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the girdle of faith." On this, in answer to his humble and devout prayer, the ghostly menials take his girdle, and place it round him, and buckle it in front. Then addressing the cross, the bishop thus prays, "Deign, O Lord, to fortify me." this, the deacon, in his sacred functions, takes the cross, and holding it up to the bishop to be kissed, hangs it round his neck, so as to make it rest upon his breast. Next the bishop says to the stole, "O Lord, give me the robe of immortality.' The deacon, whose office it is to answer this solemn prayer, now puts on the robe, nicely adjusting it to his body. Next the prelate prays, as he looks on the tunicella, or little coat, "Put me in the coat of jucundity, and clothe me, O Lord, with the garment of joy." This being put on him, he next prays thus, O Lord, clothe me with the garments of salvation." Here they put on him the Dalmatic, or Episcopal vestment, and he next fixes his eyes on the gloves, and prays, "Clothe my hands, O Lord, with the purity of the new man." On this the deacon, whose office it is to answer all these devout prayers, first kisses his right hand, and then puts a glove on it ; then kisses the left, and puts a glove on it; and so clothes his hands with heavenly purity. This being over, the bishop prays another prayer, saying, O Lord, "O Lord, thy yoke is easy." On this, the attendants take the bishop's ornament, called the planet, and swing it back so as to give his arms full exercise. The pall is next brought; the deacon takes a hold of it by the cross on the right side, and the sub-deacon by the cross on the left side, and hold forth the cross in the middle, that the bishop may kiss it. Then they put it round his neck, making that part on his left shoulder to lie double, and the whole is so put round his neck, that

his arms are not hindered. Then comes the putting on the three thorns with their jewels. This, none but the initiated can well understand. The first thorn goes into the breast of the pall, the second into the cross on the left shoulder, and the third into the cross behind. And these thorns must not go quite through the cross After this, the good bishop, speaking to the mitre, says, by way of prayer, “Put on me, O Lord, the mitre and the helmet of salvation." Here he sits down, and the deacon devoutly puts the mitre on the bishop's head, the sub-deacon as devoutly holding up the ribbons that hang from it. The bishop sitting, then prays, "Decorate with virtue, O Lord, the fingers of my hand and body." Here the deacons, in consummating his devout prayer, put the rings on his fingers. Next the gremial, a rich piece of silk to be held by two priests between the bishop and the people, when he says mass, is laid on his lap. This done, he prays to the manipulum. Then the cloth called by this name is laid across his arm.

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At this stage of the business, the incense is prepared in the proper vessel, with many gesticulations and contortions. Then, with a nicely arranged procession, the bishop comes to the steps of the altar and makes a full halt. Here the deacon takes off his mitre, and combs and smooths down his hair. Then follows the confession of each of this holy confraternity. The bishop, bowing reverentially to the altar, begins the confession of his sins. The deacon, kissing the bishop's left hand, goes up to the altar with the manipulum and the gospel open in his right hand. The bishop next, with suitable prayers, goes up to the altar and kisses it with deep solemnity, and also the book of the gospels. Having next approached the horn of the epistle, he takes the incense

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pot, puts incense in it, and causes the cloud of smoke to cover the altar. This holy and edifying service is done thus: having adored with profound reverence the image on the cross, he whirls the pot of incense three times round it, then he whirls the pot twice round the image and sacred relics on the right, and then around those on the left as often. Next he gives three swingings of the pot round the image and relics near the corner of the epistle; and as many he gives to the corner of the gospel. He then delivers the pot to the deacon, who swings it round the bishop himself, and smokes him effectually. After a number of other edifying gestures and motions, the bishop is helped up by the arms as if he were suddenly become paralytic, and being on his legs, he says, Glory to God!" taking care to join his hands on his breast at the word God. While the choir sings a hymn, he has his mitre and gremial brought to him; they are again taken off him as the hymn ends. He is again helped on his legs by the deacons, and he cries out unto the people, "Peace be unto you," and he keeps his hands before his breast, until the edified and devout audience reply," and with thy spirit.” He then says, "Let us pray: and then goes on with the prayer in Latin, to the edification of those who do not understand one word of what is so said. After an incredible number of similar gestures, and the burning of incense, and kissing of the bishop's hands, and bowing, and reading what they call the gospel, and after the bishop has been again perfumed with incense smoke, and has stood up without mitre and gremial, he sits down to listen to a sermon. The preacher comes up, and on his knees adores the bishop, kisses his hand and asks a blessing. This he freely gives by making the sign of the cross over

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bim. That finished, with much gesture and bowing the preacher gives the bishop his absolution.

Second. The bishop, or priest sings five psalms, then uncovers, combs down his hair, and washes his hands. Next comes the sprinkling of holy water, and singing of the introitus, as the bishop approaches the altar. After a great many gestures, there is much chanting. A linen cloth, full of pictures, is carried as a canopy over the bishop, by four ecclesiastics. Here again follow incense and chanting. There is the gradual and the hallelujah, and the tractus, so called from the long drawling tone, and nasal twanging of the priests, affecting much sorrow as they sing it.

The third part is the consecration, more properly so called. The gestures, and particularly the bowings and adoration here are not easily recounted. The sub-deacon puts on a long veil, takes the patina, with two choice hosts or wafers, and the chalice, and covering them with the veil, goes up with them to the altar, following the bishop. Another brings the wine and water. The bishop now puts on his episcopal ring and mitre, and comes to the altar. At the altar his mitre is taken off, and he adores with lowly bowing to the altar. The deacon now takes one of the hosts, and touching the patina and chalice with it, inside and outside, makes the sub-deacon taste of it. The other host he offers to the bishop, who takes it with both hands, and holding it up before his breast, repeats the prayer, "O Lord, accept it," &c. This is called the offertory, from its being offered to God, and from the priest's making an offering of gifts to the priests. The priest, before he offers the host, washes his hands a second time. In the interim the deacon throws over the altar a clean linen cloth, called a corporale, or palla, because they say it

covers Christ's body. The chalice is also covered with another palla. The deacon having presented the patina, with the host upon it, to the bishop, also presents the chalice, in which the priest mixes wine and water, and consecrates it. In the consecration the water is blessed by the priest when mixed, not the wine, because the wine, they say, represents Christ, who needs no blessing. The priest again perfumes the altar and sacrifice three times in the manner of a cross, bows himself, and kisses the altar, and repeats very softly the prayer which they call secreta. Though this prayer is said in silence, yet the conclusion of it is uttered in a loud voice " per omnia secula seculorum." Then follows what they call prefatio, which begins with thanksgiving, and ends with the confession of God's majesty. The minds of the people are prepared with these words,

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Lift up your hearts." The answer to which is, "We lift them up unto the Lord." Then is sung the hymn, Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God, &c." "Heaven and earth is full of thy glory." Then follows the hymn Hosanna, and the canon, which is also called actio, because it is giving of thanks, which is uttered with a loud voice. The canon, besides thanksgiving, consists of various prayers for the pope, cardinals, bishops, kings, all orthodox Christians, Gentiles and Jews. Those also are particularly remembered for whom the sacrifice is to be offered, and their names rehearsed. Prayer is also made for those that be present at the mass, and for the bishop himself. Then mention is made of the Virgin, the apostles, the evangelists, and martyrs, and many crossings follow; then the solemnity of the consecration of the host, by pronouncing aloud these words, "Hoc est corpus meum." To this the people answer, "Amen." The priest

now falls down on his knees before

the consecrated host, and worships it, offers prayers to it, and rising up, he elevates it, that it may be worshipped by all the people. Then after several crossings of the host and chalice, this part of the mass is concluded with prayers for the dead, and the people's offerings of money to the priest, as a reward for praying in behalf of their dead friends, for their deliverance out of purgatory.

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The fourth part of the mass begins with the paternoster, and some other prayers. The sub-deacon delivers the patina, covered, to the deacon, who uncovers it, and delivers it to the priest, and kisses his right hand. The priest kisses the patina, breaks the host over the chalice, and puts a piece of it in the wine, to show that Christ's body is not without blood. Then the bishop pronounces a solemn benediction. Next is sung the hymn, "O Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world.” Then the kiss of peace is given, according, as they allege, to the apostolic command.

The fifth and last part of the mass contains their communion. The priest, or bishop, communicates first himself. He takes the one-half of the host for himself, the other half he divides into two parts, one for the deacon, and the other for the sub-deacon. Next the clergy and monks communicate, and after them the people, but the latter have only the consecrated wafer (or bread) allowed them, and put in their mouths, the cup being withheld from them, and drunk by the priests or clergy only. The priest holds the chalice (or cup) with both hands, and drinks three times, pretending thereby to signify the Trinity. The whole is concluded with what they call post communion, which consists in thanksgiving and singing of Antiphonies. The priest then kisses the altar, and removes again to the right side of it, where,

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having offered some prayers for the people and blessed them, the deacon with a loud voice cries, Go in peace; the host is sent to God the Father, to pacify his anger."

Now, after calmly considering these two pictures, the Saviour sitting at table with his disciples, and commanding them, after his death, sometimes to break bread and taste wine, " in

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BRANCE of him;' and on the other side the Romish bishop, with his host of attendant priests, deacons, sub-deacons, acolytes, &c., with his bowings, crosses, kneelings, sittings, standings, incensing, bell-ringing, and what not, do tell me, whether you can instance another case of so entire a departure from the whole character, internal and external, of the original institution? The Mass instituted in the upper chamber in Jerusalem! Yes, much in the same manner in which the massacre of St. Bartholomew was sanctioned by our Lord's saying to Peter, "Put up thy sword into its sheath, for all they that take the sword, shall perish with the sword."

But we are not left to the bare words of the institution, sufficient as these would be, to decide for us the question, whether the Romish Mass, or the Protestant Lord's Supper, is the most faithful observance of our Lord's command. Further light is thrown upon the matter, by the recorded facts as to the main features of this sacrament, as used in the early

church.

What was the irregularity rebuked by St. Paul, in his instruction to the Corinthians. It was just this, that they had confounded the Lord's Supper with their ordinary meals, and ate merely to satisfy their hunger and thirst, without " discerning," or distinguishing the peculiarities of that observance, as a "shewing forth of the Lord's death."

Now this was a circumstance which might easily happen to such as merely took the narratives of the Evangelists, and hastily, and without proper reverence, acted upon the words of the original institution. The sitting round a table, and breaking bread and drinking wine in an evening assembly, might easily be converted, by careless or irreverent disciples, into an ordinary supper. But then the very circumstance of the gradual and easy declension from the sacred feast into a sensual one, shews at once how near the one was, in outward appearance, to the other. How would it have been possible for the Corinthians to have fallen into such an abuse, if what they had been accustomed to, had been, not the Lord's Supper, but the Mass. Had anything in the least resembling the Romish ceremonial been then in existence, how could the Corinthians ever have given the apostle the least cause for his rebuke. "For in eating, every one taketh before another his own supper; and one is hungry, and another is drunken." impossible even to to read these words, without seeing, that that which the Corinthians had corrupted, was not the Mass, but the Lord's Supper.

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Perhaps you will be momentarily tempted to think, "Then surely it would have been better if the Lord had instituted the Mass instead of the Lord's Supper; if it be true that the Supper was so quickly corrupted, while the Mass could not have been." But I am sure you will instantly recal this thought, when you reflect that the real drift of it is, that sinful men could have contrived better ordinances and observances for Christ's church, than He himself, her Saviour and her God, was able to supply!

But I may pass on to an uninspired but most competent witness, Justin Martyr, who lived about

half a century after the death of the last of the Apostles. He, in writing an Apology for the Christians, thus describes the practice of the church in his own time:

"On the day which is called Sunday, there is an assembling together in one place, of those who live in towns, or in the country around; and the histories and writings of the Prophets and Apostles are read, as time may permit. Then the reader ceasing, the president (or elder) exhorts all to the imitation of those good things. Then we all rise and offer prayers, and when the service is finished, bread and wine and water offered, and the president again offers prayers and thanksgivings, and the people say "Amen." And the communication and distribution is to each of those who have returned thanks.” *

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Mass," or of a sacrifice for the sins of the living and the dead. But this last consideration brings us to the second feature of the case; which is the most important part by far, of the whole question.

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The Church of Rome makes of this simple commemorative feast, not only a gorgeous ceremony, but something far higher; a sacrifice for the remission of sins. Nay, when once it is admitted, or assumed, that in this celebration there is a real offering up of the actual body and blood of Immanuel, there is no end of the uses to which so great a thing may be applied. A mass removes the sins of the living. A mass relieves, or entirely ends, the sufferings of the unpardoned dead. But these are but a few of the purposes to which so powerful a remedy can be applied. Mr. O'Croly, himself a Romish priest, informs us, that

"Masses are offered for a va

* Apologia, II. p. 97.

riety of purposes, at least in the minds of the multitude-for brute beasts as well as for human beings. A farmer, who happens to have his cattle disordered, the rot among his sheep, or the murrain among his cows, will have masses said for their recovery. The fishermen of Dungarvan, and elsewhere, regularly get masses said that they may hook the more fish. It is quite common among the ignorant to be under the persuasion that worldly calamities result from the agency of evil spirits; which opinion, indeed, receives some countenance from the book of Job. To counteract this malignant influence, they fly to the priest to have masses said. The priest takes no pains to remove the error, but accepts the pecuniary offering. Friars carry this matter to the last extremity. There is a general impression, as we have said elsewhere, that the masses of friars are more efficacious than those of the secular clergy. This impression answers the intended purpose; it brings more money into the coffers of the friars, who, however, are not at a loss to assign a theological reason for the superexcellence of their masses-namely, that their state of life is more perfect than that of seculars - rather a knotty point to establish as they make Vows of poverty; at the same time that, like Dives in the gospel, they are clothed in purple and fine linen, and fare sumptuously every day. The friars drive a considerable trade in masses. If a habit is to be blessed or consecrated, money must be given for masses, in order, of course, to ensure full efficacy to the benediction. These consecrated habits are supposed to be worn in the other world. It would be accounted a great misfortune for a poor person residing in the neighbourhood of a friar to die without one. The blessing of the scapular, of which more hereafter, must have the same

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