occurrence, that it takes in this respect a different character. But even on that occasion, there are manifest signs of disagreement, which I would now submit to the reader's consideration.

1. " Absolution," in the judgment of the Church of Rome, is "the form of the sacrament of penance;" and in the words of absolution, used by the priest, the force of that sacrament principally consists. But penance is one of "those five commonly called sacraments," which the Church of England repudiates and rejects. Of Absolution," therefore, as a sacramental ordinance, she takes no cognizance.

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2. "Absolution" is by the Church of Rome immediately connected, as a consequence, with secret, compulsory, particular confession of sins to a priest, which she esteems necessary for the salvation of every Christian. No such confession is esteemed necessary or required by the Church of England: in common cases, a general confession of sin is provided by her as the preliminary to absolution, such confession being addressed to Almighty God, not to the priest; and by the priest, as well as by the people. In case of "a special confession of sins" to the priest, it is made by the free will of him who makes it.

3. "Absolution" is by the Church of Rome judged necessary to be administered separately to every individual, in order that his or her sins may be remitted; and private, particular absolution is accordingly of universal prevalence among her members. Particular absolution is limited by the Church of England to those, who in sickness" feel their conscience troubled with any weighty matter," and who thereupon, having "made a special

confession of their sins," "humbly and heartily desire" the priest to absolve them: the general forms of absolution in her daily services, and in the administration of the holy communion, following upon the general forms of confession of sin, being esteemed by her sufficient for the conveyance of remission of sins to her congregations.

4. "Absolution" by the Church of Rome is required to be accompanied by "works of satisfaction" on the part of the penitent: she maintains that "the entire punishment is not always remitted by God together with the fault" that "by patiently enduring such temporal punishments, as well as other inflictions, voluntarily undertaken by ourselves, or imposed on us by the will of the priest, we may make satisfaction to God;" and that "by these satisfactions we may redeem our sins through Jesus Christ." No such mixture with the mercy of God and the merits of our Redeemer is acknowledged by the Church of England: who indicates to her people, as the only terms of absolution, "true repentance and unfeigned belief in God's holy gospel."

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5. Absolution" by the Church of Rome is affirmed to be "not ministerial, but judicial:" "a judicial act of the priest, in which sentence is pronounced by him as a judge;" and accordingly, she further tells us in her Tridentine Catechism, that "in the minister of God, who sits in the tribunal of God, as his legitimate judge, the sincere penitent venerates the power and person of our Lord Jesus Christ; for in the administration of this, as in that of the other sacraments, the priest represents the character, and discharges the functions, of Jesus Christ." By the Church of England, absolution is practised, not

as a judicial, but as a ministerial act: the priest performs the part, not of a judge, but of the authorised dispenser of God's pardon to those on whom God has promised and vouchsafes to bestow it. This is quite plain in the forms of words, prescribed for the Orders of daily Prayer and for the ministration of the holy communion: the one manifestly a declaratory, the other a precatory, form. With respect to that, however, in the Visitation of the sick, attempts have been made to identify it with the form employed by the Romish Church, and to represent the act of Absolution in each case as being the same. But, before this sameness be conceded on the allegation of her enemies, let the Church be more carefully consulted as to the intention of her own act. Accordingly, let it be considered, that she has in no place represented absolution to be judicial, not ministerial;-that on two occasions her use of it is ministerial, and that, if on this occasion her language be ambiguous, the ambiguity is best removed by referring it to that which is plain :that the moderation of her sentiments as to the necessity of particular confession and absolution gives probability to the opinion of her being alike moderate as to the quality of the act of absolution:-that whilst she has, in common with the Church of Rome, adopted the words of absolution from an ancient form, she has modified them by the addition of other words, which, reciting "the power left by Christ to his Church for absolving sinners," limit the power to the absolution of "those who truly repent and believe in him," and expressly pray that "he of his great mercy will forgive" this particular sinner "his offences:"-and that the words of absolution, which thereupon follow, and which are supposed to convey the

sentence of the priest as a judge, are themselves immediately followed by a Collect, which is inconsistent with that supposition by subsequently referring "the earnest desire" of the sick man for "pardon and forgiveness to "the mercy of God." This Collect, which has been transcribed above, and the whole of which is well worthy of perusal, in relation to the present question, as well as for its beautiful and affecting eloquence, does not constitute a part of the Romish form of absolution. True indeed, it is, that in the Romish form to the act of absolution is subjoined an address to the absolved person; but how unlike the Collect of the Church of England! "May the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, the merits of the blessed Virgin Mary and of all saints, and whatever of good thou mayst have done and of evil thou mayst have suffered, be to thee for the remission of sins, for the increase of grace, and the reward of eternal life. Amen." Here, at least, we see disagreement enough between the two Churches in the ministration of private absolution: meanwhile the foregoing considerations are a warrant for the persuasion, which, indeed, is commonly held by the ministers of the Church of England, that the act of absolution, on this as on the other occasions, is not judicial, but ministerial.

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6. “Absolution," according to the Church of Rome, is to be followed by various penal performances, such as the recitation of numerous prayers, fastings, almsdeeds, and the like, by way of penance or satisfaction to God; the infliction of which is one province of the priestly office, and which the priest is held bound to impose, according to his discretion, upon the penitent. Of these propitiatory performances the Church of England

knows nothing. She endeavours, indeed, as is her bounden duty, to bring the sinner to true faith and repentance by the exercise of sincere devotion; and then leaves him with her prayers to "the multitude of God's mercies, through the merits of his most dearly beloved son Jesus Christ our Lord."

Lastly, "Absolution" in the Church of Rome depends upon the intention of the priest. If "the priest's intention be not truly to absolve;" if "he absolve, not in earnest, but in jest ;" whatever be the faith of the penitent, he must not flatter himself that he has remission of sins," that he is "absolved truly and before God." I make no other remark on this doctrine, than that it is not the doctrine of the Church of England, who represents the efficacy of absolution as depending, not on the intention of the minister, but on the faith and repentance of the penitent.

We pass on to certain other examples of disagree

ment.

In her 22nd Article, the Church of England pronounces sentence against "the Romish Doctrine," concerning several particulars, which had recently received the sanction of the Council of Trent, in its twenty-fifth and last Session. I place first the decree of the council upon each, as usual, and then annex the Article of the Church.

PURGATORY, &c. according to the Church of Rome.

"Decree concerning Purgatory.

"Since the Catholick Church, taught by the Holy Spirit, from the sacred writings, and ancient tradi

PURGATORY, &c.

according to the Church of Eng

land.