any of the

“ cured by waiting, he must wait for “ them, that the sacrifice may not remain imperfect. Second, in form.

If words of confecration be omitted, or any of them be changed into words of a different meaning, it is no facrament: if they be changed into words of the

same meaning, it makes a sacrament; “ but the celebrator fins grievously.

Third, in the minister. If he does not intend to make a facrament, but to “ cheat; if there be any part of the wine, or any wafer that he has not in his

eye, and does not intend to consecrate ; if he “ have before him eleven wafers, and in“ tends to consecrate only ten, not deter

mining what ten he intends : in these

cases the confecration does not hold, “ because intention is requisite. If he “ think there are ten only, and in“ tends to confecrate all before him, “ they are all consecrated; therefore priests ought always to have such in

If the priest, thinking he “ has but one wafer, shall, after the con

secration, find two sticking together, he must take them both. And he must

“ tention.

" take off all the remains of the confecrated matter ;

for they all belong to the “ fame sacrifice. If in consecrating, the “ intention be not actual by wandering ss of mind, but virtual in approaching the " altar, it makes a sacrament: tho' priests " should be careful to have intention “ both virtual and actual.

“ Beside intention, the priest may be

deficient in difpofition of mind. If he “ be suspended, or degraded, or excom“ municated, or under mortal fin, he “ makes a sacrament, but fins grievously. " He may

be deficient also in difpofition of body. If he have not fafted from midnight, if he have tasted water, or any other drink or meat, even in the way of medicine, he cannot celebrate nor communicate. If he have taken

meat or drink before midnight, even “ tho' he have not slept nor digested it, " he does not fin. But on account of the

perturbation of mind, which bars de-
votion, it is prudent to refrain.
If
any

remains of meat, sticking in “ the mouth, be swallowed with the host,

they do not prevent communicating; 5 provided they be swallowed, not as

66

“ meat, but as spittle. The same is to “ be said, if in washing the mouth a drop ” of water be swallowed, provided it be

against our will. “ Fourth, in the action. If any requi

, “ fite be wanting, it is no facrament; for

example, if it be celebrated out of holy ground, or upon an altar not conse

crated, or not covered with three nap« kins: if there be no wax candles ; if it “ be not celebrated between day-break “ and noon; if the celebrator have not " said mattins with lauds; if he omit

any of the facerdotal robes; if these “ robes and the napkins be not blessed by

a bishop; if there be no clerk present to ♡ serve, or one who ought not to serve, a

woman, for example; if there be no

chalice, the cup of which is gold, or “ filver, or pewter; if the vestment be

not of clean linen adorned with filk in

the middle, and blessed by a bishop; if “ the priest celebrate with his head cover

if there be no misfal present, tho' “ he have it by heart. If a gnat or fpider fall into the

cup " after consecration, the priest must swal5 low it with the blood, if he can: cther

ed;

66

wise,

a

“ wise, let him take it out, wash it with

wine, burn it, and throw it with the washings into holy ground. If poison fall into the .cup, the blood must be poured on tow or on a linen cloth, remain till it be dry, then be burnt, and the ashes be thrown upon holy ground.

If the host be poisoned, it must be kept “ in a tabernacle till it be corrupted.

If the blood freeze in winter, put warm cloths about the cup: if that be not sufficient, put the cup in boiling water. “ If any of Christ's blood fall on the ground by negligence, it must be licked up with the tongue, and the place scra

ped : the scrapings must be burnt, and 6 the ashes buried in holy ground.

“ If the priest vomit the eucharist, and " the species appear entire, it must be “ licked up most reverently. If a nausea

prevent that to be done, it must be kepe “ till it be corrupted. If the fpecies do

not appear, let the vomit be burnt, and 56 the ashes thrown upon holy ground.”

As the foregoing article has beyond intention lwelled to an enormous size, I shall add but one other article, which shall be

extremely

a

2

extremely short ; and that is the creed of Athanafius. It is a heap of unintelligible jargon; and yet we are appointed to believe

every article of it, under the pain of eternal damnation. As it enjoins belief of rank contradictions, it seems purposely calculated to be a test of slavish submission to the tyrannical authority of a proud and arrogant priest *.

a

с н Р.
CH A P. III.

Religious Worship.

IN the foregoing chapter are traced the

gradual advances of the sense of Deity, from its imperfect state among favages to its maturity among enlightened nations ; displaying to us one great being; to whom all other beings owe their

* Bishop Burnet seems doubtful whether this creed was composed by Athanafius. His doubts, in my apprehension, are scarce fufficient to weigh a. gainst the unanimous opinion of the Christian church.

VOL. IV.

Nn

existence,