Page:Delineation of Roman Catholicism.djvu/303

 Cede. V[.]. aaL, oommwmw. A!phonmm Sa!meren, as pope's divine, at the Council of Trent, said: "It was certain that the church could not err, .because it is the basis and pillar of truth; and consequendy, since the cup !ms for a consider- able time been forbidden to the laity, pursuant to the Councils of Con- stance and Baz/l, it was certain that communion under both kinds was not of divine obligation." Thus, in order to maintain the infallibility- of their church, they have divided the institution of Christ. The Council of Trent says there were we/gAtt reason for adminis- tering this sacrament in one kind: "Wnerefore, though from the be- ginning of the Christian religion the use of both kinds was not unfre- quent, yet when in process of time that practice was, for weighty and just causes, changed, holy mother church, recognising her acknow- ledged 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."* The following are the just rea.von which the Roman Catechism gives for/a/f confmunion: "The church, no doubt, was influenced by numerous and cogent reasons, not ouly to approve, but confirm by* solemn decree, the general practice of communicating under one spe- cies. In the first place, the greater caution was necessary to avoid accident or indignity, which must become almost inevitable if the cha- lice were administered in a crowded assemblage. In the next place, the holy eucharist should be at all times in readiness for the sick; and if the species of wine remained long unconsumed, it were to be appre- hended that it might become vapid. Besides, there are many who cannot bear the taste or smell of wine; lest, therefore, what is intended for the nutriment of the soul should prove noxious to the health of the body', the church, in her wisdom, has sanctioned its administration un- der the species of bread alone. We may also observe, that in many- places wine is extremely scarce, nor can it be brought from distant countries without incurring very heavy expense, and encountering very tedious and difficult journeys. Finally, a circumstance which principally influenced the church in establishing this practice, means were to be devised to crush the heresy which denied that Christ, whole and entire, is contained under the species of bread without the blood, and the blood under the species of wine without the body. This object was attained by communion under the species of breal alone, which places, as it were, sensibly before our eyes the truth of the Catholic faith."t Thus, lest the clergy should not be honourable enough, and for fear of impeaching the infallibility of the church, to put a stop to the inquir* ' ing laity, the Council of 'Front present8 .mere fanciful reason8 for withholding the cup from the laity; and that too in opposition to Christ's institution, the apostles' practice, and the usage of the Catholic Church for so many ages; and have ordered that "none, in a pu51i: sacrament, shall communicate in both the elements of bread and wine, but only the priest that consecrates." 1
 * C, onc. Trid., seas. 21, c. 2 t C&techiam, p. 28.

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