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confirm thee with the Chrifm of Salvation, in the Name of the Father, . and of the Actions both of a Godfa ther or Godmother already confirm'd, holding up the Child to the Bishop; and of the Bishop croffing him (or her) who is to be confirmed, on the Forehead with Oyl, and next ftriking the Party confirmed on the Ear.

3dly, (a) The Minifter, who must be a Bishop and no inferior Minifter.

4thly, The Effect, or Effects rather, for by Confirma tion they say that,

ift, Sins are pardoned and remitted.

2dly, The Grace of Baptifm is made perfect.

3dly, Such become Men in Chrift, who afore were Children.

4thly, Grace is given, boldly to confess the Name of Chrift, and all Things belonging to a Chriftian Man. 5thly, The Holy Ghost is given to the full.

6thly, And perfect Strength of the Mind is obtained.

But in fo teaching, dangerous and very damnable Doctrine do they deliver. For,

It is an Error that Confirmation is a Sacrament, because it hath no Inftitution from God, which is necessary to all, and every Sacrament; in as much as a Sacrament cannot be ordained but by God only, even as the Papifts themselves do contess.

To fay that Pepifh Confirmation is grounded upon God's Word, is to speak a palpable Falfity: For, (b) in

(a) De Confecra. Dift. 5 Can. & Jejuni. (b) Catech. Trident. Tit. de Confir

the

the Scripture there is mention neither of the Matter, that it must be Chrism, and that made of Oyl.Olive, and Balm, and the fame confecrated by a Bishop; nor of the Form, that either a Bishop muft fign the Party to be confirmed with the Sign of the Cross; or that a Godfather, &c. must be thereat: Nor of the Minifter, who of Neceffity must be a Bishop, that is to confirm; nor of the Effects, that thereby Sins are pardoned, and released, and Baptifm confummated and made perfect.

It is an Error to fay, (a) there is any other Ointment given to the Strengthning of the Church Militant, befides the Holy Ghost.

It is an Error to maintain, that any Bishop can give· heavenly Graces to any Creature.

It is an Error to afcribe Salvation unto Chrism, and not only unto Chrift.

It favoureth of Madness, to measure the Dignity of the Sacraments by the Worthiness of the Minifter.

It is an Error to fay, that Men cannot be perfect Christians, without Popish Confirmation,

It is an Error, that by Confirmation the Holy Ghost is given to the full.

Penance no Sacrament.

Touching Penance, the Papifts do publish four Things to be obferved, whereof none of them is truly grounded upon the Word of God.

ift, (b) The Matter, which they fay is partly the Ae-tions of the Perfon penitent, which are, (c) fufficient Contrition of his Heart, perfect Confeffion of all his Sins, and that in particular with all the Circumstances, as of Time, Place, &c. And Satisfaction by Deeds, which

(a) 1 John 2. 27. (b) Canis. Catech. Cap. 4. (c) Catech. Trident. de pan.

make

make amends for all his Offences; and partly the Abfolution of the Priest.

2dly, The Form, which is in the Priest's Words of Abfolution, which he uttereth over the Sinner. In the Perfon penitent, it is kneeling down at the Prieft's Feet, his making the Sign of the Crofs upon his Breaft, and his faying Benedicite to his ghoftly Father, the Prieft; who (fay they) beareth the Perfon of God, and is the lawful Judge over the Penitent, and may both abfolve from the Guit of Sin, and inflict a Punishment according to the Offence.

3dly, The Minifter, who is ordinarily the Curate of every Parish; but extraordinarily, or in the time of great Neceffity, or by Licence, is any Prieft. And yet fome Sins are fo grievous as none may abfolve, but either the Bishop, or his Penitentiary; as the Crime of Incest, breaking of Vows, Church Robbery, and Herefy. And fome again, none remit or pardon, but the Pope only, or his Legate; as burning of Churches, violent ftriking a Prieft, counterfeiting of the Pope's Bull, &c.

4thly, And last of all, the Effect: Hereby, they fay the penitent Sinner is purged, abfolved, and made as clean from all Sin, as when he was newly baptized, and befides enrich'd with fpiritual Gifts and Graces.

The Confideration hereof hath moved all the reformed Churches to fhew their Deteftation of this new Sacrament, as having no Warrant from God's Word.

The Blafphemies are outragious, and the Errors many, and monftrous, which are comprised in this Doctrine of Popish Penance, for neither can the Matter of this their Sacrament, nor the Form, nor the Minifter, nor the Effect, be drawn from the Word of God.

ft, First they fay, Penance is a Sacrament, and yet they can fhew no Element it hath, to make it a Sacra

ment.

2dly,

2dly, Their Contrition is against the Truth: For, no Man is, or can be fufficiently contrite for his Sins.

3dly, To confefs all Sins, and that one after another, with all Circumstances, unto a Priest; as it is impoffible, fo it is never enjoin'd by God, nor hath been practifed by the Men of God..

4thly, That any Man, in any measure, can fatisfy for his Sins, it is (a) Blafphemy to fay, and against the Mcrits of Chrift. And yet do the Papists teach it, as also, that one may fatisfy for another.

5thly, It is moft notoriously untrue, that any Priest, Bishop, or Pope, hath Power, at his Will, to forgive Sins; Or can enjoin any Punishment, that can make amends to God for the leaft Offence..

6thly, If Penance purge Men, and make them clear from all Sin, then is there a Time, and that very often in this Life, when Men in this Life are perfect; which tends greatly to the Errors of the Catharans, Donatifts, and Pelagians.

7thly, (b)TheDoctrine of the Papifts, that fuch Perfons as willingly depart out of this World without their Shrift (c) are damned; is damnable Doctrine, and to be efchewed: And yet it is taught every where in their Books.

(a) Teft. Rhem. in Coloff. 1. 16. (b) Vaux. Catech. Cap. 4. (c) Catech. Trident. de panit. Teft. Rhem.

Annat in Matt. 12. 31.

Orders

Orders is no Sacrament.

The reformed Churches do acknowledge an Order of making Minifters in the Church of God, where all Things are to be done decently and by Order, but that Orders is a Sacrament they utterly deny.

The Papifts make feven Orders, (a) whereof fome. they call interior, and fome fuperior: The Inferior, are the Orders, first, of Oftiaries, or Perfons whofe Office is to keep the Door, to expel the Wicked, and to let in the Faithful. Next Exorcifts, or Conjurers, which have Power to expel the Devil. The third, Lectors, or Readers, who are to read Leffons, and Books in the Church. The fourth, Acolothies, or Candle-Bearers, whofe Office is to bear Cruets to the Altaf with Wine and Water, and to carry about Candles and Tapers.

The Superior, is the Orders of Sub-Deacons, Deacons, and Priests. The Sub-Deacons are to read the Epiftle at Service-time, to prepare Neceffaries for Miniftration. The Deacons affift the Priest in Ministration; and the Priefts Part and Office is to minifter Sacraments; that is to fay, Baptifm, Penance, and Eucharift; to facrifice tor the Quick and Dead, anointing the Sick, and Matrimony.

But where in Scripture can it be feen, that Orders is a Sacrament? What Element hath it? what Form? what Promife? what Inftitution from Chirst?

Where can any of thofe hideous Titles of Porter, &c. be found, afcrib'd to any Minister of the New Testament? or the Manner of their Creation, or Offices eftablifhed?

Where is it appointed to the Minifters of the New Teltament only to minifter Sacraments, or to minifter more than two, (viz.) Baptifm, and the Lord's Supper?

(a) Canis. Catech.

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