Wesley Corpus

A. The eyes, because of seeing; the ears, because of hear ing; the mouth, because of tasting, or speech; the hands, because of touching; the feet, because of motion; the reins, because the seat of lust. (Catech., ibid., n. 10.) Q. 84. When is this anointing administered ? A. It is to be administered only when persons are supposed to be near the point of death; (Concil. Trid, ibid., c. 3; Bel larm. Extr. Unct, l. 1, c. 2, sec. Accedit;) whence it is called extreme unction. (Catech., ibid., n. 2, 14.) REPLY. We read, when the twelve Apostles were sent forth, they “anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them;” (Mark vi. 13;) making use of that anointing, 126 RoMAN CATECHISM, AND REPLY. not as a natural means, but as a mystical sign of the miraculous cure to be wrought by the power of Christ. And as long as this power continued in the Church, so long there was a reason for continuing this rite. Accordingly, the Apostle directs, “Is any sick? Let him call for the Elders 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.” (James v. 14, 15.) But when the power ceased, there was no reason for the continuance of this sign. And yet this ceremony of anointing is not only continued in the Church of Rome without any pretence to the power, but the nature and the use of it is wholly perverted from what it was in apostolical times. For, (1.) This rite was then used in curing the sick, but was not necessary to it; for we find them also cured by imposition of hands, (Mark xvi. 18; Acts ix. 17,) or by a word. (Acts ix. 34.) But in the Church of Rome it is made absolutely necessary. (2.) In apostolical times it was a mere rite; but in the Church of Rome it is made a sacra ment, and whosoever saith it is a mere rite is accursed. (Concil. Trid., Sess. 14, Can. 1.) (3.) It was used in apostolical times properly for corporal maladies; but in the Church of Rome properly for the soul, and but accidentally for the body. (Bellarm. de Extr. Unct., l. 1, c. 2, sec.