XXVII. I believe the Forgiveness of Sins.
This is a Truth which ought absolutely to be believ’d; for upon this Occasion our Lord said to his Disciples, a little before he ascended into Heaven, St. Luke Chap, xxiv, Ver. 46, 47. Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the Dead the Third Day: And that Repentance and Remission of Sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Thus Jesus Christ himself has oblig’d us absolutely to believe the Forgiveness of Sins: The Sacrament of Baptism remits Sins instantly; the Church has this Power also, because it has receiv’d the Keys of Heaven, not only to remit Sins by the Sacrament of Baptism, but also to forgive all those People their Sins who truly repent of them, even tho’ they were to persevere in their Sins to the last Day of their Lives: This the Holy Scripture teaches us in more Places than one. In St. Matthew, Chap, xvi. Ver. 19. our Lord said to St. Peter, And I will give unto Thee the Keys of the Kingdom of
Heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind en Earth, shall be bound in Heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on Earth, shall be loosed in Heaven. In another Place Jesus Christ says also, speaking to his Apostles, Matt. xviii, Ver. 18. Whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth, shall be bound in Heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth, shall be loosed in Heaven. This induces me to believe, that I ought to use that Power which Jesus Christ has given to his Church, of remitting Sins, as a most salutary Remedy for the Diseases of my Soul. And I have Recourse to the Sacrament of Penance, as the only Means in my own Power to cleanse me from my Sins.
XXVIII. I believe the Resurrection of the Body, and look upon it as the Basis on which the Hope of our Salvation is founded: This is what St. Paul says to the Corinthians, first Epistle, Chap. xv. Ver. 13, 14. But if there be no Resurrection of the Dead, then is Christ not risen. And if Christ be not risen, then is our Preaching vain, and your Faith is also vain. Therefore nothing is more certain than the Resurrection of the Body. The Old and New Testament prove this by several Examples: We read in the Old Testament, that Elias and Elisha brought several of the Dead to Life: And in the New Testament, besides the Dead who were rais’d again to Life by Jesus Christ, there is Mention also of some that were brought to Life again by the Apostles: Now as all those dead People were rais’d to Life again, I firmly believe, that all Mankind must rise again: Job says, Chap. xix. Ver. 26. That he hopes to see God in his own Flesh. And Daniel, Chap. xii. Ver. 2. says, speaking of the Dead, And many of them that
sleep in the Dust of the Earth shall awake, some to everlasting Life, and some to Shame, and everlasting Contempt.
There are divers other Passages in the New Testament, which prove the Resurrection of the Dead; particularly that Passage in St. Matthew, Chap. xxii. where we have an Account of the Dispute which Jesus Christ had with the Sadducees; those Parts of the Gospel which mention the last Judgment, and several Passages in the Epistles of St. Paul to the Corinthians and the Thessalonians. In the first Epistle to the Corinthians, Chap. xv. Ver. 42. ’tis said, So also is the Resurrection of the Dead; it is sown in Corruption, it is raised in Incorruption.
XXIX. I believe the Life everlasting.
By the Life everlasting, I mean eternal Happiness: ’Tis so call’d, in the first Place, that it may not be imagin’d to consist in Things temporal, or the perishable Goods of this World; and then ’tis to satisfy us, that when we are once in Possession of this true Happiness, we can never lose it. I am of Opinion also, that ’tis not possible for Words to express the Nature of this Happiness to Perfection; for indeed, tho’ the Holy Scripture gives it several Names, such as the Kingdom of God, the new Jerusalem, the Mansions or Habitations of the everlasting Father; yet none of these Expressions is strong enough to give us an Idea of its Excellency and Extensiveness: The Fruition of God will undoubtedly be our greatest Happiness: Jesus Christ says the same thing, speaking to God his Father, St. John Chap. xvii. Ver. 3. And this is Life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent. St. John seems
to explain these Words in his first Epistle, when he says, Chap. iii. Ver. 2. Beloved, now are we the Sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know, that when he shall appear we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.
XXX. I receive and believe the Holy Sacraments of the Church. Of these I believe that there are Seven; and I look upon them as Things that were instituted for Signs to us of other Things, because they discover to us the Disposition of the Heart, by what passes externally: The Holy Scripture tells us very clearly, that they must be look’d upon as Symbols: The Apostle says, speaking of Circumcision, which had been a Sacrament under the Old Law, and which was a Command laid upon Abraham, Romans Chap. iv. Ver. 11. And he received the Sign of Circumcision, a Seal of the Righteousness of the Faith. And in another Place the same Apostle assures us, Rom. vi. 3. that So many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his Death.