year; and therefore that the faithful of Christ are not to be persuaded to confess in the time of Lent: let him be accursed." Christ ordained in his Church? Two only, as generally necessary to salvation : that is to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord." These extracts might be well left to speak for themselves: yet, for more complete satisfaction, the reader's attention may be drawn to some principal particulars of disagreement. 66 The Church of Rome affirms "Penance" to be a Sacrament," instituted by Christ himself, and secret "Confession to be one of its constituent parts, instituted by the divine law; and she anathematises those who contradict her:-the Church of England denies "Penance" to be a sacrament of the gospel; affirms it to have "grown of the corrupt following of the Apostles ;" and "not to have" the proper 66 nature of a sacrament," as "not having any visible sign or ceremony ordained of God;" and of course denies the sacramental character of "Confession." The Church of Rome pronounces that by the divine law "all persons" must confess their sins to the priest:-the Church of England limits her provisions for confession to "sick persons." The Church of Rome pronounces that all persons are "bound" to confess-the Church of England directs, that the sick "be moved" to make confession. The Church of Rome insists upon a confession of "all sins whatsoever:"—the Church of England recommends "a special confession of sins," if the sick person "feel his conscience troubled with any weighty matter." The Church of Rome represents penance as instituted for reconciling penitents to God" 'as often as they fall into sin after baptism ;" and imposes confession "once a-year:"—the Church of England advises it on a peculiar occasion. And the purpose of the Church of England in so advising it evidently is the special relief of a troubled conscience: whereas the Church of Rome pronounces it to be "necessary to forgiveness of sin and to salvation;" and denounces with an anathema" any one who shall say, that confession is only useful for the instruction and consolation of the penitent." Here then, again, are plain proofs of disagreement on an article, as fundamentally affecting the religious practice of the members of the two Churches, as the discrepancies are indisputable. Connected with this subject, is another of great importance, namely that of priestly absolution, to which I would, in the next place, request the reader's attention, as supplying sundry marks of difference between the two Churches. This subject is treated of, in connexion with the former, by the Decree and Canons of the same Session, namely, the fourteenth, of the Council of Trent. From these it is my purpose to extract, in the first place, such passages as may serve to convey to a member of the Church of England a more correct notion, than he is in general likely to have conceived, of "Absolution" in the Romish sense of the term: then to annex in the parallel column the provisions of the Church of England upon that subject, as the best method of exhibiting her sentiments relating to it: and then to subjoin a few words, for the purpose of marking the points of disagree ment, which, notwithstanding attempts have been sometimes made to confound them, will be found probably to be as plain and striking, as on any other fundamental article of our religion. ABSOLUTION, according to the Church of Rome, in the Decrees and Canons of the 14th Session of the Council of Trent. "Chap. III. Moreover the holy Synod teaches, that the form of the sacrament of penance, wherein its power principally consists, is placed in those words of the minister, I absolve thee,' &c." "Chap. V. From the institution of the sacrament of penance now explained, the Universal Church has always understood, that a complete confession of sins was also instituted by the Lord, and continues by the divine law necessary for all who have fallen into sin after baptism: because our Lord Jesus Christ, being about to ascend from earth into heaven, left his priests, his vicars, to be, as it were, presidents and judges; to whom might be submitted all mortal sins, into which the faithful of Christ should fall; so that by the power of the keys they might pronounce sentence of the remission or the retention of sins. For it is plain, that priests could not exercise this judgment in an unknown cause; nor, indeed, could they observe equity in imposing punishments, if persons confessed their sins only in general, and not rather specially and individually." "Chap. VIII. Of the necessity and fruit of satisfaction. As to satisfaction, the holy Synod declares, that it is altogether false, and contrary to the word of God, that an offence is never remitted by the Lord, but that the entire punishment is also remitted."....... It is the duty of "The Absolution or Remission of Sins to be pronounced by the Priest alone, standing, the people still kneeling.' "Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who desireth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he may turn from his wickedness and live; and hath given power and commandment to his ministers, to declare and pronounce to his people, being penitent, the absolution and remission of their sins: He pardoneth aud absolveth all them that truly repent, and unfeignedly believe his holy Gospel. Wherefore, let us beseech him to grant us true repentance, &c." "Order of the Holy Communion. "Then shall this general Confession be made, in the name of all those that are minded to receive the holy Communion, by one of the ministers, both he and all the people kneeling humbly upon their knees, and saying, Almighty God, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Maker of all things, Judge of all men; we acknowledge D the priests of the Lord, according to the dictates of wisdom and prudence, to enjoin wholesome and suitable satisfactions, in proportion to the quality of offences, and the ability of penitents." Chap. IX. Of works of satisfaction. Moreover the Synod teaches, that so great is the divine bounty, that not only by punishments, voluntarily undergone by ourselves for the punishment of sin, or imposed on us by the will of the priest after the measure of the sin, but also, which is the greatest proof of love, by temporal scourges, inflicted by God, and by us patiently endured, we may be able to make satisfaction to God the Father through Christ Jesus." "Canon 12. If any one shall say, that the whole punishment together with the offence is always remitted by God, and that there is no other satisfaction for penitents than faith, whereby they apprehend that Christ has made satisfaction for them: let him be accursed." "Canon 13. If any one shall say, that, so far as regards temporal punishment, satisfaction is by no means made to God through the merits of Christ for sins, by punishments inflicted by him, and patiently borne; or imposed by the priest, but not voluntarily undertaken, such as fastings, prayers, almsgivings; or by other works also of piety; and therefore that the best penance is only a new life: let him be accursed." "Canon 14. If any one shall say that satisfactions, by which penitents redeem their sins through Jesus Christ, are not services of God, but traditions of men, obscuring the doctrine of grace, and the true service of God, and even the benefit of Christ's death: let him be accursed." "Canon 15. If any one shall say. that the keys are given to the Church, only to loose, and not to and bewail our manifold sins and wickedness, &c.' "Then shall the Priest (or the Bishop, being present,) stand up, and turning himself to the people, pronounce this absolution, "Almighty God, our heavenly Father, who, of his great mercy, hath promised forgiveness of sins to all them, that with hearty repentance and true faith turn unto him; have mercy upon yon; pardon and deliver you from all your sins; confirm and strengthen you in all goodness; and bring you to everlasting life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen " "Order of the Visitation of the Sick. "Here shall the sick person be moved to make a special confession of his sins, if he feel his conscience troubled with any weighty matter. "After which Confession, the Priest shall absolve him (if he humbly and heartily desire it,) after this sort. "Our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath left power to his Church, to absolve all sinners who truly repeut and believe in him, of his great mercy forgive thee thine offences: And by his authority committed to me, I absolve thee from all thy sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.Amen. "And then the Priest shall say the Collect following. Let us pray. "O most merciful God, who, according to the multitude of thy mercies, dost so put away the sins of those who truly repent, that thou rememberest them no more; open thine eye of mercy upon this thy servant, who most earnestly dedesireth pardon and forgiveness. Renew in him, most loving Father, whatsoever hath been decayed by the fraud and malice of the devil, or by his own carnal will and frailty; preserve and continue this sick bind also: and therefore that priests, when they impose punishments on those who confess, act against the intention of the keys, and against the institution of Christ; and that it is a fiction to suppose, that by virtue of the keys, eternal punishment being taken off, temporal pu nishment commonly remains to be paid let him be accursed." Chap. VI. Although the absolution of the priest is a dispensing of another's bounty, yet it is not only a bare ministerial act, either of announcing the gospel, or of d claring that sins are remitted; but after the manner of a judicial act, wherein by him, as by a judge, sentence is pronounced." "Canon 9. If any one shall say, that Sacramental Absolution is not the judicial act of the priest, but a bare ministry of pronouncing and declaring that sins are remitted to him who confesses them, provided only he believes himself to be absolved; or should the priest absolve him, not in earnest, but in jest; or if any one shall say, that there is not required the confession of the penitent, so that the priest may be able to absolve him: let him be accursed." 66 To any one who shall have perused the foregoing documents, the general want of agreement between the two Churches must, I think, be self-evident. The Absolution," which is the subject of the decree and canon of the Church of Rome by the Council of Trent, being a private transaction between the priest and the person to be absolved; whereas, according to the provisions of the Church of England, the “ Absolution," pronounced by the minister in ordinary cases, has a general reference to the whole congregation; and it is only on one special occasion, the terms of which make it of rare |