formerly used to, were fuch as had incurred Ecclefiaftical Cenfure; yet it is confeffed that the forms pronounced on thofe occafions immediately refpected the Conscience of the Sinner, and not the outward Regimen of the Church; that they were inftrumental to procure the Forgiveness of GOD, whilft the Ecclefiaftical Bond was declared to be releafed by an additional ceremony of the Impofition of Hands. If then Absolutions, even in the earliest ages, were thought to be inftrumental to procure God's Forgiveness to fuch Sins as had deferved Ecclefiaftical Bonds; why may they not be allowed as inftrumental and proper to procure his Forgiveness to Sins of daily Incurfion, though they may not be grofs enough, or at least enough public, to come within the cognizance of Ecclefiaftical Cenfures? If it be urged, that the ancient Abfolutions were never Declarative, but either Interceffional, like the prayer that follows the Abfolution in the office appointed for the Vifitation of the Sick, or Optative, like the form in our Office of Communion; I think it may be answered, that the Effect of the Abfolution does not at all depend upon the Form of it, fince the Promises of GOD are either way applied, and it must be the Sinner's embracing them with Repentance and Faith, that must make the Application of them effectual to himself. I hope this explanation will justify my notions upon the Daily Abfolution, as well as reconcile them with what I have faid upon the other. I fhall add nothing more in defence of them, than that they seem fully to be countenanced by the Form itself, (as I have fhewed at large upon the place,) and particularly by the inhibition of Deacons from pronouncing it: which to me is an argument that our Church defigned it for an Effect, which it was beyond the commiffion of a Deacon to convey. Not that I would draw an argument from the opinion of our Church, where that opinion feems repugnant to Scripture or Antiquity: but where it does e See Dr. Marshall's Penitential Difcipline, page 93, &c. See alfo the forms of Abfolution in his Appendix, Numb. 4, 5, 6, 7. f See Page 120, &c. not not appear to be inconfiftent with either, I think her decifion fhould be allowed a due weight. Wherever I have found or fufpected her to differ from one or the other, the Reader will obferve I have not covered or disguised it; but on the contrary perhaps have been too hafty and forward, and too unguarded in my remarks. But TRUTH was what I aimed at through my whole undertaking; which therefore I was refolved at any hazard to affert juft as it appeared to me. It is not at all indeed unlikely that in fo many points as the nature of this work has led me to confider, fome things may appear as Truths to me, which others, who have better opportunities of inquiring into them, may find to be otherwise and therefore I can only profefs that I have not advanced any thing but what I have believed to be true; and that if I am any where in an error, I shall be always open to conviction, let the person that attempts it be Adversary or Friend; fince if Truth can be attained to by any means at laft, I fhall not value from whom or from whence it proceeds: though I cannot but fay, the fatisfaction will be the greater if it appear on the fide which our Church has espoused, notwithftanding the discovery may poffibly demand fome Retractations on my own part, which in fuch case I shall always be ready to make, and think it a happiness to find myself mistaken. In the mean while, I request that where I am allowed to be right, I may not meet with lefs favour, because I have fhewed myself fallible; and particularly I would importune my Reverend Brethren of the CLERGY, (upon whose countenance the fuccefs of this work must depend,) that if the Rubrics especially have been any where cleared, and with proper arguments enforced, they would join their affiftance to make my endeavours of fome service to the CHURCH. For it will be but of very little use to have illuftrated the rule, unless they alfo concur to make the practice more uniform. And indeed I would hope that a fmall importunity would be fufficient to prevail with them, when they see what disgrace their compliances have brought both upon the Liturgy Liturgy and themselves; fince not only the Occafional Offices are now in feveral places proftituted to the caprice of the people, to be used where, and when, and in what manner they please; but even the Daily and Ordinary Service is more than the Clergy themselves know how to perform in any Church but their own, before they have been informed of the particular cuftom of the place. But I would not prefume to dictate to thofe from whom it would much better become me to learn and therefore I fhall only obferve farther with regard to the Citations I have had occafion to make, that I have but very feldom fet down any of them at large, because I was willing to avoid all unneceffary means of fwelling the book. Befides, I confidered, that though I should cite them ever fo diftinctly, yet those who understand not the Language they were written in, muft take my word for the meaning of them at last: and those who are capable of reading the Originals, I fuppofed, would turn to the books themselves for any thing they should doubt of, how careful foever I fhould have been in tranfcribing them; fo that I thought it fufficient to be exact in my references, as to the Tome, and Page, and marginal letter, and then to infert a general Table of the Ecclefiaftical Writers, which fhould once for all fhew the Editions that I have used 8. The reafon of my adding a column of the Times when the Writers flourished, was, that my less learned Reader might gather from thence the Antiquity of the feveral Rites and Ceremonies I had occafion to treat of, by confulting when those Authors lived, who are produced in defence of them. If I have any where made ufe of a different Edition, I have taken care to specify it in the citation itself. AN |