A. Where Sts. Peter and John confirmed the Samaritans: "They prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost. Then they laid their hands upon them, and they received the Holy Ghost." (Acts viii. 15, 16.)

Q. What scripture is there for the Holy Eucharist, or Lord's supper?

A. The whole history of its institution, which is set down at large in Matt. xxvi., Mark xiv., Luke xx., 1 Cor. xi. And that this sacrament was to be continued in the Church till the Lord comes, that is, till the day of judgment, is evident from St. Paul, 1 Cor. xi. 26.

Q. What is meant by the sacrament of Penance? A. The confession of sins with a sincere repentance, and the priest's absolution.

Q. What scripture is there to prove that the bishops and priests of the Church have power to absolve sinners who confess their sins with a sincere repentance?

A. "Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained." (John xx. 22, 23.) "Amen, I say to you, Whatsoever you shall bind upon earth shall be bound also in heaven; and whatsoever you shall loose upon earth shall be loosed also in heaven." (Matt. xxviii. 18.)

Q. How is it proved, from the texts quoted, that the faithful should confess their sins to the pastors of the Church, in order to obtain absolution and remission of them?

A. Because, in the text above quoted, Christ has made the pastors of the Church his judges in the court of conscience, with commission and authority to bind or to loose, to forgive or to retain sins, according to the merits of the case, and the disposition of the penitents. Now, as no judge can pass, sen

tence without having a full knowledge of the case, which cannot be had in this kind of cases which regard men's consciences, but by their own confession, -it clearly follows, that he who has made the pastors of his Church the judges of men's consciences, has also laid an obligation upon the faithful, to lay open the state of their consciences to them, if they hope to have their sins remitted. Nor would our Lord have given to his Church the power of retaining sins, much less the keys of the kingdom of heaven, (Matt. xvi. 19,) if such sins as exclude men from the kingdom of heaven might be remitted independently of the keys of the Church.

Q. Are there any other texts of Scripture which favor the doctrine and practice of confession?

A. Yes; it is found in the old law, which was a figure of the law of Christ, that such as were infected with the leprosy, which was a figure of sin, were obliged to show themselves to the priests, and subject themselves to their judgment, (Lev. xiii. and xiv., and Matt. viii. 4,) which, according to the holy fathers, was an emblem of the confession of sins in the sacrament of penance. And in the same law a special confession of sins was expressly prescribed : "When a man or a woman shall have committed any of all the sins that men are wont to commit, and by negligence shall have transgressed the commandment of the Lord, and offended, they shall confess their sin." (Num. v. 6, 7.) The same is prescribed in the New Testament: "Confess your sins one to another,” (James v. 16;) that is, to the priests or elders of the Church whom the apostle has ordered to be called for, (v. 14.) And this was evidently the practice of the first Christians: "Many of those who believed came confessing and declaring their deeds." (Acts xix. 18.) Q. What is meant by Extreme Unction?

A. The full description and proof of it is found in

66

Scripture: 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 the Lord; and the prayer of faith shall save the sick man, and the Lord shall raise him up, and if he be in sins they shall be forgiven him." (James v. 14, 15.) Q. What is Holy Orders?

A. A sacrament instituted by Christ, by which bishops, priests, &c., are consecrated to their respective functions, and receive grace to discharge them well.

Q. When did Christ institute the sacrament of Holy Orders?

A. At his last supper, when he made his apostles priests, by giving them the power of consecrating the bread and wine into his body and blood: "Do this for a commemoration of me." (Luke xxii. 19.) To which he added, after his resurrection, the power of forgiving the sins of the penitent. (John xx. 22,23.)

Q. Where is it proved in Scripture that Holy Orders confer grace upon those who receive them worthily?

A. The words of St. Paul to Timothy, whom he had ordained priest by the imposition of hands: "Stir up the grace of God, which is in thee by the imposition of my hands." (2 Tim. i. 6, and 1 Tim. iv. 14.) "Neglect not the grace which is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the imposition of the hands of the priesthood."

Q. When was Matrimony instituted?

A. It was first instituted by God Almighty, in the earthly paradise, between our first parents; and this institution was confirmed by Christ in the new law, (Matt. xix. 4-6,) where he concludes, "What God hath joined together let no man put asunder."

Q. How is it proved that Matrimony is a sacrament?

A. Because it is a conjunction made and sanctified by God himself, and not to be dissolved by any power of man; as being a sacred sign or mysterious union of Christ and his Church: For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall adhere to his wife, and they shall be two in one flesh. This is a great sacrament, but I speak in Christ and in the Church." (Eph. v. 31, 32.)

Q. Why does not the Church allow of the marriage of the clergy?

A. Because, upon their entering into holy orders, they make a vow or solemn promise to God and the Church to live continently: now, the breach of such a vow as this would be a great sin; witness St. Paul, (1 Tim. v. 11, 12,) where, speaking of widows that are for marrying, after having made such a vow as this, he says they have damnation, because they have made void their first faith," that is, their solemn engagement made to God.

Q. But why does the Church receive none to holy orders but those that make this vow?

A. Because she does not think it proper that they, who, by their office and functions, ought to be wholly devoted to the service of God and the care of souls, should be diverted from these duties by the distractions of married life: "He that is without a wife is solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please God. But he that is with a wife is solicitous for the things of the world, how he may please his wife." (1 Cor. vii. 32, 33.)

Q. Why does the Church make use of so many ceremonies in administering the sacraments?

A. To stir up devotion in the people, and reverence to the sacred mysteries; to instruct the faithful concerning the effects and graces given by the sacraments; and to perform those things which relate to God's honor and the salvation of souls with a becoming decency.

Q. Is there any warrant from Scripture for the use of such ceremonies?

A. Yes; the example of Christ himself, who frequently used the like ceremonies. For instance, in curing the man that was deaf and dumb, (Mark vii. 33, 34;) in curing him that was born blind, (John ix. 6, 7;) in breathing upon his apostles, when he gave them the Holy Ghost, (John xx. 22,) &c.

THE REAL PRESENCE AND TRANSUBSTANTIATION.

2. WHAT

THAT is the doctrine of the Christian Church in relation to the real presence and tran

substantiation?

A. That in the most holy sacrament of the Eucharist there is truly, really, and substantially the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ; and that there is a conversion (or change) of the whole substance of the bread into his body, and of the whole substance of the wine into his blood; which conversion (or change) the Church calls transubstantiation.

Q. What Scripture proofs are there for this?

A. 1st. "Whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke, and gave to his disciples; and said, Take ye and eat: this is my body. And taking the chalice, he gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, Drink ye all of it, for this is my blood of the New Testament, which shall be shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matt. xxvi. 26.) "Take ye; this is my body. This is my blood O the New Testament, which shall be shed for mail. "This is my body, is given for you. Do this for a commemoraThis is the chalice, the New Testament od, which shall be shed for you." (Luke

whic" (Mark xiv. 22, 24.)

tion of

in my xxii. 19,

26

"Take ye, and eat; this is my body,