through and by the Incarnation, applied to
each individual in Holy Baptism, and the Holy Eucharist.]

The existence of the Church is the consequence and fruit of the
Incarnation and Death of her Divine Head; the spiritual life of all her
members being derived from their union with our Blessed Lord's Sacred
Humanity, whereby they are also made "partakers of the Divine
Nature[1]," their birth-sin being at the same time washed away by the
Virtue of His Cleansing Blood. This Life, once begun, is kept up in
faithful Christians by believing and persevering use of the Mystical
Food provided for its sustenance in their souls--the Blessed Body and
Precious Blood thus given to them being a continual extension of the
Incarnation; whilst their actual sins are forgiven by the absolving
Word of the Priest, and the Pleading of the One Sacrifice, unceasingly
presented in Heaven, and constantly shown forth and mystically offered
on the Altars of the Church on earth.

{3}

[Sidenote: Foreshadowings of the Church and the Redeemer's sacrifice
under the Patriarchal]

From the time of the Fall and the merciful Promise of a Redeemer, "the
Seed of the woman," there is also a foreshadowing of the Church as the
appointed way by which mankind should lay hold on the salvation thus
provided for them. The Patriarchs were priests in their own tribes,
for which they continually offered up sacrifices to Almighty God; and
to this patriarchal system succeeded the Mosaical Dispensation with an
elaborate ceremonial, each minute detail of which was laid down by
direct revelation from God Himself.

[Sidenote: and Mosaic dispensations.]

In this system of Divine Worship given to Moses, sacrifices of animals
still held the most prominent place, typifying as they did the great
Oblation to come, and perhaps conveying a certain Sacramental grace to
the devout offerers and partakers of them. To these perpetual
sacrifices, offered morning by morning and evening by evening, there
was also joined a continual round of praise and thanksgiving.
[Sidenote: Much of the Jewish ritual absorbed in the Christian Church.]
When our Blessed Lord came "to fulfil the Law," this Jewish ritual was
in a great measure engrafted into the worship of the Christian Church.
The Passover feast, as well as animal sacrifices and the feeding on
them, were done away, and replaced by the "Unbloody Sacrifice" and
Sacramental Communion of the Gospel covenant, whilst circumcision and
cer