A. In that Cafe, the Covenant made on their behalf will be Void: And fo by not fulfilling what was promised for them, they will lofe all thofe Bleffings, which God would Otherwise have been obliged to bestow upon Them. 8. 2. Would it not be more reasonable to tarry, 'till Perfons are grown up, and fo in a Condition to make the Covenant themselves, before they were permitted to be Baptized? 12, 13. A. We are not to confider what we think best, but what God has directed Us to do. Now Gen. xvii. God exprefly order'd the Children of the Jews Deut. xxix. to be admitted into Covenant with Him, at 10, 11, 12. Eight Days Old. Into the Place of Circumcifion, Col. ii. 11, Baptifm has fucceeded; as the Gospel has into 12 the Place of the Law. There is therefore the fame Reason why our Children should, from the Beginning, be admitted into the Chriftian, as 1 Cor. vii. 14. why the Jews Children fhould have been enter'd into the Legal Covenant. God has made no Exception in this Particular: Our Infants are as capable of Covenanting, as theirs were: And if God thought fit to Receive them into the Legal Covenant, and did not account the Incapacity, which their Age put them under, any Bar to hinder them from Circumcifion; neither ought we to think the fame Defect, any fufficient Obftacle to keep our Infants from being Baptized, and admitted thereby into that of the Gospel. SECT. XLVI. Of the Sacra ment of the Lord's Super, and bow 1.2. WHAT is the Other Sacrament of the it differs from New Testament ? A. The Sacrament of the Lord's Sup: per. 2. 2. Why do you call it the Lord's Sup per? A. Because the Popifo Mass. Phil. iv. 23. Others may have Power, but God only is Almighty. Others may have Glory; a Majesty fuite able to their Station, and Character in the World But to God only belongs the Excellency of Divine Honour, and Worship. To him only is Prayer, and Religious Invocation to be made: He only is either capable of it; or can pretend any Right to it. 7. 2. Why do you to this Doxology add, for Ever and Ever? A. To fhew that these Divine Perfections, and Prerogatives, did always belong to God; and 2 Tim.iv. 18. will always continue to belong, in this fingular ■ Pet. iv. 11. manner, to Him. Nam, v. 22. 6. 8. 2. What does Amen import? A. It is a Word of Wish, and Approbation; and Kings 1:36. denotes our Affent to that to which it is fubjoin'd, Jer. xxviii. with an Earneft Defire of its accomplishment. So that putting its feveral Significations together, it is as much as if we fhould fay; God of his 2 Cor. i. 20. Goodness Grant what I have here pray'd for; and fo I truft he will do, of his Mercy towards me through Jefus Chrift our Saviour. x Cor. xiv. 16. PART 8. 2. Did Chrift then fuffer Death for the Forgiveness of our Sins? A. He did: He took upon him our Sins, and Rom. iv. 25. died for them; that by his Death we might be v. 10. viii. freed both from the Guilt, and Punishment, of 32. them. 9. 2. Was it neceffary that Chrift should die, in order to his being fuch a Sacrifice? 2 Cor. v. 21. Col.i.21,22. A. It was neceffary; for without shedding of Hai. liii. 8, Blood there is no Remiffion: Heb. ix. 22. And 10. Death being the Punishment of Sin, he could no col. i. 20, Eph. v. 2. Otherwife have freed us from Death, than by Jo.i.7.ii.2. Dying himself in our Stead. 10. 2. Can Christ any more Suffer, or Die, now, fince his Rifing from the Dead? A. No, St. Paul exprefly tells us that he cannot; Rom. vi. 9, 10. Chrift being Raised from the Dead, dieth no more; Death hath no more Dominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto Sin once, but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. II.2. How then do thofe of the Church of Rome fay, that he is again Offer'd for Us, as a true, and proper Sacrifice, in this Holy Sa crament ? A. This Sacrament is not a Renewal, or Repetition, of Chrift's Sacrifice; but only a Solemn Memorial, and Exhibition of it. To talk of an Expiatory Sacrifice for Sin, without Suffering, is not only contrary to Scripture, but is in the Nature of the thing itsfelf Abfurd and Unreasonable Every Sacrifice being put in the Place of the Perfon for whom it is offer'd; and to be treated, fo, as that Perfon, in Rigour, ought to have been, had not God admitted of a Sacrifice in his ftead. And therefore the Apoftle, from hence, concludes, that Chrift could Heb. ix. z not be more than Once Offered, because he could 26. x. 10, but Once Suffer. But to fuppofe that Chrift, in 11, 12, 26. his prefent Glorified State, can Suffer, is fuch a Contradiction to all the Principles of our Religion, that the Papifts themfelves are afhamed to affert it. 12. 2. What think you of the Sacrifice, as they call it, of the Mafs? A. We do not deny, but that, in a large Senfe, this Sacrament may be called a Sacrifice; as the Bread and Wine, may be called the Body and Blood of Chrift. But that this Sacrament fhould be a true, and proper Sacrifice, as they define the Sacrifice of the Mals to be, it is altogether Falfe and Impious to af fert. 13. 2. What was then the Design of our Saviour in this Inftitution? A. To leave to his Church a Perpetual, SoCor. xi, 24, lemn and Sacred Memorial of his Death for Us: That as often as we come to the Lord's Table, and there join in the Celebration of this Holy Sacrament we might be moved, by what is there done, at once both to call to our Remembrance all the Paffages of his Paffion; (to confider him as there fet forth Crucified before our Eyes ;) and to Meditate upon the Love of Chrift thus dying for Us, and upon the mighty Benefits, and Advantages which have accrued to Us there.. by; and have our Hearts affected after a fuitable Manner towards Him. Of the Outquard Elements of Bread and Wine, and our Obligation to 1.2YOU before faid that in Every SacraCommunicate Outward and an Irward: what is therefore ment there must be Two Parts, an, in both kinds. the Dutward Part of Sign of the Lord's Supper? A. Bread CONFIRMATION, is, we confefs, an Apof. See below tolical Ceremony: As fuch it is ftill Retain'd, Sect li. and Practifed by Us. But then it is, at most, but an Apoftolical Ceremony. Chrift neither Or dained any fuch Sign; nor made it either the Means of conveying any fpecial Spiritual Grace to Us, or a Pledge to affure Us thereof. PENANCE, if Publick, is confeffedly a part of Church-Difcipline: If Private, is only the Application of the Power of the Keys to a particular Perfon for his Comfort, and Correction. It has neither any Outward Sign inftituted by Chrift, nor any Inward Grace, particularly annex'd to it. Indeed if a true Penitent receives Abfolution from his Minifter, God Ratifies the Sentence, and forgives the Sin. But fo God would have done, had neither any Confeffion been made to, or Abfolution 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 Prieft's Sentence. In EXTREME UNCTION there is an Outward Sign, but neither of Christ's nor his Apoftles Inftitution. They anointed Sick Perfons Mark vi.13. for the Recovery of their Bodily Health; and in Jam. v. 149 certain Cafes, advised the Elders of the Church 15. to be fent for to do likewife. But as to any Spiritual Effects, they neither used any fuch Sign Themselves, nor Recommended it to Others; Nor is there any the leaft Ground on which to expect any fuch Benefit from the Ufe of it. 'Tis true, if the Sicknefs were inflicted for any parti cular Sin which the Perfon had committed; the Healing of the Sickness was a Token that the Sin alfo was forgiven: Becaufe 'till the Sin was forgiven, the Disease could not be removed. But the Anointing was of no more ufe to obtain the One, than it would have had Power, of itself, to effect the Other. MATRI Hz |