The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 17Dryden, John
General
The works of John Dryden, now first collected in eighteen volumes. Volume 17
Dryden, John
English literature
(2.) As to confession, no doubt the word is often used in scripture,
and therefore easily found. But the question between us is not about
the usefulness, or advantage, of confession in particular cases; but
the necessity of it in all cases, in order to remission of sins. And I
can hardly believe any bishop of our church would ever say to her, that
confession, in this sense, was ever commanded by God; for then he must
be damned himself, if he did not confess every known sin to a priest.
But some general expressions might be used, that confession of sin was
commanded by God; “confess your sins one to another:” but here is nothing
of a particular confession to a priest necessary, in order to forgiveness
of sin.
(3.) As to praying for the dead, it is hard to find any place of
scripture which seems to have any tendency that way, unless it be with
respect to the day of judgment, and that very doubtfully. But how came
this great person to think it not possible to be saved in our church,
unless we prayed for the dead? How did this come to be a point of
salvation? And, for the practice of it, she saith, the bishops told her
they did it daily. Whether they did it or not, or in what sense they did
it, we cannot now be better informed; but we are sure this could be no
argument for her to leave the communion of our church, because she was
told by these bishops they did it, and continued in the communion of it.
(4.) Lastly; as to the infallibility of the church; if this, as applied
to the Roman church, could be any where found in scripture, we should
then indeed be to blame not to submit to all the definitions of it.
But where is this to be found? Yes, Christ hath promised to be with
his church to the end of the world; not with his church, but with his
apostles: And if it be restrained to them, then the end of the world is
no more than always. But suppose it be understood of the successors of
the apostles; were there none but at Rome? How comes this promise to be
limited to the church of Rome; and the bishops of Antioch and Alexandria,
and all the other eastern churches (where the bishops as certainly
succeeded the apostles as at Rome itself) not to enjoy the equal benefit
of this promise? But they who can find the infallibility of the church of
Rome in scripture, need not despair of finding whatever they have a mind
to there.
But from this promise she concludes, that our Saviour would not permit
the church to give the laity the communion in one kind, if it were
not lawful so to do. Now, in my opinion, the argument is stronger the
other way: the church of Rome forbids the doing of that, which Christ
enjoined; therefore it cannot be infallible, since the command of Christ
is so much plainer than the promise of infallibility to the church of
Rome.
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