tions respecting its use, he added, And the rest I will set in order when I come.' 1 Cor. xi. 34. Wherefore, though from the beginning of the Christian religion the use of both kinds was not infrequent, yet when in process of time that practice was for weighty and just causes changed, holy mother church, recognising her acknowledged authority in the administration of the sacraments, approved the custom of communion in one kind, and commanded it to be observed as law: to condemn or alter which, at pleasure, without the authority of the church itself, is not lawful.

Chap. III.

The true Sacrament, and Christ whole and entire, is received under either species. "Moreover, the council declares, that though our Redeemer, as has been before said, did in the last supper institute this sacrament in two kinds, and thus deliver it to the apostle, it must nevertheless be granted that the true sacrament, and Christ whole and entire, is received in either kind by itself; and therefore, that as far as regards the fruit of the sacrament, those who receive one kind only are not deprived of any grace that is necessary to salvation.

Chap. IV. Sacramental Communion is not obligatory on Children.

"Lastly, the same holy council teaches, that the sacramental communion of the eucharist is not necessarily obligatory on children, who have not attained the use of reason. For being regenerated in the laver of baptism, and incorporated int >

Christ, they cannot lose the gracious state of children of God, which was acquired at that time. Never theless, antiquity is not to be condemned, on account of that practice having been formerly observed in some places. For though the holy fa. thers had sufficient grounds for the custom, in the then existing state of things, yet it must be without doubt believed that they did not attend to it, as necessary to salvation.

Of communion in both kinds, and the communion by infants.

CANONS.

"Canon 1. Whoever shall affirm, that all and every one of Christ's faithful are bound by divine command to receive the most holy sacrament of the eucharist in both kinds, as necessary to salvation : let him be accursed.

"2. Whoever shall affirm, that the holy Catholic church had not just grounds and reasons for restricting the laity and non-officiating clergy to communion in the species of bread only, or that she hath erred therein: let him be accursed.

"3. Whoever shall deny that Christ, whole and entire, the fountain and author of every grace, is received under the one species of bread; because, as some falsely affirm, he is not then received according to his own institution in both kinds; let him be accursed.

"4. Whoever shall affirm, that the communion of the eucharist is necessary to children, before they reach the years of discretion: let him be accursed."

SESSION XXII, HELD UNDER POPE PIUS IV. SEP. 17: 1562.

The Doctrine of the Sacrifice of the Mass.

"That the ancient, complete and perfect faith and doctrine of the holy Catholic church respecting the great mystery of the eucharist may be retained and preserved in its purity, and all errors and heresies be banished away-the sacred, holy, œcumenical and general council of Trent, lawfully assembled, &c. instructed by the illumination of the Holy Spirit, teaches, declares, and hereby decrees to be announced to all Christian people, how far the same is to be regarded as a true and proper

sacrifice.

Chap. I. Institution of the Most Holy Sacrament of the Mass.

"Since there was no perfection under the first testament, as the Apostle Paul testifies, because of the weakness of the Levitical priesthood, it behoved God, the Father of mercies, to ordain that another priest should arise, after the order of Melchizedec, even our Lord Jesus Christ, who might complete and bring to perfection as many as should be sanctified. He therefore, our God and Lord, when about to offer himself once for all to God the Father by his death, on the altar of the cross, that there he might accomplish eternal redemption -knowing that his priesthood was not to be abolished by death-in the last supper, on the night in which he was betrayed, declared himself to be constituted a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedec, offered his body and blood to God the Father under the species of bread and wine,

and by these symbols delivered the same to be received by his apostles, whom he then appointed priests of the new testament, and commanded them and their successors in the priesthood to offer the same, saying, 'Do this for a commemoration of me.' Luke xxii. 19. Thus hath the Catholic church always understood and taught this doctrine; and this the Saviour did, that he might leave to his beloved spouse, the church, a visible sacrifice, such as human nature required, by which the bloody sacrifice made on the cross might be represented the memory thereof preserved to the end of the world, and its salutary virtue applied for the remis sion of those sins which are daily committed by us. For as the Israelites of old, sacrificed the passover in memory of their departure from Egypt, so the Redeemer instituted a new passover, wherein he is himself sacrificed by the church, through the priests, under the visible signs, in memory of his passage from this world to the Father, after he had redeemed us by the shedding of his blood, delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us into his kingdom. And truly this is the 'clean oblation' which cannot be defiled by any unworthiness or sin of the offerer; respecting which the Lord foretold by Malachi that it should be offered in every place to his name, which should be great among the Gentiles: as also the apostle did not obscurely intimate, when he said, in his epistle to the Corinthians, that those who were polluted by participation of the taple of devils, could not be partakers of the table of the Lord; understanding that the word 'table' was always used for altar.' Finally, this is the sacrifice

which was figuratively represented by the various sacrifices offered in the times of nature and of the law; since it includes every good which was signified by them, and is the consummation and perfection of them all.

Chap. II. The Sacrifice of the Mass is Propitatory, both for the Living and the Dead.

"And since the same Christ, who once offered himself by his blood on the altar of the cross, is contained in this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the mass, and offered without blood, the holy council teaches that this sacrifice is really propitiatory, and made by Christ himself; so that if we approach God, contrite and penitent, with a true heart and sincere faith, with fear and reverence, we obtain mercy and find grace in seasonable aid.' Heb. iv. 16. For assuredly God is appeased by this oblation, bestows grace and the gift of repentance, and forgives all crimes and sins, how great soever; for the sacrifice which is now offered by the ministry of the priests is one and the same as that which Christ then offered on the cross, only the mode of offering is different. And the fruits of that bloody oblation are plentifully enjoyed by means of this unbloody one; so untrue is it that the latter derogates from the glory of the former. Wherefore it is properly offered, according to apostolic tradition, not only for the sins, punishments, satisfactions, and other necessities of living believers, but also for the dead in Christ, who are not yet thoroughly purified.

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Chap. III. Masses in honour of the Saints.

Although the church is accustomed to celebrate