That a Christian minister is not authorized by the Gospel to address any one in the literal sense of the words, “I absolve thee from all thy sins.”
Entertaining these views, I yet venture to conclude that I could subscribe the Articles and Liturgy with as near an approach to a literal assent as most of the clergy, and certainly with a far more cordial approbation of them than many who might be named. It has been said that the objections just mentioned are trifling. Whoever has marked the course of the controversy now existing in our Church will see how great a stress has been sometimes laid on two of the above points, as materially supporting the views of tractarian writers.
IN the first edition I briefly alluded to the Rev. C. Green, of this Diocese, as having made some comments on a former publication of my own. I am sorry to find that this reference was a mistake, Mr. Green not having mentioned my name, as I erroneously supposed he had, writing from an imperfect recollection. Having explained to him how the mistake arose, I have now publicly to offer my apology for it, which I tendered in private as soon as it became known to me.
_Since the first edition_ of this publication, many of the views here offered have been confirmed by no mean authorities.
On July 4th, His Grace the Archbishop of Dublin, on presenting a Petition to the House of Lords relating to Church Government, will be found, on a reference to his speech, to have used several arguments exactly similar to some of those here advanced.
In the very able Dedication prefixed to a Sermon on “The Unity of the Church,” by Archdeacon Hare, recently published, will be found again a similar coincidence on other points.
In the Charge of the Bishop of Calcutta, also very recently published in this country, the following passages so strongly confirm _the main argument and title_ of this publication that I am tempted to transcribe them:—
Page 60. “But it is useless to speak of their manner of defending themselves, after the incredible attempt of the Ninetieth Tract, which brought down upon them that merited disapprobation of their respected Diocesan, the disavowal of the Heads of Colleges at Oxford, and the contempt or pity of every Protestant Divine. Nothing so dishonourable to a clergyman—the word is strong, but in my judgment not too strong—has occurred in our Church since the time when the blessed Reformation exempted us for ever, as we hoped, from these Popish errors.”