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"cured by waiting, he must wait for "them, that the facrifice may not remain imperfect.

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"Second, in form. If any of the "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 "fame meaning, it makes a facrament; "but the celebrator fins grievously.

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Third, in the minister. If he does not intend to make a facrament, but to (6 cheat; if there be any part of the wine, or any wafer that he has not in his eye, "and does not intend to confecrate; if he "have before him eleven wafers, and in"tends to confecrate only ten, not deter

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mining what ten he intends: in thefe "cafes the confecration does not hold, "because intention is requifite. If he "think there are ten only, and in"tends to confecrate all before him,

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they are all confecrated; therefore

priests ought always to have fuch in❝tention. If the priest, thinking he "has but one wafer, fhall, after the confecration, find two sticking together, he "must take them both. And he muft

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"take

"take off all the remains of the confecra“ted matter; for they all belong to the "fame facrifice. If in confecrating, the “intention be not actual by wandering "of mind, but virtual in approaching the "altar, it makes a facrament: tho' priests "fhould be careful to have intention "both virtual and actual.

"Befide intention, the priest may be "deficient in difpofition of mind. If he "be fufpended, or degraded, or excom"municated, or under mortal fin, he

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makes a facrament, but fins grievously. "He may be deficient alfo in difpofition of body. If he have not fasted from midnight, if he have tafted water, or any other drink or meat, even in the way of medicine, he cannot celebrate <c nor communicate. If he have taken meat or drink before midnight, even tho' he have not flept nor digefted it, " he does not fin. But on account of the perturbation of mind, which bars de❝votion, it is prudent to refrain.

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If any remains of meat, fticking in "the mouth, be fwallowed with the host, "they do not prevent communicating, provided they be fwallowed, not as

' meat,

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“ meat, but as fpittle. The fame is to "be faid, if in washing the mouth a drop "of water be fwallowed, provided it be "against our will.

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"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 confe"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 "faid 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 ❝ferve, or one who ought not to ferve, a

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woman, for example; if there be no

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

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not of clean linen adorned with filk in

the middle, and bleffed by a bishop; if "the priest celebrate with his head cover"ed; if there be no miffal present, tho' "he have it by heart.

"If a gnat or fpider fall into the cup "after confecration, the priest must swal"low it with the blood, if he can: other

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"wife, let him take it out, wash it with

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wine, burn it, and throw it with the wafhings into holy ground. If poifon "fall into the cup, the blood must be poured on tow or on a linen cloth, re"main till it be dry, then be burnt, and "the afhes be thrown upon holy ground. "If the host be poisoned, it must be kept "in a tabernacle till it be corrupted.

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"If the blood freeze in winter, put warm cloths about the cup: if that be not fufficient, put the cup in boiling

water.

"If any of Chrift's blood fall on the ground by negligence, it must be licked

up with the tongue, and the place scraແ ped: the fcrapings must be burnt, and "the afhes buried in holy ground.

"If the priest vomit the eucharist, and "the fpecies appear entire, it must be "licked up moft reverently. If a nausea

prevent that to be done, it must be kept "till it be corrupted. If the fpecies do

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not appear, let the vomit be burnt, and "the afhes thrown upon holy ground."

As the foregoing article has beyond intention iwelled to an enormous fize, I fhall add but one other article, which shall be extremely

extremely fhort; 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 feems purposely calculated to be a test of flavish fubmiffion to the tyrannical authority of a proud and arrogant priest

*

CHA P. III.

Religious Worship.

IN the foregoing chapter are traced the gradual advances of the sense of Deity, from its imperfect ftate among favages to its maturity among enlightened nations; difplaying to us one great be→ ing, to whom all other beings owe their

* Bishop Burnet feems doubtful whether this creed was compofed by Athanafius. His doubts, in my apprehenfion, are fcarce fufficient to weigh against the unanimous opinion of the Chriftian church.

VOL. IV.

N n

existence,

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