are for the most part taken from Scripture. Some of them, however, have been preserved in the Church by apostolic tradition. The words "this is the chalice" are taken from St. Luke, [1] and are also mentioned by the Apostle. [2] The words that immediately follow. " of my blood, or my blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for you, and for many to the remission of sins," are taken in part from St. Luke, [3] and in part from St. Matthew. [4] The words " and eternal," and also the words "the mystery of faith," have been transmitted to us by holy tradition, the interpreter and guardian of Catholic unity. Of the legitimacy of this form we cannot entertain a shadow of doubt, if we attend to what has been already said of the form used in the consecration of the bread. The form to be used in the consecration of this element, should, confessedly, consist of words signifying that the substance of the wine is changed into the blood of our Lord: this the words already cited clearly declare; and therefore, they alone exclusively constitute the form.
They also express certain admirable fruits produced by the blood of Christ, which was shed on Calvary, fruits which be long in a special manner to this Sacrament. Of these one is admission into the eternal inheritance to which we have acquired a right by " the new and everlasting testament:" [5] another is admission to righteousness by " the mystery of faith," for "God hath proposed" Jesus "to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to the showing of his justice, that he himself may be just, and the justifier of him, who is of the faith of Jesus Christ:" [6] a third is the remission of sin. [7]
But as the words of consecration are replete with mysteries, and are most appropriate in their application to our present subject, they demand a more minute consideration. When, there fore, it is said: " This is the chalice of my blood," [8] these words are to be understood to mean: "This is my blood which is contained in this chalice." The mention of "the chalice," at the moment of its consecration, to be the drink of the faithful, is peculiarly appropriate: without its mention as the vessel in which it is contained, the words: " This is my blood," would not seem sufficiently to designate this supernatural species of drink. Next follow the words: "of the New Testament;" they are added to give us to understand, that the blood of the Saviour is not now given figuratively, as in the Old Law, of which we read in the Apostle, that without blood a Testament is not dedicated; [9] but really and truly given, a prerogative peculiar to the New Testament. Hence the Apostle says: " There fore, Christ is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of his death, they who. are called may receive the promise of eternal inheritance." [10] The word "eternal" refers to
