"nister, or in the action. First, in the matter. If the bread be not of wheat, or if there be fo great a mixture of other grain "that it cannot be called wheat-bread, or if any way corrupted, "it does not make a facrament. If it be made with rofe-water, or any other diftilled water, it is doubtful whether it make a "facrament or not. Tho' corruption have begun, or tho' it be "leavened, it makes a facrament, but the celebrator fins grievoufly.

"If the celebrator, before confecration, obferve that the hoft "is corrupted, or is not of wheat, he must take another hoft: "if after confecration, he must still take another and fwallow it, "after which he muft alfo fwallow the first, or give it to another,

66

or preserve it in fome place with reverence. But if he have "fwallowed the first before observing its defects, he must never"theless swallow alfo the perfect host; because the precept about "the perfection of the facrament, is of greater weight than that

of taking it fafting. If the confecrated host disappear by an accident, as by wind, by a miracle, or by fome animal, ano"ther muft be confecrated.

"If the wine be quite four or putrid, or made of unripe grapes, δε or be mixed with fo much water as to fpoil the wine, it is no "facrament. If the wine have begun to four or to be corrupted,

or be quite new, or not mixed with water, or mixed with rofewater or other diftilled water, it makes a facrament, but the ce"lebrator fins grievously.

"If the priest, before confecration, obferve that the materials are not proper, he must stop, if proper materials cannot be got; "but after confecration, he muft proceed, to avoid giving fcan"dal. If proper materials can be procured by waiting, he must "wait for them, that the facrifice may not remain imperfect.

་

Second, in form. If any of the words of confecration be omitted, or any of them be changed into words of a different “meaning,

"meaning, it is no facrament: if they be changed into words of "the fame meaning, it makes a facrament; but the celebrator "fins grievously.

66

"Third, in the minifter. 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 "confecrate; if he have before him eleven wafers, and intends to confecrate only ten, not determining what ten he intends: "in these cafes the confecration does not hold, because intention "is requifite. If he think there are ten only, and intends to "confecrate all before him, they are all confecrated; therefore priests ought always to have fuch intention. 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 take off all the remains of the confecrated 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.

66

"Befide intention, the priest may be deficient in difpofition of mind. If he be fufpended, or degraded, or excommunicated, or under mortal fin, he makes a facrament, but fins grievoufly. He may be deficient alfo 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 flept nor digefted it, "he does not fin. But on account of the perturbation of mind,. "which bars devotion, it is prudent to refrain.

"If any remains of meat, sticking in the mouth, be fwallow*ed with the hoft, they do not prevent communicating, provi"ded they be fwallowed, not as meat, but as fpittle. The fame

is

"is to be faid, if in washing the mouth a drop of water be swal"lowed, provided it be against our will.

66

Fourth, in the action. If any requifite be wanting, it is no facrament; for example, if it be celebrated out of holy ground, or upon an altar not confecrated, or not covered with three napkins; if there be no wax candles; if it be not celebrated between day-break and noon; if the celebrator have not faid mat"tins with lauds; if he omit any of the facerdotal robes; if these "robes and the napkins be not bleffed by a bishop; if there be no clerk present to ferve, or one who ought not to ferve, a wofor 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 covered; if there be no miffal prefent, tho' he have it by heart.

66

man,

"If a gnat or fpider fall into the cup after confecration, the "priest must swallow it with the blood, if he can otherwise, "let him take it out, wafh it with 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 hoft be poifoned, 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 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 fcraped: the fcrapings must be burnt, and the afhes buried in holy ground. "If the priest vomit the eucharift, and the fpecies appear en"tire, it must be licked up most reverently. If a nausea prevent "that to be done, it must be kept till it be corrupted. If the fpe

66

"cies

"cies do not appear, let the vomit be burnt, and the ashes thrown

upon holy ground."

As the foregoing article has beyond intention fwelled to an enormous fize, I fhall add but one other article, which, at the fame time, fhall be 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 seems purposely calculated to be a test of flavish fubmiffion to the tyrannical authority of a proud and arrogant priest *.

IN the foregoing chapter are traced the gradual advances of the fenfe of Deity, from its imperfect ftate among favages to its maturity among enlightened nations, difplaying to us one great being to whom all other beings owe their existence, who made the world, and who governs it by the most perfect laws. And our perception of Deity, arifing from that fenfe, is fortified by an intuitive propofition, that there neceffarily must exift fome being who had no beginning. Confidering the Deity as the author of our existence, we owe him gratitude; confidering him as govern

Bishop Burnet feems doubtful whether this creed was compofed by Athanafius; tho' his doubts, in my apprehenfion, are scarce fufficient to weigh against the unanimous opinion of the Chriftian church.

or

or of the world, we owe him obedience: and upon thefe duties is founded the obligation we are under to worship him. Further, God made man for fociety, and implanted in his nature the moral fenfe to direct his conduct in that state. From thefe premises, may it not with certainty be inferred to be the will of God, that men fhould obey the dictates of the moral fenfe in fulfilling every duty of juftice and benevolence? These moral duties, it would appear, are our chief business in this life; being enforced not only by a moral but by a religious principle.

Morality, as laid down in a former sketch, confists of two great branches, viz. the moral fenfe, which unfolds our duty to man, and an active moral principle, which prompts us to perform that duty. Natural religion confifts alfo of two great branches, viz. the fenfe of Deity, which unfolds our duty to our Maker, and the active principle of devotion, which prompts us to perform our duty to him. The univerfality of the sense of Deity proves it to be innate the fame reafon proves the principle of devotion to be innate; for all men agree in worshipping fuperior beings, whatever difference there may be in the mode of worship.

66

Both branches of the duty we owe to God, that of worshipping him, and that of obeying his will with refpect to our fellow-creatures, are fummed up by the Prophet Micah in the following emphatic words. "He hath fhewed thee, O man, what is good: " and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" The two articles first mentioned, are moral duties regarding our fellow-creatures; and as to fuch, what is required of us by the Lord is to do our duty to others, not only as directed by the moral fenfe, but as being the will of our Maker, to whom we owe abfolute obedience. That branch of our duty is referved for a fecond fection: at present we are to treat of religious worship, included in the third article, viz. the walking humbly with our God.

VOL. II.

3 E

SECT.