again, three centuries after, the belief is still as strong as
ever. That which we thought dead is alive again, and not likely it
seems, to die. Recent revelations have shown that confession is daily
made in the country whose natural manners are most against it; private
absolution asked by English men and given by English priests. A fact
so significant might lead us well to pause, and ask ourselves whether
we have found the true answer to the question. The negation we have
got--the vehement denial; we are weary of its reiteration: but the
positive truth which lies at the bottom of this craving--where is
that?

Parliaments and pulpits, senators and clergymen, have vied with each
other in the vehemence with which they declare absolution
un-Christian, un-English. All that is most abominable in the
confessional has been with unsparing and irreverent indelicacy forced
before the public mind. Still, men and women, whose holiness and
purity are beyond slander's reach, come and crave assurance of
forgiveness. How shall we reply to such men? Shall we say, "Who is
this that speaketh blasphemies? who can forgive sins, but God only?"
Shall we say it is all blasphemy; an impious intrusion upon the
prerogatives of the One Absolver? Well, we may; it is _popular_ to say
we ought; but you will observe, if we speak so, we do no more than the
Pharisees in this text: we establish a negation; but a negation is
only one side of truth.

Moreover, we have been asserting that for 300 years, with small
fruits. We keep asserting, Man cannot give assurance that sin is
pardoned; in other words, man cannot absolve: but still the heart
craves human assurance of forgiveness. What truth have we got to
supply that craving? We shall therefore, rather try to fathom the
deeps of the positive truth which is the true reply to the error; we
shall try to see whether there is not a real answer to the craving
contained in the Redeemer's words, "The Son of Man hath power on earth
to forgive sins." What power is there in human forgiveness? What does
absolution mean in the lips of a son of man? These are our questions
for to-day. We shall consider two points.

I. The impotency of the negation.
II. The power of the positive truth.

The Pharisees denied the efficacy of human absolution: they said,
"None can forgive sins, but God only:" that was a negation. What did
they effect by their system of negations? They conferr