That the Church was intrusted with such an authority

by Christ, and hath in every age exercised this authority, must be acknowledged by all, who are not strangers to Scripture and Church-history. St. Paul had justly excommunicated the incestuous Corinthian; but, in confideration of the fervour of his repentance, he restored him again to the facraments and the communion of the faithful, in confequence of the power of loofing, as well as binding, which Christ had left in the Church. And in the pri mitive ages we meet with nothing more frequent, than a relaxation of the canonical pennances at the intreaties and request of the Martyrs.

The following decree therefore of the Council of Trent, Seff. 24 de Reform. cannot but be applauded by every fober and difpaffionate man. "As the power of bestowing Indul

gences was granted by Christ to the Church, and as the "Church, even in the most early ages, made use of this "power...the holy fynod teacheth and appointeth the ufe " of indulgences, fo very falutary to Chriftian people, and "approved of by the authority of the facred Councils, "to be retained in the Church...but defires that modera" tion should be used in the grant of them, according to "the ancient and approved use of the Church; left, by " too much ease, the discipline of the Church be enerva"ted. But defiring likewife that the abuses that have

crept therein may be corrected, she orders in general "the abolishing all traffick for gaining the fame." And defires all the Bishops to apply "proper remedies to what"ever abufes may have arisen from fuperftition, ignorance, "and irreverence, in the ufe thereof."

The conditions upon which alone we can receive the effects of any Indulgence, are, 1. To be truly forry for our fins.

2. To have a fincere defire of fatisfying for them. 3. To fatisfy as far as is in our power. 4. To have obtained the remiffion of fin as to the guilt of it. 5. To fulfil the acts of religion prescribed for the obtaining the Indulgence; fuch as fafting, praying, vifiting churches, giving alms, receiving the blefied Eucharift, &c.

The PRAYER.

Almighty and everlasting God, it is with conΟ fufion of countenance and contrition of heart that I present myself in this posture of humility on my bended knees before thy divine Majesty, whom I have offended most grievously by my manifold crimes and offences. Great hath been their enormity, and such as thy justice would have punished with eternal torments, had not thy mercy interposed, and saved me from thy wrath by the blood of thy holy only Son, which hath been applied to my foul by thy minifter in the facrament of pennance. Thou haft again therefore, in thy infinite goodness, admitted me into favour: thou hast placed me again at thy table with thy children, and fed me with the food of life, and the bread of Angels. But I can never forget my past ingratitude to thee, O my God, my Father, and my King. I deteft again all the crimes I have ever committed against thy divine Majesty. I acknowledge, that tho thou haft taken away my fins, there remaineth yet a punishment due to them. The difcipline of thy Church, tho' ever unchangeable in the spirit that guides and directs it, requires no longer those external rigours of pennance formerly practised, and which I know the enormity of fins demand; but thy justice is ftill the fame, and fin must still be fatisfied for. This, my God, I have in fome measure endeavoured to do, and will still increase my efforts to perform in the best manner I am able.

But do thou, O God, confirm and ratify what thy Vicar on earth hath done. He hath opened the treafures of the Church, and I may now apply to my foul the fuperabundant merits of Jesus Christ, thy only Son, and those of all his faints, which are his own gifts in them, to fupply all the defects of the fatisfaction I have or may perform for my fins.

Accept therefore the alms, fasts, and prayers which I offer to thy divine Majesty. I pray not for myself only, but for the whole Catholick Church all over the world. For the fupreme Paftor thereof, the fucceffor of St. Peter, the chief of thy Apostles: for the Prelate, to whom thou hast committed the care of thy flock in this district, and for all the Paftors, who labour under him in the falvation of fouls: for the Prince appointed by thee for the government of these realms. I pray also for all Christian Princes, that they may live in peace and perfect concord, and avoid all the profanations, horrors, and devastations of war. Look down also, in thy mercy, on all those unhappy fouls that know not thee, the true and living God, or refufe to believe those truths thou hast revealed to thy holy Catholick Church, or obftinately remain feparate therefrom, and by fchifm destroy that unity, which thy only-begotten Son appointed to be kept by all his difciples. Grant this my humble petition. I befeech thee, O almighty God, thro' the fame Jefus Chrift thy Son our Lord, who with thee and the Holy Ghost liveth and reigneth one God world without end.

Amen.

A PROFESSION

Of the CATHOLICK FAITH published by Pope PIUS IV. usually made by Graduates, &c. in Catholick Countries.

I

N. N. with a firm faith believe and profess all and every one of those things, which are contained in the Creed, which the holy Catholick Church maketh use of, viz. I believe in one God, the Father almighty, &c. in the Nicene Creed, at Mofs.

I most stedfastly admit and embrace Apoftolical and Ecclefiaftical traditions, and all other observances and conftitutions of the church.

I also admit the holy Scripture according to that sense which our holy Mother, the Church, hath held, and doth hold, to which it belongs to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the Scriptures: neither will I ever take and interpret them otherwise than according to the unanimous confent of the Fathers.

I alfo profess, that there are truly and properly Seven Sacraments of the new law, instituted by Jefus Christ our Lord, and necessary for the falvation of mankind; tho' not all for every one, viz. Baptifm, Confirmation, Eucharift, Pennance, ExtremeUnction, Order, and Matrimony; and that they confer grace: and that of these, Baptism, Confirmation, and Order cannot be reiterated without facrilege. I also receive and admit the received and approved Ceremonies of the Catholick Church in the folemn administration of all the aforesaid facraments.

I embrace and receive all and every one of the things which have been defined and declared in the holy Council of Trent, concerning Original Sin and Justification.

I profess likewise, that in the Mafs there is offered to God, a true, proper, and propitiatory facrifice for the living and the dead. And that in the most holy facrament of the Eucharift, there is truly, really, and fubftantially the body and blood, together with the foul and divinity of our Lord Jesus Chrift: and that there is made a conversion or change of the whole fubftance of the bread into the body, and of the whole suistance of the wine into the blood; which conversion or change the Catholick Church calls transubstantiation. I also confess that under either kind alone Christ is received whole and entire, and a true facrament.

I constantly hold that there is a Purgatory, and that the fouls therein detained are helped by the fuffrages of the faithful.

Likewife that the Saints reigning together with Chrift are to be honoured, and invocated, and that they offer prayers to God for us; and that their relicks are to be respected.

I most firmly affert, that the Images of Christ, of the ever-Virgin-mother of God, and alfo of other Saints ought to be had and retained; and that due honour and veneration is to be given to them.

I also affirm that the power of Indulgences was left by Christ in the Church, and that the use of them is most wholesome to Christian people.

I acknowledge the holy, Catholick, Apostolick, Roman Church for the Mother and Mistress of all other Churches, and I promise true obedience to the Bishop of Rome, successor to St. Peter, Prince of the Apostles, and Vicar of Jesus Christ.

I likewise undoubtedly receive and profess all other things delivered, defined, and declared by the facred Canons and general Councils, and particularly by the holy Council of Trent. And I condemn, reject, and anathematize all things contrary thereto, and all herefies whatsoever condemned, rejected, and anathematized by the Church.

This true Catholick Faith, without which no one can be saved, I N. N. do at this present freely profess and fincerely hold; and I promise most constantly to retain and confess the fame entire, and unviolated, with God's assistance, to the end of my life.

I

The DECLARATION

OF THE

AUTHOR.

SUBMIT WHATEVER IS CONTAINED IN THIS WORK TO THE JUDGMENT OF THE APOSTOLICK SEE, (WHEREIN RESIDES THE VISIBLE HEAD OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST ON EARTH) TO THAT OF THE

APOSTOLICK VICARS IN ENGLAND, AND OF THE WHOLE CATHOLICK CHURCH, IN WHOSE COMMUNION I HOPE, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, TO LIVE AND

DIE.

April 17, 1763.

C. C. C. A-D. A.