THE POWER OF THE PRIESTHOOD IN ABSOLUTION, AND A FEW REMARKS ON CONFESSION; WITH AN APPENDIX, CONTAINING QUOTATIONS FROM THE MOST EMINENT ENGLISH DIVINES. BY WILLIAM COOKE, M.A., VICAR OF GAZELEY WITH KENTFORD, SUFFOLK. Oxford and London: JOHN HENRY AND JAMES PARKER. 1858. 110.6.96. INSCRIBED, WITH MANY PRAYERS FOR THEIR ETERNAL WELFARE, TO THE PARISHIONERS OF GAZELEY AND KENTFORD. PREFACE. EARLY in the present year a neighbouring Clergyman brought against the writer of the following pages the charge of having preached Popish doctrines and blasphemy in a sermon at the re-opening of Lawshall Church. The charge was made in an anonymous letter in a local newspaper under the signature of "Monitor," and was soon transferred into several London journals which are considered to be the organs of a certain party in the Church and of the Dissenters. Feeling that a newspaper is not the proper place for discussing any doctrine of our most Holy Faith, instead of continuing the correspondence, I announced my intention to publish a pamphlet, for the double purpose of defending myself against "Monitor's" attacks, and of re-assuring the minds of many whom the controversy had disturbed. I have confined myself to the discussion of one only of the points to which objection was made; simply, because my remarks on Absolution have run to so great a length. I am, however, fully prepared to prove the other points in the same manner as I have proved the doctrine of Absolution, if ever circumstances should seem to demand it. The publication has been delayed from a desire to leave unsearched the works of no one English Divine who has written on Absolution. Every quotation has been copied by my own hand, and (I believe) fairly and impartially. Had time allowed, the list of quotations in the Appendix b |