That our first reformers, who were prone to differ from the Romish faith, fhould adopt this doctrine, fhows the fupreme influence of fuperftition. The Lutherans had not even the excufe of inattention: after serious examination, they added one absurdity more; teaching, that the bread and wine are converted into the body and blood of our Saviour, and yet remain bread and wine as at firft; which is termed by them confubftantiation. I am perfuaded, that at this time not a fingle man of them harbours fuch a thought.

Many perfons, impenetrable by a ferious argument, can discover falfehood when put in a ridiculous light. It requires, I am fenfible, a very delicate hand to attack a grave fubject with ridicule as a test of truth; and for that reafon, I forbear to offer any thing of my own. But I will

fiah, if he remained unwounded. Sabatai, declining the trial, turned Mahometan to fave his life. But obferve the blindness of fuperftition: tho' Sa- ́ ́ batai was feen every day walking the ftreets of Conftantinople in the Turkish habit, many Jews infifted that the true Sabatai was taken up into heaven, leaving only behind him his shadow; and probably they most piously fancied that they believed fo.

VOL. IV.

N n

fet

fet before my readers fome excerpts from a book of abfolute authority with Roman Catholics. Tho' tranfubftantiation be there handled in the most serious manner, with all the ceremonies and punctilios that naturally flow from it, yet in my judgement it is happily contrived to give it a most ridiculous appearance. The book is the Roman Miffal, from which the following is a literal tranflation.

"Mafs

may

be deficient in the matter,

“ in the form, in the minifter, 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 rofewater, or any other diftilled water, it is "doubtful whether it make a facrament Tho' corruption have begun, or tho' it be leavened, it makes a facrament, but the celebrator fins grievoufly.

or not.

"If the celebrator, before confecration, "obferve that the hoft is corrupted, or "is not of wheat, he muft take another "hoft: if after confecration, he must still

"take

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"take another and swallow it, after which "he must also fwallow the first, or give "it to another, or preserve it in fome place with reverence. But if he have "fwallowed the first before obferving its defects, he must nevertheless swallow "alfo the perfect hoft; because the pre66 cept about the perfection of the facrament, is of greater weight than that of taking it fafting. If the confecrated "hoft disappear by an accident, as by wind, by a miracle, or by fome ani66 mal, another must be confecrated.

26

"If the wine be quite four or putrid,

or made of unripe grapes, or be mixed "with so much water as to spoil 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 rofe-water or other di"stilled water, it makes a facrament, but "the celebrator fins grievously.

"If the priest, before confecration, "obferve that the materials are not proper, he muft ftop, if proper materials cannot be got; but after confecration, "he muft proceed, to avoid giving scan"dal. If proper materials can be pro"cured

Nn 2

"cured 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 differ

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

'

"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 in"tends to confecrate only ten, not determining what ten he intends: in these cafes the confecration does not hold, "becaufe intention is requifite. If he "think there are ten only, and intends

tr

to confecrate all before him, they are all "confecrated; therefore priests therefore priests ought always to have fuch intention. If the prieft, thinking he has but one wafer, "fhall, after the confecration, find two flicking together, he must take them "both. And he must take off all the re“mains

F

"mains 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 vir"tual in approaching the altar, it makes a facrament: tho' priests fhould be care"ful 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 "makes a facrament, but fins grievously. "He may be deficient alfo in difpofition "of body. If he have not fafted from "midnight, if he have tafted water, or

any other drink or meat, even in the way of medicine, he cannot celebrate 66 nor communicate. If he have taken meat or drink before midnight, even "tho' he have not flept nor digested it, " he does not fin. But on account of the perturbation of mind, which bars de"votion, it is prudent to refrain.

66

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

66

" but