XXXIV. I esteem and honour the Sacrament of the Ordination, as the Sixth Sacrament of the Church, and I believe it to be absolutely necessary, because the other Sacraments intirely depend upon it: For, were it not for the Sacrament of Ordination, some of the Sacraments could not be administer’d, and others would also be depriv’d of all the solemn Ceremonies, and of all religious Worship. I believe therefore, that Ordination is one of the most eminent Sacraments: It renders the Priests and Bishops Interpreters of God’s Will; it enables them to represent God upon Earth, and to operate in Quality of his Substitutes; and for this Reason the Holy Scripture calls them Angels, and even Gods. What can there be more miraculous than the Power which this Sacrament gives to the Priests to consecrate the Elements, to offer the Body and Blood of our Lord, and to forgive Sins? Have we not Cause to wonder, that the Apostles and Disciples were sent over all the World in the same manner as Jesus Christ was sent by his Father? The Priests were also sent abroad, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the Work of the Ministry, and for the edifying of the Body of Christ, Ephes. iv. Ver. 12.
I believe, that no Man can or ought to assume to himself the Character of Bishop or Priest, unless he has been call’d by the lawful Ministers of the Church, that is to say, by the Bishops. The Apostle, speaking to the Hebrews, says, No Man taketh this Honour unto himself, Chap. v. Ver. 4. And God himself says in Jeremiah,
Chap. xxiii. Ver. 21. I have not sent these Prophets, yet they ran.
As to the Power of Ordination, I believe, it extends to the Eucharist, and every thing that can relate to it: This is a Truth establish’d by sundry Passages of Holy Scripture, and especially by that Saying of our Lord to his Disciples, John xx. Ver. 21, 22, 23. As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you; receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whosesoever Sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whosesoever Sins ye retain, they are retained. And in St. Matthew, Chap. xviii. Ver. 18. he also says, Verily I say unto you, whatsoever you shall bind on Earth, shall be bound in Heaven; and whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth, shall be loosed in Heaven.
XXXV. I believe, that Marriage is the Seventh Sacrament of the Church.
It cannot be deny’d, that Marriage was instituted by God himself; ’tis so very evident from Genesis, Chap. i. Ver. 27, 28. Male and Female created he them, and the Lord blessed them, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply: And in another Place, viz. Gen. ii. Ver. 18. he said, It is not good that the Man should be alone, I will make him an Help meet for him. Jesus Christ in the New Testament ascribes the Institution of Marriage to God his Father in Matt. xix. and Mark x.
I believe, that Marriage is a Sacrament not to be dissolv’d: What God hath joined together, let no Man put asunder, Matt. xix. Ver. 6. These are the very Words too of the Council of Trent. There are certain Cases however, wherein the Pope, as the Vicar of Jesus Christ, and Successor
of St. Peter, may break and annul the Marriage.
What farther convinces me that Marriage is a Sacrament, is that Passage of the Apostle St. Paul to the Ephesians, Chap. v. Ver. 28 to 32. So ought Men to love their Wives as their own Bodies: He that loveth his Wife, loveth himself; For no Man ever yet hated his own Flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the Church: For we are Members of his Body, of his Flesh, and his Bones. For this Cause shall a Man leave his Father and Mother, and shall be joined unto his Wife, and they two shall be one Flesh. This is a great Mystery; but I speak concerning Christ and the Church. Since St. Paul calls Marriage a Sacrament, I see no Reason why I should not regard it as such; nor do I know why the Heretics will not allow it to be a Sacrament.
Thus, my Lord, have I given you my Sentiments on the principal Articles of Religion: All that remains for me now is, to treat of Purgatory, the Invocation and the Worship of the Saints, Prayers for the Dead, and the Respect due to the visible Head of the Church. In giving your Lordship an Account of my Opinion in these Articles, I shall take Care, my Lord, to be as brief as possible, for fear you should think me tedious.