d. xxxiv.
6, 7. The Lord passed by before him and proclaimed, "The Lord God,
merciful--_forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin_."

The blessed Saviour, in his memorable prayer, teaches us to address
our supplication, not to the minister, but to our _heavenly Father_,
"forgive us our sins," &c., Luke xi. 4. He says nothing, nor does any
writer of the Old or New Testament _say a word_ about advising a resort
to the priest or minister to obtain forgiveness of sins. The same truth
is taught in a multitude of other passages. We refer the reader to a
few: Eph. iv. 32; Acts viii. 22; 1 John i. 9; Matth. ix. 6; Mark xi. 25;
1 Kings viii. 30; 2 Chron. vii. 14; Psalm lxxxvi. 5; Jerem. xxxi. 34;
Dan. ix. 19.

(_b_) The very fact, that sin is committed essentially _against God_,
is a violation of _his_ law, implies that no other being, not even an
angel or archangel, much less a man, can forgive it, "Against thee,
thee only have I sinned," said the Psalmist, "and done this evil in
thy sight."

(_c_) The offers of pardon in God's Word, are all _conditional_ and
_general_, and these alone has the minister the right to proclaim,
either to a congregation or to an individual. The implication of the
promise to individuals is made by the Holy Spirit, working faith in the
individual, or enabling him to trust in Christ. "Being justified by
faith, we have peace with God," and this peace is the believer's
evidence, is the Testimony of the Spirit, that our sins are forgiven.

(_d_) The actual pardon of individuals by God, depends on their
possessing the moral fitness required by him. It is based on their
having performed the prescribed moral conditions sincerely, of which
none but the Omniscient Jehovah can certainly judge; hence, even the
declarative annunciation of pardon to individuals, is not only
unauthorized but dangerous. Because, even if conditionally announced,
the formality of the absolution, and the fact that the church has made
a _special rite_ of it, are calculated to beget the idea, especially in
the unintelligent, that the granting of absolutions by the minister, is
proof of the genuineness of their faith, and reality of their pardon.

(_e_) Finally, the doctrine of ministerial absolution, or the supposed
sin-forgiving power of the ministry, is inconsistent with the doctrine,
that justification or pardon can be attained only by a living faith in
Jesus Christ, a doctrine of cardinal importance in the eyes of the
Reforme