorified, and partly because it has the Word joined with it. We confess that many things are to be given, but to be everywhere cannot fit it
while preserving the nature of man's body. If we were to grant this, it would bring ruin rather than renown to it, for then it would be extruded from its own nature. Moreover, even if we granted that the body of Christ could be in many places, it does not follow that God would deal so in this sacrament.
The Teacher Similitude They endeavour to prove this corporal presence by the similitude of a teacher. A teacher, seeing he can extend his words to many hearers, communicates the concept of his mind to them, so they all understand him fully alike. So, they say, God deals in the words uttered at the sacrament.
He folds his body in them so that by them he may be shown in all these signs and may be communicated to all that receive.
Comparison and Conclusion But the comparison is far wide, and as we said before, words do not discover things or the concept of the mind unless by way of signification. It is to no purpose what they go about to prove afterward, that the body of Christ is everywhere, from the first chapter of Ephesians: "Christ is given to be the head of the body of the Church, which (as it is written in Greek) is the fullness of him that fills all in all things."
The Apostle does not mean that the body of Christ fills all things and is everywhere as they infer. The verb or participle πληροῦντος (fulfilling) is doubtful in its signification, as it may be taken both actively and passively.
If understood passively, according to Greek expositions, it means that Christ, the head of the Church, is filled concerning all things in all his members, not that he is accomplished in himself. He is sufficiently perfect and happy. However, that must be understood concerning the body and members. As to be the head is given to him, so likewise the Church is
understood to be the fullness of Christ, for it fills and perfects his mystical body.
Active and Passive Signification If the signification is active, then it means that Christ is the head because he perfects all gifts and virtues in all his members. The sense is not that he, as man, is everywhere. This can be proved by the Scriptures. Christ openly confessed that Lazarus was dead when he was not there. If one contends that he did not have a glorified body, it does not affect the matter because he still had the Godhead joined with it.
To remove doubt, the Angel after the resurrection said to the women: "He is risen, he is not here." Again: "He shall go before you into Galilee." And again: "He was taken away from their eyes as he ascended into heaven."
Therefore, he does not fill all things nor is he everywhere.
Christ's Ascension and Filling All Things They also cite a place in the fourth chapter of Ephesians: "He that descended is the very same that ascended even above all heavens, that he might fill all things." This place, notwithstanding, proves nothing and is expounded in two ways. First, that to fill all things is referred to what is prophesied and written of Christ. Wherefore a little before, he cited the scripture: "He ascended on high, he led captivity captive and gave gifts unto men." If you refer it to places, you must understand this of the kinds of places, not of each place particularly, according to that sentence: "The Lord would have all men to be saved." Thus, we say that Christ sometimes occupied the middle places, sometimes the higher places, and other times the lower places, as in the sepulchre.
Transubstantiation and Omnipresence The Transubstantiators say that this does not belong to them because they do not claim that the body of Christ is everywhere, but only where the Sacrament is. Rather, it is against them. For if, as they judge, it is not repugnant to the body of Christ to be at one time in twenty or fifty places, it will not be repugnant to be in a hundred or a thousand places, and finally in all places. Thus, they make the body of Christ to be infinite. There is no cause to accuse the form of the argument, for Jerome used the same against John, Bishop of Jerusalem, to prove that our bodies after resurrection can remain without meat. Jerome said that Elias and Moses, by the power of God, could remain without meat for forty days, so man might also be sustained by the power of God for more days. If for longer time, it follows that forevermore if it be the will of God.
The Adoration of the Sacrament Returning to those men, they see that upon such a near conjunction, it follows that the Sacrament may be adored. For if the Lord be corporally and really contained therein, who will not worship him? They teach that it is free for you to do it or not do it. For they say: although he is there, yet he is not there to be worshipped. If you receive him and eat him, it is enough. If you also worship him, you do not err. But we judge rather that in worshipping we should not turn our mind to the signs.
If any man, while the rite of the Sacrament is exercised, being well instructed in the mystery, shall turn his mind to the worshipping of Christ reigning in heaven, he does rightly and his bounden duty to worship Christ, who declares himself unto him. Neither is idolatry committed therein. Paul taught this in the first epistle to the Corinthians when he said: "If a man enters your congregation, if he is unlearned and a plain man, and hears you