It is true that the priests of the Old Law had regulations from God, through Moses, which they had to follow, by which they could see and say whether, or not, the leprosy was gone.
"If the plague spread not on the skin ... the priest shall clean him ... but if the priest see that the scab spread on the skin, it is leprosy: he shall "unclean" him. (Septuagint, Levit. xiii. 3. 6.)
So Christ had given to his apostles and his whole church equally, infallible rules and marks to determine whether, or not, the spiritual leprosy was gone, that they might clean the leper and tell him,
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I clean thee, or I unclean thee. |
I forgive thy sins, or I retain thy sins. |
I would have, indeed, many passages of the Old and New Testaments to copy, were it my intention to reproduce all the marks given by God Himself, through his prophets, or by Christ and apostles, that His ambassadors might know when they should say to the sinner that he was delivered from his iniquities. I will give only a few.
First: "And he said unto them, go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature:
"He that believeth and is baptised, shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be damned." (Mark xvi. 15, 16.)
What a strange want of memory in the Saviour of the world! He has entirely forgotten that "Auricular Confession," besides Faith and Baptism are necessary to be saved! To those who believe and are baptised, the apostles and the church are authorised by Christ to say: "You are saved! your sins are forgiven! I clean you!"
Second: "And when ye come into an house, salute it.
"And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.