| Monumental Christianity; or, The art and symbolism of the primitive church. CHAPTER XII. THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS: AGAPE AND EUCHARIST - 5 |
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Page 6 of 6 Now, if we can find any early Christian representation of a typical sacrifice, other than that of Melchisedek, say that of Isaac, the most striking of all the ancient types of the sacrifice of Christ, in connection with the Agape or the holy Eucharist, it would seem to be conclusive that there is now just as much a sacrifice in the one as there was in the other. There is a two-fold early representation of a basket of bread with a bottle of wine in it, on the back of the fish, which is obviously Eucharistic, The ship on the back of a huge fish, is the Church upheld by Christ ; Monumental Christianity. and the basket of Bread and Wine on the back of a fish, is the sacramental symbol, supported by the Reality. It is Christ and the Eucharist together and inseparable. I here give these two representations from De Rossi, who discusses the subject somewhat in his Roma Sotterranea Cristiana, vol. I., pp. 348-51. They were found be- tween two loculi oi \.\i^ crypt of Lucina, one of the oldest parts of the cemetery of St. Callixtus, and date as far back as the second century. In the original there is some red colour in the middle of the basket to indicate a glass of wine. The fish, in every example, seems to be alive, or, as Paulinus of Nola says, ** Christ is the true Bread and the Fish of the living water.** We have already seen what this Fish signifies, whether Carp or Dolphin, in Chapter VI. As Carp, it was for man's nourishment; as Dolphin, it was for his preservation and salvation. And here it is the Carp, and must, therefore, be sacramental, and. intended to represent Christ, just as in the case of the ship and the Fish. Inasmuch as in both sacraments there is the outward and visible sign or symbol, and the inward or spiritual grace : and as that outward and visible sign of the Lord*s Supper, is Bread and Wine, and the inward and spiritual thing signified, is the Body and Blood of Christ, spiritually taken and received by the faithful, we have in this ancient arcane fresco an exact representation of the whole nature of the Eucharist, outward and inward, the symbol and the Reality. The Discipline of the Secret was now in full force, and the matter had to be concealed under this hidden sym- bolism. Later, when it was relaxed, after persecution had ceased, we find on the Sarcophagi, Christ Himself, blessing the fish and bread among His disciples. Dr. Northcote has discussed the whole matter fairly, after De Rossi, and arrives at this conclusion : •* We have been accused of attempting to connect the fish with the doctrine of Transubstantiation. What we have really done is, to prove, by abundant testimonies, that when fish and bread were represented together on ancient Christian monuments, there was meant a secret reference to the Holy Eucharist, of which the bread denotes The Communion of Saints : Agape and Euchat the outward and visible form, {sic) and the fish the inward and hidden reality, viz., Christ Jesus our Lord.**' This is according to the definition given in the Catechism of the Church of England and America, which Dr. Northcote substantially adopts. Fortunately, among De Rossi*s recent discov- eries, we have a representation of the matter, both typical and memorial, which I here reproduce.' (Fig. 169.) I have been permitted to see it with my own eyes, and can vouch for its correctness. The central figure of a semi-circular table, at which seven persons are seated, with two dishes of fish and eight baskets of bread before them, is no doubt the Agape, or Communion of Saints. On the left of it is the scene of the Sacrifice of Isaac, where both father and child are seen in cross-hke attitude, as two orantes. The lamb for the real sacrifice is under the tree of life, and a bundle of faggots lies at its foot. On the right of the table, and occupying the post of honour, as Paul usually does at the side of his Lord, is a circular tripod or Pagan altar of incense, on which are a fish and a loaf of bread. A priest is in the act of conse- cration, for he is laying his right hand upon the fish, not elevating it ; and an Orante, the Bride of Christ, is lifting up her hands to heaven, as though assisting in the Oblation, just as Abel does at the sacrifice of Melchisedek. What the sacrifice of Abraham typified of Christ's real and effectual one, this Oblation of fish and bread memorialized and set forth. And one is just as much a sacrifice as the other. The seven persons obviously denote the complete number of God's elect in the Com- munion of Saints. The eight baskets have refer- ence to the miracle of the multiplication of bread, Monumental Christianity. when the disciples took up seven baskets full of the remainder of the increase of their own basket of seven loaves and a few fishes, after the multitude was fed. (Matt. XV. 32-39.) Sometimes twelve baskets are represented, and sometimes seven, often only four or five, or two, St, Jerome speaks thus of the poverty of some churches: " Nothing can be richer than one who carries the Body of Christ in a basket made of twigs, and the Blood of Christ in a chalice of glass; " and this remark illustrates the matter of the basket of Bread and Wine on the back of a fish, as well as the baskets of bread which always appear at the Agapae. Such baskets, too, were used in the Pagan Mysteries, only they were closed. That this whole fresco represents the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, both typical and memorial, as the Communion of Saints, is evident, from what is found in connection with it, in the same cubiculum. It is the sacrament of Baptism, which will be given when that subject comes under review. Moses striking the rock is seen ; the paralytic is carrying his bed ; and Jonah, as typical of Hades and the resurrection, is there. Both sacraments seem to be intended, but no more so-called sacraments. Of these there is no trace in the monuments of early Christianity. We find only Baptism and the Lord's Supper. I here reproduce, from a St. Sebastian sar- cophagus, as published by Bosio and Aringhi,' one out of a great number of like examples, of Christ blessing fish and bread. (Fig. 170.) There are the two fishes as usual in all such cases, as held by an Apostle, and a basket of bread is held by an- other, most likely Paul and Peter; while five baskets are at the youthful and Divine Lord's feet. As usual, too, these little cakes or loaves of bread are all signed with the cross, as signifi- cant of the Living Bread that came down from heaven. These Apostles must break it to men all over the world. Just below it, on the same sarcophagus, Christ is represented turning water into wine, at the marriage of Cana, as if to sig- nalize and make plain the whole matter of the Eucharist. No historical incident in our Lord's life is ever given, even in the new Testament, that has not its moral and spiritual significance, beyond the mere act. The miracle at Cana, and the mul- FiG. 170.— Euchuistio. Bosio, p. 295 ; Aringhi, I., p. 351, The Communion of Saints: Agape and Eucharist. 371 tiplication of bread and fish, look higher than a mere gratification of the animal nature ; they were intended to affect the mind and soul. So here, this blessing of fish and bread, is more symbolical than actual, and reveals Christ Himself as the Bread of Life. There is a most remarkable example of this symbolical significance in a fresco of St. Callixtus, where Christ is represented with six loaves of bread crossed, in the fold of His toga and held up to His bosom, pointing to Moses and seven baskets of manna, which he, as the type of Christ, is touching with his rod ; and our Lord is in the act of blessing after the Roman mode, as if saying, in contradis- tinction from Moses and the manna, '* I am the Living Bread, which came down from heaven." ' St. Paul calls this manna spiritual meat, and the water of the smit- ten Rock spiritual drink ; (L Cor. x. 3-4 ;) and, therefore, if both were typical of Christ in the two sacraments, He must be the spiritual food and drink of His people now in those sacraments. This symbolical mode of representing Christ as the Bread of Life, appears to perfection in the ^^ Biblia Pauperutn^ and in the ^*^ Speculum Humana Salvationist' z.'^ derived from the primitive ages of Christianity, and intended to instruct the poor of the times by pictorial representations of the leading truths of our religion. In the Biblia we have this: A central scene of the last Supper of Christ with His Disciples; on the right of it Melchisedek offering Bread and Wine to Abraham and his soldiers, the priest being clad in Papal canonicals, with chalice and wafer, and Abraham and his followers in the regimentals of the middle ages; on the left of the Holy Supper, the manna is represented as raining down from heaven, with Moses holding up his rod, and the Israelites gathering up the manna in baskets. In the Speculum, the same thing is represented in four scenes, viz. : (i) beginning on the right, is the Holy Supper ; (2) the fall of manna and the people gathering it ; (3) the Passover celebration, where the lamb is seen on the table, and the people standing round it with their staves in their hands ; and (4) Melchisedek giving bread and wine to Abraham, who is here alone.* Nothing can be more suggestive and telling than these strong, simple old wood-cuts of Scripture story, made for the people at a time when Bibles were inaccessible. They learned truth as the primitive Christians had learned it before them, from pictorial symbols, whether they were able to read books or not. In the last chapter of St. John's Gospel, we have an account of our Lord's third appearance to His disciples after His resurrection, in the miraculous draught of fishes, and in breaking bread with them. Bosio, from whom I copy this picture, (Fig. 171,) > Bono, pb 245. > Berjeau's Reprinti. Monumental Christianity. says that it may be a representation of the seven sons of St. Felicitas, the martyr, who was buried in this cemetery, (Priscilla) or perhaps of our Lord's meal w^ith His disciples, as above indicated. Northcote adopts the latter view, and considers it Eucharistic, showing how all the Fathers, without exception, so interpret it," citing Augustine especially, to that effect, and Prosper Africanus, who says of our Lord in that appearance and act, "That Great Fish who satis- fied from Himself (^jr Se Jpsd) the disciples on the shore, and offered Himself as a fish {IXOTN) to the whole world." The seven baskets of bread before the com- pany ; the seven loaves crossed, and the two fishes ; the kneeling down of all, while one youthful figure is holding out His hands in benediction, do not look like an actual historical scene of mere dining, but has the symbolical appearance of the great Eucharistic supper. The reverent attitude is suggestive, but surely it is not the Lord adoring His own symbols of fish and bread. It is rather the prayer of gratitude and love to the Father of all for His bounty and mercy, the Eucharistic act proper — the oblation of a loving and pure heart, soul, mind, and body, as offered to God for His glory and the good of men, just before His ascension, and the dis- persion of the Apostles to preach the Gospel and distribute the Bread of Life among all nations. Before all this Liturgical and monumental evidence as to the nature of the Eucharist, Cudworth*s theory of a ** Feast upon a sacrifice," falls to the ground ; and the looser opinions of Zuinglians, and social meal persons, must need be con- founded. If it is not a memorial sacrifice, with Christ in it by His power and Holy Spirit, offered to God by priest and people, it is nothing but an empty ceremony. ** Take heed," says Ignatius to the Church of ancient Philadelphia, " that ye have but one Eucharist. For there is one Flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, and one chalice in the unity of His blood. One Altar, as there is one Fio. 171.— Christ at the Sea of Galilee. Rom, Soft., pp. 216-3x7. The Communion of Saints : Agape and Eucharist. Bishop, with the Presbyters and Deacons, my fellow-servants." (c. 4.) And to the Church at Smyrna, he says: "See that ye all follow the Bishop even as Jesus Christ does the Father, and the Presbyters as ye would the Apostles; and reverence the Deacons, as appointed by God. Let that be deemed a proper and safe Eucharist which is either administered by the Bishop, or by one to whom he has entrusted it. It is not lawful without the Bishop, either to baptize, or to cele- brate the Communion or Agape, If any man follow him who makes a schism in the Church, he shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (c. 8 and 3 ad. Phila.) With St. Augustine, it is to be believed, " That the sacrifice of Aaron is taken away, and the sacrifice according to the order of Melchisedek has begun to be. Our Lord Jesus Christ has willed our salvation to be in His Body and Blood. But whence has He commended to us His Body and Blood? From His humanity; for except He were humble, He would not be eaten and drunk. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Angels feed on Him, but He humbled Himself that man might eat the bread of angels. He became obedient unto death, even the death of the Cross, that from the Cross might be commended to us the new sacrifice, the Flesh and Blood of the Lord." ' And the solemn words of a far Greater than any of these are to be pondered and weighed most religiously, " Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you." As an early example of the variety of vestments used, take this example from a St. Agnes* sarcophagus, of the fourth century which I copy from Bosio." There is another like it, in the same author, of Abraham and Isaac so clad, with the lamb at hand.* I con- clude, therefore, that these must be intended as sacrificial vestments. Here our Lord seems to be giving some charge or commission to His two chief Apostles, or blessing both with arms extended as an Orante. There it is the typical sacrifice, with both Priest and intended victim in sacrificial robes. It is the exact modern chasuble, with stripes outside, and is a fresco of an earlier date than the one here given. In the mosaics of the oldest Byzantine churches, the same vestments may be seen, as 374 Monumental Christianity. published by Texier and PuIIan. Marriott has collected the most of them in his excellent work on Church vestments. ^ Ya iii[6 no moiie $h|«n9eii$ und foiialgneiiSi but f eHow-dtixens wltti Am Kic. i73.--Christ blessing Rresid and Fish. The > The Magi. Baptism in the Red Sea. The Forgiveness of Sins : Baptism and Absolution. 375 |