Mixture of Wine and Water 91
communion, afterward it grew to a custom in the church to have private and solitary masses, especially in cloisters.
Mixture of Wine and Water 1. The mingling of the wine with water was a general custom in all hot countries for allaying the strength of the wine, as Lyra testifies in 1 Corinthians 11; and hereby it is proved so to be because the water was put in after the consecration, as appears in that mass which is called Chrysostom's. But this was none of Christ's institution, as the fathers do hold, for Chrysostom says that Pope Alexander was the first that mingled water with the wine (Homily 83 on Matthew;
Polydore Vergil, lib. 5, c. 9). And Augustine, lib. 3. De Consensu Evang., cap. 1, says that these words, "I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine," are to be understood of the cup of the Eucharist
And the Armenians for above a thousand years together used pure wine without any mixture of water therewithal, as Otho Frisingensis testifies, lib. 7, c. 32. But out of a custom it grew to be a ceremony signifying a mystery. Afterwards the Aquarii used only water, without any wine, against whom Cyprian proves the use of wine, but not of water mixed with wine.
2. The schoolmen hold this mixture to be no essential part of the sacrament, and namely, Thomas, part. 3, q. 74, art. 7, and Scotus, in sent. 4, dist. 11, q. 6, the two chief. And likewise Hales, Bonaventure,
Richardus, and Durand., as Joseph Angles, in 4 dist. 8, art. 6 (Joseph Angles, in 4 dist. 8, art. 6), testifies in his comment upon the sentences, adding that this is the common opinion of the doctors.
Yea, Bellarmine himself is not ashamed to confess this in his fourth book, de Sacr. Eucharist, cap. 10.