Indulgences.-The council of Trent proposes nothing more relative to indulgences, according to Mons. Bossuet, but that the church had the power of granting them from Jesus Christ, and that the practice of them is wholesome; which custom, that council adds, ought still to be preserved, though with moderation, lest ecclesiastical discipline should be weakened by too great a toleration.

By indulgences granted by the popes and prelates of the church, persons are discharged from temporal punishment, here and in purgatory.*

"Plenary indulgences, or Full Release, from the weightier satisfactions of Penance, are of fered by the Church to the faithful in this kingdom, at the following seasons of the year :-I. From Christmas to the Epiphany, or Twelfthday, inclusively. II. From the first to the second Sunday in Lent. III. At Easter, viz. From Palm to Lord Sunday, inclusively. IV. From Whitsunday till the octave of Corpus Christi, inclusively. V. On and during the octave of the Feast of SS. Peter and Paul. VI. From the Sunday preceding the Festival of the Assumption of the B. V. M. to its octave, the 22d of

* Conc. Trident. sess. xxv. Bull, p. ii. 4.

August. VII. From the Sunday preceding the Festival of St. Michael to the Sunday following. VIII. From the Sunday preceding the Festival of All Saints to the 8th day of November. When the Festivals of the Assumption, St. Michael, or All Saints, fall on a Sunday, the indulgence does not commence before the festival.

Conditions of the I. III. VI. and VII. are 1. To confess their sins with a sincere repentance to a priest approved by the Bishop. 2. Devoutly and worthily to receive the holy communion. 3. To visit some chapel or oratory, where the eucharistic mysteries are celebrated, and there offer up their prayers for the peace and welfare of the Church of God. 4. That they may be in a disposition of mind to assist the poor with alms in proportion to their abilities; or to frequent catechisms or sermons; or to visit and comfort the sick, or such as are near their end, if they have the opportunity.

Conditions of II. IV. and VIII. are, 1. To confess their sins with a sincere repentance to a priest approved by a bishop. 2. Devoutly and worthily to receive the holy communion. 3. If able, to give some alms to the poor, either on the eve, or on the day of their communion. 4. On the day of their communion, to offer up some prayers to God for the peace and welfare of the Catholic Church throughout the world. For the bringing all souls to the fold of Christ.

Y

For the general peace of Christendom, and for the blessing of God upon this nation.

Conditions to the V.-To the indulgences formerly granted, His Holiness Pope Clement XIV. was pleased to add a new one in favour of all the faithful living in the English mission, who being truly penitent, and having confessed their sins, shall worthily receive the holy communion on the Feast of SS. Peter and Paul, June 29, or on any day within the octave, and shall for some space of time pray to God with a sincere heart; for the conversion of infidels and heretics, and for the propagation of the Holy Faith."*

This is the real state of the case, with respect to Indulgences. If some Catholics in former times have (as it must be confessed has been the case) abused this branch of church discipline, no blame ought to attach to their successors of the present times. It is in the greatest degree illiberal and unjust, to charge any body of Christians with all the abuses to which wicked men will ever profane even the best of doctrines. I am no advocate for Indulgences, according to any form yet prescribed by the Church of Rome; but I

* See the Preface to the " Liturgy, or a Book of Common Prayers, and Administration of Sacraments, &c." By the Rev. Peter Gandolphy. 1812.

must confess it will afford me the most sincere satisfaction, if any thing I can say to elucidate this point, shall remove prejudice and mistake from the minds of any of my Protestant brethren; and, with this view, I will extract the reasoning and statement which a learned and pious" Minister of the Church of England"* has published relative to the practice of granting Indulgences:

It is asked " Whether Indulgences are not abominable, which either give leave to sin, or grant the pardon of past sins, and these obtained for a sum of money?

*See "An Essay towards a Proposal for Catholic Communion, wherein above sixty of the principal controverted Points, which have hitherto divided Christendom, being call'd over, 'tis examined how many of them may, and ought to be, laid aside, and how few remains to be accommodated, for the effecting a general Peace. By a Minister of the Church of England." This most excellently well-meant Essay was first printed in 1704; and was re-printed, by Faulder, in 1801. My own religious sentiments on some points of primary importance, being so very remote from those held by the author of this valuable work, it cannot be supposed that I should concur in all the writer's reasoning and conclusions; but, I must confess, it appears to me, that were the regular and moderate clergy of the establishment to peruse this book with candour, and earnestly strive to adopt its maxims and spirit, a union of the two Churches of Rome and of England would soon be the consequence. Were I a clergyman of the national church, I would much rather be the author of such a work as this little Essay, than even have the praise of a Tillotson, a Burnet, or a Hooker.

"This was the opinion I formerly had of Indulgences; but since I began to follow other measures, besides taking upon trust, upon diligent examination I have found, that Indulgences in the Church of Rome are neither pardons for sin nor leave to commit sin, but the same which has been practised in the purest ages of the Church; and that is, a remission of some part of those canonical penances, which were wont to be inflicted for some greater crimes. This power of binding and loosing we own in the Church, and retain it in our canons; and 'tis yet in force in respect of some crimes. And Dr. Cave shews it to have been practis'd in the Primitive Church.* The Church of Rome proposes no more in her definitions of faith, than that the power of granting Indulgences is given to the Church by Jesus Christ, and the use of them beneficial to the faithful.

This is all that is proposed as a term of communion by that Church, which being according to the doctrine of our own, I don't see any reason to divide upon this account. Especially since the Council of Trent,† in its decree of Indulgences, refers to antiquity, and to what has been established by antient Synods: In which nothing more was taught besides the dispensing, upon due motives, with the rigour of discipline;