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stantially contained the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, together with his soul and divinity, and consequently Christ entire; but shall affirm that he is present therein only in a sign or figure, or by his power: let him be accursed.

"2. Whoever shall affirm, that in the most holy sacrament of the eucharist, there remains the substance of the bread and wine, together with the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ; and shall deny that wonderful and peculiar conversion of the whole substance of the bread into his body, and of the whole substance of the wine into his blood, the species only of bread and wine remaining, which conversion the Catholic church most fitly terms transubstantiation : let him be accursed.

"3. Whoever shall deny, that Christ entire is contained in the venerable sacrament of the eucharist, under each species, and under every part of each species, when they are separated: let him be accursed.

"4. Whoever shall affirm, that the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ are not present in the admirable eucharist as soon as the consecration is performed, but only as it is used and received, and neither before nor after; and that the true body of our Lord does not remain in the hosts, or consecrated morsels, which are reserved or left after communion: let him be accursed.

"5. Whoever shall affirm, that remission of sins is the chief fruit of the most holy eucharist, or that other effects are not produced thereby let him be accursed.

"6. Whoever shall affirm, that Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is not to be adored in the holy eucharist with the external signs of that worship which is due to God; and therefore that the eucharist is not to be honoured with extraordinary festive celebration, nor solemnly carried about in processions, according to the laudable and universal rites and customs of holy church, nor publicly presented to the people for their adoration; * and that those who worship the same are idolaters: let him be accursed.

* It is well known that, at the elevation of the host in Roman-catholic chapels, all present (excepting Protestants) kneel down and adore. Many a semi-Protestant would call this an imposing sight: rightly considered, it is deeply humiliating and affecting—the triumph of superstition over common sense, reason, and scriptural piety.

"7. Whoever shall affirm, that it is not lawful to preserve the holy eucharist in the sacristry, but that immediately after consecration it must of necessity be distributed to those who are present; or that it is not lawful to carry it in procession to the sick let him be accursed.

"8. Whoever shall affirm, that Christ, as exhibited in the eucharist, is eaten in a spiritual manner only, and not also sacramentally and really let him be accursed.

"9. Whoever shall deny that all and every one of the faithful in Christ, of both sexes, are bound to communicate every year, at least at Easter, according to the injunction of holy mother church :* let him be accursed.

"10. Whoever shall affirm, that it is not lawful for the officiating priest to administer the communion to himself: let him be accursed.

"11. Whoever shall affirm, that faith only is a sufficient preparation for the reception of the most holy sacrament of the eucharist let him be accursed. And lest so great a sacrament should be taken unworthily, and therefore to death and condemnation, the said holy council doth decree and declare, that previous sacramental confession is absolutely necessary, if a confessor is at hand, for those who are conscious of the guilt of mortal sin, however contrite they may think themselves to be. Whoever shall presume to teach, preach, or obstinately assert the contrary, or to maintain opposite opinions in public disputation let him be ipso facto excommunicated."†

* "The faithful are frequently to be reminded that they are all bound to receive this sacrament; and that the church has decreed that whoever neglects to approach the holy communion once a year, at Easter, subjects himself to sentence of excommunication. However, let not the faithful imagine that it is enough to receive the body of the Lord once a year only, in obedience to the decree of the church: they should approach oftener, but whether monthly, weekly, or daily, cannot be decided by any fixed universal rule." The obligation of communion is not considered as binding on infants. "From persons labouring under actual insanity, the sacrament should also be withheld. However, according to the decree of the council of Carthage, it may be administered to them at the close of life, provided they had evinced previously to their insanity a sincerely pious desire of being admitted to its participation, and if no danger arising from the state of the stomach, or other inconve nience or indignity, is to be apprehended."-Catechism, pp. 241–243.

† Certain additional canons were framed at Bologna, which did not ultimately pass. They were intended to counteract the "cold and negligent

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O the "depths of Satan!" Surely here we have his masterpiece. To what a state of degradation is the mind reduced that can swallow the monstrous dogma maintained in this decree, and submit to the imperious dictation of a pretended infallible church, in opposition to reason and common sense, the laws of nature, and the word of God! * The bread is placed upon the altar. All know that it is bread, nothing but bread, prepared from the flour of wheat. "Hoc est corpus meum," exclaims the priest, and it is held to be bread no longer. It looks like bread-tastes like bread: no visible change has passed upon it. And the wine, in like manner, has undergone no discernible alteration; its colour, appearance, flavour, are just the same. But in defiance of the senses, we are commanded to believe that the one is become the body, and the other, the blood, of the Lord Jesus Christ, and that his soul and divinity are included in the same space. Nor is this enough: as if in very mockery of their humiliation, the

devotion" which, according to the confession of the fathers, was extensively prevalent; "from which sprang irreverence, from irreverence contempt, and from contempt impiety." These provisions were, that whenever the host was exhibited on the altar or carried in the street, none should be allowed to sit or stand, but all should kneel with uncovered heads; that it should be constantly kept in churches, in a clean and stately vessel-be carried to the sick whenever necessary-be renewed always within fifteen days—and have a lamp burning before it both by day and night; that when the priest carried the host to the sick, he should appear in becoming and splendid attire, never without a light, and bear the object of adoration in a reverent manner, so as to be recognised by all; and that great care should be taken to persuade the people to frequent communion, and punish defaulters.-Le Plat, iii. p. 637. The reader scarcely need be reminded that these are existing customs in decidedly Roman-catholic countries, such as Spain, Portugal, &c.

*" Believing, as they do, the holy Catholic church, they must necessarily believe that the doctrine propounded by us is that which was revealed by the Son of God."-Catechism, p. 225. So then, whatever this "church" may think fit to promulgate, however repugnant to reason and Scripture, is to be 'necessarily" received as divine. Is not this abject slavery?

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"If Juggernaut be not true," said a Hindoo priest to one of his countrymen whose mind had been impressed by a missionary's discourses,— "if Juggernaut be not true, how can his car move forward of itself?" The man confessed the force of the argument, and determined to go on pilgrimage to the idol's temple, to ascertain the truth of the fact. After waiting a good while, "at last there came running several thousands of men, who took hold on the car-ropes, and after a deal of flogging and pulling, the car began to

victims of this debasing superstition are further required to hold that "Christ whole and entire" is present in both the bread and the wine, respectively, and that the smallest crumb of bread, the minutest drop of the wine, contains as much as the whole quantity consecrated! And the communicant eats, swallows, digests-what? Horrible profaneness! Is not this to "crucify the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame?"

But we check ourselves. Sorrowful and indignant feelings agitate the breast of the friend of scriptural religion. The blasphemous absurdities of transubstantiation cannot be contemplated without keenest emotions, nor exposed but in language of the sternest severity. This task belongs to professed controversialists. From their instructive pages the reader will learn how artfully this branch of the Roman-catholic system has been contrived to further the great objects of that imposture, the substitution of the carnal for the spiritual, and the exaltation of the priesthood. Pardon and holiness are to be obtained, not by faith in the atoning sacrifice, but by the reception of the consecrated wafer; and the wondrous transformation which the sacramental element has undergone, then and then only took place when the appointed words were uttered by the priest. How reverently must he be regarded who possesses such authority and power; "who does not say, "This is the body of Christ,' but This is my body;' and thus invested with the character of Christ, changes the substance of the bread and wine into the substance of his real body and blood!" *

The decree of reformation passed at this session was brief and unsatisfactory, comprising only certain enactments for the regulation of appeals, and provisions for the preservation of

grate on its wheels. When I saw this," observed the inquirer, "I said, this is all a lie." He remonstrated with them on their wickedness in deluding the people with lies. "Why," said they, "don't you see that he is going by himself now?" "Where? where ?" he asked. "Where !" they rejoined, everybody sees that he is going by himself now; but the fact is, that you are so sinful that you can see nothing; and it is for your sins that Juggernaut has blinded your eyes that you cannot see!"-Missionary Register, 1830, p. 541. Verily, Popery and Hindooism are not dissimilar.

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* Catechism, p. 249.

the rights and dignities of prelates, and the prevention of hasty or vexatious procedures against them, if accused of any crime. It was received with chagrin and disappointment.' *

The questions of communion in both kinds, and the communion of infants, were postponed till the arrival of the Protestants: meanwhile, decrees were to be prepared and passed on the sacraments of penance and extreme unction. Had any desire existed to conciliate the Protestant party, all doctrinal discussions would have been deferred till their representatives had at least been allowed a hearing. But it was already evident that every possible obstacle would be placed in their way; and of this, sufficient proof was given in the safe-conduct published in this session. It is true, that full liberty was guaranteed to go to Trent, remain there, and leave the place—and to discuss the disputed subjects with the fathers, or such of them as might be selected for that purpose. But this liberty was granted 66 as far as the council was concerned," without mention of the civil powers-nothing was said of the right of suffrage; and if judges favourable to themselves might be appointed, to award punishment for any of fences committed by the Protestants during their stay, it was expressly added, "even such as savour of heresy," indicating that security for the exercise of their religion was not to be expected.†

This session was distinguished by the first appearance of ambassadors from a Protestant prince-Joachim, Elector of Brandenburg. Chistopher Strassen, one of the number, addressed the fathers in very respectful and complimentary terms, promising, on behalf of his master, all that regard to their decisions which would become an obedient son of the

* “Je n'ai qu'une chose à dire des decrets touchant la Reformation. Ils sont d'une si petite importance, que plusieurs gens ne purent les entendre sans confusion. Tout le monde s'en appercevroit, si on n'avoit pas eu soin de les revêtir d'expressions magnifiques. Tout sera de mesme, à moins que Dieu n'y mettre la main."-Vargas, p. 132.

† Vargas had prepared a safe-conduct of a much less objectionable character. It was presented to the legate, and received; but so retrenched and altered before it appeared in the decree, that he hardly knew his own work again. Its rejection was anticipated and even desired, on account of the delay it would occasion.-pp. 126–129.

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