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AND THEIR REFUTATION. 237
Greeks in unleavened, bread, according to a Decree of the
"
Definimus in azimo, sive in fer-
Council of Florence, in 1429 :
mentato pane triticeo Corpus Christi veraciter confici, Sacerdotesque
in alterutro ipsum Domini Corpus conficere debent, unum-
quenque scilicet juxta suae Eeclesise Occidentalis, sive Orientalis
consuetudinem." The matter of the consecration of the blood
should be common wine, pressed from ripe grapes ; and, there
fore, the liquor expressed from unripe grapes, boiled wine, or
that which has become vinegar, cannot be used. Must, however,
or the unfermented juice of the grape, will answer ; but it should
not be used without necessity.
45. As to the quantity of bread and wine to be consecrated,
it is quite sufficient that it be apparent to the senses, be it ever
so little ;
it must, however, be certain, and of a known quantity,
and morally present. According to the intention of the Church,
and as St. Thomas teaches (3), a greater number of particles
should not be consecrated than is sufficient to give communion to
that number of people who are expected to receive within the
time that the species would keep without corrupting. From this
Peter de Marca concludes (4), that it is not in the power of a
Priest to consecrate all the bread in a shop, for example ; the
consecration in this case, he says, would be invalid, though
others assert it would only be illicit. Theologians also dispute
of the validity of consecration, when performed for the purposes
of witchcraft, or to expose the Host to the insult of unbelievers.
46. We now have to treat of the form of the Eucharist.
Luther (5) says, that the words of Christ alone,
"
This is my
body," are not sufficient to consecrate, but that the whole liturgy
must be recited. Calvin (6) said, that the words were not neces
sary at all for consecration, but only to excite faith. Some
Greek schismatics, Arcudius (7) informs us, said that the words,
"
This is," &c., being once expressed by Christ, were sufficient in
themselves to consecrate all the Hosts offered up ever after.
47. Some Catholics taught that Christ consecrated the Eu
charist by his occult benediction, without any words at all, by
the excellence of his power ; but ordained the form, at the same
(3) St. Thorn. 3, p. q. 73, art. 2. (5) Luther, /. de Abrog. Missa.
(4) Petr. de Marca Diss. posthuma de (6) Calvin, Inst. /. 4, c. 17, sec. 39.
Sacrif. Missa. (7) Arcud. /. 3, c. 28.