The statement must now be considered that this conversion or transubstantiation does not happen through this alone, that the body of Christ begins to be under the species of bread though the substance itself remains; but the substance of the bread is converted into the body of Christ in such a way, that the substance of the bread does not remain by divine virtue, but the body of Christ remains only under the accidents which were in the substance of the bread before conversion; yet it is not affected by those accidents, as will be stated later.
However, it must be noted that, although it may be found expressed in the New Testament, that the body of Christ is to be received by the faithful under the species of bread in memory of the passion of the Lord and for the remission of their sins; yet it is not there clearly expressed that the substance of the bread does not remain. Whence, and in former times there have been diverse opinions concerning this, as states the Master of the Sentences in Book IV., Distinction XI., and Hostiensis at the top of the page in the margin of the De Consecratione, and the gloss on the De Consecratione, Distinction II., ‘In sacramentorum,’ and the gloss in the margin of the De Celebratione Missarum, ‘Cum Marthæ.’ Whence they say that there were three opinions about the conversion of the bread into the body of Christ. “One opinion asserts that that substance, which was at first bread, afterwards is the flesh and the blood of Christ. The second opinion holds that the substance of the bread and the wine ceases to be there and the accidents only remain; namely, taste, color, weight, and similar accidents; and under these accidents the body of Christ begins to be there. The third opinion holds, that the substance of the bread and the wine remains there and the body of Christ is in the same place under the same species.”
The aforesaid Doctors approve the second opinion, and it seems to be the determination of the Roman Church. Whence, in the margin of the De Summa Trinitate et Fide Catholica, ‘Firmiter,’ Innocent says in a general council: “There is one universal church of all believers, outside of which no one at all is saved; in which He is both priest and sacrifice, whose body and blood are truly contained in the sacrament of the altar under the species of bread and wine, when the bread is transubstantiated by divine power into the body of Christ and the wine into the blood.” See this passage in the preceding column; namely, in Chapter III. of this work.
But the Catholics, who agree in their approval of this second opinion, have diverse opinions concerning the mode of positing. For some posit, as Saint Thomas, in Book IV., Distinction XI., Question I., that there is a contradiction involved in the statement that the substance of the bread may remain with the body of Christ which remains sacramentally under the species of bread. And certain posit, as the subtle Doctor, in Book IV., Distinction XI., Question III., that, although the substance of the bread may not really remain with the body of Christ, yet there is no contradiction involved in the statement that through divine power the substance of the bread may be able to remain with the body of Christ; and, therefore, these concede and approve the statement that the body of Christ may be in the sacrament of the altar through a change made concerning the body of Christ. And without prejudice to any other this second opinion seems to me more probable and more in accord with theology, because it rather exalts the omnipotence of God by detracting nothing from it, nor does it plainly and expressly imply a contradiction.
However, for the present I refrain from a discussion of these opinions, since I intend, God willing, to discuss the same more fully on another occasion. However, I say that the substance of the bread does not remain, but ceases to be and the body of Christ begins to be under those species.
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