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4. Of Extreme Unction.
Bellarmin particularly appeals to the Greek Church for * 1.1 its consent as to this Sacrament; but if he means in the modern sense as it is deliver'd by the Councils of Florence and Trent, he is extremely mistaken.
1. For the former saith, it is not to be given but to such of whose death they are afraid; and the Council of Trent calls it the Sacrament of dying Persons. But the Greeks administer their Sacrament of Unction to Persons in health as well as sickness, and once a year to all the People that will; which Arcudius saith, is not only done by the il∣literate * 1.2 Priests, but by their Patriarchs and Metropoli∣tans, &c. and they look on then as a Supplement to the ancient Penance of the Church; for they think the partaking of the holy Oil makes amends for that: but this Arcudius condemns as an abuse and innovation a∣mong them. But the original Intention and Design of it was for the Cure and Recovery of sick Persons; as Ar∣cudius confesses the whole scope of the Office shews; and * 1.3 in the next Chapter he produces the Prayers to that end. And the Greeks charge the Latins with Innovation in giving this Sacrament to those Persons of whose Reco∣very they have no hope.
2. The Council of Trent requires that the Oil of Ex∣treme * 1.4 Unction be consecrated by a Bishop; and this the Doctors of the Roman Church, saith Catumsyritus, make essential to the Sacrament. But in the Greek Church the Presbyters commonly do it, as Arcudius shews at large.