sumed it necessarily led to a statement of what is meant by the body and blood of Christ ; in what sense the bread is his body and the wine his blood ; how they are given and received ; and what are the effects of such reception. On all these points the surest sources of information on the real doctrine of the Lutheran Church is to be found in its authorized symbols.
Statement of the Doctrine in the Symbolical Boohs.
The tenth article of the first part of the Augsburg Confession is very short, and is couched in language which Calvin would not, and did not, hesitate to adopt. " De Ccena Domini docent, quod corpus et sanguis Christi vere adsint et distribuantur vescentibus in Coena Domini, et improbant secus docentes." l
The language of the Apology is more explicit : " Decimus articulus approbatus est, in quo confitemur, nos sentire, quod in Ccena Domini vere et substantialiter adsint corpus et sanguis Christi, et vere exhibeantur cum illis rebus, quae videntur, pane et vino, his, qui sacramentum accipiunt." " Non negamus recta nos fide caritateque sincera Christo spiritualiter conjungi ; sed nullam nobis conjunctionis rationem secundum carnem cum illo esse, id profecto pernegamus, idque a divinis Scripturis omnino alienum dicimus." 2
In the Smalcald Articles8 it is said: "De sacramento altaris sentimus, panem et vinum in Ccena esse verum corpus et sanguinem Christi, et non tantum dari et sumi a piis, sed etiam impiis chris- tianis."
formed say that " is " means or may mean "signifies," all they intend is that the one word, in the case in question, may be properly substituted for the other. The idea intended to be expressed by the words, " The seven ears are seven years," may be expressed by saying, ' The seven ears signify seven years.' This does imply that " are " means "signify." Dr. Krauth tells us that Luther in his version of the Bible employs forty-six different substitutes for the substantive verb as used in the Hebrew and Greek. It would hardly be fair to say that Luther gives forty-six different lexicographical meanings to the Hebrew word nVj, or the Greek el^i. Whether the proposition "This is my body " is to be understood literally or figuratively is an open question ; but there can be no question as to the lexicographical meaning of the word "is." No one doubts that such propositions as "I am the living bread," "That rock was Christ," " The seven candlesticks ... are the seven churches," and hundreds of others of like kind occurring in the Bible and in ordi- nary language, are to be understood figuratively. And it may be safely said that if the proposition, " This (bread) is my body "were submitted to a thousand intelligent men, who knew nothing of Christianity, not one of them would hesitate to say that the words, according to all the laws of interpretation, must be understood figuratively. The fact that they have been understood literally by so large a part of Christendom, is to be accounted for by other reasons than any ambiguity in the words themselves.
1 Hase, Libri Symbolici, p. 12.
2 iv. 54-56 ; Hase, pp. 157, 158. Cyril on John xv. • vi. 1, 5; Hase, p. 330.
664 PART III. Ch. XX. — THE MEANS OF GRACE.
"De transubstantione subtilitatem sophisticam nihil curamus, qua fingunt, panem et vinum relinquere et aniittere naturalem suam substantiam, et tantum speciem et colorem panis, et non verum panem remanere. Optime enim cum sacra Scriptura con- gruit, quod panis adsit et maneat, sicut Paulus ipse nominat : Panis quern frangimus. Et : Ita edat de pane."
In the Smaller Catechism it is asked : " Quid est sacramentum altaris ? Responsio. Sacramentum altaris est verum corpus et verus sanguis Domini nostri Jesu Christi, sub pane et vino, nobis Christianis ad manducandum ac bibendum ab ipso Christo insti- tutum. Quid vero prodest, sic comedisse et bibisse ? Responsio. Id indicant nobis hsec verba : Pro vobis datur ; et : Effunditur in remissionem peccatorum. Nempe quod nobis per verba ilia in sacramento remissio peccatorum, vita, justitia et salus donentur. Ubi enim remissio peccatorum est, ibi est et vita et salus. Qui potest corporalis ilia manducatio tantas res efficere ? Responsio. Manducare et bibere ista certe non efficiunt, sed ilia verba, quae hie ponuntur : Pro vobis datur, et : Effunditur in remissionem peccatorum; quae verba sunt una cum corporali manducatione caput et summa hujus sacramenti. Et qui credit his verbis, ille habet, quod dicunt, et sicut sonant, nempe remissionem pecca- torum." 1
Luther in his Larger Catechism enlarges on all these points ; answers various objections to his doctrine ; insists upon the neces- sity of faith in order to the profitable reception of the ordinance ; and exhorts to frequent attendance on the ordinance.
The Form of Concord gives the affirmative statement of the doctrine ; and then the negation of all the opposing views. It affirms : First, the true and substantial presence of the body and blood of Christ in this sacrament. Second, that the words of in- stitution are to be understood literally, so that the bread does not signify the absent body, nor the wine the absent blood of Christ, but on account of the sacramental union "panis et vinum vere sint corpus et sanguis Christi." Third, that the cause of this presence is not the consecration by man, but is due solely to the omnipotent power of our Lord Jesus Christ. Fourth, the pre- scribed words of institution are on no account to be omitted. Fifth, the fundamental principles on which the doctrine rests are, (1.) That Jesus Christ is inseparably true, essential, natural, perfect God and man in one person. (2.) That the right hand of God Is everywhere, and, therefore, Christ, " ratione human-
1 v. 1-8; Hase, pp. 380, 381.