the eternal inheritance, our title to which has been purchased by Christ the Lord, the eternal Testator. The words " mystery of faith," which are added, exclude not the reality, but signify that what lies concealed under the veil of mystery, and is far removed from the ken of mortal eye, is to be believed with the certainty of faith. Here, however, these words bear an import entirely different from that which they have when applied to baptism. Here, the mystery of faith consists in this, that we see by faith the blood of Christ, veiled under the species of wine; but baptism is properly called by us " the Sacrament," by the Greeks, "the mystery of faith," because it comprises the entire profession of the faith of Christ. There is also an other reason why the blood of our Lord is called " the mystery of faith." In its belief human reason experiences the greatest difficulties, because faith proposes to us to believe that the Son of God, God and man, suffered death for our redemption, a death signified by the Sacrament of his blood. His passion, therefore, is more appropriately commemorated here, in the words, "which shall be shed for the remission of sins," than at the consecration of his body. The separate consecration of the blood places before our eyes, in more vivid colours, his passion, crucifixion, and death. The additional words, "for you and for many," are taken, some from St. Matthew, [1] some from St. Luke, [2] and under the guidance of the Spirit of God, combined together by the Catholic Church. They serve emphatically to designate the fruit and advantages of his passion. Looking to the efficacy of the passion, we believe that the redeemer shed his blood for the salvation of all men; but looking to the advantages, which mankind derive from its efficacy, we find, at once, that they are not extended to the whole, but to a large proportion of the human race. When, therefore, our Lord said: " for you," he meant either those who were present, or those whom he had chosen from amongst the Jews, amongst whom were, with the exception of Judas, all his disciples with whom he then conversed; but when he adds, " for many," he would include the remainder of the elect from amongst the Jews and Gentiles. With great propriety there fore, were the words, for all, omitted, because here the fruit of the passion is alone spoken of, and to the elect only did his passion bring the fruit of salvation. This the words of the Apostle declare, when he says, that Christ was offered once, to take away the sins of many; [3] and the same truth is conveyed in these words of our Lord recorded by St. John: "I pray for them, I pray not for the world; but for them whom thou hast given me, because they are thine." [4] The words of consecration also convey many other truths; truths, however, which the pastor by the daily meditation and study of divine things, and aided by grace from above, will not find it difficult to discover.
