particularly annex'd to it Indeed if a true Penitent Receive Absolution from his Minister God Ratifies the Sentence and forgives the Sin But so God would have done had neither any Confession been made to or Absolution Received from Him And that the Sin is forgiven is Owing to the Mercy of God upon the Repentance of the Sinner and not to be ascribed to the Priest's Sentence In EXTREME VNCTION there is an Outward Sign but neither of Christ's nor his Apostles Institution They anointed Sick Persons for the Recovery of their Bodily Health and in certain Cases advised the Elders of the Church to be sent for to do likewise But as to any Spiritual Effects they neither used any such Sign themselves nor Recommended it to Others Nor is there any the least Ground on which to expect any such benefit from the Use of it MATRIMONY is a Holy State ordain'd by God and highly to be accounted of by All Men. But it neither confers any Grace where it is not nor Encreases it where it is And therefore is not to be look'd upon as a true and proper Sacrament ORDINATION is also a Divine Institution By the Administration of it Authority is Given to those Who partake of it to minister in Holy Things which otherwise it would not have been lawful for them to do We do not at all doubt but that the Grace of God accompanies this Ordinance and the Discharge of those Ministries which are perform'd in consequence of it But then this Grace is only the Blessing of God upon a particular Employ not such a Grace as is necessary to the making of a Sacrament And it is given to such Persons rather for the Benefit of Others than for the furtherance of their Own Salvation Q. How many Parts are there in a Sacrament A. Two the Outward and Uisible Sign and the Inward and Spiritual Grace SECT XLIII Q. WHat is the First Sacrament of the New Testament A. It is Baptism Q. What is Baptism A. It is the Sacrament of our New and Spiritual Birth Jo. iii. 4 the Seal of our Adoption Rom. iv 11 and the Solemn Means of our Admission into the Communion of the Christian Church Acts ii 41 Col. ii 11 12. By the Outward Washing whereof our Inward Washing from our Sins by the Blood and Spirit of Christ is both clearly exhibited and certainly sealed to Us. Rom. iv 11 Acts ii 38.39 Heb ix 14 Tit. iii. 5 Q. How is Baptism perform'd A. By dipping in pouring on of or sprinkling with Water in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Q. In which of these was this Sacrament administred at the Beginning A. To Aged and Healthful Persons in that Hot Country in which our Saviour lived it was for the most part administred by dipping or plunging the Person who was Baptized into the Water According to the common Ceremony among the Jews of Receiving Proselytes with the very same Ceremony and from which our Saviour seems to have taken Occasion to institute this Sacrament Q. Were any Baptized otherwise at the Beginning A. It cannot be doubted but that as All who Embraced the Gospel were Baptized so many of these could not be dipped in Water Such were very Old and Sick Persons and it may be All at the first when Three and Five Thousand at a time believed and were baptized very likely in a private House Acts ii 41 Acts iv 4 where it would have been very difficult to have had Water enough and endless to have dipped them all Q. What are the Necessary Parts of this Sacrament A. Water and the Word The One to Represent our Spiritual Washing and Cleansing by the Blood of Christ the Other to declare the Faith into which we are Baptized and by which we hope to be saved namely of God the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Q. How came the Custom of Dipping to be so universally left off in the Church A. Chiefly upon the ground of Charity because when the Gospel became every where Received and the Persons to be Baptized were the Children of believing Parents many of which in these Cold Countries and for a Great Part of the Year could not be dipped in Water without the hazard of their Lives it was necessary either to Sprinkle them only with Water or not to Baptize them at all Q. What Ground had the Church to admit of Sprinkling as sufficient to answer the Design of this Sacrament A. The Example of the Purifications under the Law which were made as well by Sprinklings as Washings Heb. ix 13 19. The Application of this made by St. Paul to the Spiritual Cleansing of us from our Sins Heb. x. 22 24. And by St. Peter to the same Purpose 1 Pet. i. 2 The Analogy between the Sprinkling of the Water in Baptism and that Sprinkling of the Blood of Christ by which we are Cleansed from our Sins All these as they left a sufficient Latitude to the Church to administer this Sacrament in any of these Ways so the Law of Charity Required that the Church should make Choice of Sprinkling rather than of a total Immersion and we cannot doubt but that the God of Charity does approve of it Mat. ix 13 SECT XLIV YOU said that in Every Sacrament there were Two Parts an Outward and Visible Sign and an Inward and Spiritual Grace Tell me therefore Q. What is the Outward Uisible Sign or Form in Baptism A. Water wherein the Person is Baptized in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Q. Is this Element so necessary a part of this Sacrament that the Church may in no Case depart from it A. It is of Divine Institution and was designed to denote our Spiritual Cleansing by Christ's Blood That as our Bodies are wash'd with and cleansed from their Pollutions by Water so are our Souls purified from Sin by the Blood of Christ And for both these Reasons it is a Necessary and Immutable Part of this Holy Sacrament Q. Is the Form of Baptism necessary to the Administration of this Sacrament A. It is Necessary nor can this Sacrament be duly administred by any Other Q. Was no Other Form ever used in the Apostle's Times A. It is indeed said of Some in those Times who had been Jewish Converts or had Received John's Baptism that they were Baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus But this does not hinder but that they may have been Baptized as no doubt they were in the Words appointed by Christ for that purpose All it implies is that they were Baptized into the Faith and Gospel of Christ as by comparing the Passages of Scripture together it will Evidently appear See Act. viii 16 x. 48 xix 5 Rom. vi 3 Gal. iii. 7 Q. Are then the Words appointed by Christ so necessary that to Use any Other will destroy the Efficacy of this Sacrament A. That I dot say For as
for which the Holy Spirit was given by Christ to his Church A. No His Operations are very many and can hardly be particularly Enumerated He not only Regenerates and Sanctifies Us Disposes us to our Duty and Fortifies Us against Temptation but moreover Directs us in Our Doubts Comforts us in our Afflictions Supports us in our Troubles Arms us against the Fear of Death Gives us Strength and Courage in Trials and Persecutions And in such Cases as he sees needful Seals our Souls with such an Inward Sense and Assurance of God's Favour as makes us firmly satisfied of our future Everlasting Salvation Rom. v. 5 viii 14 17. 2 Cor. i. 22 Eph. i. 14 Gal. iv 6 Q. How long shall the Holy Ghost continue thus to Comfort Sanctify and Guide the Faithful A. As long as there shall any Faithful Remain in need of his Assistance Which because there will be to the End of the World therefore Christ has promised that He shall also till then continue to Conduct and Govern his Faithful Servants Jo. 14.16 Mat. xxviii 20 SECT XVI Q. WHat does the FOVRTH and Last Part of your Creed Relate to A. To the Church of Christ Its Duty and Privileges here and its future Hope of Glory and Immortality hereafter Q. What is the First Thing which you are taught to believe concerning Christ's Church A. That there is a Holy Catholick Church Q. What is that Church of which this Article speaks A. It is the Vniversal Church of Christ the General Assembly of All those who from the time of the first publishing of the Gospel to this Day have believed in Christ or shall hereafter profess his Faith to the End of the World Q. How can such a Church be the Object of our Faith A. Not as to that part of it which we see and communicate with but chiefly in these Two Respects First As we Believe by the Word of God that those who have Gone before Us in the true Faith of Christ and the Fear of his Holy Name though out of all Visible Communion at present with Us do yet Live to God and are still Members of Christ's Church though in a different State from Us and shall together with Us be gather'd into One Glorious Society at the last Day And Secondly As upon the same Grounds we do also farther believe that in all the Ages yet to come to the End of the World Christ shall continue to have a Church upon Earth So that no Power of Men or Malice of the Devil shall ever be able utterly to Root it out or to destroy it Q. How can a Society consisting of such different Members and those at so great a distance both in Time and Place from One Another yet all together make but One Church A. Because how different so ever the Members of this Church may otherwise seem to be yet they are all * United together under One Head the Lord Jesus * Are * Sanctified and Ruled by the same Holy Spirit * Endued with the same Love to God and towards One Another * Live by the same Laws * Profess the same Faith * Partake of the same Sacraments * Have the same Hope of Salvation set before them * Worship the same God by the same Advocate and Saviour Jesus Christ And as to what concerns all the true and lively Members of this Society * shall one Day be Gathered together into One actual Place and Portion in the Glorious Kingdom of God for Ever Q. Wherefore do you give this Church the Title of Catholick A. Upon several Accounts but chiefly these Two First To distinguish it from the Jewish Church which was confined to a certain People and was to continue but for a certain Time Whereas the Christian Church takes in all Mankind and is to last to the End of the World Psal. ii 8 Acts x. 34 35. Mat. xxviii 19 Mark xvi 15 Luk. xxiv 47 1 Cor. xii 13 And Secondly To shew that in this Creed which comprehends what is to be Believed by all Christians we profess not our Faith of any One determinate Church which may cease and fail such as the Church of England or Church of Rome but of the Catholick or Vniversal Church of Christ as that which shall never fail and to which alone the Promises of God belong Q. May not any One determinate Church be called the Catholick Church A. No it may not any more than London may be called England or England the Whole World The Catholick Church is the Vniversal Church and that neither Ours nor any other particular Church is nor whilst there are more such Christian Churches in the World can be But a Catholick Church a Particular Church may be called And such Ours is though that of Rome I doubt will hardly be able to make a Good Pretension to this Title any more than to the Other Q. Do you make a difference then between A Catholick Church and THE Catholick Church A. There is certainly a wide difference between them THE Catholick Church is as I before said The whole Church But A Catholick Church implies no more than a Sound part of it a Church in Communion with the Catholick Church of Christ in opposition to the Conventicles of Hereticks and Schismaticks Who whatsoever they may pretend are really no parts of the Catholick Church nor shall be consider'd by Christ as such Q. Whom do you account Hereticks and Schismaticks And how does it appear that they are not Parts of the Catholick Church A. The Catholick Church is that Church which professes the true Faith which Christ and his Apostles deliver'd to it and that if not free from All Errour whatsoever yet without any such Errours as destroy the Foundation of that Doctrine which was committed to its Custody Now a Heretick is One who not only Errs in some Matters of lesser moment but in Matters of such Consequence as subvert the very Foundation of Christianity But he who does this can never be a Member of that Church whose Doctrine he not only does not Receive but rejects And who by his Errours destroys that very Faith by which alone he can be intituled to the Character either of a true Disciple or a sound Member of Christ's Church Q. But why may not Schismaticks be accounted true Members of Christs Church A. Because none are Schismaticks but such as forsake and cut themselves off from the Communion of the Catholick Church Now it is a Contradiction that those should continue Members of the Catholick Church who by their Own voluntary departure from it have renounced the Communion of it Q. Do you look upon the Church of England to be a true part of the Catholick Church A. It certainly is Inasmuch as it professes the true Catholick Faith deliver'd in the Holy Scriptures and drawn up in the Creeds of the Church and by the most ancient Councils acknowledged to be sufficient to denominate those who profess'd according thereunto
forgive Sin A. He washes away the stain of it by his Sanctifying Grace and Remits the Punishment of it for the Sake and through the Merits and Mediation of Jesus Christ our Saviour Q. What Assurance have we that God will thus Forgive Us our Sins A. The Covenant of the Gospel is founded upon the Promise of it So that if we Believe that Christ died for our Sins we must also Believe that God for Christ's sake will forgive all those who truly Repent of their Sins Luk. xxiv 47 Acts v. 31 xiii 38 xxvi 18 Eph. iv 32 Q. Is this the peculiar Privilege of the Church of Christ A. So the Scriptures tell us There being no Other Name under Heaven given among Men by which we must be Saved but only that of the Lord Jesus Acts iv 12 Q. From whom is this Forgiveness to be Sought A. Who hath Power to forgive Sins but God only Mark ii 7 Of Him therefore it must be sought in the Name of Jesus Christ. Q. But has not Christ left a Power with his Church to forgive Sins A. He has left with his Church a Ministerial Power to declare forgiveness of Sins to all such as truly Repent of them and Believe in him And when the Ministers of his Word are called in to the Assistance of Sick or Scrupulous Persons they may upon the Supposition of a true Repentance pronounce in God's Name the Pardon of their Sins to them But in this they only deliver the Sentence of God which if the Sinner be truly Penitent God will infallibly make Good Otherwise it will be of no Use to them because it was erroneously though charitably Pass'd upon Them Q. But does not the Church of Rome ascribe much more to the Absolution of the Priest than this A. Yes it does Nor is this One of the least Presumptuous or least Dangerous of its Errours They tell Us that the Sentence of the Priest in this Case is not only Declarative but Judicial And which is yet worse they add that though a Sinner be not affected with such a Sorrow for his Sin as would Otherwise be sufficient to obtain God's Pardon yet by rightly Confessing to a Priest his Sins shall be forgiven and an Entrance Opened into Heaven by the Power of the Keys in Absolution By the former of which as they Usurp upon the Prerogative of God Mark ii 7 So do they by the latter lay a very dangerous Stumbling-block in the way of Wicked Men whilst they Encourage them to Rely on such a Sorrow for the Forgiveness of their Sins as will certainly fail and Ruin them in the End SECT XIX Q. WHat is the Third Privilege promised by God to Christ's Church A. The Resurrection of the Body Q. Shall not All Men whatsoever be Raised again at the last Day A. They shall Q. How then is this a Privilege of those who are the Faithful Members of Christ's Church A. Because though all Men shall be Raised yet not All after the same Manner The Bodies of the Faithful shall be raised in a most Blessed and Glorious State 1 Cor. xv 42 c. They shall be perfected in all their Parts and Qualities shall be render'd an Habitation fit for a Glorified Soul to dwell in and be prepared for the Enjoyment of an Everlasting Felicity And thus to Rise in such a State and for such an End is certainly a very Great Benefit and the peculiar Privilege of Christ's Holy Church Q. How then shall the Wicked be Raised A. Their Bodies shall also be Restored to them and that in such a State as to be capable of Undergoing for Ever those Torments which God has prepared for Them But their Resurrection shall be to Shame and Misery And what is the Blessing of the Righteous shall to the Wicked be a means of Encreasing their Pain and Enlarging their Punishment Q. Shall we Receive the same Bodies we now have at the Resurrection or shall some Other Bodies be prepared for Us A. The very Nature of a Resurrection does unanswerably prove that we shall Receive our Own Bodies And the End of it confirms it to Us Our Bodies being therefore Raised and Restored to Us that we may be Rewarded or Punish'd in the same Estate both of Soul and Body in which we had done Things Worthy either of Reward or Punishment Q. Shall All Mankind not only Good and Bad but Every Single Person of either kind be Raised at the Last Day A. All that ever died shall be Raised Jo. v. 20 2 Cor. v. 10 But many will be found at the Last Day Alive on the Earth Now they shall not die nor by consequence Rise from the Dead But they shall be Changed That is to say The Men of that Age whether Good or Bad shall by the mighty Power of God be put into the same State with those who being Dead were Raised from the Dead And so be brought with them before the Judgment Seat of Christ 1 Cor. xv 51 1 Thes. iv 15 SECT XX. Q. WHAT shall follow upon the Resurrection A. The Last and General Judgment of Mankind which being pass'd and the Sentence pronounced upon Every One according to his Works It shall Immediately be put in Execution The Wicked shall Go into Everlasting Punishment but the Righteous into Life Everlasting Mat. xxv 46 Q. Shall the Wicked as well as the Righteous live for Ever A. They shall if such a State of inexpressible Misery as they shall be condemn'd to may be called Living For they shall never cease to be nor ever cease to be tormented to all Eternity Mat. x. 28 xxv 41 46. xviii 8 Compare Mark ix 44 Q. How then is Everlasting Life a Privilege of the Church of Christ A. As the Resurrection of the Body was before said to be That Life which alone deserves to be so called that Happy and Glorious Life which God has prepared for the Faithful in his Kingdom That is the Singular Privilege of Christ's Church and of the Faithful Members of it The Other is rather an Everlasting Duration a State of endless Dying rather than an Everlasting Life Q. But can it be consistent with the Justice and Mercy of God to punish the temporary and transient Sins of Men with an Everlasting State of Misery and Sufferings A. We must confess it so to be or say which is as Unreasonable as it would be Wicked that God will deal Unjustly and Unmercifully with Sinners at the Last Day For certain it is that this he has declared shall be the Result of their Evil-doings Q. Why may we not by the Everlasting Death and Everlasting Punishment of which the Scriptures speak on this Occasion understand rather the final Destruction of such Wicked Persons than an Eternal Continuance of Them in Pain and Misery A. Because the Scriptures have plainly declared were Men willing to understand it that by Everlasting Punishment is meant Everlasting Torment That their Worm shall
by Us in order to our better Performance of those Duties we have before mentioned Such are Some extraordinary Acts of Prayer and Devotion A Retirement from the Business and Conversation of the World but especially from the Follies and Vanities of it And these accompanied with some Acts of Prayer and Mortification whilst we are making the Examination of our Selves before proposed But these must be govern'd by the Rules of Prudence as every Man's Business Opportunities Needs State of Health and the like Circumstances either Require or will allow of Q. Is such a Preparatory Examination of our Selves so necessary before we Come to the Holy Table that we may in no Case presume to Come without it A. No it is not Those who live in a Strict and Regular Course of Life and have nothing extraordinary happen'd to Them as they always know what their State towards God is so are they always Ready to Receive this Holy Sacrament and need not be afraid to partake of it because they had not the Opportunity of making a particular previous Preparation of themselves for it Yet if even these should design to go at a certain Time before known to the Communion they not only piously may but in duty Ought to do somewhat of this kind in order to their going with the better Dispositions to it Q. What if by this means a Good Christian should not be able fully to satisfy himself concerning his Worthiness to Go to the Holy Table A. In that Case he ought to Consider what it is that puts him in doubt of it and having so done let him take the Advice of some Person whom he can Rely upon but especially of his Minister about it That so being free'd from his Scruples he may Go with a Quiet Mind and a full Perswasion of Conscience to this Spiritual Feast and certainly Receive the Benefits of it Q. What if it shall appear that He is not in a State of Going worthily to this Sacrament A. He must for the present Refrain from it and make all the haste He can to Remove the Impediment and Reconcile himself to God that so He may be in a Condition both to Come worthily to it and to be made Partaker of those Graces which are thereby Communicated to every Faithful Receiver of it SECT LII Q. IS there Any Thing yet farther Required of Those who Come to the Lord's Supper A. Yes there is namely that they be first CONFIRM'D by the Bishop It being ordain'd by the Church That none shall be admitted to the Holy Communion until such time as He be Confirm'd or Ready and Desirous to be Confirmed Q. What do you mean by Confirmation A. I mean the Solemn laying on of the Hands of the Bishop upon such as have been Baptized and are come to Years of Discretion Q. How is this performed among Us A. It is directed to be done after a very Wise and Solemn Manner For First The Bishop having given Notice to the Minister of his Intention to Confirm and Appointed a Time for the doing of it the Minister is to call together such of his Parish as are Come to Years of Discretion and have not yet been Confirmed and to Examine them in their Church-Catechism and to prepare as many as he can for the Bishop to Confirm Secondly Having done this he is either to bring or send in Writing with his Hand Subscribed thereunto the Names of all such Persons within his Parish as he shall think fit to be presented to the Bishop to be Confirm'd These being Approved of by the Bishop are brought openly into the Church and Required by the Bishop in the Presence of God and the Congregation there Assembled to Renew the Solemn Vow and Promise which was made in their Names at their Baptism and in their Own Persons to Ratify and Confirm the same acknowledging themselves bound to believe and do all those Things which their Godfathers and Godmothers then undertook for them Which having done the Bishop heartily prays to God for his Grace to enable them to fulfil this their Vow and laying his Hand severally on Every One's Head Beseeches God to defend this His Servant with his heavenly Grace that He may Continue His for Ever and daily Increase in his Holy Spirit more and more until He comes to his Everlasting Kingdom To all which are finally added the Joint Prayers both of the Bishop and the Church to the same Effect and so the Ceremony is ended Q. What are the Reasons that chiefly moved the Church of England to Retain such a Ceremony as this A. There may several be assigned but especially these Four * Apostolical Practice * The Reasonableness of the Thing its self * The Benefit of it to the Person who is Confirmed and * The Satisfaction that arises from hence to the Church of Christ. Q. Did the Apostles Practise such an Imposition of Hands A. The Apostles did lay their Hands on those who had been Baptized and by their Imposition of Hands such Persons did Receive the Holy Ghost Acts viii 17 xix 6 Q. Does the Bishop give the Holy Ghost now as the Apostles did by their Imposition of Hands A. That we do not say nor did the Apostles themselves do it They Laid on their Hands and God Gave his Holy Spirit to those on whom they Laid them And we piously presume that by the fervent Prayers of the Bishop and the Church those on whom He now Lays his Hands shall also Receive the Holy Ghost if they do but worthily prepare Themselves for it Q. Is there any Promise of God on which to build such a Hope A. A General One there is and such as may in this Case above any be depended upon by Us. For First We are directed to Pray not only for Our Selves but for One Another also To encourage us hereunto Christ has promised Us to Grant whatsoever is piously ask'd by the joint Suffrages of his Church of Him Mat. xviii 19 And particularly has declared That God will Give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him Luk. xi 9 Add to this That it has always been accounted a part of the Ministerial Office not only to Instruct but to Pray for and Bless their People When therefore the Chief Pastor of the Church and his Congregation solemnly join together to beg of God the Grace of his Holy Spirit in behalf of such Persons as these who have just now been dedicating themselves a-new to his Service and Ratifying the Covenant made between God and them at their Baptism how can we chuse but believe that God will certainly Grant their Request and Give His Holy Spirit to those for whom He is thus earnestly and solemnly Ask'd of Him Q. From whence does it appear that such an Imposition of Hands was Reasonable to have been Ordain'd and to be Continued in the Church A. From the Condition of those who are commonly Baptized among Us and who being for the most