126 `Ihe LI F E}' of the Parr lli Anfw. r. The miftake had no Caufe in the Words: There was no ex- clnfion of any Parifh-Minifter' mentisned, who is ailliag2 no, nor any Excufe of any that is unwilling, from any other Office in Vification; but only that the unwilling may not be forced to abfolve any in thofe abfolüteWords [I abfolve thee from all thy Sins] when hebelieveth verily that thePerfon is Impenitent. But I had no thought, orword of excluding any Prier, as is here fitfpefted. s. But as the Church of Rome alloweth Men to ceintofs to what Prier they pleafe, I know not how you can hinder any dying, Man from doing it, with-. out' fetting a Guard upon his Doors, or forbiddí y any, fave the Parifh-Prieft, to vifit him, which is inhumane. This day, while 1 was writing this, a Parifh- Minirer came to pie to lament his Sin, and told rae that he had lived idly, and wickedly at the Univerfity, and ever line, and had taken the Mlnil'try on him, without any regard to his own Soul,and the Peoples, and had nri Learning, or Knowledge fcarce of the Catechifm; and that he had not read any Divinity, in Latin or Engle, but only out of two or three Engtifh Books, patched up fome Sermons; not underfandtng á Laths Author, nor having read others I asked him how he got ordained : He faid, that was eafie by Friends, dec. And that he was going to put himfelf into a Plavhoufe, becaufe his Living was but forty Pound per Annum, but God convinced him by theway. Now 1 would know, If I lie dying in filch a Patiih, mutt I confefs my Sin to no Man but filch an one as this? Why make you not the fame Laws about Phyficians, that no Man muff take any other than fach a Sot, if it be his Lot to be appointed him ? Why may not I confefsmy Sins to more than one? Yea, to my Friend that is no Prieft ? Prop. id. Let the words at Burial whichimport theJuftification and Salvationof the Deceafedbe left to the Minifter's difcretion, who bath known the Perfon's Life and Death. " Strict. As to leaving the Omiff:on, or ufe of thefe Words, (which they " point to) in the Burial of the Dead to the difcretionof the Minifter, what is it but to give him Power' of Sainting, or Damning Whom he plea- " feth ? ] Anf. They are not only Chrift's Minifters, but yours, if net your Cryers, or Slaves, if they may not he trufed with the fpeaking, or n fpeaking of a Word, in fo weighty a Cafe. There are, I rill fee, greater matters than Ceremonies that we differ in. The Cafe is this--- [There fivarm among no now many open profeifed Infidels, that openly deride Chrift and the the Scripture, and plead againft the Immortality of the Soul, and many againft the Being of God : There are many Papirs, Hereticks Schifmaticks, common Adulte- rers, openly owning it, Fornicators, Drunkards, Binfphemers; many have been Condemned for Treafon, Murder, Theft, Lc. The Conformirs themfelves Preach, and write that fach cannot be faved without true converting Repent- ance : We are commandedat the Burial of all Men to fay thefe Words [Foras- much as it bath pleafed Almighty God, of his great n-'ercy, to take unto himfelf the Soul of our dear Brother here departed] and [me give thee hearty Thanks for that it bath ?leafed thee to deliver, this our Brother out of, &c. and [that sue may rep in him, as our Hope is, this our brother loth : ] Thefe words import the Perfon's Juftification, and Salvation. We are -to except no Perfon from this form of Burial, except, t. Thofe that die unbaptized (though the Children of true Believers:) a. The Excommunicate (though for not paving fees, or not con- forming againft Confcience. ) 3. And thofe that have laid violent Hands on themfelves, ( though true Believers in a Fever, Frenzy, or Diftra`ction:) Some die in the of of Dnmkennefs, fain murder each other in Duels, and that in Drnnkennefs (as lately was done near my Door,) fone fcorn the Minifter- and the Gofpel to the death : Now we muff openly pronounce all thefe Saved, for fear of having Power to Saint, and Damn whom we will : But we appeal SO humanity it felf. Qu. t.
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