sacrifices of the law.

The Eucharistic sacrifice is not bloody, but consists in the two separate consecrations; by which, the same apostle says, we show the death of the Lord until he come."-5. The sacrament is sometimes called bread, in scripture, even after consecration, because it was bread before; just as Moses' rod is said to devour the Egyptian rods, although they were all serpents, when he devoured them. Besides, the sacrament, because it is eaten, as if it were bread, is, very properly, called the bread of life, of salvation, &c. by us, Catholics; as it is called the bread of benediction, and so forth, by St. Paul; without contradicting our, or his, previous assertions, which are both the same, with regard to this sacred mystery. For, what prevents us from using a metaphor, in speaking of the body of Christ, any more, than in speaking of any other subject, when the language we use, expresses that metaphor?

I have now disposed of the five questions, which sectaries think so formidable; and I have disposed of them, with very great ease. Shall I add a sixth ?—It is, indeed, so superlatively ridiculous, that I am afraid it will break in, on the gravity of my subject. Yet, (wonderful to tell!) the more ridiculous it is, the more conclusive it appears to ignorant Protestants! The ludicrous question I allude to, is this "Will not a host, that has been poisoned, poison the receiver?"-To be sure it will. Why? if, by the consecration, it becomes the body of Christ ?"-For this plain reason-that Christ makes the bread his body; but we do not find that he ever said, that arsenic

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would be changed into his body!-Have. I replied to all the fooleries of our opponents, or shall I tire you, my brethren, with one or two more? However, as my hand is in, I may as well dispose of them all, in globo; lest they might boast, (poor boast!) that I had left even one, unanswered."Is a bit of bread," say they, "changed into the Divinity?" -No; nothing can be changed into the Divinity; any more, than the Divinity could be crucified, or die. But the bread is changed into the body, and the wine into the blood-. creatures into creatures-matter into matteryet, with the body and the blood, there exist also the soul and the Divinity, on the altar, as well as on the cross. Finally-for, though Error never wearies in his labyrinth, Truth, sober Truth, who holds the guiding thread, will not deign to pursue her frantic adversary, through his wild, and endless maze; and I, with her, must therefore come, once for all, to a close. Finally, then, our adversaries ask: "Is not Transubstantiation contrary to the nature of things?"-Nature of things! How men amuse, and delude themselves with words! Who created the nature of things? Was it not God? Was it not Jesus? And can He not change, what He created?-Was it in the nature of things, that a virgin should be a mother?that God should be man?-that a mortal bedy should become immortal?—I care not which way our opponents answer my questions; but, as they answer mine, I answer theirs: "No word is impossible with God."

Now I have done, I think, with all the ob

jections, as they are termed; and what a mass of silly sophistry do they exhibit! I have demonstrated the possibility of Transubstantiation, from reason; demonstrated the fact, from scripture; and confuted the unbelievers, from both. Is the proof complete?-To all, who believe the Omnipotence of Jesus, and the truth of his written word, the proof must be decisive; the possibility, and the fact, must, both, be evident. This ought to be enough with scripturists. Nevertheless, on Sunday, I will further prove to them, that the Catholic doctrine was the faith of the Christian Church in every age.

Oh! loving and dying Jesus! Open the eyes of souls, for whom thou hast shed thy precious blood! Bring them again to believe a truth, which thou hast surrounded with so many, and such invincible attestations! If I have confuted their error, with that tone of argumentative confidence, which truth alone can inspire; I call Thee to witness, that I have done so, not to wound their feelings by the mortification of a fruitless defeat, but to humble their spirit to thy divine word; to root out those prejudices, which are opposed to thy Omnipotence; and to conduct them, once more, back to the bosom of that Holy Church, in which their ancestors fed, in unity of faith and love, upon that "bread of life," which is thy flesh; which thou once gavest on thy cross, and still givest on thy altars, "for the life of the world!" A blessing I wish them, in the name, &c.

OF

THE REV. RICHARD HAYES.

10000

SUNDAY.

Within the octave of Corpus Christi.

BELIEF OF TRANSUBSTANTIATION, FROM FATHERS, COUNCILS, AND HISTORY.

"If he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and the publican." Matt. c. 18, v. 17.

THESE words of our Divine Redeemer, my brethren, contain a very awful denunciation. Every man, who has his eternal salvation at heart; who dreads that eternal ruin of his soul, which Christ here threatens; who is anxious not to be treated by his Judge, on the last day, as the heathen and the publican, will weigh, deeply, these awful words. He will fear nothing, so much, as not to hear and follow the voice of that Church, which Jesus established; with which he promised to be to the end of time; to which

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he sent his Holy Spirit, to remain with her for ever, and to guide her into all truth; that Church, which is the pillar and the ground of truth; which he built upon Peter; and, against which, the gates of hell shall not prevail. That Church, my brethren, we know, to be the Catholic Church, and the Catholic Church only. And, were this point the intended subject of the present discourse, I should find no difficulty in proving it, to the satisfaction of every man, who takes scripture and common sense for his guides. But, as my object, this evening, is to show, that Transubstantiation has always been believed in the Church; and as Protestants deny, very ridiculously indeed, but still deny, that the Church, in communion with the Sce of Rome, is the Church which Christ commands us to hear; I will, for the present, only ask them to admit, that Christ and his apostles founded some Church or other; and that this Church existed in some portion, at least, of those, who, in former ages, have professed the faith of Christ. Well, then; if I can show, that Transubstantiation was held by the Christians of every age, from the apostles, down to the pretended reformation; they must confess, that, by denying it, they refuse to hear that Church, of which their Saviour speaks; and, by their disobedience, become as heathens and as publicans.

How, then, shall I prove to them, this constant and uninterrupted faith of the Church of Christ? Why; by History. "History!" they cry; "oh! you must not touch history at all." No! why not? What dislike have