VII. der circumstances of pure contrition MED. and sincere confession. But beware; neither the words of the minister, nor your own acknowledgement of guilt, however sincere, are sufficient grounds for you confidently to expect salvation, without that, which you do not know, the absolute pardon of the Almighty through the death and merits of the only Saviour. On this promise you may rest; and on this promise you may possess an assurance of hope; but it discourages all presumption. The efficacy of absolution therefore rests with yourselves, under the operation of Divine Grace." The Almighty God hath given power and commandment to "his ministers, to declare, and pro"nounce to his people, being penitent, "the absolution and remission of their "sins*." The power of absolution depends not at all on the mind of the minister, but on the mind of the pe * Liturgy. MED. nitent, influenced by its dependance VII. on the pardon of the Almighty on the terms which He himself has given. This entirely takes away the false confidence of a pretended absolution, not grounded on principles purely scriptural. This also effectually removes the objection against the pronouncing of any absolution; as it considers this authority as a salutary practice, originating with the blessed Founder of Christianity, and continued, for the best purposes, in the economy of his Church. The dreadful and pernicious abuse of this power, the false repose it has given to the sinner, and its perversion to vile and prostituted ends, come not within my present contemplation. I repeat therefore the caution with which I set out, confession is not salvation; and I conclude that no man on earth may absolve his brother from the penalty of un-repented, though confessed, crimes, by a mere formulary of words, unconnected with the true, pure, VII. and unadulterated graces of the Gos- MED. pel.-But when these meet in the breast of the sincere penitent, gladly and happily will he assume the language of the Psalmist-" O how sweet 66 are such words unto the taste! yea, sweeter than honey unto the "mouth *!" "Merciful and compassionate, longsuffering and patient Lord God! I "have sinned, wretched man that I í am, I have frequently and grievously "sinned against Thee, by trusting to vanity, by following deceit, and being occupied in ungodly works with them "that practise wickedness.-I come "not now before Thee to cover or "extenuate my guilt with frivolous excuses; but with full purpose to give Thee glory, by an ingenuous "and free confession that I have many ways offended against thy holy laws; *Ps. cxix. 108. VII. MED. " particularly by, &c.- Behold me "without plea, without excuse, speech"less and self-condemned, for I, even "I, have destroyed myself.-Unto "Thee, O Lord, belongeth righte"ousness, but unto me confusion of face, because Thou art just in all "that is come upon me; for Thou "hast done right, but I have done wickedly; and now, O Lord, what " is my hope? Truly my hope is ❝even, truly my hope is only, in “Thee. O let the multitude of thy " mercies triumph over the multi❝tude of my sins. For thy name's "sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, "for it is great. For that name's "sake, besides which none other "under heaven is given unto men whereby we must be saved; and "for the sake of that spirit also, "who helpeth our infirmities, and "maketh intercession for us, with 66 groanings that cannot be uttered; |