Tractatus de apostasia

INTRODUCTION. XXV
account of the real presence of Christ therein, less perfect than in
the Host, but still real; since it really is a sign, an image of Christ,
and that figurative entity constitutes a real presence, as we have seen.
"Universals exist in the thing as they exist in the mind". Thus, we
find in the next paragraph how he replies to the objection that in
his system the whole world (including not only inanimate things, but
good and bad men, and even devils) is a manifestation of God, and
is consequently to be adored. He points out (pp. 72—73), that,
according to the Apostle (I. Cor. VI, 28) Christ will after the Judgment
Day be omnia in omnibus; which Wyclif takes to signifv that Christ's
Humanity will exist figuratively in every point of mundane space;
and that (though he only expresses an opinion) this existence will
extend only to the Blessed; so that, by His union with them, He will
become the whole human race. Why this existence should be extended
onlv to the Blessed, Wyclif does not stop to consider; nor does he
explain why Christ will become the whole human race only after the
Judgment, when, as may be seen at length in De Benedicta Incarnatione,
Christ's assumption of the Universal "Humanity" really common to
all men, identified Him with the whole human race from the very first
instant of His conception. Probably the difficulties resulting from Christ's
identification with such members of humanity as are reprobate, induced
for it must be remembered
Wyclif somewhat to modify his theory;
that De Benedicta Incarnatione is one of his earliest theological works.
A long quotation follows — (pp. 73 75) from a work called De
Divinis Ofjiciis, which is absent from the extant copies of that work.
I was at great pains to identify this particular quotation, on account
of the beauty of the passage, which is really admirable by its eloquence;
but unfortunately I had to give it up. Some student of the Fathers
may perhaps know at a glance whose it is by the very style; bu
for one little versed in that branch of study, and with no indication
but the doubtful one given by Wyclif, who ascribes it to Ambrose,
such a search is not likely to be always successful. From this passage,
which he contends is completely in his favour, he goes on to bring
forward again his theory of the binding of Satan (which means, he
says, the diminution of his power to tempt man). During
the first
millenary after Christ, Satan was bound; now he is free, and the
consequences 10 the Church are terrible. Gog and Magog (signifying