oelists use the word of blessing or thanksgiving indifferently. For where Mark hath εὐλογήσας, that is to say, blessing,” Matthew, Luke, and Paul have εὐχαριστήσας, that is to say, “giving thanks;” which word Mark also using a little after writeth: “And when he had took the cup,” εὐχαριστήσας, that is, “when he had given thanks, he gave to them.” To bless therefore is, as the apostles themselves do interpret it, to give thanks, since that they put the one for the other. The diligent reader may sce them? also in that place of Paul, which is 1 Cor. x. cap.; which place we will fully and wholly entreat of in that which followeth. Our adversaries therefore have not as yet proved out of the scriptures, that to bless is as much as to change the things; or that by words, pronunciation or reciting of words, the things themselves signified are brought to, or made present3. The ancient writers, truly, made mention of a mystical blessing, but in a far other sense than these consecrators. Of true consecration we will speak anon; and will confute also in another place whatsoever things they have brought concerning blessing or consecrating of baptism. Now we will make an end of that which we began. Words of themselves were instituted of God to this end, to signify; and by signifying to bear witness, and to admonish: neither have they beside any hidden force to change the natures of things, or to cause the things themselves to be corporally present; neither do we read that holy men ever used them after this manner: therefore they sin and deceive men, which otherwise use them than they were instituted. Aurel. Augustine acknowledgeth? the very same thing, who in in. his Encliridion ad Laurent. Capit. 22, saith: “And verily fence words to this purpose are instituted, not that men should deceive one another by them, but by the which one might make another to know his meaning: therefore to use words unto deceit, and not to that end whereunto they were ordained, is sin.” The same Aurelius Augustinus, gathering a
[[I Mark xiv. 22; Matth. xxvi. 26; Luke xxii. 19; 1 Cor. xi. 24.]
[Bullinger borrows here from Erasm. Annot. in Mare. xiv. 22.] [2 So also ed. 1584; but 1577, the same: idipsum, Lat.) [3 Rather, or by words, &c, to bring or make present, ὅσο. [+ So also ed. 1584; but 1577, acknowledged: agnovit, Lat.] [5 Et utique verba propterea sunt instituta, non per que se invicem]
[homines fallant, sed per que in alterius quisque notitiam cogitationes]
sum of his whole book intituled De Magistro, asketh this question: “But now I would have thee tell me, what thy opinion is of all this that I have spoken unto thee?” Which by and by he answereth: “I have learned being admonished by the words, that a man is taught no other thing by words than to learn; and that it is a very small matter, that by speech or talk we know partly what he thinketh that speaketh: but whether the words which he spake were true, that teacheth he only, who admonished that he dwelt in the heart when the other spake with the tongue”.” Thus much he in the last chapter of his book De Magistro. To this purpose pertain the words of Solomon the wise, in the book of the Preacher, saying: “The words of the wise are like pricks, and nails that go through of the authors of gatherings, which are given of one shepherd.” Where we willingly acknowledge, that there is a great force in eloquence and prayers of the just!; as the Grecians signified by that Hercules of Gallia, also Cicero very plentifully hath declared the same Lib. 1. De Oratore: but that which they do forge and imagine of Pitho, or Suada, or Suadela, the lady and mistress of eloquence, that verily do we attribute to the Holy Ghost, which doth both give grace to the speaker, and prepareth and stirreth up the minds of the hearers. By these things it is manifest unto all men, I think, that it is a new forgery of man, and not a doctrine of Oracle, to say, that in the celebration of the sacraments there is such force graffed in the words recited, that they turn and change the things, or make the things signified to be present,
[suas perferat. Verbis igitur uti ad fallaciam, non ad quod instituta]
[sunt, peccatum est.—August. Enchirid. cap. 22, Opp. Tom. m1. fol. 34.]
[col. 3. Par. 1531.] [ὁ So also ed. 1584; but 1577, thy.] [7 Sed mihi jam dicas velim, quid de hoc toto meo sermone]
[sentias.. AD. Ego vero didici admonitione verborum tuorum, nihil]
[aliud verbis, quam admoneri hominem ut discat, et perparum esse]
[quod per locutionem aliquanta cogitatio loquentis apparet: utrum autem]
[vera dicantur, enum docere solum, qui se intus habitare cum foris loque-]
[retur admonuit.—Aug.de Magistro. cap. 14, Opp. Tom. 1. fol. 120. col. 1.] [8 Velut clavi plantati inter folia collectitia, tradita ab uno pastore,]
[Lat. and Bibl. Lat. Tigur, 1544.] [9 The translator’s explanation.] (10 Rather, and a perfect speech: orationi juste, Lat.] [1 the lady—ecloquence, not in Lat.]]