that those words of our Saviour, whofe Volume fins ye remit, they are remitted; and XII. whofe fins ye retain, they are retained, were intended to fignifie fomething more than a meer declaration of the Promifes and Threatnings of the Gofpel, which any Man might make, as well as the Apostles and Minifters of the Church. For that God will forgive the penitent, and that he will not pardon the finner, except he repent,is as true from any Man's mouth, as from an Apoftles: and as to the abfolution of this or that particular Perfon, tho' a Minifter by the skill and knowledge of his Profeffion, is ordinarily and reafonably prefumed by virtue of his office, to be a better judge of a Man's Repentance, than other perfons are, and therefore may with more Authority and Satisfaction to the penitent, declare his judgment and opinion concerning him; yet not being able to fee into his heart, he may be mistaken concerning him; and if he be, his declaring his fins to be forgiven, that is, his abfolution of him, will do him no good: and on the other hand, his retufal to abfolve him, if he be truly penitent, will do

him

him no harm. As the judgment of a skilful Lawyer is of greater Autho- Sermon rity, and more fatisfactory to us con XII. cerning our title to an Eftate, than the opinion of another Man, who is not of the Profeffion, nor presumed to have the like skill: but yet for all this, his judgment does not alter the cafe; and if in truth the Law be otherwife, our title is bad, for all this skilfull Man's opinion of the goodness of it.

And thus much is granted by the Church of Rome; that if the Priest be mistaken in the ufe of the Keys, and gives abfolution to one that is not truly Penitent, his fins are not remitted; or if a perfon be excommunicated that is not truly guilty, his fins are not retained; what he binds on earth, is not bound in heaven; and he whom he Loofeth and abfolves on earth, is not abfolved in heaven. But the Proteftants go farther,and do not only make a mistaken Abfolution or Excommunication void in it felf; but they do not make the Abfolution of the Prieft at all neceffary to the forgivenefs of fins, but only convenient for A a 4

the

the fatisfaction and comfort of the PeVolume nitent. For which reafon, our Church XII. does not require a formal Abfolution to be given to the dying penitent, unless he himself defire it; which is a certain Argument, that in the Judgment of our Church, the Abfolution of the Prieft is not neceffary to the Forgiveness and Salvation of the Penitent. For had they thought it neceffary, they would have enjoyned the Prieft to give it to every one whom he judged Penitent, whether he defired it or not.

So that the Abfolution of the Priest, having only the Authority of a Man, prefumed to be skillful in his office, but no certain Effect, in cafe he be miftaken (as he very eafily may be, and if he be, as he ought to be, a Charitable Man, no doubt often is) I cannot think but that this Power of remitting and retaining fins, so folemnly conferr'd on the Apostles by our Saviour, had fomething in it that was miraculous and extraordinary, and did fuppofe the knowledge of mens hearts, and that they

were

were not mistaken in the application of this Power to particular Per- Sermon fons; and confequently, that in that XII, miraculous and extraordinary degree, it was peculiar to the Apostles and their times. For I cannot eafily be brought to believe, that the meaning of this great Promife to the Apostles fhould be only this, Verily, verily, I fay unto you, what foever ye fball bind on earth, if ye be not miftaken, as in many cafes ye will be, and in any cafe ye may be, ball be bound in heaven and whatsoever ye fball loofe on earth, fhall be loofed in heaven. And if more be meant than this, it muft fuppofe a miraculous Power of difcerning the fincerity of mens hearts.

And therefore when the Power of the Keys is conferred on the Minifters of the Gospel, in our Form of Ordination, I fuppofe that only one or both of these two things is intended by it, viz. a Power to admit Perfons into the Chriftian Church by Baptifm, in which is fealed to them the remiffion of fins; and

to caft perfons out of the Communion Volume of the Chriftian Church, by ExcomXII. munication and the Cenfures of it:and an authority, by virtue of their office, to declare to men the terms of pardon and forgiveness, which cannot be that infallible Power of Abfolving which the Apostles had.

And I am the rather induced to think fo, because I find it promifed to the Apoftles, together with the miraculous Power and Efficacy of Prayer, which St. Chryfoftom reckons among the miraculous gifts, which he fays were ceaied in his time. That it was thus promised, you may fee Matth. 18. 18, 19. Verily Ifay unto you, whatfoever ye shall bind on earth, shall be bound in Heaven: and whatsoever ye fball locfe on earth, fhall be loofed in heaven. Again I fay unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. But furely no man will pretend, that any two Chriftians or Minifters have now this Power, that whatever they fhall agree together

to