as follows: "Sacrifice is a mark existing in a thing by which we acknowledge GOD to be the Author of life and death." To this he adds that by the "mark existing in the thing we are to understand a sign which is in the thing itself, and not merely in the words; "because," he says, "the Divine Omnipotence as seen in the power of preserving or destroying all things, is rightly signified in the change of the thing that is offered, and without that change, it cannot be fitly represented." The second part of the definition, which treats of the matter of sacrifice, he expresses thus: "A thing which by a change in itself is offered to GOD, or the change of a thing which is offered to GOD, is a sacrifice." This definition treats of the material sacrifice, or thing offered, as the former does of the action of sacrificing. In the introduction of the idea of a change in the thing offered, effected by the act of sacrifice, Vasquez, as we have already said, started anew the fruitless controversy about destruction as a necessary characteristic of sacrifice in general.

His contemporary, Suarez, introduces the term "conficere rem," and points out that since sacrifice is a sensible action for the purpose of recognizing the sovereign excellence of GOD, this purpose is accomplished as well by a productive as by a destructive act; that a change for the better in the victim fulfils this condition as adequately as a change for the worse.

Suarez, like Vasquez, gives a twofold definition of 7. Suarez's de- sacrifice, partly physical, partly metaphysical.

finition.

The

* "Sacrificium est nota existens in re: qua profitemur Deum auctorem vitæ et mortis."

+ "Sacrificium est res quæ per sui immutationem Deo offertur, seu immutatio rei quæ Deo offertur."

‡ Suarez, Disput, 1xxii., ¿ vi., 3. Tom. xxi., p. 617.

first part is: "Sacrifice is an offering made to GOD by the change of anything for the purpose of testifying, in a manner lawfully instituted, to GOD's Majesty and our reverence for Him." The other definition is longer, and is as follows: "Sacrifice is a sensible sign instituted for the purpose of immediately signifying the Divine excellence and the worship due to it, through the immutation of something; or, in other words, it is an external act of religion containing the supreme worship of latria,' due to GOD alone." To this Suarez adds that, in order that the definition may be adequate, we must understand by "an external act" an action distinct from the mere utterance of words, or from such praise and worship as may be expressed by words.

definition.

To bring our list down to our own day, we shall close 8. Scheeben's it with the definition of Tanner, adopted by Scheeben : "Sacrifice is an oblation of a corporeal thing, in which oblation this thing, by means of a transformation, is made and consecrated in recognition of the Divine Majesty, and of the subordination of the creature to GOD, its First Principle and Last End."

v. Recapitula

tion of the

elements in S.

V. Since the whole doctrine of the Eucharistic Sacrifice must necessarily be founded upon a clear and accurate conception of what is meant by "sacrifice," it will be well, even at the risk of repetition, to close this chapter with a brief recapitulation of those elements which go to make up the idea of sacrifice in revealed religion, and which must be present in every offering in order that it may be a true and proper sacrifice. Sacrifice has distinctly two parts, an outward and 1. Two parts, an inward. While the latter may be the more im- an outward portant, and may, indeed, be called the true sacrifice, inasmuch as without it there can be no true sacrifice,—

and an inward.

2. The sacri

ficial action, on

which the S. depends.

3. This must be

yet this inward part, or act alone, is not a sacrifice properly so called.

The sacrificial action, which alone can constitute a sacrifice in the proper sense of the term, belongs strictly to the outward part. While it ought to signify or express the inward part, yet it gains its character, not from this, but from the authority by which it was instituted. Hence, where the inward part is wanting, as, for instance, when the offerer approaches without right dispositions, there is a proper sacrifice, but not a true sacrifice. To constitute a true and proper sacrifice both parts must be combined.

This sacrificial action is something done to the performed by a offering by a priest, by which the offering is consecrated, and the sacrifice effected.

priest.

CHAPTER III.

FOR

THE SACRIFICE OF THE CROSS.

The S. of the
Cross the only

absolute S.
All others

OR the Christian there is but one absolute Sacri- Introductory: fice, that which our LORD and Saviour JEsus CHRIST offered upon the Cross on Calvary, and by which the world was redeemed. All other sacrifices are relative to the Sacrifice of the Cross. To it point the sacrifices of the Jewish Law, and even those of the heathen world; and from it the Sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist gains its value.

are relative, in

that they gain

their efficacy

from it.

how the S. of the Cross fulfils

In the last chapter we examined the essential ele- Investigate ments in the general notion of sacrifice. We must now apply these to a consideration of the Sacrifice of the general the Cross, and see how far they are fulfilled in it.

definition of S.

here to exam

ine any of the theories of the

Atonement.

It is not necessary here to investigate any of the Not necessary theories of the Atonement, or even to inquire in what manner the world was redeemed by our LORD's Sacrifice. We must, however, most carefully examine our LORD'S Offering of Himself for our redemption, in order that we may not only be assured that it fulfils all the conditions of a sacrifice, but that we may clearly understand in what way these conditions are fulfilled.

I. First, we may observe that the Holy Scriptures, both of the Old and New Testaments, distinctly speak of our LORD's Death as a Sacrifice; that is, they apply to it sacrificial terms. A consideration of all the passages bearing upon this part of the subject is quite

1. Holy Scripture describes

our LORD'S

Death as a S. by applying to terms.

it sacrificial

In Isa. liii.

the word "nig

gas" in v. 7 is

sacrificial term,

and the word "asham" in V. IO.

and sacrifice"

of 2 Cor. V. 21
and Eph. v.
2 are also
sacrificial.

a

unnecessary. It will be sufficient to quote a few of the most important.

"He was abused, while He willingly suffered, and opened not His mouth, like the lamb that is led to the slaughter."* In this passage the word "niggas" (3) is by many considered a sacrificial word and equivalent to "He is sacrificed," the manner of the sacrifice being indicated in the next clause, "like the lamb that is led to the slaughter."

Without, however, pressing this, since it has been differently rendered by some scholars, we find in the tenth verse: "And it pleased the LORD (JEHOVAH) to bruise Him; He laid sickness on Him; if His soul were to make a guilt offering, He should see posterity." † The word "asham" (), "trespass-offering," is clearly sacrificial, and denotes that the Death of CHRIST, here prophesied, was a propitiatory Sacrifice for the sins of man.

S. Augustine, S. Ambrose, and others refer to this S. Paul's statement, "He hath made Him to be sin for The "oblation Us, Who knew no sin; " and, "CHRIST also . gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to GOD, for an odour of a sweet smell."§ In this place not only the phrase "gave Himself up for us" (лαрéδωκεν), but the terms προσφοράν καὶ θυσίαν are clearly sacrificial, showing that the Death of CHRIST was not only an Offering, but a Sacrifice, and a Sacrifice" of a sweet smell."

So I Cor. v. 7.

Again: "For our Passover also hath been sacrificed, even CHRIST;" where it is distinctly said that CHRIST has been sacrificed, and it is implied that in this He, as the Lamb of GOD, fulfilled the typical sacrifice of the Paschal Lamb.

*Isa. liii. 7. † Isa. liii. 10. ‡ 2 Cor. v. 21. Eph. v. 2. || 1 Cor. v. 7.