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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A66897	Go shew thy self to the priest safe advice for a sound Protestant / by L. Womock ...	Womock, Laurence, 1612-1685.	1679 (1679)	Wing W3344; ESTC R20291	7,580	22

Catechising that Instruction and Consolation which does accompany this wholsom practice is very profitable and to many very necessary that they may testifie their hearty sorrow for their sins past and their firm purpose of amendment for the future and that they may not be left in the dark and doubtful of their pardon and forgiveness Next we will observe the Augustan Confession tendred with all humility in the year 1530. to the Emperour Charles De Confessione the Fifth from which the very Name and Title of Protestants was derived their address ending with these words De quo hic etiam solenniter publicè Protestamur In that Confession they do highly extol the power of the Keys and the benefit of private Absolution that it does declare and apply the Gospel to terrified Consciences And this application it makes not only to all in general but to every single person in particular as our Saviour Christ affirms Thou hast gain'd thy Brother That this Absolution is therefore to be retained in the Church and that the voice of the Gospel in this Ministry is to be believed as a voice from Heaven And seeing Confession does make way for the benefit of this Absolution and forasmuch as the Rite and Custom thereof does preserve in the people the understanding of power of the Keys and of the Remission of sins and besides seeing that Conference there had is of great advantage for mens instruction and warning Therefore say they we do diligently retain the use of Confession in our Churches yet teaching them withal that the particular enumeration of sins is not necessary of divine right nor as mens Consciences to be burdened with it c. To this Confession subscribed John Duke of Saxony Elector George Marq. Brandenburgh Ernest Duke of Lunenburgh Philip Lantgrave of Hess John Frederick Duke of Saxony Francis Duke of Lunebergh Wolfangus Prince of Anhalt the Senate and Magistrates of Nurenborgh the Senate of Kentlingen In the Confession of Saxony offered to the Council of Trent 1551. they declared thus Concerning private Confession to be made to the Pastors we do affirm that the Custom of private Absolution is to be retained in the Church And we do constantly retain it for many weighty causes though we teach also that a particular recital of all sins is neither of divine command or possible but apt to make faith the more feeble and pious minds the more doubtful In the Confession of Wittenbergh of The Translator into English refers it to Auspurge ut infra 1586. 1552. they declare Though they do not think the enumeration of their sins before a Priest of necessity to Salvation nor of any merit toward the remission of sins Yet they take care as far as may be that Confession of sins in general may be retained in their Churches for two reasons The first that the more ignorant sort of people may by that way of Conference be the better admonished and instructed in all things necessary The other That upon this occasion the Gospel of Christ touching the remission of sins may be particularly applied and the assurance of Absolution be either apprehended or confirmed In the Confession of Bohemia they declare 1535. That though they do not injoyn nor require a particular enumeration of sins yet they teach that Penitents should have recourse to the Priest whom the English Translation Edit by Tho. Thamas at Cambridge 1586. calls the Physician of their souls to confess their sins to God before him and as that Translator wordeth it to declare their grief trouble and remorse to take advice and counsel how they may avoid sin for the future and to seek for absolution and pardon by this Ministry of the Keys which is Christs Institution They teach men also to magnifie this Absolution and undoubtedly to believe what this power of the Keys promiseth seeing it is the voice of Christ himself and exprest by his command Receive Joh. 2. ye the Holy Ghost Whose sins ye remit they are remitted c. and they would have them know that by this power and Ministry of the Keys and the authority of Christs Word all their sins are pardoned To leave Foreiners Let us see what the Advice and Practice of the Church of England is 1. She is very positive in her Order Rules and Canons that all persons should shew themselves unto the Priest to be Catechized and to hear Sermons for the Information of their Judgments But 2. as to such as find themselves disquieted in mind and conscience it is rather a matter of advice than of command for thus she does invite and persuade them to apply themselves for their own benefit And because it is requisite that no The first Exhortation before the Communion man should come to the holy Communion but with a full trust in Gods mercy and with a quiet Conscience therefore if there be any of you who cannot quiet his own Conscience but requireth further comfort or counsel let him come to me or to some other discreet and learned Minister of Gods Word and open his grief that by the Ministry of Gods holy Word he may receive the benefit of Absolution together with Ghostly counsel and advice to the quieting of his Conscience and avoiding of all scruple and doubtfulness Nor is the Church of England less tender or cautious in her advice and order at the Visitation of the Sick for the Rubrick before the Absolution runs thus Here shall the sick person be moved to make a special confession of his sins if he feels his Conscience troubled with any weighty matter After which Confession the Priest shall absolve him if he humbly and heartily desire it I confess that in the third case that of Scandal her Rules and Canons are more strict and it would be much for the honour of God and of our Profession if the iniquity and looseness of these times would allow us to be no less strict in the observation and practice of them The Rubrick is See the Rubrick before the second Service this If any one that offers to come to the holy Communion be an open and a notorious evil liver or have done wrong to his Neighbour so that the Congregation be thereby offended the Curate having knowledge thereof shall advertise him in no wise to presume to come to the Lords Table till he has openly declared his repentance and given satisfaction to the offended Congregation and the party whom he hath wronged The like order the Curate is to take with such as live in habitual hatred and malice These are the terms and ends for and upon which the Church of England sends her Members for their advantage and remedy to the Priests Office And whether the Presbyterian Party be more modest and gentle in their Requiries we shall now consider Not to look so far back as their Directory and their Humble Advice to the Parliament In their Grand Debate by the Kings Commission amongst

Imprimatur Guil. Jane R. P. D. Hen. Episc Lond. à sacris domesticis Mar. 4. 1678 9 Go shew thy self to the Priest SAFE ADVICE For a Sound PROTESTANT BY L. Womock D. D. A. S. Ecclus. 11. 7. Blame not before thou hast examined the truth Understand first and then rebuke LONDON Printed for Robert Clavel at the Peacock in St. Paul's Church-yard 1679. SAFE ADVICE FOR A Sound Protestant THE occasion of this Paper was a Discourse upon the cleansing of the Leper Mat. 8. 1 2 3 4. and particularly that head of Application which was managed as followeth We do stedfastly believe that every man must give an account of himself to God and is it not then at least advisable that he should shew himself unto the Priest that he may be the better prepared for that account I know the Law of Moses does not bind us in its Authority but yet it may direct us by a parity of reason As that Law was a dispensation by the hand of Moses so it was peculiar to the Jewish Nation But as the Moral part of that Law being the Law of Nature in Print and set forth for better information is of perpetual use and obligation so the Ceremonial part having a shadow of good things to come does invite us earnestly to look after the substance wherein we may possibly be concerned The Apostle tells us that under the letter of a Carnal Ordinance many times there lies hid a Spiritual signification And this very Leprosie of the body did represent another much more malignant noisom and pernicious the Leprosie of Sin that overspreads and defiles the soul Now was there a Ministry of divine institution to take cognizance of that to inspect the person so infected and to give judgment of his condition And is there no provision made in this case of spiritual Leprosie Was God more careful then of his peoples bodies than he is now of their souls No certainly Christ came a Physician for the soul and applied himself to sinners and their Ghostly maladies The whole have no need of the Physician Mat. 9. 12. but the sick I came not to call the righteous Mar. 2. 17. Luk. 5. 31. but sinners to repentance Christ is a Priest for ever and though for that reason he can have no successor Yet because in the execution of that Office he sits now in heaven he was pleased to appoint his substitutes to administer here in his Church on earth As my Father hath sent me even so send I you Joh. 20. 21. And he that receiveth you receiveth me and Mat. 10. 40. he that heareth you heareth me And unless we Luk. 10. 16. value our health more than our salvation we will no doubt be as forward to shew our selves unto the Priest upon a Spiritual as those Jews were upon their Carnal account And this is especially requisite in three Cases 1. To inform our Judgment 2. To assure our Conscience And 3. to credit our Communion Conference with the Priest is requisite 1. To inform the Judgment Many times doubtful cases do arise and the difficulties which do occur in the conduct of a Christians life are not few nor to be neglected And what Oracle can we so prudently appeal unto as that Sacred faculty whose skill and learning is design'd on purpose to minister to such as stand in need of their instruction and conduct For the Priests lips Mal. 2. 7. should keep knowledge and they should seek the Law at his mouth for he is the Messenger of the Lord of Hosts If it were so in those days much more under the dispensation of the Gospel wherein the Veil is taken from the face of the Priest and his Ministration does so far exceed in glory 2 Cor. 3. 9 13. 2. Conference with the Priest is very requisite to assure the Conscience A little guilt does afflict and trouble a tender Conscience and a scruple many times where really there is no such guilt at all as in imagined may much disquiet it Now to have assurance from a better judgment than my own or if not a better from a judgment cloathed with a Sacred Office and Authority to have my doubts cleared by the discourses of a prudent pious person and my jealousie of guilt taken off by a solemn absolution This one would think should bring in a considerable satisfaction He that duly weighs the circumstances with which the power of the Keys was delivered by our Saviour cannot but be convinced that there is more solid comfort in that Ministry than is ordinarily imagined You may read attentively the bequest Joh. 20. 20 21 22 23. 3. It is requisite to shew our selves to the Priest to credit our Communion The Apostle has laid down this Canon If any man that is called a Brother a Christian by Profession be a fornicator or covetous or an Idolator or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner 1 Cor. 5. 11. I would not have you give so much scandal to the Church or so much countenance to such a person as out of design or choice to eat with him A man known to be of a loose Conversation in any single or more instances or wickedness though he has not been delated to his Superiours not presented or accused before any Court of Judicature yet being conscious to himself of scandal given to the Church whereof he is a Member it will very well become him as an humble as an ingenuous as a penitent and serious person to shew himself to the Priest as well to obtain his advice and prayers as his approbation and encouragement and for the satisfaction of those with whom he does communicate He that denies the usefulness of such addresses upon this threefold account doth evacuate the use of the Ministry almost to all intents and purposes If he denies the first to what purpose are our Catechisings and our Sermons unless he makes it his business to frequent them not to inform his judgment but to censure the discourse and traduce the Preacher If he denies the second what becomes of the benefit of Absolution of good directions and advice with all Ghostly comfort administred towards the peace of afflicted Consciences If he denies the third he takes away one of the best expedients to prevent the scandal of an indiscriminate and free admission to the Lords Supper But not to reflect upon the Sentiments or Censures of rash men whose passions are governed by their interest and their judgments by their passions let us learn what were the sober thoughts of such as were most zealous of a prudent and pious Reformation We will begin with Hermannus Bonnae 1545. Cap. de Conversione à peccatis m. fol. 6. Archbishop of Colen in his worthy attempt to that effect Where he saith That private Confession and Absolution are to be retained in the Churches not that there is any necessity of the particular enumeration of sins But because that