with holy water, and when this part of the ceremony is over, his holiness descends from his throne, and begins an anthem in these words, "This is the day which the Lord hath made, &c." and the choir sing it with him. Being again arrived at the sacred gate, the holy father repeats several prayers: takes the cross, kneels down, sings the Te Deum, then rises up and passes through the holy gate, singing as he goes along. He is followed by his clergy in their robes, and a vast concourse of people, who all throng into the church, in order to be present at the sacred ceremony. After the whole service is over, which concludes with vespers, the cardinals put off their white robes and put on their red hats and purple mantles; and attend the holy father home to his apartments.

During this solemn season there are always many Pilgrims at Rome: and by the pope's bull, these are obliged to visit the four churches already mentioned, namely, St. Peter's, St. John de Lateran, St. Mary majór, and St. Paul without the walls. The natives. of Italy are obliged to visit these churches thirty times, but the pope grants an indulgence to all foreigners, who are not obliged, without their own choice, to visit them any oftener than fifteen times. There are little books of devotion, comprised for the use of the pilgrims, and if any of them die before they have visited the churches so often as is prescribed in the ritual, then there is a clause left in the bull, granting them a complete absolution.

There is another ceremony observed during the jubilee, which deserves particular notice, because it is confined to Rome alone. It is the opinion of the Roman Catholics, and they have learned it from the traditions of their monks, that the hall in which Pontius Pilate sat when he examined our Saviour, was twenty-eight steps high, and in imitation of that they have contrived to make a ladder of twentyeight steps, which the pilgrims are obliged to ascend. This ladder, we are told, was brought from the Holy Land, by St. Helena the mother of Constantine the Great, whom we have had occasion to mention before, and who may be considered as one of the most industrious collectors of relics that ever lived. But the ladder was not all, for they tell us, that she brought along with her a drop of our Saviour's blood, which is contained in a small vial near the upper end of the ladder, and the passage to it is through a brass gate.

This place is esteemed so sacred, that some of the Roman Chatholic writers call it the Holy of Holics; and when the pilgrim has ascended the top of the ladder, he is obliged to repeat a short prayer before he enters into it. As for female pilgrims they are

not permitted to enter it, but they are entitled to indulgence by looking at it through the grate. All these acts of devotion obtain for pilgrims an absolute pardon of all the sins they ever committed; and the penetentiaries of St. Peter put the seal to such pardons, by touching them with their rods. The Roman prelates, with all the bishops who are at that time in the city, assemble together and wash the feet of the pilgrims; and the holy father, attended by his cardinals, all without their robes, wait on them at table. The pope presents them with medals, chaplets of roses, and Agnus Deis'; and when they have kissed his feet with the profoundest humility, they are dismissed with his blessing.

As the jubilee continues a whole year, being opened on the twenty-fourth of December, so it concludes by shurting the gate on the same day of the month. On this occasion many ceremonies are observed, for of all courts of the world that of Rome is the most ceremonious. . On the twentyfourth day of December, the pope with the cardinals, the Roman nobility, and all the clergy of distinction, go to St. Peter's in their robes of state, where vespers are sung; after which the clergy light their tapers, and pay their obedience to the holy father. Then his holiness gives out an anthem, which begins with these words, "Ye shall go out with joy.' And as soon as the choir begin to sing it, every one makes haste to get out of the gate, as soon as possibly he can. When they are all gone out, the holy father goes towards the gate, where he prays some time, and then gives out another anthem, beginning with these words, "Our help is in the name of the Lord." He the blesses the materials with which the gate is to be shut up; and he lays the foun lation stone, under which are concealed several medals, which serve to transmit the memory of the sacred ceremony to the latest posterity. After this a bason with water, is presented to the holy father, who washes his hands returns to his throne, while the choir sings an anthem suitable to the solemnity of the ceremony. During the time the anthem is singing, the masons close up the gate, in the midst of which the place a cross of coper; and it is blessed by the pope's repeating several prayers. The whole ceremony concludes with the pope's bestowing his benediction on all the faithful; particularly on those pious pilgrims who have visited Rome, and then he returns home to his palace, attended by the cardinals

The last thing we shall take notice of under this head is, what the Roman Catholics call indulgence, which has two different significations according to the Roman ritual. First, it implies that the pope

has

has authority to dispense with the times of feasting and fasting, in favour of any one who shall apply to him for that purpose; and secondly, that he has a right to remit all those temporal punishments which are annexed to sin in this life. This is the more necessary to be mentioned, because many well meaning Protestants are led into an error, concerning this principle in the church of Rome, by taking the word in its primary sense. To indulge, is to give a person leave to do something, and therefore some have imagined, that when the popes grant indulgences, they give men leave to sin. This, however, is so far distant from any thing intended by the word, that even the most bigoted Roman Catholic would look upon

it with abhorence.

It is certain, that many abuses have been committed by the sale of indulgences, and it was owing in part to that, our happy reformation took place. But this is rather to be charged upon the persons intrusted with the distribution than upon the popes who granted them. It must, however, be acknowledged, that indulgences, even in the manner we have considered them, bring in an immense sum of money to the papal treasury. Men do not love to be always confined down to forms, and therefore that religion must always be agreeable to them which indulges them with a few things in their own nature indifferent, and which, for the payment of a small sum of money, exempts men from temporal pains in this

life.

may not be improper to explain, in a few words, what has been meant in ancient and modern times, by the word absolution; for it is certain, that it has been misunderstood, misapplied, and abused.

The ministerial power of remitting sins was vested by Christ in the apostles, and from them derived to the church. This is all that the primitive church ever pretended to, leaving the absolute, sovereign, independent, irreversible power of absolution to God alone. The ancients reckoned five kinds of absolution. 1. That of baptism. 2. That of the eucharist. 3. That of the word and doctrine. 4. That of

imposition of hands, and prayer. 5. That of reconcilement to the communion of the church, by a relaxation of her censures. The two first may be called sacramental; the third, declaratory; the fourth, precatory; and the fifth, judicial. The first had no relation to penitential discipline, being never given to persons who had once received baptism. The second had some relation to it, but did not solely belong to it; for it was given to all baptized persons, who never fell under penitential discipline, as well as those, who lapsed, and were restored to communion again: and in both respects it was called the perfection of a Christian. By the third, the ministers of Christ made public declaration to men of the terms of reconciliation and salvation. The fourth sort was used as a concomitant of most other absolutions: and by the fifth, penitents were finely restored to the peace, and full communion of the church.

Anciently, no sinners were absolved, till they had performed their regular penance, except in case of imminent death. As to the ceremony of absolution, the penitent was publicly reconciled, in sackcloth, at the altar, by this, or the like form; "He that forgave the sinful woman all her sins, for which she shed tears, and opened the gates of Paradise to the thief, make you partaker of his redemption, and absolve you from all the bonds of your sins, and heal you by the medicine of his mercy, and restore you to the body of the church by his grace, and keep whole and sound for ever." The indicative form

To corroborate the truth of what we have here advanced concerning indulgences, we shall add what was written about a century ago, by a Roman Catholic and a Jesuit, namely, the famous father Maimbourg: he says, that when pope Leo X. ascended the pontifical throne, he published indulgences, to all those who would contribute towards re-building the church of St. Peter's at Rome. Those persons who purchased the indulgences, were permitted to eat flesh and eggs in lent, and to make choice of any priest whom they esteemed to be their confessor. The same author adds, that these indulgences were sold by auction to those who bid highest for them," so that we need not be surprised to find that many crept in. The practice itself became at last so odious, that sober Roman Catholics condemned it, and Luther, a man of spirit, altho' at that time to more than an Augustine Monk, opposed the power of the popes, and in the hand of Divine Providence, became a most eminent instrument in been baptized in heresy or schism; and the reason bringing about our reformation from popish igno- was, because their baptism out of the church being rance darkness, superstition, and idolatry.

abuses

whole

you

I absolve you," instead of "Christ absolve thee," was not in use till the twelfth century, a little before the time of Thomas Aquinas, who first wrote in defence of it; as the learned bishop Usher has clearly proved. Sometimes chrism, or unction, was added to the imposition of hands, in the reconcilitation of such heretics and schismatics to the church as had

null and void, they were supposed to want the true in a manner with the remission of sins to men, so it | holy spirit. The time of absolution seems to have As the whole festival of the jubilee is connected effect of baptism, viz. the grace or unction of the

No. 11.

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been

There were some crimes, which incapaciated the sinner from ever receiving absolution, and these were, originally the three great sins of idolatry, adultery, and murder; and though this rigour afterwards, by general consent, was abated, yet they continued to deny communion to the very last to such apostates, as remained obstinate and impenitent all their lives, and only desired reconciliation, when the pangs of death were upon them, only that very great and scandalous offenders were reserved for the patriarch's absolution.

been fixed to the day of our Saviour's passion, and [ keys, did depend; I mean the power of remitting or some penitents were received into the church, by ab-retaining sins: for they who had the privilege of solution, even after their death; particularly such as knowing men's hearts, might do this upon certain died during the course of their penance. We need grounds, and were secured from mistake in the exernot observe, that absolution, as well as all canonical cise of their power upon particular persons; which discipline, was primarily lodged in the hands of the the priests and ministers of the church now are not, bishop, and by him committed to the hands of the nor can be; because they cannot see into men's presbyters and deacons only: indeed, in cases of ex- hearts, whether they be truly penitent, and qualified treme necessity, some canons allowed a layman to for forgiveness, or not. For I cannot easily believe, administer baptism rather than a catechumen should but that those words of our Saviour, whose sins ye die unbaptized. remit, they are remitted; and whose sins ye retain, they are retained, were intended to signify something more than a mere declaration of the promises and threatings of the gospel, which any man might make as well as the apostles and ministers of the church. For that God will forgive the penitent, and that he will not pardon the sinner, except he repent, is as true from any man's mouth, as from an apostle's: and as to the absolution of this or that particular person, though a minister, by the skill and knowledge of his profession, is ordinarily and reasonably persumed, by virtue of his office, to be a better judge of a man's repentance, than other persons are, and therefore may, with more authority, and satisfaction to the penitent, declare his judgement and opinion concerning him; yet not being able to see into his heart, he may be mistaken concerning him; and if he be, his declaring his sins to be forgiven, that is, his absolution of him, will do him no good: and on the other hand, his refusal to absolve him, if he be truly penitent, will do him no harm: As the judgement of a skilful lawyer is of great authority, and more satisfactory to us, concerning our title to an estate, than the opinion of another man, who is not of the profession, nor presumed to have the like skill: but yet for all this his judgement does not alter the case; and if in truth the law be otherwise, our title is bad nothwithstanding the skilful man's opinion of the goodness of it."

The judicious Hooker, speaking of the abuse of absolution in the Roman church, says, They strangely hold, that whatsoever the penitent doth, his contrition, confession, and satisfaction, have no place of right to stand as material parts in this sacrament, nor consequently any such force as to make them available for the taking away of sin, in that they proceed from the penitent himself, without the privity of the minister, but only as they are enjoined by the minister's authority and power--except therefore the priest be willing, God hath by promise hampered himself so, that it is not now in his own power to pardon any man-he hath no answer to make, but such as that of the angel unto Lot. I can do nothing." Then describing the true nature and effects of absolution, he says, "The sentence therefore of ministerial absolution hath two effects: touching sin, it only declareth us freed from the guiltiness thereof, and restored into God's favour; but concerning right in sacred and divine mysteries, whereof through sin we were made unworthy, as the power of the church did before effectually blind and retain us from access unto them, so, upon our apparent repentance, it truly restoreth our liberty, looseth the chains wherewith we are tied, remitteth all whatsoever is past, and accepteth us no less returned, than if we had never gone astray."

Archbishop Tillotson has given his opinion of the use and intent of absolution in the following words: "Upon this miraculous gift of knowing the secrets of men's hearts, it seems to be very probable, that that, which is commonly called, The power of the

The archbishop says farther, that, Protestants do not make the absolution of the priest at all necessary to the forgivness of sins, but only convenient for the satisfaction and comfort of the penitent.. For which reason, our church does not require a formal absolution to be given to the dying penitent, unless he himself desire it; which is a certain argument, that, in the judgement of our church, the absolution of the priest is not necessary to the forgiveness and salvation of the penitent."

In the liturgy of the church of England, there are three severals form of absolution. The first is that' at morning prayer," Almighty God, &c. who hath given power, &c. He pardoneth and absolveth, &c.', The second is used at the visitation of the sick

"Our

"Our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath left power to his church, &c. by his authority committed to me, I absolve thee, &c." The third is in the communion service. "Almighty God, &c. who hath promised forgiveness of sins, &c. have mercy on you &c." These three different forms (Bishop Sparrow says) are, in sense and virtue, the same. "For as when a prince hath granted a commission to any servant of his, to release out of prison all penitent offenders whatever, it were all one, in effect, as to the prisoners discharge, whether this servant says, by virtue of a commission granted to me, under the prince's hand and seal, I release this prisoner; or thus, the prince, who hath given me this commision, pardons you; or lastly, the prince pardon and deliver you.'

the Sarecens, against whom this Peter the Hermit carried on the war. The design was to enable the soldiers to repeat their prayers: for in that age, few.. except the priests, could read. At present great encouragement is given to those ignorant persons in Roman Catholic countries, who are most exact in making the repetition of their collects, and other acts of devotion keep time with the counting of the beads. Nay, some of the vulgar are so strict in their attention to these ceremonies, that they will neglect every thing else, for the sake of them. The author of this work being once at Brussels in Flanders, asked a waiter at an inn to bring him something; but, as the waiter was counting his beads, he only answered, that he must first discharge the duty he owed to the blessed Virgin.

The rosary is a chaplet, consisting of one hundred and fifty beads, which make so many Ave Marias; and every ten beads, divided by one somewhat larger, make a Peter: and the fifteen large beads are the symbols of fifteen mysteries, wherein are pointed out the eternal purposes of heaven, in laying down the plan of man's redemption.

The form of absolution, which the pope gives The society of the Rosary was first instituted by to crowned heads, who have been excommunicated, Dominic, a native of Spain, of whom we have alis briefly this. The pope is seated on a rich pon- ready given some account, and of whom we shall tifical throne erected before St. Peter's church, at-speak more at large in our history of the inquisition. tended by the apostolical court. The ambassadors of the excommunicated princes appear before this assembly, and throw themselves at his holiness's feet, asking pardon in the name of their masters, and desiring absolution. Then they lay their hands on the mass-book, and swear, by the holy gospels, and the crucifix, obedience to the church. Then the pope and twelve cardinal priests, sing the Miserere, observing to strike the ambassadors on the shoulder at the beginning of each verse, and the ceremony ends with prayers, and the imposition of a penance proportionable to the crime of the persons absolved.

Of Religious Societies in the Church of Rome.

Before a person begins to repeat his rosary, he must cross himself, repeat the apostles' creed, and say the Lord's prayer with three Ave Marias, to point out the relation the blessed Virgin has to the three persons in the everblessed Trinity. The fifteen mysteries are divided into three classes; the first includes the five mysteries of joy; the five next are those of sorrow, as alluding to our Saviour's passion and the five last those of glory, being designed to represent the resurrection, and the ascension.. These ceremonies being over, all the brethren of the Rosary are obliged to join together in singing litanies for the benefit of those who are afflicted in mind, body, or estate; and on all such occasions they are obliged to address themselves to the blessed Virgin, because she first presented Dominic with a rosary when he was only a child. The solemnity of the rosary is celebrated on the first Sunday in October, in consequence of an order from pope Gregory XIII. Several privileges. The first of these societies is that of the Chaplet, have been since granted to the society, and most of

Besides the religious orders among the Roman Catholics which we have already described, there are several societies which are not authorised by the pope, but established by immemorial custom. The design of establishing them, seems to have been that of promoting social religion; and although the intention was good, yet the means made use of, had such a connection with superstition, that every valuable purpose was defeated.

or Beads, the invention of which is ascribed to Peter the Hermit, who conducted the first crusade into the Holy Land. The Heathens, whose players were numerous, used to teach their votaries to count

these having been confirmed by bulls, authorized by different popes, we need not be surprized that at present it makes a most distinguishing figure.

The next order, or rather society, in the church of Rome, is that of the Scapulary, or in plain.

lects; and something of this nature was practised by | English the Shoulder-knot, because all those who

enter