if it be exercised as our Lord commandeth And S. Chrysostom when he noted that our Sauiour hauing asked S. Peter if he loued him more then others bad him not enter into Religion but to feed his sheep And the Apostle Philippens 1. chose rather to help souls then to be in heauen with Christ so much they esteemed pastorall care of souls SIXTEENTH CHAPTER That it is better to confess to a Priest who hath charge of souls then to one who hath not because he is necessarie to the good gouerment of the Church not others 1. THat Priests who haue charge of souls as Curats are necessarye to the good gouerment of the Church is euident by what hath been sayd before that they are immediatly appointed by Christ and by the profession of the Church that they are such as were the 70. elders in the wilderness and as simple Priests were in the Synagog Secondly because as in an armye naturall reason teacheth vs that not onely a Generall is necessarie but allso Captains of troupes and vnder them sergeāts and Corporalls who cōmand immediatly euerye particular soldier so reason will teach vs in the Church which is like to an Armye beside the Pope who is Generall ād Byshops who are Captaines of seuerall Dioceses there should be vnder them Curats who in euerye parish should immediatly command and gouerne euery particular Christiā And the same we see in euerye kingdome where besides the King and Lieutenāts of shires there are Constables in euerye village Thirdly because Priests who haue charge of souls are of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie and who are of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie are necessarie for the good gouerment of the Church For God and nature as they faile not in necessaryes so they abound not in superfluityes Fourthly because Suarez as we saw aboue in the former Chapter granteth that Curats are necessarie to the good gouerment of the Church and saluation of souls Fiftly because the Church in all ages and in all places where she could institute Priests with charge of souls did institute them and deuided Christian people into distinct parishes and lately the Councel of Trent commanded it to be done sess 21. c. 4. sess 24. c. 13. Therefor she iudgeth such to be necessarie to her good gouermēt otherwise she would not so generally and so continually haue practised it and allso command it Whereby we see that if any will hinder or disswade the erectiō of Curats or diuision of Catholicks into Parishes they doe against the generall and continuall practise of the Church and against her good gouerment and the commandement of the Councel of Trent But that such Priests as haue no charge of souls are not necessary to the good gouermēt of the Church is euident because such haue no authoritie at all to gouern because such were not instituted by Christ because the Church for manye ages had no such nor euer commanded such to be instituted or vsed And sith euerye one seeth of what importance the good gouerment of the Church is euerye one may thereby fee of what greater importance it is to haue Priests with charge of souls rather then to haue others SEAVENTEENTH CHAP. That it is better to confess to a priest hauing charge of souls then to an other proued by the comparison of the speciall motiues to confess to others 1. HItherto we haue spoken of the spirituall motiues to confels to Priests who haue charge of the souls of their Penitents rather then to others which as we haue seen are very manye and allso weightye now we will see the spirituall motiues which may be pretended that it is better to confess to others And I will omitt all temporall motiues thereto because they are vnfittād vnworthye to be mentioned when there is question or deliberation which kinde of Confessors are the best for the glorie of God and spirituall good of Penitents The first spirituall motiue First motiue to goe to what approued Confessor one will may be that such libertie doth in manye Penitents help to make entire cōfessions more then would be if they did euer confess to him who hath charge of their souls by reason of their bashfulness or some other human weakness True it is that libertye to confess to what approued Confessor one will helpeth manye to make entire confessiōs more then restraint to one approued Contritiō and amandment of life of more importance then Confession for thē by the Church but doth it not hinder as many to haue true contrition and absolute purpose to amend what they doe confess And seing contritiō is far more necessarie and a more principall parte of the sacrament of pennance thē Confession is because contrition may saue one without Cōfession when a Priest cannot be had but Confession without contrition will doe no good if restraint to confess to such as haue charge of our souls help more to contritiō and resolute purpose of amendment oflife then libertye of confessing to what Priest one will doth it must needs be better because it more helpeth to the more principall parte of the sacrament which is contrition and allso more to the end of the sacrament which is forgiueness of sinns and amendment of life and a true Penitent will more regard that which more helpeth him to the more necessarie part of the sacrament of Pennance which is contrition and allso to the end of the sacrament which is forgiueness of sinns and amendment of his life then that which helpeth him more to the less necessarie parte of this sacrament which is entire confession of his sinns 2. An other motiue to leaue Second motiue the Confessor who hath charge of souls and to cōfess to others may be that thereby the sacrament of Pennance is more frequented thē otherwise it would be but notwithstāding this we should rather seeke what helpeth to receiue this sacrament better then what helpeth to receiue it oftner Because to receiue it better though seldomer profiteth much whereas to receiue it oftener but not better profiteth little And as we haue shewed confessing to ones proper Priest who hath charge of souls helpeth much to confess better then liberty◠to confess to what Priest one will doth 3. A third motiue may be that Third motiue diuers sorts of Confessors who haue not charge of the souls of their Penitents can commonly giue greater Indulgences then such as haue charge of souls cā giue To this I answer that this motiue hath little place in England where all Priests can giue sufficient Indulgence Secondly that as Bellarmin lib. 1. de Indulgēt cap. 11. well monisheth after S. Thomas Regular discipline must not be broken or relaxed for gayning of Indulgences And if not regular discipline much less Ecclesiasticall discipline which is of more importance then regular discipline as the Church is of more importance then anye regular order Thirdly that sith absolution from sinn is of farr greater importance thē Indulgence because that is forgiueness
A TREATISE OF THE BEST KINDE OF CONFESSORS By which Preists in England may see how they may be and lay Catholiks see how they may chuse the best kinde of Confessors Composed by the most Reuerend Father in God RICHARD Bishop of Chalcedon Pastor of the Catholike in England 1. Thimothe 5. v. 17. The Preists that rule wel let them be esteemed worthie of duble honor Can. Qui vult de Poenitent D. 6. who wil confess let him confess To the best Preist he can Printed An. 1651. A TREATISE OF THE BEST KINDE OF CONFESSORS Presented to the vertuous Seminarist and Regular Priests and Catholiks in England REVEREND PRIESTS both Seminarists and Regulares and beloued Lay Catholiks in England my intention in composing this sim all Treatise of the best kinde of Confessors is not to disparrage any kinde of Confessor allowed and approued by the Catholike Church and much lesse to abridge anie of their Faculties or libertie to heare the Confessions and absolue whomsoeuer come to them but leauing all Priests with all faculties and libertie of confessing which they haue onely to shew such Priests as desire by being Confessors to procure the greater glorie of God the greater good and merit to their owne souls and the greater spirituall profit to the souls of their Penitents what kinde of Confessors they ought to be for to procure this And in like manner my intention is not to abridge in anie sorte the libertie which Lay Catholiks haue to confess to what kinde of approued Priest they will or to put them to more charges of maintayning Priests or to bring them to more danger of the lawes by vsing such as I propose to them but leauing them with all the libertie to confess to what kinde of approued Priest they will and to contribute no more to maintenance of more Priests then they doe onely to propose vnto them what kinde of Priests are best for them for the greater glorie of God and greater spirituall good of their souls leauing it as I sayd free to their choyse whether they will vse them or no or contribute particularly to their maintenance or no. By which meanes they may haue both such Confâ—ssors as they haue and allso better kiâ—de of Câ—â—fessors then they haue had allmost these hundred yeares For it hath euer seemed to me a lamentable case of English Catholicks that whereas Catholicks in Catholick countryes and allso in Zeland and Holland haue two kindes of approued Confessors to wit such as huue pastorall Charge of the souls of their Penitents and such allso as haue not that pastorall charge but onely lawfull power to absolue them Catholickes in Englad allmost these hundred Catholicks in EnglaÌ„nd allmost these huÌ„dred yeares haue wanted Priests with charge of souls yeares haue had but one kinde to witt Confessors without pastor all charge os souls and haue wanted such Confessors as should haue had such charge of their souls which as I shall shew clearly were the far better kinde of Confessors and more needfull to Catholicks especialy of the peorcr sorie who are not able to maintaine peculiar Priests and yet for whose good Confessors were equally instituted by God And howsoeuer some will deny that Confessors with pastorall charge of souls are better for the good of Penitents then Confessors who haue no such charge none can deny but that it is better for the good of Penitents that there be Confessors with charge of souls then that there be none and that there be more kindes of Confessors which they may chuse then that there be but one kinde especially when they may haue them both without any restraint of their libertie to vse whether they will and with no more danger or charges to them And particulerly this will be better for the poerer sorte of Catholicks who shall hereby haue such Confessors as shall be bound to administer Sacraments vnto them in what danger of sickness or war soeuer which sacraments sometimes they haue wanted for want of sueh Conâ—â—ssors For my part I am fully of opinion of the Catechisine ad Parochos cap. De Poenitentiae Sacramento sect 32. eomposed by order of the Councell of Trent and sett forth by authoritie of the Sea Apostolick that what holines pietie and religion remaineth in the Church is in great part to be attributed to Confession and therefor I make this Treatise of the best kinde of Confessors and intend God willing to make the like Treatise of the best Penitent Perhaps there neuer was in the Church more frequenting of Confession then of late hath been but whether it be for the fault of Confessors or of Penitents or of both there doth not appeare such amendement of life as iustly may be expected of the greater frequentation of this sacrament and which without doubt it would effect if it were frequented in such sorie as it should be FIRST CHAPTER The trw state of the question Concerning the best kinde af Confessors plainly sett down THERE be two kindes of lawfull Confessors the one hath pastorall charge of the souls of his Penitents the other hath no such charge a S. Bonauenturae dâ— pauper Christi p. 422. S. Thomas 2. 2. q. 188. art 4. Bellar. l. 2. dâ— Monachis c. 45. Rodriques to 1. q. 35. art â— Now the question is whether of these two kindes of Confessors is of it self the better that is more for the glorie of God more for the spirituall good and merit of the Confessor himself and also for the greater spirituall profit of the Penitents souls I say of it self because I consider these dâ—fferent functions onely in themselues abstracting from the different persons in which they are and also fron their diferent qualities of learning vertue discretion and such like or if you will supposing these two different kindes of Confessors to be equall or not much vnequall for learning vertue discretion and such like qualities fitt to be in the persons of lawfull Confessors And these two different Confessors Inwhat all good Confessors agree agree in that that both are approued of the Church both haue lawfull power or authoritie to absolue their Penitents and the absolution of both is valid and vndoubted and allso both ought to receiue their functions and. execute them for the loue of God and good of their Penitents but they differ in manie other and weightie points as shall hereafter appeare for which the one kinde is iustly to be preferred before the other SECOND CHAPTER That the comparing of the sayd two different kindes of Confessors ought not to be offensiue to anye good Priest or Catholick but rather gratefull THat the comparing of the two said kindes of Confessors ought not to be offensiue to anye good Priest or Catholik is euident First because as I sayd I compare I. onely the sayd different functions in themselues not touching any persons or state of Preists Secondly because II. it much importeth both for Priests and Catholiks to know
such as hear confessions without charge of the souls of their Penitents proper Priests was but deuised for to shew that Regulars did not heare confessions against the foresayd Canon of the Councel of Lateran which shift is needless for though they be not proper Priests they hear confessions by leaue of the Pope and Bishops and therefor no more offend against that Canon then such Priests doe who hear Confessions by leaue of the Parish Priest Moreouer P. Vrbain 2. in Canon Placuit P. Vrbain 2. de Paenitentia D. 6. ordaineth thus we will that no Priest admit to confession any that is vnder the charge of an other vnless it be for the ignorance of him to whom he confessed before And P. Benedict P Benedict XI XI Can. inter cunctos We stirctly command that Fryars carefully admonish them whose Confessions they heare and exhort in their sermons to confess to their Priests att least once a yeare affirming that doubtless â—his is Doubtless profitable profitable to their souls And this semeth to haue been the intent of the Councel of Trent which sess 25. c. 13. commandeth that where Parochiall Parish to be appointed The Councel of Trent would haue confessions to be made to Parish Priests Churches haue no certain bounds nor their Rectores certain people whome to gouern but indifferently minister sacraments to such as demand them the holy Synod commandeth Byshops for the greater saifty of souls committed to them that the people being deuided into certain peculiar Parishes they appoint to euery one their perpetuall and proper Parish Priest who may know them and of whom alone they may lawfully receaue sacraments or prouide some other better way as the condicion of the place requireth And sess 14. c. 9. Dioceses and Parishes were most reasonably diuided and proper Pastors giuen to each flock and Rectors of inferior Churches who should haue euery one care of his sheep that Ecclesiasticall order be not confounded 2. Neither is the foresayd Canon of the Lateran Councel abrogated For allbeit some say that P. Leo X. hath declared that who confess to Mendicants doe satisfy the obligation of the sayd Canon yett that declaration doth not abrogate the sayd Canon but rather sheweth that it bindeth still by saying that men by confessing to Mendicants See CoÌ„cil TrideÌ„t sess 14. Can. 58. Sixtus 4. and Martin 5. suprá doe satisfy the obligation of that Canon and onely sheweth that the Mendicants hearing of Confessions by the Popes leaue is not contrary to the obligation of that Canon as other Priests hearing Confessions by leaue of the Parish Priest are not contrary to the same See more of this in Nauarre in C. Placuit D. 6. n. 121. Gamach de Paenitent c. 18. Henriquez de Paenitent l. 2. c. 16. And though the sayd Canon or law were abrogated and did not binde now att all that would no way weaken the force of my argument taken from the iudgement of the Church For she hauing both by a Generall Councel and allso by Bulls of diuers Popes seuerly commanded Catholicks to confess to Preists who haue charge of their souls and neuer commanded them to confess to such as haue no such charge but onely permitted them so to doe by reason as S. Thomas sayd of the too great multitude of Penitents of the insufficiency of some Priests who haue charge of souls she clearly sheweth that she iudgeth it of it self better for Catholicks to confess to such priests as haue charge of their souls then to those who haue not that charge For doubteless she iudgeth that better for her children to doe which she so often so seuerely and for so many ages hath commanded them to doe then that which she neuer commanded them to doe nor perhaps would permitt them to doe if the too great multitude of penitents and insufficiency of many Priests who haue charge of souls did not force her to permitt it NINTH CHAPTER That it is better for Penitents to confess to a Priest who hath charge of their souls then to others proued by the iudgement of those who were Confessors of Penitents without charge of souls 1. IT is so euident that of itself it is better for Penitents to confess to Priests who haue charge of souls then to others that euen the cheifest of those who were confessors of Penitents without charge of their souls doe acknowledge it to be better S. Bonauenture a Doctor of S BonaueÌ„ture the Church and Generall of the Franciscans writeth thus in 4. D. 17. q. 2. n. 108. I beleeue Euer good that if the Parish Priest be fitt that it is euer good that the Paenitent be remitted to him of whomsoeuer he is heard And num 105. wherefore it is to be beleeued that all Paris hioners whensoeuer and Are bound how often soeuer they confess to such Mendicants are bound to confess to their proper Priests if they be good and sufficient and exact it and wil not otherwise be content And this I say at least once a yeare Ibidem And therefor it Wholesome Counsel is wholesome Counsel for all theise to be remitted to their proper Priests that if they be not content with that Confession they be heard againe Angelus Vicar Angelus Generall of the sayd Franciscans and Commissary to Pope Sixtus IV. in his Summe Verbo Confessio 4. num 33. It is I after for many causes safer to confess to our owne Priest or Prelate then to an other for many deceits and vnleawfulnesses which are in other Deputies Wherfore I allways aduise that none leaue his owne Parish Priest for an other Deputy vnless it clearly appeare that he whome he hath chosen be of good conscience and sufficient skill and that more then his owne Parish Priest For if there be any defect in his owne Parish Priest the Penitent is more excused in confessing to him then to an other because superiors in appointing him doe seeme to approue him for sufficient Scotus Scotus the cheifest diuine among the same Franciscans in 4. d. 5. q. 6. sayeth We should allwayes chuse that Confessor caeteris paribus Caeteris parâ—bus to whome that belongeth by office And Confessor by office none is but he who hath charge of souls Richardus de Media villa Richardus de media villa an other great Franciscan Doctor in 4. D. 17. q. 1. Allbeit in some cases it were better for one to chuse a Confessor as be would then to be bound to confess to his ordinary yett it were not profitable Not profitable for the CoÌ„munity S. Thomas for the Communitye that it should be lawfull for euery one to chuse his Confessor 2. S. Thomas an other Doctor of the Church and chefest Doctor of the Dominicans in Supplemento q. 8. art 5. ad 4. writeth thus Werefore it is God good that he who heareth Confessions by auctority of the Bishop doe perswade the Penitent to confess to his proper Priest
meritorious and allso more satisfactorious 1. THe ninth proof that it is better for a Penitent to confess to one who hath charge of his soul then to an other we will take from that it is both more meritorious and also more satisfactorious That it is more meritorious I proue first because it is more meritorious to confess to such Confessors as God hath both instituted and commanded vs to confess vnto and allso the Church for many ages hath commanded then to such as men haue instituted and nether God nor the Church euer commanded vs to confess vnto but we chuse of our selues For in the one we fullfill God and the Churches will and in theother we fullfill our owne will And surely it is more meritorious to fullfill Gods and the Churches will then to fullfill our owne because there is more obedience to God and to the Church and allso more humility But Curats who haue charge of souls are of the first sorte and who haue no charge of souls are of the latter Secondly I proue it because commonly it is harder to confess to ones Curate who hath charge of our souls and authority to gouuernevs then to another whome we chuse our selues and who hath no authority to gouerne vs because ordinarily men are more loath to discouer their imperfections to their Superiors with whome they commonly conuerse then to others who are not their Superiors and who may be such as they neuer saw before nor perhapps shall see afterwards And where is the greater difficultye there is the greater vertue and merit to ouercome And hence allso appeareth why it is more satisfactorious for where there is See Nauarre de Indulg notab 3. n. 13. greater paine or difficultye there is allso the greater satisfaction 2. Thirdly I proue it to be more meritorious because in confessing to such as the Church apointeth and commandeth at least once a yeare we conserue the order and discipline of the Church but in confessing to whom we chuse our selues we doe not keep that order or discipline And how great a good it is to conserue the order and discipline of the Church and what great harme may come by not obseruing it we may see by the great account which Regulars make of their Regular order and discipline as we heard * Cap. 11. before And if they make such account of their Regular discipline and esteeme it so great merit to obserue it how much more ought good children of the Church to obserue and esteeme the discipline of the Church she being incomparably to be esteemed aboue all regular orders and her discipline instituted by more sure assistance of the holy Ghost aÌ„d allso for more glorie of God and good of souls wherefor if there be great merit in obseruing regular discipline there is far more in obseruing the Churches Ecclesiasticall discipline and if greater harme come of breaking that more cometh in breaking this without iust cause Fourthly I proue that it is more meritorious to confess to ones Curate who hath charge of his soul then to an other because that conserueth and increaseth that spirituall and holy loue which ought to be between a Pastor and his sheep whereof we shall speak more hereafter and allso maintaineth his spirituall auctority which he hath to gouerne them whereas by leauing our Pastor and confessing to whome we will we diminish both his loue and his authority But it is far more meritorious to conserue the Pastors loue and authority then any way to diminish it as it is euident THIRTEENTH CHAP. That it is better for a Penitent to confess to a Parish Priest who hath charge of his soul then to an other because great commodities and no inconueniencie cometh bythat and many inconueniencies come by this 1. THat all commodityes which can be gotten by the Sacrament of pennance may be had by confessing to a Priest who hath charge of souls and no inconueniencie can come thereby is euident because such a Confessor is of Gods institution and the proper minister of that sacrament And all commodityes which can be had by a sacrament may be had by the proper minister thereof instituted by God himself And likewise no inconueniencie can come by confessing to such an officer as is properly appointed by God But if there chance to fall out any inconueniencie that riseth of the person not of the office it self But by confessing to others whom we chuse our selues there may rise many and great inconueniencies First is preiudice of the Confessor First inconuenâ—eÌ„cie who hath chargâ— of our souls for it is his right to administer this sacrament to all those of whose souls he hath charge And not to giue to one his right or due is doubtless a preiudice to him Nether leaueth it to be a preiudice to him because leaue is granted to doe it for that will not shew that it is not a true preiudice to him but onely that such preiudice is done with leaue And Nouarre in C. Placuit n. 61. both affirmeth and proueth that it is true preiudice to Curats that their people are permitted to confess to others and it is euident because all taking away of ones right is a preiudice to him though if it be done for iust cause it be no sinn And how carefull the Church was in ancient times to conserue the rights of ordinaries the Catechisme ad Parochos c. de Paenitent The Church here tofore most carefull of the right of ordinaries sect 47. shweth in these words with what religion in times past in the most ancient Church the right of an ordinary Priest was conserued is easily gathered by the ancient Decrees of Fathers by which was ordained that no Bishop nor Priest should dare to doe any thing in an others Parish without his leaue who there gouerned or without some great necessity 2. An other inconueniencie Second inconueniencie is that libertie to confess to what approued Priest one will breaketh discipline of the Church which is that euery one should coÌ„fess at least once a yeare to his proper Priest as is euident by the foresayd Canon of the great Councel of Lateran And a third inconue Third Inconueniencie niencie is that it lesseneth that spirituall loue which ought to be between a Pastor and his sheep whereof we shall speake Fourth Inconueniencie more hereafter And a fourth is that it lesseneth the authority which a Pastor should haue ouer his flock which doubtless would be greater if his sheep did confess to him because naturally men respect and reuerence them more to whoÌ„ they confess their sinns theÌ„ others to whoÌ„ they doe not coÌ„fess And this noteth P. InnoceÌ„t 4. Can. Etsi animarum saying that voluntarie confessors breed contempt and indeuotion against proper Priests I dispute not whether this Bull of Innocent the 4. be reuoked or no because I argue not out of the obligation thereof but out of the truth it sayeth which is that voluntarie Confessors
How can they loue souls to the loss of their liues whome they account not their owne And the reason why God infuseth a speciall loue into a Pastour is because a Pastour must haue a speciall care ouer such as God committeth to his charge more then others need to haue which speciall care he cannot performe without a speciall loue and therefore as God giueth to Pastors a speciall care of his sheep so he giueth them a speciall loue of his sheep which speciall loue he giueth not vsually to others to whome he giueth no speciall care of his sheep For as God and nature doe not faile in things that are necessarie so nether doe they abound in things that are superfluous 4. Fourthly I proue that a good Pastor or proper Priest loueth more his Penitents then an other Priest doth because for the loue of God and of them he bindeth himself to assist them in what danger soeuer and for their sakes vndertaketh the greatest burdeÌ„ that caÌ„be which is to answer soul for soule for euerye one of them And therefor not onely doeth to them all the good which others doe but hindeth himself thereto which others doe not and as †Lib. de Similitudin S. Anselme sayth of them who not onely doe good but allso vow to doe it giueth not onely the fruit but also the tree Whereas other Confessors nether binde themselues to assist their Penitents nor will vndergoe that great burden of answering soul for soul For of Mendicants Rodriquez tom 1. q 35. art 5. writeth that they allwayes refused to put See Regulas Societatis parte 4. c. 2. §. 4. p. 119. the heauye burden of Curats vpon their shoulders And Bellarmin lib. 2. de Monachis c. 45. sayeth They doe not minister spirituall things of due but doe minister them to whom when and where they please without all binding of themselues thereto and therefor cannot aske releef of iustice or due but onely of charitye as they minister spirituall things not out of dutye but onely of charityc Thus he If any say that Pastors or Curats take that bond and burden vpon them for loue of their tithes or reuenews I answer that good Curats or Pastors of souls doe not and I speake of good Curats or such good Confessors as haue charge of souls and I compare them with such good Confessors as haue no charge of souls Secondly as it were against charitye to thinck that such as heare confessions without charge of souls doe it wholly or principally for loue of almes or reward so it were against charitye to thinck the like of good Curats Thirdly none in England who may haue charge of souls could vndertake that burden for loue of tithes or reuenew because there he can expect none And out of all which hath been sayd and proued in this Chapter it will easily appeare that if anye Catholicks in England be not willing to haue such Confessors as loue them more and binde themselues to farr more for their loue then others doe they are not so desirous of their own good and assuredness to be holpen in what need soeuer as in wisedome and in loue to themselues they ough to be and as they would be if it were in matter of their temporal state or temporal life For who would not haue a good corporal Physitian or Aduocat who would binde himself to assist him And if anye should not loue more such a Confessor as loueth him farr more then an other and vndertaketh the greatest bond of loue that can be in this world he should shew himself to be very vngratefull and would be ashamed to doe the like to anye kinde of freind in anye other matter whatsoeuer FIFTEENTH CHAPTER That it is better to confess to ones proper Priest then to an other because he is a more noble officer or minister of the Sacrament of Pennance 1. THe twelft proof that of it self it is better to confess to ones proper Priest who hath charge of their souls then to others I take from the greater excellencie of the office and this I proue first because Confessors with charge of souls were immediatly instituted by Christ Ioan. 20. where he sayth to his Apostles Take the holy Ghost whose sinns you shall remitt they shall be remitted which power with charge of souls doth remaine in Bishops their successors For as S. Thomas sayth 3. parte q. 67. art Bishops properly succeed the Apostics 2. Bishops succeed to the Apostles Sotus 4. d. 21. q. 1. art 4. By Gods law Bishops succeed the Apostles and the same he hath lib. 10. de Iure q. 1. art 4. Bellarmin lib. 1. de Clericis c. 13. Bishops properly succeed the Apostles And cap. 14. All Fathers doe constantly teach that Bishops succeed the Apostles And lib. 2. de Confirmatione c. 22. Bishops doe simply and absoluty succeed the Apostles The same sayth Stapleton controu 6. q. 3. art 3. Nether doth anye Catholick deny that Bishops succeed the Apostles in their power and authoritye of forgiuing sinns by Christs own institution But the difficultye may be of other inferior Priests who vnder Bishops haue charge of souls as Curats haue whether the office of such were immediatly instituted by Christ or no. But the office of Curats may be considered two wayes ether as an Office of Curats coÌ„sidered two wayes office separately taken by it self or as a parte of Episcopall office and authoritye not including that which was extraordinarie in the Apostles and necessarye for the beginning or founding of Christs Church as the spirit of the 70. Seniors was but a parte of the spirit of Moyses And if the office or authoritye of Curats be thus considered it is immediatly of diuine institution as Episcopall authoritye is and as the spirit of the 70. Seniors was For it is of the same nature of which Episcopall authoritye though not so great as Episcopall authoritye is as Episcopall authoritye is of the same nature of which Apostolicall authoritye was though not so high and as the authoritye of the 70. Senâ—ors was of the same nature with the authoritye of Moyses And if the office of Curats were but in this sorte immediatly instituted of Christ it would appeare to be farr nobler then is theirs who heare confessions without charge of souls For the office of those was neuer instituted immediatly by Christ either separatly by it self or in a whole whose parte thereof it is but is of a different nature because Christ neuer instituted an office to forgiue sinns without charge of souls 2. But indeed it is more probable that the office of Curats was it self instituted immediatly by Christ or by the Apostles at his command First because as Suarez confesseth tom 3. de relig l. 1. c. 17. n. 25. The office of Curats necessarye to the Church and it is euident The institution of Curats is necessarye to the good gouuerment of the Church and saluation of souls And Christ either
instituted or commanded to be instituded all that is necessarye to the good gouerment of the Church and saluation of souls For Gods workes are perfect and euen in naturall things he giueth all that is necessarye to their well being Secondly because Christ besides the Apostles instituted 72. Disciples Luc. 10. and gaue them authoritye to preach as he did to the Apostles and because authoritye to preach without authoritie to administer necessarie sacraments att least as the sacrament of Pennance is were imperfect therefor ether himself gaue or appointed his Apostles to giue them authoritye to administer that sacrament And as S. Thomas sayeth 3. q. 67. art 2. Christ gaue to the Apostles the office of baptizing but to be exercised by others and Bishops and Curats succeed the Apostles and 72. Disciplâ—s by whom rather then by the 72. Disciples Besides Sotus lib. 10. de Iure q. 3. art 1. sayeth Byshops and Parish Priests succed the Apostles and 72. Disciples Can. in nouo d. 6. And Bellarmin lib. â—â— de Clericis c. 14. All Fathers constantly teach that Bishops succeed the Apostles and Priests the 72. Disciples And if any Priests succeed the 72. Disciples surely Parish Priests such as haue charge of souls Thirdly because the Apostles Ephes 4. sayth that Christ gaue separatly to his Church Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors where by Pastors he vnderstandeth such as are not Byshops for Byshops he vnderstandeth vnder the name of Apostles to whome they succeed And though some by Pastors vnderstand Byshops yett they include allso such Priests as vnder Bishops haue charge of souls as is to be seen in Estius vpon that place And the same Apostle Acts 20. calling to him the presbyters or elders of the Church of Ephese sayeth indifferently to them all that the holye Ghost had putt them to gouerne the Church of God where that by Presbyters he includeth not onely Byshops but allso such Priests as haue care of souls appeareth both because the word Presbyter was in the Apostles time common to all such as is euident and there is no conuincing reason to proue that the Apostle there restrained the common vse of that word as allso because S. Thomas 2. 2. q. 184. art 6. sayeth that S. Paul there comprehendit vtrosque and the same sayth Bellarmin l. 1. de Pontif. c. 8. And Stapleton vpon that place Paul here afsirmeth that the Presbyters of Ephesus were made ouerseers of God flock because the ofsice of ouerseers belongeth as much to a Parish Priest as to a Bishop of manye cittyes Moreouer here is sayd that there were manye Presbyters in the Church of Ephesus and yett there neuer were manye * Cornelius in Eusebio l. 6. S Chrysost in Socrate l. 6 c. 12 Bishops in one Church Wherefore here vnder that name were allso included some Presbyters who were no Bishops I add allso that S. Thomas 2. 2. q. 184. art 6. expoundeth those wordes opitulationes gubernationes 1. Corinth 12. of Arch. deacons and Curats which Estius vpon that place sayth is the common exposition of the Latins Fourthly l proue the immediate diuine institution of such Priests as haue charge of souls out of the Councel of Trent sess 23. Can. 6. If anye shall say that in the church there is not a Hierarchie instituted by Gods appointement which consisteth of Bishops Priests and ministers be he anathema And Estius in 1. Corinth 12. v. 27. sayeth The Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie properly consisteth of Bishops Priests and Deacons And seeing Hierarchie consisteth formally in power to gouerne or in Principalitye as is euident by the word itself the Councel must needs meane that by Gods institution some Priests who are not Byshops are gouernors in his Church And if anye surely such as haue charge of souls Fiftly I proue it out of the profession of the Church in the consecration of Priests where thus she professeth when God had appointed Byshops to gouerne people he chose men of inferior order and of second degree for to help their societye and worke And she addeth that the like was done in the wilderness by giuing 70. elders to Moyses and in the Synagog by instituting Priests and after that addeth allso By this prouidence to the Apostles of thy Sonne thou hast adioyned preachers of fayth as companions by whome they haue filled the world with happye preachings Wherefore o Lord we beseech thee add to our weakness theise helpers who by how much we are the frayler by so much the more we need them Let them be prouideÌ„t cooperators of oure order lett shine in them the forme of all iustice that being to giue good account of the dispensation committed to them they may obtain the reward of euerlasting happiness In which words the Church professeth that such Priests as are to giue account of the dispensation committed to them as those are who haue charge of soules are by Gods institution cooperators of Byshops as the 70. elders were to Moyses and Priests in the Synagog were to the high Priest I add allso that the iurisdiction of Byshops and of Priests is different iure druino For thus Bellarmin lib. 1. de Clericis c. 14. The Catholick Church acknowledgeth and teacheth that Episcopacye is greater iure diuino then Priest hood both in order and iurisdiction which supposeth that Priestly iurisdiction is instituted iure diuino and in whome if not in Curats And the same Bellarmin praefat lib. de Clericis sayeth The Church is distinguished by Christ into three orders among which he putteth Curats So that Curats are by Christs order in the Church 3. Secondly I proue that Curats of their prime institution minister all priestly sacraments but others not a Curate is a more noble officer and minister of the sacrament of Pennance then an other who hath not charge of souls because he is instituted not onely to minister the sacrament of Pennance but allso all other sacraments which Priests can minister whereas such as haue no charge of souls be instituted onely to minister the sacrament of Pennance and the Eucharist as is to be seen in Catholick Countryes and if they haue leaue to minister other Sacraments that is onely in heathen and heretick countryes and for want of Curats But he is a more noble minister of the sacrament of Pennance who of his prime institution is to minister all sacraments which Priests can minister then such as of their prime institution can minister onely two sacraments 4. Thirdly because Curats Curats haue true iurisdiction ouer their flock not others and such as haue charge of souls haue not onely power and authoritye to minister sacraments but allso to rule and gouerne people as Pastors doe sheep and therefor Curats are termed by S. Thomas as we shall see hereafter lesser Princes and inferior Prelats of the Church ad are a parte of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie or Principalitie and Bellarmin l. 1. de PoÌ„tif c. 8. sayth we grant that it agreeth to Bishops and
Priests to feed and gouerne the Church Whereas such as haue no charge of souls haue no authoritye to gouern them but as they voluntarily minister sacraments to them so theise voluntarily receaue sacraments of them and voluntarily doe what they aduise them Wherefor there is no true obedience or merit of obedience to them because they haue no true superioritye or power to command But in doing what Curats command there is true obedience and merit thereof and likewise true disobedience and demerit thereof in not doing what they command because they haue true superioritye and authoritye to command their flock And doubtless he is a more noble minister of the sacrament of Pennance who hath Curats are the Principal others but Coadiutors not onely power to minister sacraments but allso iurisdiction and power to rule and gouerne them to whome he ministreth the sacrament of Pennance then he who hath no iurisdiction and power to rule and gouerne them to whome he ministreth the sacrament of pennance I add allso that See â— Thomas 2. 2. q. 187 art 1. Curats haue authoritye in themselues to minister sacraments but who haue no charge of souls are but Delegats and haue onely the vse of authoritye which is in an other And allso that theise are but Coadiutors Rodriguezâ—â— 1. q 59. art 2. â— to 3. q. 31. art 4. of the others And a Coadiutor is inferior to the Principall 5. Fourthly I proue that Curats are more noble officers and ministers of sacraments by authorityes For as the Glosse Luc. 10. sayth Byshops are like to the Apostles inferior Priests to witt Curats are like to the 72. Disciples And Generally the Fathers teach that as Byshops succeed the Apostles so Priests who haue charge of souls succeed the 72. Disciples as Concil-Neocesar Can. 3. Damas Epist 3. Anaclet Epist 2. Augustin in Psalm 44. Leo Epist 83. Isidorus lib. 2. de diuin offic Beda in c. 10. Lucae And S. Thomas 3. part q. 67. art 1. sayeth To baptize belongeth Curats lesser Princes of the Church succeed the 72. Disciples to lesser Princes of the Church that is to Priests who hold the place of the 72. Disciples of Christ as the Glosse sayth Lucae 10. Sotus l. 9. de lure q. 4. art 3. We must needs grant that the office of Curats hath the highest place of spirituall functions And 4. d. 18. q. 1. art 5. Curats of Parishes haue ordinarye power not from Byshops but from Gods law Ibid. q. 4. art 2. All those Pope Byshops Curats are called ordinaries by Gods Law For allbeit the Byshop giueth a Parochiall Church to this or that man yet whosoeuer is Parish Priest is by Gods Law the proper Priest as allbeit the chusing of the Pope belongeth to Cardinalls and the chuseing of Bishops to Canons yett they haue power from Gods Law For Christ himself who chose the Apostles to whom Byshops succeed Can. Quorum vices d. 68. chose allso 72. others helpers of them to whome Priests succeed Can. In nouo d. 6. Azor. allso tom 1. l. 11. c. 24. speaking of Curats sayeth It cannot be denyed that the state of Bishops and Priests was ordained by Christ our Lord as sayth Anacletus and it is related Can. in nouo d. 21. Byshops succeed to the Apostles Priests to the 72. Disciples And Suarez tom 3. derelig lib. 1. c. 17. n. 25. Gerson addeth that the state and office of Curats is by Gods law and Christs institution so as the Pope cannot take it out of the Church as he cannot take away the state of Byshops because Curats belong to the entire Hierarchicall order instituted by Christ. And this is probable both by most ancient tradition and because the institution of proper Curats is necessarie to Curats necessarie to saluations of soules the good gouerment of the Church and saluation of souls And as I sayd before doubtless Christ instituted all that is necessarye to the good gouerment of the Church and saluation of souls Nether will it follow that Curats are of mans institution because sometime Vicars are putt in their place for though Gods affirmatiue lawes doe binde allwayes yet not for allwayes and allso because Apostolical Vicars and Archpriests are sometimes put in places of Byshops and yet none deny that Byshops are of Christs institution Besides Vicars who are putt in place of Curats haue charge of souls which is all one for my purpose Finally S. Thomas 3. part q. 67. art 2. calleth Curats lesser Princes of the Church And 22. q 188. art 4. ordinarye Prelats of the Church and addeth that for one to preach by authoritye of Prelats or to doe other such things passeth not the degree of a disciple or subiect Item Religious are instituted to preach and heare Regulars serue Curats Confessions not by their owne authoritye but by the authoritye of superior and inferior Prelats to whome that belongeth by office And so they serue Prelats in such ministerie which is proper to such a Religion And S. Bonauenture lib. de Paupertate Christi p. 422. Religious men heelp Curats not as Lords not aâ— hauing charge of souls but as seruants in charitye And surely seruants and such as worke by authoritye of others are less noble officers then those whome they serue and by whose auctoritye they worke 6. And to all these authorityes 12. Martij An. 1624. I add that lately the holye Congregation de propaganda fide hath decreed that the end of Seminaries is more excellent The end of Seminaries more excellent therof Religions then the end of Religions because there is no sacrifice more gratefull to God then the zeale of souls Which decree they made hauing called before them all religious orders and without opposition of anye of them And if the end of Seminaries be more excellent surely allso the end of Curats fot whome principally seminaries are instituted And allso that the Councel of Trent sess 24. c. 18. commanded that all Byshops who were able should in their Dioceses found a seminarye for to bring vp Priests who should take the charge of souls which sheweth that in the iudgement both of the sayd Congregation and Councel Priests who haue charge of souls are more excellent officers and more vsefull and needfull to the Church then such are who haue no charge of souls I may add allso that not onely * Henr cus quodlib 12. q. 28. Maior 4. d. â—8 q. 7. Gerson tract de statu perfectionis The state of Curats in it self perfecter then Religion secular Diuines but allso regular diuines doe grant that the state of Curats is perfecter then the state of Religious For thus Suarez to 3. de Relig. l. 1. c. 21. n. 6. If the state of religious and inferior Prelats be considered in themselues the state of Prelats is more perfect And this doubtless meant S. Austin when he wrote epist 148. There is nothing more happie before God then the office of a Byshop Priest or Deacon