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
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
Sotus a Sotus graue and learned Dominican in 4. D. 20. q. 1. art 5. The supreme Pastor of the Church cannot suficiently prouide for the whole Church vnless he giue Bishops to all churches Wherfore seing the chiefest notice and iudgement of the flock is gotten by sacramentall confession it is requisit that especially Requisit in this Sacrament it be not free for euery one to runn to euery Priest but that euery one be bound to his own that he confesâ— not but to him or with his leaue Nauar. Nauar. a Canon Regular and famous Casuist Concil 15. de Paenitentia I should thinck that he did wisely who att the houre of Wâ—sely death procureth himself to be absolued of his Parish Priest there present or of his superior rather then of others Gabriel * Gabriel Trithemius Posseuinus allso a Regular in 4. D. 17. q. 2 art 3. If all be a like it is better to confess to ones proper Priest as Doctors commonly hold as S. Bonauenture and Angelus in Summa Better for many causes Confessio 3. § 34. for many causes and auoiding of dangers 3. Layman a great writer Laiman Good of the Church and Iesuit l. 5. tract 6. c. 33. Seing it is instituted for the common good of the Church and conuenient gouernment that all faithfull should confess to their proper Priest that must not be limitted or restrained for priuate commodity by priuate interpretation of Doctors espetially because many by this meanes falsly pretending impediments of confession may withdraw themselues from the iurisdiction of their Pastor Reginald Reginald an other Iesuit lib. 1. n. 61. Well addeth Nauarre that he shall do wisely who att the Wisely houre of death his Parish Priest or Superior being present procureth to be absolued of him rather then of others And as Barbosa writeth in Remiss Barbosa Concil Tridentinisess 14. c. 7. Nauarre Consil Is. sub titulo Paenitentiae Sayrus an English Benedictin Sairus decâ—s 21. sub eodem titulo Reginald l. 2. n. 60. say that he should do wisely who if his Parish Priest or Superior be present procured himself to be absolued of him at the houre of death rather then of an other And himself allegat 25. num 51. sayeth It is better to confess to ones Pastor Beâ—ter at the houre of death att the houre of death then to an other And it if it be both wiser and better at the houre of death to confess to ones Pastor or Superior then to an other it is much better and wiser to doe so in life time Because it is certain as the Councel of Trent hash declared sess 17. c. 7. that att the houre of death all Priests can absolue any Penitent from any sinns or Censures which all Priests cannot do nay few Priests can doe in time of life and therefor their absolution is not so certain in time of life as in time of death If therefor it be better and wiser to be absolued of ones Parish Priest or Superior at time of death when the absolution by any Priest whatsoeuer from what sinns or censures soeuer is most certain much better and wiser it is to procure to be absolued of him in life time when all Priests absolution is not so certain as it is in time of death TENTH CHAPTER That it is better for Penitents to Confess to Priests who haue charge of their souls then to others proued by the Generall practise of those Priests who are Confessors of Penitents without charge of their souls 1. THe seuenth proof that of it self it is better for Penitents to confess to such Priests as haue charge of their souls then to others shall be taken from the Generall practise of such Priests as are Confessors of Penitents without charge of souls For they doe not confess it in words onely as we saw in the former Chapter but much more in practise and indeeds because they suffer not any of their owne compagnies vpon any occasion to confess to whome they will but onely to such as they appoint for them The Gloss in Clement Dudum Religious men according to the statuts of their orders must confess to their Prelats Suarez tomo 4. de relig l. 2. c. 16. Certain Generall leaue to confess to whoÌ„ one will Would destroy religions it is that by ordinary right and without dispensation regulars cannot confess to others then to such Confessors as are apointed for them by their superiors Ibid. n. 6. Generall leaue to chuse ones confessor would tend to great detriment of religions for it may be an occasion of dissolution and relaxation of religious discipline And num 7. By such generall licence and ordinarie vse religious discipline would be plainly ouerthrowne Henriquez l. 7. c. 22. § 4. The Society of Iesus kepeth that priuilege that none without the superiors leaue can chuse a Confessor beside him who is appointed And Gregorie the 13. granted this to the Society Lay-man l. 5. tract 6. c. 10. n. 20. By their proper statuts it is not permitted to religious to confess out of their owne order to any other but to whom the Superior appointeth And Rodriquez to â— q. 62. art 4. and 5. reciteth the Bulls of Popes which Iesuits Franciscans Augustins and other Religious orders haue procured that none of theirs euen in time of Iubilées may confess to any but to such as their Superiors appoint And headdeth This is very good and necessary And Petigian in Summa D. 17. q. â— art 3. affirmeth that there is excommunication latae sententiae that no religious euen by vertue of a Bull do confâ—ss to any other then to him who is appointed by his superior 2. And doth such great good come to religious companies by confessing to none but to such as their superiors appoint for them and would no good come to the holy compagnie of Christ the Catholick Church if her children confessed to such as haue charge of their souls Would such great harme come to religious compagnies as their vtter dâ—solution and relaxation of religious discipline by generall leaue to confess to what approued Priest they would and will no hurt no relaxation of ecclesiasticall discipline come by the like leaue granted to all Catholicks Are religious companies and Christs companie of so different nature as that what is greatly good for the one is naught for the other Neither doth it satisfye which Suarez sayth n. 6. cit That superiors of regular orders are bound not onely to procure the saluation but allso the perfection of their subiects as if Bishops Pastors and such as haue charge of sonls were not bound to procure the perfection of their subjects and these allso bound to be perfect Did not our Sauiour say indifferently to all Matth. 5. Be perfect as your heauenly father is perfect Was not S. Iohn Baptist sent Luc. 1. 1. Ioan. 2. Qui seruat verbumeius in hoc vere charitas Deiperfect
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
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