Tillotson - BX5037 T451 1712 v1

44 Of Conflancy in the Profeon of the True Religion. Vol. I. I. We are to. hold fafi the Profeffion of our Faith, againft the Confidence of Men, without Scripture or Reafon to fupport their Confidence. And of this I gave feveral'Itiftances. As in the Pretence of the Church of Rome to Infallibility, without any Proof or Evidence of it, either by Scripture or Miracles : I mean fuch Miracles, as are fufficiently attefted. For as for their Legends, fince the wifeft among themfelves give no credit to them, I hope, they do not expe& that We fhould believe them, or be moved by them. And then their Pretence that. the Church of Rome is the Mother and Millrefe of all Churches ; which is now made an Article of their Creed. And that the Bifhop ofRome, as Succeffor of Saint Peter there, is by Divine Appointment the Supream and Univerfal Pallor ofChr f's Church. And thát it is necelfary to Salvation, for every humane Crea- ture to be fubjeél to him. And laftly, their Invocation and Worfhip of the Ble/fed Virgin, and Saints departed ; without any Warrant or Example of any fuch thing, either in Scripture, or in the Pra&ice of the firft Ages of the Chriftian Religion ; and without fuffieient Ground to believe that they hear the Prayers which are put up to them. 2. Much more are We tö"hbld fall the Profe on Of our Faith, againít the Con- fidence of Men, contrary to Scripture and Reafon and the common Senfe of Man- kind. And here I inftanced in the Worfbip of Images ; the Locking up of the Scriptures front £he People ; and celebrating the publick Prayers and Service of God in an unknown Tongue ; in their Do&rine of Tranfubtlantiation; their Commu- nion in one kind; and their daily Repetition, in the Sacrifice of the Mafs, ofthe Propitiatory Sacrifice ofChrifl ; which was offered once for all, and is of eter- nal Virtue and' Efficacy, and therefore ought not, becaufe it needs not, like 7emilb Sacrifices under the Law, to be repeated. 1-6 thefe InuIances, which I have already fpoken `to, I (hall add one or two moré; as namely, That tó the due admire ration of' the Sacraments, an Intention in the Miniller-at leafl to do what. the Church does, is requifite. This is exprefly defined, and under an Anathema upon all that (hall fay otherwife, by the Coun- cil of Trent, S4'. the Seventh;`('an. nth; which is to make the Validity and Virtue, of the Sacraments to depend upon the Intention of the Prieft or Minifter. So thatif in the Adminiftration of Baptifin; he do not intend to Baptize the Party lie pretends tó Baptize, then it is no Baptifm, and confequently the Perfon Bap4 tized is not made a Member of Chrift's Church ; nor is any Grace or fpecial Bene- fit conferred upón him; nor is he a Chriftian. 'So likewife in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper, if the Priest do not intend to Confecrate the Holt; then is'it no Sacrament , and they that receive it receive no Benefit by it ; and (which lac- cording to their Opinion is a dreadful Confequence) by the Words ofConfecration, there is no change Made of the Elements into the Body and Blood of Chrift,..and confequently they that give 'Adoration'tb the Sacrament in fuch Cafes, - ,worlhip Bread andWine, fór God ; which is Idolatry. And fo likewife in their Sacrament of Penance, though 'the Priest pronounce theWords of Abfolution; yet if-he do not intend to abfolve the Penitent; thoughhe be never fo truly penitent, and God on his part is ready to forgive him ; yet if the Prieft do not intend to do fo, there is nothing done, and the Man is Rill in his Sim So likewife in Ordination, (which is another of their Sacraments) if the Bifhop do not intend to :ordain the Man, he is noPrieft, and all that he does as a Prieft afterwards, either ùi Admüiiftration of Baptifm, or the Lord's Supper, or the Abfolution of Penitents, all is vain, and of no effe&. Nay, in Marriage, (which they will needs have to be a Sacrament too) if the Intention of the Prieft be wanting, there is nothing done, the Contra& is null'd, and they that are fo married do really live in Adultery; though they do not knowit, nor have any fufpicion of it Now this is contrary to Scripture and the whole tenour of the Gofpel, which promifeth the Benefit and Efficacy of the Sacraments; to all thofe that performcthe Conditions of the Covenant which are required on their parts, and declares forgive- nefs of Sins to thofe who confefs them to God, and rtufy repent of them. And there is not the lead intimation given in the Bible, that the"Virtue'taial Efficacy ofthe Sacraments does. depend upon the Intention of him that admini tors

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