_Ch._ It is no wonder to find them die so, who have spent their Time in
philosophizing about Ceremonies all their Lives.

_Neph._ What do you mean by Ceremonies?

_Ch._ I'll tell you, but with Protestation over and over beforehand,
that I don't find Fault with the Sacraments and Rites of the Church, but
rather highly approve of them; but I blame a wicked and superstitious
Sort of People, or (to put it in the softest Term) the simple and
unlearned Persons, who teach People to put their Confidence in these
Things, omitting those Things which make them truly Christians.

_Neph._ I don't yet clearly understand what it is you aim at.

_Ch._ I'll be plainer then. If you look into Christians in common, don't
you find they live as if the whole Sum of Religion consisted in
Ceremonies? With how much Pomp are the antient Rites of the Church set
forth in Baptism? The Infant waits without the Church Door, the Exorcism
is performed, the Catechizing is performed, Vows are made, Satan is
abjured, with all his Pomps and Pleasures; then the Child is anointed,
sign'd, season'd with Salt, dipt, a Charge given to his Sureties to see
it well brought up; and the Oblation-Money being paid, they are
discharged, and by this Time the Child passes for a Christian, and in
some Sense is so. A little Time after, it is anointed again, and in Time
learns to confess, receives the Sacrament, is accustom'd to rest upon
Holy-Days, to hear Divine Service, to fast sometimes, to abstain from
Flesh; and if he observes all these, he passes for an absolute
Christian. He marries a Wife, and then comes on another Sacrament; he
enters into Holy Orders, is anointed again, and consecrated, his Habit
is chang'd, and then to Prayers. Now I approve of the doing of all this