A

municated to them in one kind only; for, on receiving that divine bread from his hands, "their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and be vanished out of their sight," Luke xxiv. 31. Now, that this was the holy communion which he gave them, is clear from the manner in which he gave it them, which was the same as at the last supper, "he took bread, and blessed, and brake, and gave to them," v. 30. And still more from the effect it produced in them, of opening their eyes, that they knew him, which surely common bread could not do. (5.) Because the apostles themselves followed the same practice, as occasion required, which appears both from the text just now cited from St. Paul, and also from the account given of the first Christians, in the Acts: "And they were persevering in the doctrine of the apostles, and in the communication of the breaking of bread, and in prayers," Acts ii. 42.

Q. 50. In what light then does the Church look upon this practice?

A. She considers the giving communion in one kind only, or in both, merely as a point of discipline, which may be varied according as circumstances may require; and, in consequence of this, she has, on various occasions, sometimes given itin one kind, sometimes in both, as is evident from all monuments of antiquity, even from the earliest ages.

Q. 51. But if one kind alone was sufficient for a full and perfect sacrament, and if our Saviour did not intend that all should receive it in both kinds, why did he institute it in both kinds?

A. Because this holy mystery was ordained not only as a sacrament, but also as a sacrifice. Now, though one kind alone be sufficient for a true and perfect sacrament, yet both kinds are required to make it a sacrifice; for this reason, because the nature of this holy sacrifice consists in representing

the death of Jesus Christ, and offering him up to his eternal Father under the appearance of death, which could not be done but by both kinds, as we shall now see.

CHAPTER XXIII.

OF THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS.

Q. 1. WHAT do you understand by a sacrifice? A. Sacrifice is an external act of religious worship, which can be given to none but to God alone. Q. 2. In what does sacrifice properly consist?

A. In the oblation or offering of some sensible thing made to God, by a Priest or lawful Minister, to acknowledge, by the destruction, or other change, of the thing offered, the sovereign power of God, and his absolute dominion over all creatures, and to render to him the homage due to his supreme

Majesty. Why is it an offering of some sensible

thing?

A. To distinguish it from the inward sacrifice of the heart, which is performed by the proper acts of all Christian virtues, such as praise, prayer, faith, and the like, and to be an external profession of these inward dispositions of the soul.

Q. Why is it called an offering made to God? A. Because, as the nature of sacrifice is to acknowledge the supreme dominion of God over us and all creatures, and to worship him as God, it, therefore, can be offered to none but God; for to offer sacrifice to any creature would be the dreadful crime of idolatry, and the acknowledging that creature to be God. Hence the Scripture says,

"He that sacrificeth to gods shall be put to death, save only to the Lord," Exod. xxii. 20.

Q. Why is an offering made by a lawful minister?

A. Because none can make this offering to God but those who are properly authorized in the manner appointed by God himself, according to that of St. Paul, "Neither doth any man take the honour upon himself, but he that is called by God, as Aaron was, Heb. v. 4. And such as these are called Priests, and are the lawful ministers "appointed to offer up gifts and sacrifices for sins," Heb. v. 1.

Q. 6. Why must the thing offered be destroyed, or otherwise changed?

A. Because by this destruction or change of the offering, we acknowledge the supreme dominion of Almighty God over all creatures, who, as he made us out of nothing, can again destroy or change us as he pleases. By it we also confess him to be the sovereign Master of life and death, and, at the same time, we profess our total subjection to him, and our readiness to be treated by him in whatever manner he pleases.

Q. 7. Is external sacrifice a necessary part of true religion?

A. It is, as appears from several reasons:

(1.) We observe that all other outward actions, by which we testify our respect for one another, such as uncovering the head, bowing, kneeling, or the like, are daily used towards men, as well as towards God. Now, nothing is more agreeable to right reason than that, in the exterior worship of God, there should be some particular form or rite used, expressing that sovereign homage which we owe to the Deity, and which, therefore, can be given to none but to him alone, and such is sacrifice.

(2.) We find that all nations, however barbarous and savage, that ever acknowledged a Supreme Being, whether true or false, have always looked upon sacrifice as the essential worship due to him ; which shews it to be pointed out, by the light of nature itself, as a necessary part of religion.

(3) From the very beginning of the world, sacri- fice has always been used by the holy servants of God, as an essential part of religion, and accepted by him as an agreeable homage from their hands; witness the sacrifice of Abel, Gen. v.; of Noah, Gen. viii.; of Melchisedech, Gen. xiv.; of Abraham, Gen. xv. and xxii.; and the sacrifices of Job, ch. i. and ch. xlii.

(4.) When Almighty God was pleased to reveal to his chosen people the manner in which he would be worshipped by them, he expressly instituted several kinds of sacrifices, as the most holy part of their religion, which he so strictly claimed as the worship due to himself alone, that he commanded the person to be utterly destroyed who should dare to give it to any other.

Q. 8. What are the ends for which sacrifice is offered to God?

A. Chiefly these four: (1.) To render supreme honour and glory to Almighty God, and to pay him that homage which justly belongs to him. (2.) To give him thanks for the numberless benefits we are continually receiving from him. (3.) To render him propitious to us, and to appease his wrath, justly enkindled against us by our sins; and, (4.) To obtain from him those graces and blessings which we stand in need of.

SECTION I.

OF THE SACRAFICES OF THE OLD LAW.

Q. 9. WHO instituted the sacrifices of the Old Law?

A. God himself, by his own express command. Q. 10. How many kinds of sacrifice did he there ordain ?

A. Four: (1.) The holocaust, or whole burnt offering. (2.) The thanksgiving offering. (3.) The sin offering. And, (4.) The peace offering. Which four different kinds answer to the four great ends of sacrifice.

Q. 11. Why was such variety of sacrifices commanded in the old law?

A. Because as these sacrifices had no intrinsic value of themselves, they were incapable of answering all the ends of sacrifice singly; therefore it was necessary to have different kinds of sacrifices, corresponding to these different ends.

Q. 12. To whom did it belong to offer up these sacrifices?

A. To Aaron and his sons alone, who were, in a special manner, called by Almighty God to be his Priests, and were solemnly consecrated by him to that office.

Q. 13. What were the things offered in these sacrifices?

A. There were two different classes of things used in them: (1.) Living creatures, such as sheep, lambs, oxen, pigeons, &c.; and these were bloody sacrifices, because the victims were killed, and sometimes entirely burnt upon the altar. (2.) Things without life, such as fine flour, with oil and frankincense, Levit. ii. 1.; unleavened cakes or wafers, Levit. ii. 4., and the like; and these were