The Later Mediaeval Doctrine of the Eucharistic Sacrifice

This historic book may have numerous typos or missing text. Not indexed. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1898. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... c. The Later Mediaeval Doctbine Of The Eucharistic Sacrifice. The later mediaeval writers now proceeded to elaborate the traditional teaching of St. Thomas. I. Ex opere operato. The ex opere operato theory of the Sacrifice of the Eucharist. It must of course be borne in mind that this phrase ex opere operato is capable of a right and a wrong use. If it means that the Sacraments are effectual because of Christ's institution and promise1, it is not only an unexceptionable, but a valuable phrase. This is the sense it now bears. The Sacraments are said to confer grace not as principal causes (that belongs to God only), but as instrumental causes. As such they give grace both ex opere operantis vel suscipientis, as from the singular devotion of the minister and the recipient's perception of it; and also ex opere operato, from their force as rites of divine institution and the sanctity they have because of Him who ordained them V Thus ex opere operato is not only an innocent, but, as against merely subjective types of religion which make the disposition of the recipient not the condition but the cause of the benefits to be received, a necessary phrase. As such it was vindicated by the Council of Trent: Si quis dixerit per ipsa nova legis sacramenta ex opere operato non conferri gratiam, sed solam fidem divinae promissionis ad gratiam consequendam sufficere, anathema sit2. This vindication belongs to Session VII of March 3, 1547, and it was tacitly accepted in England; for the rejection of the phrase found in Article XXVI of the Forty-two Articles was dropped ten years later in the corresponding Article XXV of 15633. But this was the result of theological explanation. Before the middle of the sixteenth century opus operatum was an ambiguous expression easi...