Q. WHAT is the fifth Sacrament? A. Extreine unction. Q. When did Christ institute it? A. The time is uncertain; some think it was instituted at his last supper; others that it was done betwixt his resurrection and ascension. Q. By whom was this sacrament promulgated? A. By St. James, v. 13, 14, 15. Is any man sick among you, let him bring in the priests of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil, in the name of our Lord, and the prayer of faith shall save the sick man, and our Lord will lift him up, and if he be in sin his sins shall be forgiven him. Q. Who is capable of this sacrament? A. Every true and faithful christian who is in mortal danger of death by sickness, excepting infants, fools, and such as are always mad. Q. What is the matter of it? Q. What is the form of it? A. By his own anointing, and his own most pious mercy, our Lord pardon thee, whatsoever thou hast sinned by thy seeing, &c. And so of the other senses, repeating the same words. Q. What are the effects of extreme unction? 4. It comforts the soul in her last agony against despair : it remits venial sins and removes the relics of sin, and restores corporal health, if it be expedient. Q. How prove you that? A. Out of St. Mark vi. 13. where we read, That the apostles anointed with oil many sick, and healed them. Which anointing is insinuated by many, to have been a previous sign of extreme unction, and consequeutly of its effects. Q. Why then do so few recover after it? A. Either because the recovery of the body is not expedient for the soul, or because the sick deferred the sacra ment too long, as too many do, or for other indispositions in the receiver of it. Holy Order Expounded. Q. WHAT is the sixth Sacrament? A. Holy Order. Q. To whom doth this appertain? A. To the rulers and ministers of the church, as bishops, priests, deacons, and sub-deacons, with the other lesser ministers. Q. What proof have you for bishops, priests, and deacons ? A. For bishops and deacons, out of Phil. i. 1. To all the saints at Philippi, (saith St. Paul,) with the bishops and deacons; and for priests out of St. James above cited. Is any man sick among you, let him bring in the priests of the church, &c. Q. Where did Christ ordain this Sacrament? A. At his last supper, where he made his apostles priests, saying, This is my body which is given for you; do ye this in commemoration of me. Luke xxii. 19. Q. What did Christ give them power to do? A. To offer the unbloody sacrifice of his own body and blood which he himself had there ordained, and offered under the outward forms of bread and wine. Q. Why did he say, do ye this in commemoration of me? A. Because the unbloody sacrifice of the Mass is a commemoration or memorial of the bloody sacrifice made on the cross. Q. What are the effects of holy order? A. It gives spiritual power, to ordain priests, to consecrate the body and blood of Christ, to administer the sacraments, serve the altar, and to preach. Q. What else? A. It gives also a spiritual grace for the well-doing of these offices. Q. How prove you that? A. Out of 1 Tim. iv. 14. Neglect not the grace which is in thee by prophecy, with the imposition of the hands of the priesthood. Q. What is the proper office of a bishop? A. To give holy orders and confirmation, to preach and govern the church. Q. How prove you that? A. To confirm, out of Acts viii. above cited, where we read, Two bishops were sent to confirm the Samaritans. How prove you that the bishops are of divine right, and have authority from God to rule the church? A. Out of Acts xx. 28. Take heed unto yourselves aud to the whole flock, wherein the Holy Ghost hath made you bishops to rule the church of God. Q. How prove you that the bishops only can ordain priests? A. Out of Titus i. 5. For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest order the things that are wanting, and ordain priests in every city, (he was a bishop.) Q. What sin is it therefore to oppose Hierarchy and Episcopacy either in the whole church, or in particular churches? A. It is a sin of rebellion and high treason against the peace and safety of Christ's spiritual commonwealth, the church. Q. How prove you that? A. Because no law can subsist without guards and officers for it; since therefore Christ hath ordained bishops to be the guards and teachers of his law, they who strike at bishops, strike also at the whole law of Christ and safety of the people. Q. Why is it just that bishops and pastors should have revenues? A. Because as they bear a considerable charge and office in the commonwealth, therefore they ought to have a competence for the performance of it. Q. What is the office of a priest? A. To offer sacrifice, and administer the rest of the sacra ments, excepting holy order and confirmation. Q. How prove you a sacrifice in the new law? A. First, because there is a priesthood, as you have heard, and an altar according to that, "We have an altar (saith St. Paul) whereof they have not power to eat, who serve in the tabernacle." Heb. xiii. 10. Secondly, out of Mal. i. 11, where he foretold the sacrifice in the new law, saying, “From the rising of the sun, even to the going down, great is my name among the Gentiles, and in every place there is sacrificing, and there is offered to my name a clean oblation, saith the Lord of Hosts." Thirdly, out of St. Luke xxii. 19, 20, where Christ who is high priest for ever (according to the order of Melchisedech) offered the sacrifice of his own body and blood under the form of bread and wine, saying, "This is my body which is given for you, (it is given for us, you find at his last supper,) This is the chalice of the new Testament in my blood, which chalice (according to the great text) is shed for you." Q. Is it lawful for priests to marry? A. It is not; there being a precept of the church against it; descending to us by tradition from the Apostles; neither did any of the apostles ever accompany their wives, after their calling to the apostleship; and a vow of perpetual chastity being annexed to the holy orders, in the Latin or Western church. Q. Why is it requisite that priests should live chaste and unmarried? A. Because, as by their ordination they are bound to teach and instruct the faithful, their minds should be totally disengaged from the cares and pleasures of the world, and wholly employed in the study and piety of heavenly things, which is incompatible with the marriage state. Q. What are the lesser orders of the church? A. Acolyte, lector, exorcist, and porter, according to the fourth council of Carthage, Can. 6. Q. Is it lawful for women to preach, or to be priests? A. It is not, according to 1 Cor. xiv. 34. Let women hold their peace in churches, for it is not permitted them to speak, but to be subject as the law saith. Q. Is it lawful for a man to usurp and take upon him priestly power, without the ordination of the church? A. It is not, according to Heb. v. 1, 4. For every high priest taken from among men, is appointed for men, &c. that he may offer gifts and sacrifices for sins; neither doth any man take the honour to himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. Q. What other proof have you? A. Out of St. John x. 1. Amen, I say unto you, he that entereth not by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up another way, is a thief and a robber. Q. What if any man pretend an extraordinary calling? A. He must prove it by miracles, or else be esteemed an impostor. Q. What examples have you against the usurpation of the priestly power? A. That of king Ozias, who was presently struck by God with a leprosy in his forehead, for usurping the priestly office of offering or burning incense in the temple. 2 Paral. xvi. 19. Q. What besides? A. The example of Core, Dathan, and Abiron, who for seeking to usurp the office of priest (though they were thenselves true believers) were swallowed up alive by the earth, Numb. xvi. 32. and 250 others who were offering incense with them, were consumed with fire from Heaven, v. 34. with fourteen thousand and seven hundred more, which were also burnt with fire from Heaven, for only joining with them, v. 49. Matrimony Expounded. Q. WHAT is the seventh Sacrament? A. Matrimony. Q. Where was matrimony first ordained? A. In paradise by Almighty God, when he gave Eve as wife to Adam, who presently said, "Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife, and they shall be two in one flesh." Gen ii. 22, 24. Q. Where was it made a sacrament of the new law? A. Where and when Christ instituted this sacrament is uncertain; some think it done, or at least insinuated at the wedding at Cana in Galilee, where Christ was present, and wrought his first miracle, by turning water into wine, St. John ii. Others, more probably, say it was done, when Christ declared the indissolubility of marriage, saying, "Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh: that therefore which God hath joined together, let no man separate." Matt, xix. 6. Q. Why was it requisite that marriage should be made a sacrament? A. Because it is a contract whereon depends the chief happiness of a married life; as being ordained for the restraint o sinful concupiscence, the good of posterity, the well-orderng our domestic affairs, and the education of our children in the fear and service of God, and therefore ought to be ranked in the highest order of those actions, which Christ hath sanctified for the use of man. Q. How prove you marriage to be a sacrament? A. Because, as you heard, it is a conjunction made and sanctified by God himself, and not to be dissolved by any power of man. Q. What other proof have you? |