III.  But,  Isaac  truly  offered  and  saved
from  death,  sacrificed  yet  not  slain^  is  next
a  lively  image  of  Jesus,  the  Victim  of  the
Mass  is  the  law  of  Grace.  Thus  sings  our
Holy  Mother  the  Church,  in  her  Hymn  to
Jesus  in  the  Blessed  Eucharist : —

"  Lo  !  the  bread  of  Angels  sweet,
Made  of  mortal  man  the  meat,
Children's  bread  to  dogs  denied  !
Ancient  figures,  long  since  fled,
Shadow'd  forth  this  Living  Bread,
Isaac  offer'd  yet  not  dead."  Lauda  Sion.
For,  in  the  Holy  Mass,  Jesus  our  true
Victim,  really  present,  really  offered,  never
theless  does  not  die,  as  Isaac  really  presented
on  the  Altar,  really  offered,  nevertheless
was  not  slain.  But,  by  the  separate  conse
cration  of  the  elements  He  is  mystically
separated,  Who  cannot  more  suffer  dissolu
tion,  and  in  the  destruction  of  these  He
mystically  dies,  over  Whom  death  has  no
more  dominion  ;  and  as  the  ram  was  smitten
in  the  stead  of  Isaac,  and  bore,  in  his  place,
the  throes  of  death,  so  are  the  elements
broken  for  the  Body  of  Jesus,  and  subjected


108  ISAAC.
