It
cannot be said that the symbolical books clearly teach the above error,
but they are not sufficiently guarded, and are understood by many as
inculcating the doctrine, that a sincere and devout participation of
the Lord's Supper secures the pardon of sin, even where satisfactory
evidences of regeneration are wanting, the persons referred to
mistaking a mere historical belief for a living faith. Hence, as the
_Scripture nowhere connects the forgiveness of sins with the duty of
sacramental communion_, any more than with the performance of any other
prominent christian duty, it is not proper that we should do so. The
design of the Holy Supper is to show forth the Lord's death, to profess
the name of the Redeemer before the world, to confirm the previous
faith of the communicant, to bring him into closest spiritual communion
with his blessed Saviour, and to secure his special spiritual blessing:
but not to bestow forgiveness of sins upon the unregenerate, however
serious they may be. Against this dangerous error all should therefore
carefully guard, and ever remember the declaration of the Lord Jesus
when he said, "_Unless a man be born again_ (become a new creature in
Christ Jesus) _he cannot see the kindom [sic] of God_."
CHAPTER XI.
EXORCISM.
This superstitious practice, which consists in a prescribed formula of
adjuration, accompanied by various menacing demonstrations, by the use
of which the priest professes to expel the evil spirits from an
individual, of whom they are supposed to have taken possession, was
practised in the Romish Church, principally before the baptism of
infants.
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