HAVING in my last difcourfe obviated the cavils rais'd by the Diffenters against the several forms prefcrib'd by our Church for Ordination, Confirmation, and Baptifm ; I now proceed to thofe against our refpective offices for vifiting the fick, and burying the dead. In the first of these, the form of Abfolution is particularly cenfur'd. The Priest, say they, after the fick person has profeffed his faith and repentance, whether that profeffion be fincere or not, is directed to fay, By the authority committed to me I abfolve thee from all thy fins. And hereon it is obferv'd, that neither does the Prieft poffefs the power of knowing mens hearts, nor is any such authority committed to him

from

from above. In answer hereto I beg leave to submit to you the four following remarks. First then I obferve that this whole office is entirely difcretionary. When our liturgy was first compil'd, fuch was the low ftate of learning, that but few Minifters could be found who were deem'd capable of properly instructing the people. Hence the diftinction in thofe days between Preachers, who were fpecially licenc'd to preach; and other Minifters, for whofe ufe the Homilies were compos'd and fet forth. Now the Canon fays exprefsly, that when a Minifter is call'd upon to visit the sick, he fhall use the Vifitation fervice, if he be no Preacher; but if he be a Preacher, then shall he proceed as he fhall think moft needful and convenient. Now in these days, when learning is fo much more generally diffus'd, this diftinction no longer exifts; every Minifter of the Church of England being a Preacher; and as fuch enjoying a difcretionary power refpecting the use of this fervice. Secondly, the words, I abfolve thee, however abfolute they may feem, are nevertheless clearly conditional, on the provifo that the finners repentance be fincere; which though unknown to the Prieft, is known to God; who will accordingly either ratify the Abfolution, or not. But thirdly, that the Church hereby meant no more than a remiffion of ecclefiaftical

cenfures,

cenfures, and infuring to the fick penitent the privileges of church communion, will be little doubted by any, who will candidly examine the prayer immediately following this abfolution. Open thine eye of mercy upon this thy fervant, who most earneftly defireth pardon and forgiveness. Surely he can not think himself in full poffeffion of that for which he thus importunately renews his fupplication. Again; Preserve and continue this fick member in the unity of the Church. The tenor of this petition not obscurely points out the meaning of the foregoing Abfolution. Fourthly and laftly, in confideration of the great change of manners that has prevail'd fince the compilement of our Liturgy, I am much mistaken if the generality of the Clergy do not avail themselves of the discretionary power above mention'd: fo that this formidable objection is level'd after all against what may be confider'd as an obsolete Statute, remaining indeed in the book unrepeal'd, but never put in force.

I come now finally to our Funeral Service; which the Diffenters profess to admire greatly upon the whole, but object warmly to fome parts of it; because they are read over all characters, and are applicable only to real Chriftians. In anfwer hereunto it has been urg'd by Ritualists, that the com

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pilers of our Liturgy, prefuming upon a due exercife of difcipline, never fuppos'd that any would be offer'd to chriftian burial, who had not led chriftian lives. But this apology I candidly own appears to me little fatisfactory. From the confideration of those defcriptions of perfons to whom the Church denies chriftian burial may, I think, be collected her true fentiments concerning all others to whom she allows that burial. She denies it to three defcriptions; the unbaptiz'd, excommunicate, and felf-murderers. Of these the first have never been admitted into the Church; the fecond have been authoritatively expell'd out of it; and the third have died in the actual commiffion of a fin, which precludes all poffibility of an after-repentance. These three alone excepted, the enjoins the burial service to be perform'd for all others indifcriminately. Hence I infer, that the Church with equal prudence and charity meant to discountenance all private judgment; that she looks upon all as true Chriftians, who having been once admitted into the covenant of grace by Baptism, have never by their grofs enormities incur'd her public cenfure; and that she prefumes not to arraign the validity and efficacy of a death-bed repentance, which even the most notorious finner may have exercis'd, for ought we can fay to the contrary: and whofe fincerity

fincerity can be known only to that omnifcient Being to whom all hearts are open, all defires known, and from whom no fecrets are hid. Viewing then the fentiments of our Church in this just light, it will not be found very difficult satisfactorily to vindicate the condemn'd paffages. They are principally three: one in the form us'd by us on committing the body to the ground; and one in each of the two concluding prayers. These I shall confider in their order.

First then, on the body being laid in the grave, we say, Forasmuch as it hath pleased God of his great mercy to take unto Himself the foul of our dear brother, or fifter, here departed. Upon this we are told, that the expreffion of God in mercy taking a foul to Himfelf, can imply nothing lefs than the eternal falvation of that foul; confequently that we affirm all to be faved, over whofe remains we pronounce thefe words. Had any fuch inference been intended, an alteration fhould furely have been made for the fake of confiftency in what follows; and instead of, Bleffed are the dead which die in the Lord, fhould have been fubftituted, Bleffed are the dead to whom the

Church