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Mast. Why dost thou by and bye, after the church, make mention of the forgiveness of sins?

Scho. First, because the keys, wherewith heaven is to be shut and opened, that is, that power of binding and loosing, of reserving and forgiving sins, which standeth in the ministry of the word of God, is, by Christ, given and committed to the church, and properly belongeth unto the church. Secondly, because no man obtaineth forgiveness of sins, that is not a true member of the body of Christ, that is, such a one as doth not earnestly, godlily, holily, yea, continually and to the end, embrace and maintain the common fellowship of the church.

REFORMATIO LEGUM, &c.

Of the Holy Trinity and Catholic Faith.

The Church cannot decree any thing contrary to the Scriptures, nor ought it to enforce any thing beside them as necessary to be believed. Chap. 11.

Wherefore it is not lawful for the Church to ordain any thing which is adverse to the written word of God; nor may it explain one passage, so that it shall contradict another. Although the Church be the witness, keeper, and preserver of the divine books, yet the prerogative ought not to be yielded to her either of decreeing any thing in opposition to these books, or of laying down as

articles of faith any doctrines which have not their authority, and requiring them to be believed by Christian people.

Of Heresies.

Who are Heretics, and who are not. Chap. I. We consider all as heretics who hold some doctrine of our common faith otherwise than as it is determined by holy Scripture, and so persist in error as that they will not allow themselves to be corrected of it. Nor is it of any importance whether an individual be the author of his own error, or whether he embrace and defend another person's. But those who do not persist in error, and do not defend it; but seek for truth, and when they have been fully instructed by competent judges, acknowledge their fault, and suffer themselves to be corrected, are not to be ranked in the class of heretics.

In what respect Schismatics and Heretics differ. Chap. 2.

Schismatics are usually confounded with heretics but yet there is a great difference between them for schismatics do not hold any other than the generally received faith, but withdraw themselves from the common association which ought to subsist amongst Christians. Hence, it sometimes happens, that when they alienate themselves from the religious institutions and offices of others, they at length slide into some heresy, in order that they may the more widely separate

themselves from the established community of the church.

Of Ministers and Holy Orders. Chap. 16.

Similar is the madness of those who would dissever the institution of ministers from the Church, denying that certain teachers, pastors, and ministers should be assigned to certain places, and not admitting lawful vocation, nor the solemn imposition of hands, but giving the power of public teaching to all who have a smattering of the Holy Scriptures, and claim to themselves the gift of the Holy Spirit. Nor do they confine such persons to the office of teaching, but allow them to take a share in church government and administration of the sacraments: all which things are plainly repugnant to the writings of the Apostles.

Of Sacraments.

That the Imposition of Hands is to be retained. Chap. 6.

In the ordination of ecclesiastical ministers, such as Deacons, Presbyters, and Bishops, the ceremony of the imposition of hands is to be retained, since mention is made of it in the Holy Scriptures, and the use of it has obtained, at all times, in the Church.

CHAPTER II.

Of the Sacraments.

SECTION I.

The external marks of a true Church are not ouly the preaching and profession of the Gospel, but also, where it is possible, the due administration of the Sacraments. It is necessary, therefore, to enquire into the general nature of a Sacrament, as well as into the specific properties of those ordinances, which are acknowledged by the Church of England to be strictly and properly Sacraments in all their essential parts.

The word Sacrament, meaning originally either a pledge or an oath of allegiance, has sometimes been applied in its most lax sense to signify any sacred mystery; but is now restricted to certain symbolical and consecrated matter, ordained by our blessed Saviour Jesus Christ, to be an outward and visible sign of a certain inward and spiritual grace actually conferred on those who duly, that is with proper dispositions, receive the sacramental symbol, Hence all Sacraments are mysteries, but all mysteries are not Sacraments. The term is, likewise, not un

frequently used to express the service and ceremonies with which the Sacrament is administered.

$2. Sacraments are, under the Christian dispensation, the signs and seals of grace-rites divinely insti, tuted, as additional testimonies and pledges of the promise of grace delivered generally in the Gospel, and of the personal application of that promise to every individual who rightly accepts and uses them, They are signs which confirm the general promises of the Gospel, by a sensible pledge of the love and faithfulness of God towards man, and establish our faith in him, by affording us an unquestionable assurance of the application of those attributes to our own individual case.

Sacraments are not, then, according to this definition, to be regarded as sacrifices, for a sacrifice is somewhat offered to God, whereas a Sacrament transmits from God to man. Sacrifices were cergrace tain services commanded by God, in acknowledgment of his being the one true God, and, perhaps, in typical representation of the Messias; but Sacraments, besides possessing these properties in com, mon, are also divine institutions, in which God declares that he bestows somewhat on us; in which he bears witness, that they who rightly use the outward sacramental act, apply to themselves the benefit of the Gospel promises.

Sacraments, moreover, are not mere figures; for they not only represent, but are also connected with the thing figured. They are not empty signs, but visible seals; not only calling to mind circumstances past, present, and future, but also affording a sensible

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