403
I leave the whole passage with one general word of caution. Whatever sense we place on the words, let us beware that we do not give to ministers, of any name or denomination, a place, power, authority, position, or privilege, which Christ never gave them. Putting ministers out of their proper place has been the root of ezidless superstition and corruption in Christ's Church. To regard ministers as mediators between Christ and the soul, to confess to them privately and receive private abso- lution from them, is a system for which there is no authority in the New Testament, and the high road to every kind of evil. It is a system equally mischievous to ministers and to people, utterly subversive of the Gospel, and thoroughly dishonoring to the priestly office of Christ.
The three absolutions found in the Liturgy of the Church of England, (1) that in the Morning and Evening Prayer, (2) that in the Communion Service, and (3) that in the Visitation for the Sick, were all, in my judgment, intended to bear only a declarative sense. But I can never refrain from saying that the absolution in the Visitation Service is liable to be misun- derstood, and its wording is to be regretted.
Shepherd, on the Common Prayer, remarks, " The Church of England neither maintains nor countenances the opinion, that a priest, by virtue of his ordination, has an absolute, uncondi- tional power to forgive sin. The pov\'er that the clergy have received and exercised, is purely ministerial, being defined and limited by the Word of God, which expressly declares upon what condition sin shall be remitted, and upon what retained. To suppose that any minister of Christ, since the Apostles, pos- sesses the power of remitting or retaining sin at his discretion, is repugnant to the whole tenor of Scripture, as well as to every dictate of reason and common sense."
JOHN XX. 24r-31.
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesua came.
25 The other disciples therefore said unto him. We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Ex- cept I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger mto the print of the naus, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not be- lieve.
26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and .stood in the midst, and said, Peace he unto you.
27 Tlien saith he to Thomas, Keach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy
hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed : blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have be- lieved.
30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his dis- ciples, which are not written in this book :
31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God ; and that be- lieving ye might have life through his name.