judgment seats But if no disease be more deadly than sin and no law hath so powerful an avenger as God it will follow no ordinance to be more acceptable and necessary than that which reconciles the lost favour of God unto the transgressors of his laws Thou then whosoever thou art that disesteemâ—st the power of God in the Ministery of his Priests be first without sin before thou cast the first stone against it and except thou beest exempted from common infirmities vâ—lifie not these Physicians It is not the least of Satans subtilties to weaken this ordinance in many mens estimations as no useful institution of God but an usurpation of the Prelates serving more to establish their tyrannie over the peoples consciences than to quiet and pacifie them and as the Priests are too supercilious to prescribe so the people may be too superstitious to observe thus the Serpent by degrees hath brought this laudable practice first out of credit and next out of use for the most part and so highly that by many transported with impudence the Priest is questioned as Moses was by the Hebrew Exod. 2.14 Quis te constituit Judicem Who hath made thee a Pâ—ince and Judge over us though his intents be onely to part the fray betwâ—xt God and the sinner and set them at peace as Moses betwixt his countrey-men And as Korah and his complices said to Moseâ— and Aaron Ye take too much upon you Numb 16.3 seeing all the congregation is holy and the Lord amongst them So is the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy traduced by our modern Schismaticks for Vsurpation Matth. 12. â—4 for Tyrannie for Lording it over Gods inheritance Are not all the Brethren Saints why do you Prelates then lift up your selves above them Saints let them be is there not principality amongst Saints as well as amongst Devils But are not all Gods people a royal Priesthood why do you Priests arrogate unto you any prerogative above your fellows to such tender ears the very name of absolution is odious and the keys themselves disliked because born cross-wise at Rome lest therefore such Monsieurs les Greffiers question us as the Scribes did our Saviour By what authority doest thou these things We will clear the coasts and evidence these disquisitions 1. what power is given unto the Priest in the matter of sin and therein whence this commission issueâ—h and to whom it is directed 2. what are the actâ— and exercises thereof and wherewithall the same is executed 3. then of the properties thereof whether the Priests sentence be absoluâ—e and infallible and whether Ministerial and judicial 4. and lastly the abuses shall be parallel'd with the positive truth and thereby measured and discerned The first grant of this power unto man Of the Power of the keys Matth. 16.19 is the promise of Christ made unto Peter under the meâ—aphor of the keys saying I will give unto thee the keys of the Kinâ—dâ—m of heaven and whatsoevâ—r thou stalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt lâ—ose on earth shall be lâ—osed iâ— heaven a power of great latitude and extent equivalent in the opinion of Saint Chrysostome as to give the places on his right and left hand in his kingdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in Matth. 16. Tom. 2. pag. 344. whereupon that Father questioneth but answereth himself how shall Christ give the power of the keys that hath not in his hands the placing of the seats thereby also demonstrating himself to be God in conferring that property power of remitting sins which appertaineth to God onely These termes are to be opened 1. what the keys mean 2. next how they are to be used under these words of binding and loosing 3. in the third place about what they are imployed the object quicquid whatsoever 4. and lastly by whom Keys Tibi Dabo I will give unto thee For the first The holy Ghost compareth a sinners case to the estate of a person imprisoned the very termes of keys of opening and shutting seem to have relation as it were to the prison gate and the termes of binding and loosing as it were to the fetters and bonds as if sin were a prison and the case of sinners like theirs that are shut up whereupon the power given unto Christ as man Luke 4.18 was to preach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 remission or deliverance to captives And keys imply a faculty to that person to whose custody they are committed as when Eliakim was invested inâ—o Shebnahs place Esay 22.22 it is said I will lay the key of David upon his shoulder which words seem to be lent unto the Apostle and by him applied unto our Saviour Revel 3.7 These things saith he that is holy that is true he that hath the key of David he that openeth and ro man shutteth that shutteth and no man openeth with this difference the word house omitted in the latter Discrimon est quod illud videtur inferioris Ministri puta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 idque tantùm in familia Davidis hoc supremi Gubernatoris atque quidem totius râ—gni Brightman Apocalyps cap. 3. 7. and that advisedly to distinguish betwixt the Type and the Truth Eliakim and Christ in Him resideth regal power and despotical in Eliakim Ministerial and Oeconomical onely as steward of Davids house for that room he sustained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aben Ezra Thesaurarius super domum regalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 4 1. 1. Clavis authoritatis solius Dei 2. Clavis excellentiae solius Christi as appeareth 2 King 18. By the delivering then of this key Peter was made not a Lord over Gods inheritance but a steward of the mysteries of God for our case was thus As Adam was exiled and shut out of Paradise so are sinners from heaven and as Paradise was shut against him so was heaven against them also sin being the embargo betwixt us and heaven Now what key shall sinners find to open heaven gate God hath a commanding key who onely hath authority to forgive sin against whom it is committed and so often as a sinner is pardoned so often is heaven opened this key God keeps to himself 2. Christ hath an excellent key which openeth where no man shutteâ—h for by his merits hath this Angel of the Covenant like Peters Angel loosed our bands Acts 12.7 and set open the Prison doors enlarging the Captives and not them onely but the Palace doors Heb. 10.19 Sanguis Christi clavis Paradisi Tert. for by the bloud of Jesus we have boldness to enter into the holiest and elegantly it was said by Tertullian his bloud is the key of Paradise 3. The Apostles had an Oeconomical key as stewards in the Lords house for in Princes Courts the key is the ensign of that Office because unto their trust is committed the Ministery of Reconciliation 3. Clavis Ministerii of this key Saint
aliò debet referri quâ—m ad verbi ministerium locus Matth. 18. ad disciplinam excommunicationis pâ—rtinet quae ecclesiae promissa est Calvin Instit lib. 4. c. 11. Sect. 1 2. and the mention of the keys to be granted again Matth. 18. to Ecclesiastical discipline and excommunication The censure of the Church is Let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a Publican Where it appeareth to be two-fold Matth. 18.17 the greater and the lesser as they are usually termed The lesser excludeth from the Sacrament onely and the greater shutteth out of the Church also and maketh such interdicted persons like unto the Heathen for whom it was not lawful to enter into the Temple or sâ—t foot on holy ground whereas the Publican was admitted to come within the Temple and to make his prayers there And this discipâ—ine is derived from the Jewish Synagogue our Lord investing his Church with the same power There are with us saith a late learned (a) Elias Levita Rabbin three sorts of Anathemaes or censures NIDDUI CHEREM SCHAMMATA Niddui 1. NIDDUI that is elongation which separation was partly voluntary when the unclean betrayed themselves and desired the expiation Niddui sugati in Novo testamento 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immunditia menstruum Hieron expiatiâ— menstruata immunda quod à viro Templo elongeretur S. Pagnin LXXII 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 partly unvoluntary when the unclean person was condemned by the Sanedrim or Council whence the water was called Niddah from expulsion or separation because it was used in the expiation of such persons upon solemn confession of sin had also But if any person repented not that is neglected the expiation or behaved himself refractorily to the decrees of the Council 2. CHEREM they did then excommunicate him by Cherem and this is to cut off from Israel Quòd si quis non resipuisset anathematizabant eum per Cherem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consecratiâ— devotio Anathema or from the congregation and that man so cut off was to be esteemed no longer an Israelite but an Heathen as our Lord speaketh but if after all this he repented not Meschammatabant eum they did abominate him with SCHAMMATA 3. SCHAMMATA that is judged him guilty of eternal death and it is called Schammâ—ta (a) So Elias Lâ—vita in Thesbyte But Drusius derives it from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a name and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 venit he comes The Syrians called it Maran-atha the Lord comes Drus in Praet as if he should say Death iâ— there And peradventure this Anathema so aggravated was irrevocable By this custome thus unfolded not onely the saying of Christ but many other passages of Saint Paul receive light and interpretation This is the binding part The Relaxation or loosing is the amoval of the censure the restoring to the peace of the Church and a readmittance to the Lords table Which the ancient Councils and Fathers usually expressed 1. by bringing them to the Communion 2. reconciling them to or with the Communion 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Laod. can 2. 2. Communioni vâ—l communione reconciliari Concil Elib canon 72. 3. Reddi eis communionem Ambr. l. 1. de poen c. 1. 4. Ad communicationem admittere Cypr. Ep. 53. 5. Pacem dare concedere Id. ib. 3. restoring the Communion to them 4. or admitting them into the fellowship 5. granting them peace Neither is this kind of binding and loosing lightly to be esteemed for how fearful a thing is it to be exiled from the Society of Gods people and participation of the holy Mysteries Claves Regni coelorum sic dedit Christus ecclesiae ut non solùm diceret quae solveritis c. verùm adjungeret Quae ligaveritis in terra erunt ligata in Coelo quia bona est vindicandi justitia illud enim quod ait sit tibi sicut Ethnicus Publicanus gravius est quâ—m si gladio feriretur si flammis absumeretur si feris subigeretur nam ibi quoque sub unxit Amen dico vobis Quaecunque ligaveritis c. ut intelligeretur quantò graviùs sit punitus quâ— veluti relictus est impunitus Aug. tract 50. in Joan. c. 12. The keys of the kingdome of heaven saith Saint Augustine hath Christ so given to the Church that he said not onely whatsoever ye shall loose c. but adjoyned whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven for vindictive justice is good also And that which he saith Let him be unto thee as an Heathen or Publican is more grievous than if a man should be smitten with the sword consumed with flâ—mes or cast forth unto wild beasts for there he hath put to Amen or Verily I say unto you whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven that we also might understand how much more grievously he is punished that seemed to us to be left unpunished And so I have unfolded those Four wayes wherein the power of the keys is usually practised by the Ministers of the Church And thus far with Gods assistance have we waded in declaring the power granted by Christ 4. Abuse of the keys and the true imployment of the keys But as Soveraignty may degenerate into Tyranny and power into violence and oppression even so it hath fared in this Ministerial office Some have been puffâ—d up with Pharisaical honours as to dilate their fringes and pass the bounds of Christs Commission That man of Rome who pretends to have Peters keys onely or principally at his devotion cannot be content to sit in the Temple of God but will there sit as God and intrude upon the Royall prerogative of our Lord and Master planting his throne far above Princes and not content with that but to usurp upon Divine honours Thomas Aquinas or whosoever made that book De regimine Principum tells us of strange things Oportet dicere in summo Pontifice esse plenitudinem omnium gratiarum quia ipse solus confert plenam indulgentiam omnium peccatorum ut competat sibi quod de primo principe Domino dicimus quia de plenitudine ejus nos omnes accepimus Aq. de Regim Princip l. 3. c. 10. fol. 83. Paris 1509. Quod si dicatur referri ad solam spiritualem pot stâ—tem hoc esse non potest quia corporâ—le â—emâ—orale ex spirituali perpetuo dependet sicut corporis operatio ex virtute animae Id. ib. and saith we must say so too That in the Pope there is fulness of all graces because he alone granteth full pardon of all sins that it may be verified of him which we say of the chief Prince and Lord for of his fulness we have all received Nor must this fulness be confined unto spiritual power but comprehend the temporal also because that which is corporal and
unto the Priest And for that confession prerequireth forgiveness of sin according to the more probable opinion by an antecedent sorrow and by reason whereof sin is never forgiven by confession but is presupposed by it Thou wilt reply how Biel speaketh of actual confession and not of potential or the purpose and resolution in the heart to confess which is ever concomitant with contrition I answer Holy vows and purposes not reduced into act are in themselves of no worth but in case where they shall earnestly be endeavoured to be put in act and to be effected but the ability being wanting or disappointed by some greater power then they are taken for the deed and a faithful promise of confession is as good as confession it self Here when a Priest is at hand there needs no such vow or purpose there being no likelyhood the same should be crossed or intercepted this actual confession then supposeth none that is promissory I desire therefore this popish block may no more be cast in the way 2. Nâ—cessitas Finis Ends prescribed in popish shâ—â—ft unnecessary Other ends then may be excogitated and for them confession may be thought a necessary mean for sure the shoe wâ—ll not fit this foot the Question is indeed and upon this occasion proposed by the Master of the Sentences If it be demanded why Confession should be necessary Ad quid confessio necessariâ— cùm in contritionâ— jam deletum sit peccatum Resp 1. per conf ssionem intelligit Sacerdos qualiter debeat judicare de crimine 2. per eam peccator fit humilior cautior Lomb. l. 4. dist 17. Sect. ult since the sin already is blotted out by Contrition In answering to that demand he flies to other ends 1. As to inform the Priest of the nature of the offence and what he is to judge thereof but there can be no great end of that information when the sin is cancelled for why should another man remember when God hath forgotten it 2. And to make the sinner more humble and more cautelous Conduce it may somewhat this way but there are better texts for those themes and auricular Confession left out some inducements these but no ncessary prescriptions Furthermore saith Gabriel If we will narrowly and circumspectly listen unto the virtue of Confession Si funditùs atten â—â—mus viâ—tutem Conf ssionis ipsa non est instituta sâ—ltem in actu tanquam necessaria remissioni pâ—ccatorum sed hanc praesupponit sâ—d propter tria institâ—ta est 1. sc ut Peccator innotescat Ecclesiae tanquam absolutus 2. ut certa satisfactioÌ„ per quam poena peccati tollitur à Confessore imponâ—tur 3. ut poenae pars virtute Sacramentalis absolutionis remittatur Gab. Biel. ib. it was not instituted at least in act as necâ—ssary for the forgiveness of sin but that it supposeth but it was ordained for three other purposes 1. that the sinner might appear unto the Church to be absolved 2. That a certain satisfaction might be imposed by the Confessor whereby the punishment of sin may be taken off 3. and that a part of the punishment might be remitted by Priestly absolution Grave considerations and weighty sure but the scales must then hang at Rome to weigh them in else with us on this side of the Alpes they will be found lighter than vanity it self and in Biels own judgment imposition of penance the second reason is not so necessary to a discreet Penitent that c n allot himself a just portion for his sin yea absolution saith he may be injoyned without any imposition of penance at all Non videtur necessarium praesertim ubi consitens non indiget infâ—â—mâ—tione poena quae hic non solvitur solvetur in futuro fient queque tales salvi sed non nisi per igâ—em Gab. ib. as he saith if the Penitent will run the hazard of Purgatory and not make payment here but defer till then where the utmost pardon shall be exacted And in truth prescription of penance is the principal mark aimed at in Popish shrift and satisfaction the choicest imployment where Penitents are taught more to rely upon that reed and arm of flesh than upon him that dyed upon the Cross Like the Ambassadours of Ptolomaeus and Cleopatra who acknowledged in their Masters name Plus eos S. P. Q. R. quà m parentibus ejus quà m Diis â—mmortalibus debere per quos obsidione miserrimâ liberati essent regnum propè amissum recepissent Tit. Livius lib. 45. Sect. 13. that their Countrey was more bound to the Senate and people of Rome for their deliverance from a miserable siege and for the restitution of their kingdome in danger to be lost than to their own dear Parents yea than to the immortal Gods Let I say their actions be scanned and their intentions thereby discerned and when these ends are resolved to be necessary let confession be decreed to be so also 3. Necessitas Praecepti But what say you to the third necessity which is of Precept and Command Indeed Divine precepts should not be questioned but observed Let there be shewed any mandamus from heaven with a peremptory command for Confession upon such conditions and we submittimus fasces will yield the Bucklers as extremely loth to espouse any contrary opinion to the express word of God Therefore speak Lord for thy servants would gâ—adly hear The Lord hath said indeed Except a man be born again of water and of the Spirit but no where Except a man repent and be shriven by a Priest he cannot enter into the kingdome of God This is it the School-men and Jesuites have sought for narrowly Quod Cajetanus in Commentariis super hunc locum asserit institutionem Sacramenti Poenitentiae indè haberi non praeceptum certissimè fallitur Canus Relect. de Poenit. pag. 899. and are yet to seek And how well they have found it in these words whose sins soever ye remit c. hath in part been discussed and Cajetan saith but is checked for so saying that the institution of repentance may there be found but no precept A late Sorbonist hath found another Precept Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart Tout homme qui a perdula grace est tenu obliegé de droit divine de la recouvrer attendu que pas commandment express il est tenu d'aimer Dieu de tout son Cour Diliges Dominum c. Or celui qui n'a point la grace n'aime point son Dieu l'homme pecheur est privé de cete grace il est donc tenu de la recouvrer il la recouvre en confessant ses pechez au Prestre Pierre Bess Caâ—esme Tom. 2. p. 723. A Paris 1628. c. But how is Auricular confession concluded here marry thus The man that hath lost the grace of God is by Gods law obliged to recover the same for so much as by the commandment