it proceeded from the Priest himself thus Almighty God be mercifull unto thee and forgive thee all thy sins past Miscreatur tui omnipotens Deus dimittat tibi omnia peccâ—ta tua praeterita praesentia futura quae commisisti coram eo Sanctis ejus quae confessus es vel per aliquam negligentiam seu oblivionem vel malevolentâ—am abscondisti liberet te Deus ab omni malo hic in futuro conservet confirmet te semper in omni opere bono perducat te Christus Filius Dei vivi ad vitam sine fine manentem Consitentium Cerem antâ—q Colon. 1530. present and to come which thou hast committed before him and his Saints which thou hast confessed or by some negligence or evil will hast concealed God deliver thee from all evil here and hereafter preserve and confirm thee alwayes in every good work and Christ the Son of the living God bring thee to the life which remaineth world without end After this form are conceived all the Absolutions prescribed for use in the Liturgy of our Church as savouring of more modesty and less supercâ—tousness and that none of Gods glory might be thought to cleave unto the Ministers fingers for instance In the general absolution upon the confession of sin at the entrance of Gods worship Forms of Absolution in the Church of England He pardoneth and absolveth all such as truly repent them of their sins and uâ—feignedly believe his holy Gospel wherefore we beseech him to grant us true repentance c. And after a general confession of sins premised by the Communicants the Minister or Bishâ—p if present turning himself unto the people saith Almighty God our heavenly Fâ—ther who for his great mercy hath promised forgiveness of sins to all such which with earnest repentance and true faith turn unto him have mercy upon you pardon and forgive you all your sins strengthen and confirm you c. And at the visitation of the sick the sick party having confessed any wâ—ighty matter wherewith his conscience is troubled the Priest absolveth him after this sort Our Lord Jesus Christ who hath left power to his Church to absolve all sinners which truly repent and bâ—lieve on him of his great mercy forgive thee thine offences and by his authority committed unto me I absolve thee from all thy sins in the Name of the Father c. By all of which it is evident how much the Church attributeth to prayer and Divine authority in this ministration A third Ordinance whereby the Minister remitteth sins 3. By the Sacraments is in dispensing the mysteries of God the holy Sacraments and these added to the word of God render the pardon under seal Sacramenta non excludimus quae verbo tanquam sigillo regio appendi solent Masar de Minister Anglic. l. 5. c. 10. pag. 635. Acts 1.38 Acts 22 16. â—ur Baptizatis si per hominem peccata dimitti non licet in Baptismo utique remissio peccatorum omâ—ium est Quid interest utrum per poenitentiam an per Lavacrum hoc jus sibi datum sacerdotes vâ—ndicent unum in utroque M nistâ—rium est Ambr. l. 1. de Poen c. 7. the more to confirm and quiet a distracted Conscience for of Baptisme it is evident Repent saith Peter and be baptized every one of you in the Name of the Jesus Christ for the remission of sins And now why tarriest thou saith Ananias unto Paul arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins And the Nicene Creed I believe one Baptisme for the remission of sins Upon which ground Saint Ambrose questioned the Novatians that baptized and yet acknowledged no power in the Church to remit sins Why baptize you if sins may not lawfully by man be forgiven assuredly in Baptism there is a pardon for all offences What difference is there whether Priests claim this power as given unto them in the reconciling of Penitents or in the washing of Baptisme The Ministery in both bâ—ing one and the same So for the holy Eucharist that lively mirror of our Saviours passion wherein Christ is crucified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before our eyes wherein the Bread is broken and delivered in token that his body was broken and his merits given unto us Matth. 26.28 wherein the Bloud of the new Testament is shed 〈◊〉 many for the remission of sins Now the virtue annexed to these Blessed Sacraments which are seals of the Promises of the Gospel as the Censures are of the threats is from God whose Sacraments they are and not from man who is but the Minister thereof From his side flowed the bloud and water and because both rise from that spring they have both this power Herein is no power for man where the grace of the Divine bounty prevaileth saith Ambrose It is one thing to baptize by the way of Ministery Nulla in his hominis potestas est ubi divini munâ—ris gratia viget Ambr. suprà Aliud â—st baptizare per Ministerium aliud per potestatâ—m sibi tenuit Dominus potestatem baptizandi servis Ministerium dedit Aug. tract 5. in Joan. and another thing by the way of power saith the Oracle of Hippo the power of baptizing the Lord retaineth to himself the Ministery he hath given to his servants And that School-man argued not amiss that framed this conclusion thence To baptize inwardly and to absolve from mortal sin are of equal power Paris potestatis est interiùs baptizare à culpa mortali absolvere sed Dâ—us non debuit potestatem baptizandi interiùs communicare ne spes poneretur in homine Ergo pari ratione nec potestatem absolvendi ab actuali Alex. Halens sum part 4. Qu. 21. Memb. 1. But God ought not to communicate the power of baptizing inwardly lest any hope should be placed in man therefore by the like reason ought he not to commit the power of absolving from actual sin unto any To conclude this point touching the Sacraments Cyprian or the Author of the XII Treatises De Cardinalibus operibus Christi writeth thus Forgiveness of sins Remissio peccatorum sive per baptismum sive per alia Sacramenta daretur propriè Spiritûs Sancti est ipsi soli hujus efficientiae privilegium manet Cypr. tract de bapt Chr. whether it be given by Baptisme or by other Sacraments is properly of the Holy Ghost and the privilege of effecting this remaineth unto him alone So much for the third mean wherein the power of the keys is exercised viz. in the due administration of the Sacraments The fourth and last thing wherein the power of the keys is discerned 4. By excommunication ecclesiastical censures consisteth in the interdictions and relaxations of publick Censures Therefore Divines refer the promise of the keys made unto Peter Matth. 16. to the Ministery and Preaching of the Gospel Illa de ligâ—ndo solvenâ—o Petro facta promissio non
Clemens Epist 1. ad Corinth p. 66 67. allow the same in its place to man also Testimonies of both sorts are extant in their writings and to the former for the present thus Clemens Romanus It is better saith he for a man to confess his sins then to harden his heart like those which resisted Moses c. then tells us how desirous God is hereof The Lord my Brethren needs nothing else is desirous of nothing from any man save to confess unto him then follow certain proofs from the Scripâ—ure shewing how acceptable a Sacrifice confession is as well in praising God as in dispraising of our selves that is the Sacrifice of thanksgiving and the other of a wounded spâ—rit Clemens of Rome is seconded with our Christian Athenaeus Clemens of Alexandria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who writeth thus If a Christian through the suggestions of the Adversary unwillingly fall into sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clâ—m Alex. Strom. l. 4. p. 378. let him in imitation of David sing I will confess unto the Lord and it shall please him better then a young calf that bringeth horns and hoofs let the poor behâ—ld and be glad for he saith offer unto God the sacrifice of praise and pay thy vows unto the Lord and call upon me in the day of thy afflâ—ction and I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorifie me for the sacrifice of God is a wounded spiriâ— A saying so like unto the former that I guess this Clemens took it as he did some other passages from the former These Primitive Men style confession a Sacrifiâ—e and we know of what kind of adoration sacrifices are and to whom they appertain surely a broken heart presented by confession and laid upon the Altar of the Cross is never rejected by God for his sake who suffered thereupon Origen a disciple to this last Clemens and his immediate successor in the (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Magister Hieron Ecclesiastical School at Alexandria Ipse nos ut peccâ—mus instigat ipse etiam cunt peccâ—veâ—â—mus accusâ—t si ipsi nostri accusatores simus nequitiam accusatoris effugimus dicit al cubi Propheta dic tu iniquitates tuas prior ut justificeris nonne evidentèr mysterium osteadâ—t cùm dicot Dic tu priortu ergò dic prior ne te illo prâ—eveniat sed David in Psalmo dâ—cit iniquitatem meam notam feci c. vide ergò quia pronunciare peccatum remissionem pâ—ccati meretur si ipsi nostâ—i sumus accusatores proficit nobis ad salutem si verò expectomus ut à Diabolo accusemur accusatio illa cedit nobis ad poenam Oâ—igen homil 3. in Levit. is frequent in exhorting sinners to all kinds of confession but earnest for that which is made unto God The Dâ—vil saith he first allureth to sin next accuseth for sin we prevent his malice by being our own accusers and by taking this office forth of his hands The Prophet in a place saith Declare thy iniquities beforehand that thou mayest be justified there is a mysterie in these words Dic tu prior declare thou first lest he step in before thee Even so David in the Psalme Mine iniquiâ—ies saith he have I made known unto thee and have not hid my sin I said I will confess c. See how the uttering of sin obtains forgiveness it will further our salvation to become our own accusers but if we delay till the Devil accuseth it will m ke much for our condemnation Now to him must this confession be poured out who forgave Davids sins although I must not conceal how Origen alloweth of confession before some sorts of men also and that without any gainsaying from me as in due place shall appear And to this confession 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys hom 31. ad Heb. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 orall expression is not so requisite God knoweth the language of the heart and heareth the voice of weeping that heard Annah praying and not speaking who reads our minds in our thoughts with whom tears and sighes and groans are formal evidences This manner of unfolding our souls to God St Basil upon the words of the Psalmist I have roared for the disquietness of my heart hath fully described in Davids person thus I do not open my lips in confession thereby to make a shâ—w to many but inwardly within my heart closing up mine eye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil in Ps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 100. graec Basileae 1551. to thee onely beholding things in secret do I discover the groans that are within me roaring within my self nor is there need of many words to this confession for with thee the groans of my heart are sufficient for this acknowledgment and those lamentations sent forth from the depth of my soul unto thee my God And look what Saint Basil ascribeth to the groaning of the heart the same doth Saint Ambrose to the tears of the Penitent and notes that no other Confession of Saint Peter after his denial is upon record but that which flowed from his eyes thus I finde that he wept I find not what he said I read of his tears I read of no satisfaction Invenio quòd sleverit non inâ—enio quÃd dâ—xerit lacrimas ejus lego sâ—â—â—factionem non lego Rectè planè Petrus flevit â—â—â—uit quia quod defleri solâ—â— non solâ—â—xcusari quod dâ—fendi non potest â—â—ui potâ—st lavat enim laâ—rima delictum quod voce pudor est consiâ—eri lacrime ergò verecundiae paritèr consulunt saluti non erubesâ—unt in petendo impeâ—rant in roganâ—o lacrimae inquâ—m tacitae quodâ—mmodo preces sunt veniam non postulant merentur causam non dicum misericordiam consequuntur nisi quòd utiliores lacrimarum preces sunt quà m sâ—rmonum quia sermo imprecando fortè fallit lacrima omnino non fallit sermo enim non totum profert negotium lacrima semper totum prodit affectum Ambr. de poenit Petri ser 46. Peter took a good course to weep and to be silent for that which is bewayled is not wont to be excused and that which cannot be defended may be clâ—ansed tears wash away the sin which the tongue is ashamed to confess tears therefore proâ—ide for shame and safety blush not to intreat and obtain by intreaâ—ing Tears I say are a kind of tacite prayers asking not forgiveness yet obtaining they set not forth vocally the cause yet gain the mercy yea the supplication of tears is of greater profit then any words can be words happily may fail us in prayers Subjiciamus nos Deo ut non subditi simus peccato delictorum nostrorum memoriam recensentes tanquam opprobrium erubescamus non velut quidam gloriam praedicemus Bonum Dominum habemus qui velit donare omnibus si vis justificari fatere
that taught them and especially seeing the Council of Trent hath had so little compassion in this case we are out of hope that any Divines of that side should abate any thing of this decreed rigouâ— It remaineth that we examine the grounds why this extreme necessity is imposed for Laws and ordinances are not usually enacted nor necessarily exacted except upon sound purposes and ends And if those ends may be obtained without them or come by upon better termes or if the goodness thereof be ended the Laws are repealed the ordinances taken away and the necessity ceaseth this being a received Maxim that the necessity of the means must not exceed nor be above the necessity of the end and if the end be not judged necessary the like judgment must be had of the means Again such means are onely deemed necessary which serve for the attaining of the end and so far forth as without them such a proposed end cannot be accomplished For example If eating and drinking be onely necessary for this life then if I had no necessity to live I might have no necessity to eat Again If I am to go a journey it is not necessary that I shall go afoot because I may be carried two things then constitute the necessity of the mean aptitude and propriety that it be fit and onely fit to compass such a design These notions presupposed we shall inquire into the foundations of this necessity in exacting confession and if neither the end be necessary to be had nor the means so requisite for the due obtaining thereof we shall then cast away this necessity as an exaction it being a burden not to be endured which is sustained to no purpose and a tyrannie which laies a necessity upon the conscience where Christian liberty is every way as behoofeful The first ground of this imposition is upon a supposed perill of salvation for these men teach that as there is no reconciliation with God without remission of sin so no sin is remitted without confession or at least a purpose thereof unto a Priest for saith Bellarmine A necessary mean to reconcilement after Baptisme Medium necessarium ad reconciliationem post baptismum est confessio peccatorum omnium Sacerdoti sacta Lib. 3. de poenit cap. 2. is Confession of all sins made unto a Priest And hence it is they urge it so closely Confession to a Priest not necessary in all cases and to all persons necessitate medii and too urgent they cannot be if so great a matter were at stake But the question is whether the mean proposed be necessary to this end yea or no and whether remission of sins can be obtained of God no other way for if it may then we must conclude this not to be an adequate mean conducing thereunto for we must now consider of Confession not as an help and a kind of mean and in some sort of sinners onely but whether or no it be the onely mean for all sinners to gain a pardon for there can be no necessity for a Felon to use the mediation of one man onely to his Prince for pardon except the Prince be resolute to pardon no other way Now God hath not any where revealed so much that no mercy shall be had but upon such a condition nor dare the Jesuites confine him unto any such Christ the Author of the Sacraments Christus author Sacramentorum à Sacramentis suis non dependebat ideò non modò sine confessione sed etiam sine Baptismo peccata interdum remittebat Lib. 3. de poen c. 17. depended not upon his Sacraments and therefore did remit sins sometimes not onely without Confession but without Baptisme also saith Bellarmine Yea in the ordinary course remission of the sin comes in betwixt contrition of the heart and confession of the mouth Saint Augustine upon these words Non dicitur Ore confessus fuerit sed conversus ingemuerit undè datur intelligi quòd etiam ore tacente veniam interdum consequimur hinc Leprosi illi quibus Dominus praecepit ut ostenderent se Sacerdotibus in itinere antequam ad Sacerdotes venirent mundati sunt Aug. apud Magistr lib. 4. d. 17. Sect. 1. At what time soever a sinner shall be converted ingemuerit and shall groan he shall live and not die writeth thus It is not said and shall confess with his mouth but being converted shall grâ—an fâ—om whence is given to understand that sometimes we obtain a pardon when our lips are shut hence it was that those Lepers whom the Lord commanded to shew themselves unto the Priests in the way were healed before they came unto them And as Lazarus was first raised by the Lord Lazarus etiam non priùs de monumento eductus postea à Domino suscitatus sed intùs suscitatus prodiit foras vivus ut ostenderetur suscitatae animae praecedere confessionem Lombard and loosed from the power of death before he came forth of his grave so a sinner is first raised by Grace and loosed from the bonds of sin and guilt before he can come forth to Confession This order the Master observes 1. Nemo suscitatur nisi qui à peccato solvitur None can be raised but must be loosed first from Death because sin is the death of the soul and this solution is absolution 2. Nullus confitetur nisi resuscitatus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 6.5 for as speech is the argument of life so confession of grace and in morte quis confiâ—ebitur tibi In death there is no remembrance of thee and in the grave who shall confess unto thee Now the mean in execution ever precedes the end Confession then is not the means to purchase remission which goes before it therefore Gabriel dislâ—kes this course and tels us That many Confessio quòd sit necâ—ssaria in actu varii variis mâ—des osâ—â—ndere niâ—untur sed plerique insufficienter qâ—idâ—m non potest ostendi suffiâ—ienter ex necessitate remissionis p ccâ—ti quâ—mvis remissio pâ—ccaâ—i sit necessaria ad salutem tum quia ad remission m peccati est alius modus sussiciâ—ns sine confessione in actu sc Contritio cordis per quam peccatum remittitur priusquam Peccator Sacerdoti consitâ—atur tum quia confâ—ssio secundum probabiliorem opinionem praeexigit remissionâ—m peccati per contritionem praeviam per hoc nunquam per confessionâ—m remittitur pâ—ccatâ—m sed eam praesupponit Biel. l. 4. d. 17. Qu. 1. and â—n a diverse manner have gone abâ—ut to shew the necessity of actual confession but for the most part very insufficiently and truly it cannot sufficiently be demonstrated from the necessity of remission of sin although remission of sin be necessary to Salvation for that there is another mean sufficient to come by forgiveness of sin without actual confession namely contriâ—ion of heart whereupon the sin is forgiven before the sinner can confess
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
renovation which properly belongeth unto Baptisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecumen and of a second crucifying of Christ of that properly Baptisme is a type the man therefore that is once baptized to repentance and would repent by being again baptized crucifieth Christ afresh who in the second Baptisme suffereth the second time Renovatio per sacri baptismatis lavacrum secundâ vice fieri non potest Ambr. in Heb. cap. 6. Heb. 10.26 and to the same purpose is the exposition under the name of Ambrose or rather the translation of Saint Chrysostome as indeed it is not denying a second repentance but a second Baptisme to repentance But the words that pinch more than the former are If we sin willingly after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins wherein the benefit denied is the sacrifice for sin Si ultrò peccaverimus Beza and the parties excepted against some kind of sinners 1. That sin against their conscience after the receiving of the knowledge of the truth Hostiam iis residuam esse negat qui à Christi nomine discedunt Calvin in loc 2. That sin wilfully so that sins of ignorance and infirmity exclude not but onely wilful apostasie for how can Christ be a sacrifice for such as disclaim him his sacrifice then remains not for them because they remain not his cutting off themselves from the fruit thereof by a voluntary defection Saint Chrysostome expoundeth that Sacrifice as formerly of a second baptisme He is not saith he such an enemy to our salvation as to take away repentance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrys ad Hebr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 533. or the propitiation for sin or to reject him that hath fallen after illumination what is it then he taketh away second baptisme for he saith not there remaineth no more repentance or no more forgiveness but no more a sacrifice no more a second Cross for that he calleth a sacrifice (a) Hebr. 10.14 By one sacrifice once upon the cross c. meaning by that sacrifice Christs death upon the cross or rather Baptisme a representative type thereof The Greek Scholia fasten upon the parties and bid us consider that it is not said if we have but if we do sin voluntarily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecumen thereby signifying that to such impenitent sinners as persevere in their wickedness till death there is no sacrifice whereby repentance is not excluded but requred rather as a necessary antecedent q.d. there remaineth a sacrifice for penitent sinners but none for the impenitent and Theophylact to the same tune also If we sin voluntarily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl that is remain in our sins without Repentance To the same purpose Hugo Cardinalis writeth thus voluntary sin is not signified so much as the custome of sinning Significatur non solùm peccatum quod voluntarie fit sâ—d consuetudo ipsius pâ—ccati finalis impoenitentia non enim aiâ— volentibus peccare sed voluntaâ—iè peccantibus voluntarius enim est qui in aliquo assiduus 〈◊〉 volens qui ad tempus Hugo Card. ad Hebr. 10. and final impenitency for he saith not those that sin willingly but wilfully for he is said to be wilful in any matter that is busie and earnest therein and willing that is but for a season Now where repentance is not the sacrifice of Christs death is not appliable and where there is no ceasing from sin there is no true Repentance Thus we see the fountain is clear however false glosses may molest and trouble the stream for a time at length it will settle and return to its native clarity and thus much by occasion of solemn Penance once imposed and if it savour of a digression let us return where we left and perfect the small remainder to be now said of publick Penance Late Authors have observed four several degrees which the penitents took in those austere dayes 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fletus auditio substratio consistentia 1. Weeping before the porch 2. hearing in the porch 3. lying all along on the Church pavement in expectation of the Bishops prayer and blessing so called as witnesseth a great Antiquary à procidendo because the penitent admitted within the porch of the Temple 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hae eoram Episcopo procid bat poenitens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intra Templi portam admissus cum Catechumenis sacessere jubebatur accertis diebus coram Episcopo procidens impositione manuum ac solenaâ— precatione impertitus dimitti solebat D. Petavius animadvers in Epiph. haer 59. fell down before thâ— Bishop and was commanded to depart thence with the Cateâ—humeni and so prostrating himself before the Bishop at certain times was dismissed with imposition of hands and solemn prayer the fourth approch was standing with the assembly within the Church where they communicated with the faithful in the station and consistency 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thaumaturgus but not in the Communion and were not put forth like profane Merchandizers partaking of the Orizons of the Church but not of the Sacrament Thus they made their approches to the Lords Table by degrees and not like the Gallants of our times that are no sooner up from the Table of Devils charged with gluttony and surfeiting but without any let or check of conscience become very confident guests at that Spiritual Banquet yea scarce cold from their sin and their evening surfeit undigested but they present themselves at the Lords Boord Good God! what terrour must needs possess such profane breasts when the Master of that feast shall shake them by the sleeve with a Friend how camest thou hither not having on thy wedding garment As the degrees which they observed Lib. 1. de Poenit cap. 22. so the places where the penitents stood were designed also Bellarmine hath set them down out of Pacianus thus The Penitents in habit doleful and to behold lamentable stood first at the Church door howling at the gates and craving the prayers of the faithful within this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 next thâ—y came within the porch where they might hear the word preached with the Catechumeni and this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they audientes auditors onely 3. In precess of time they entred into the Oratory and abode with thâ— Competentes praying and contemplating the Sacrament but not admitted at the celebration this was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from beholding wherein the Cardinal not punctually following his guide is out both in the derivation and application After that they were admitted amongst the fideles at the celâ—bration of the Sacrament but were not yet come so far as to partake thereof and this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their station 5. Their penance fully accomplished and ended
they were reconciled and received the sacred Eucharist and this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the complement Thus far the Cardiâ—al though not so faithfully as he ought hath related from Pacianus Greg. Neccaesar and Photius men well acquainted with these rites Thou seest Christian Reader at what a distance sinners were held in the dayes of old and not fully restored till time and grief had worn out their sin the scandal satisfied and their hearts seasoned with devotion I will wind up this discourse with Cassander In the Primitive Church that sluggish professors might become more zealous Iâ— veteri Ecclesia ut segniores excitarentur poenitentiâ—us ob graviora scelera certa tempora officia definita fuerunt quibus non solùm coram Dâ—o interiorem animi poenitentiam excitarent exâ—rcerent sed etiam Ecclesiae verè se atque ex animo poenitere decâ—ararent atque ita mâ—nûs impositione Episcopi Cleri reconciliarentur jus Communicationis acciperent atque haec praescripta officia canonicae satisfactiones seu poenae vocarentur quae jam imperitiâ Episcopurum Pastorum in abusum nâ—gligentiâ segnitie tà ◠pastorum quâ—m Popâ—lâ— in desuâ—tudinem venerant nisi quòd in privatis confâ—ssionibus aliqua eâ—us rei vestigia remansâ—rint Cassand Consult Confessio certain times and offices were appointed unto Penitents guilty of fouler crimes wherein they might not onely stir up and exercise the inward repentance of the minde before God but declare unto the Church their sincere and unfeigned sorrow and so be reconciled by imposition of hands from the Bishop and the Clergie and restored to the Communion the which prescribed duties were called canonical satisfactions or punishments which now adayes by the unskilfulness of Bishops and Pastors have grown to be abused and through the negligence and lukewarmness both of Pastors and people wholly laid aside save that some footsteps thereof have remained in private Confessions This modern and moderate Divine hath laid down the use and scope of this discipline to rouse us up for religious duties and to set forth before the Church our sincere repentance and to be reconciled by Gods Ministers the decay whereof he ascribeth to the supine negligence of the later Prelates and that a shadow thereof remaineth to this day in private confession the restitution whereof he much sighed after as appeareth in these his words Which ancient and Apostolick custome of publick satisfaction for publick and grievous offences were very profitable Quem publicae satisfactionis priscum Apostolicum morem ob publica graviora peccata restitui utile ac propemodùm necessarium est in quo potestas Ecclesiastica Clavium in ligando solendo i. e. poenitentiam indicendo à Communione separando rursum indulgendo absolvendo seu reconciliando maâ—nifestissimè cernitur Cassand ib. yea very necessary to be restored wherein the Ecclesiastical power of the keyes in binding and loosing that is in imposing of penance in separating from the communion and again in releasing absolving and reconciling is manifestly discerned And thus have I prosecuted this discipline 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as accurately as I could that the same being known (a) Communion-Book at the Commination the vote of our Church for the restitution thereof may be the better perceived which thing were much to be wished and to which all that love the Lord Jesus must needs say Amen CHAP. IV. The Contents Confession of sin addressed unto God chiefly and to man also with considerable relations grounded upon the law of nature with God himself a necessary antecedent to pardon Adam and Cain interrogated to extract Confession Sundry Precedents of Penitents recoursing to God in Confession There is shame in confessing to God as well as unto man Penitential Psalmes composed by David for memorials and helps to Confession The Rabbins doctrine of Confession of sin before God practised in the time of the Gospel preached and urged by the Ancient Fathers and so far by Chrysostome as a tribute due to God onely for which the Pontificians are jealous of him Confession before God is not destructive of Confession before man in a qualified sense though preferred before it and especially called for by the old Doctors although that be of singular use also HItherto of Repentance both external and internal the inward sorrow and the outward demeanour thereof and that solemn performance was not onely a vocal and publick confession of the guilt but a real expression Omnia poenitentiae praeparata Hieron Matth. 3. that as Saint Hierome said of John the Baptist his food of Locusts and his garment of Camels hair and the place of his abode the desart how they expresly set forth what he preached the doctrine of Repentance we are now to arrest our selves upon that branch and part thereof which consisted in the verbal opening and declaration of sin which is a recognition of a sinners unworthiness opened by himself in orall confession to the principal party wronged and sometimes to such persons also that by reason of their office place or respect may be a mean to procure forgiveness and reconcilement Now by sin God is ever principally and very often onely grieved and sometimes Man also In the first case to God onely and properly belongs confession as He who is chiefly and onely offended in the second this Confession must be made to God and the Man also that is wronged by us to whom satisfaction for the trespass also belongeth and the end brotherly Reconciliation The Dean of Lovaine hath taken notice of all thus There is a Confession whâ—ch is made unto God alone Est Confâ—ssio quae fit Deo soli quae homini atque haec rursus varia 1. Quaedam sit homini quâ—m laesimus pro obtinenda reconciliatione cum ipso râ—missione offâ—nâ—ae in illum alia fit homini de peccatis in alium admâ—ssis pro consilio aut reconciliatione habenda sunt hae confessiones juris naturae saltâ—m reformatae per gratiam Ruard Tapper art 5. pag. 73. and another unto man and this again is divers 1. either unto the man whom we have hurt for the obâ—aining of reconcilement with him and forgiveness of the wrong from him or which is made unto a man of such sins as are done against any other to ask cou sel upon the matter of Reconciliation and all these confessions are of the law of nature at the least as it is refined by grace So Confession is made unto God and in some cases to man also furthermore the fact is acknowledged unto man in many points wherein he is not the Party offended but considered as a mean and instrument to further and obtain a reconcilement unto him who is justly displeased And as by the light of nature we advise how to compass the favour of a great Personage justly forfeited by making use of such persons that by reason of their place alliance or
virtues claim a special interest in his affections so is it with the sinner and God It cannot be denyed but our Mediator and Intercessor and Advocate is Christ Jesus the Lord and whatsoever Others do or prevail with God it is for his sake He is the Corner-stone reconciling the building Minister Poenitentiae duplex 1. cui confessio fit ex officio at Sacerdos 2. alius qui audiendo confessionem vicem supplere potest Sacerdotis in necessitate ut est Laicus Compend Theol. verit lib. 6. cap. 27. and upon him is built every Intercession from or for any person besides Yet other Intercessors there are Moses stood in the gap made an atonement for the people and God was deprecated and reconciled There are some persons that by their office and place as stewards in the Lords house may give audience to sin to whom is committed the Ministery of Reconciliation and some by their virtues highly favoured by God though not amongst his Priests and they may take Confessions as faithful Brethren and both of these by their prayers may induce God to mercy My discourse must pass along and in the way call in upon them all but must begin with God the principal Party wronged and the Principal object of Penitential Confession Confessio quae fit mâ—nte Dâ—o est dâ— jure naturali Anton. part 3. tit 14. c. â—9 sect 2. That Confession of sin ought to be made unto God as a condition requisite for the pardon thereof and that it is no mean inducement to incline him to mercy is an undoubted verity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without Controversie imbraced by all that make profession of Christianity Dâ—us in lege naturâ—e non sâ—mâ—l exâ—git confessionâ—m peccati Bellar. l. 3. de Poenit. c. 3. the foundation thereof is deeply laid in the law of nature it self as a practical truth flowing from the Principles and conclusions thereof and hence it came to pass that God exacted it from their hands that had no other light than the guide of nature Now Natural laws are the rules and decrees of reason and as reason is the common guide to all men Ratio legis est anima lâ—gis so the dictates and statutes thereof bind all that are capable of that guidance But this is a granted Maxime that every guilty person ought to be judged and this like unto it Haec est nota conclusio quòd quilibet Râ—us debâ—t judicari ista quòd nullus debet esse Jâ—â—â—x in propria causa ergò Reus dâ—bet judicari per alium sed non poâ—â—st juâ—icâ—â—i per alium nisi accusâ—tur illi alii nec potest accusari nisi à sâ—ipso si peccatum suum sit occultum ergò dâ—bet scipsum accusare alii à quo jâ—dicetur Scotus l. 4. d. Qu. 1. sect 1. in ista Quaestione that none may be a judge in his own cause and then this That no offender can be judgâ—d without some accusation to whâ—ch add this none can accuse of secret sins but the delinquent himself the stone then first moved in this penitential judicature is the Confession of the party upon which are grounded the indictment and judgement And saith another Schoolman The law of nature is for a man to repent of the evil he hath done De jure naturali est quòd aliquis poeniteat de malis quae fâ—cit quâ—ntum ad hâ—c quòd doleat se fecisse doloris remâ—dia quaerat pâ—r aliquem modum quòd etiam aliquâ— signa doloâ—is ostendat ut Nâ—nivitae Aquâ—n part 3. quaest 84. aâ—t 7. so far forth as to grieve he hath done it and that he seek all means to remedy his grief and that he also utter some signes of sorrow Thou wilt say this reason concludeth for secret sins which come to light no way but by Confession but publick sins are to be confessed to God also Besides secret sins are to him who seeth in darkness no secret at all and need not that mean for discovery for wherein our Consciences do accuse us God is greater than our consciâ—nces that is a more strict observer To strengthen then this reason I thus assume The end of penitential confession is the judgment of absolution not of condemnation to free not to punish for sin and an absolution not to quit from sin for God in justice cannot pronounce us just for that were to call darkness light but such an absolution as dischargeth us from the guilt and obligation unto punishment and so God in justice may and in mercy doth justifie us and this is to separate betwixt the light and the darkness Now remission of sin ever supposeth sin and the absolution from sin the detection of sin for sin maketh man to be miserable and the Confession thereof God to be merciful God requireth then no detection of sin in the judgment of condemnation which is the punishment of sin and wherein he proceedeth according to his own wisdome but in that of absolution which consisteth in the forgiveness of sin the confession thereof in the party peccant hath ever been deemed requisite by way of pacification Insomuch that all men whatsoever saith Scotus that have believed God to be the just Judge of all the world Justi pro omni statu post lapsum qui habuâ—runt fidem de Deo quòd erat Rector universi justus postquam peccaverunt contra legem Dâ—i consitebantuâ— Dâ—o peccata sua pâ—tentes ab eo remâ—ssionem scientes eum sine tali remissione tanquam justum judicem vindicaturum de illo peccato Scorus ib. and have acknowledged the law of his providence seen in the government of the universe upon every breach thereof have applied themselves to this supreme Governour to appease him with humble acknowledgment of the offâ—nce and to deprecate his anger It was but early dayes in the world when God called upon Adam where art thou which was a summons to a reckoning that as he had sinned Entrée de propos gall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ut ulteriùs cum eo loquendi ampliùs cum eo expostulandi occasionem hinc captaret item ut ab eo confessionem pâ—ccati extorqueret Rab. Sel. so he should take notice thereof and prevent and pacifie his wrath by confession it was an entrance into a Parley or a preface and introduction as the Rabbins say into a further conference thereby to expostulate with him about his offence and to extract from him an ingenuous acknowledgment thereof And a Father of the Christian faith conceits no less When God said to Adam where art thou our first Parents then guilty persons were inquired after Cùm Dominus diceret ad Adam ubi es peccato transgressionis primi Parentes corrupti à Domino sunt requisiti de culpa ut peccatum quod transgrediendo commiserant confitâ—ndo delerent Greg. to wash out that sin by confessing which they had committed by transgressing The like
interrogatory was made to Cain where is thy Brother Abel but his impudence was to out-face the murder and plead not guilty till God convicted him The sin smothered brake forth into a greater flame the fore skinned over with a deniall festered He that said at first nulla est iniquitas there is no iniquity in my hands and refused to unlade his soul by confession sinks under the burden and cries out major est iniquitas my sin is greater than I am able to bear Saint Chrysostome collecteth no less Gods mercy appeared in the Question where is thy Brother 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys in Gen. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tom 1. p. 130. to give him the hint and opportunity to bethink himself that by confession of the fault the guilt might be washed away for this was Gods wont even from the beginning to exact from us a Confession of our sins that upon the same he might shew mercy He concludes It is good to confess the fact to disclose the wound to the Physician and to receive medicines from him Gods people in process of time his good pleasure being known how propense he is to give a sinner audience have not failed in this point to confess nor he them to pardon and because Confession of sin from the delinquent and Remission of sin from God commonly go together my discourse shall not separate them we are now upon the Sinners Plea and must instance in those that have had the will to sin the grace to see it the humility to confess it and the happiness to be delivered from it David is famous for his transgressions his confessions and his lamentations I acknowledged my sins unto thee Psal 32.5 and my iniquity have I not hid I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin where we see confession hath not onely the promise but performance of forgiveness annexed thereunto and that from Him who is most bountiful in his promises and most faithful in his performances tu remisisti whose absolution is ever of force for he never turns a wrong key 2. Note also the manner thereof David had not yet made his confession it was onely in voto in purpose and conception not in re an actual performance yet his success is crowned with performance and that will accepted for the deed so much is Gods mercy more forward than mans duty as to grant the pardon before it be asked The word was not at my mouth and Gods ear was at my heart Vâ—x mâ—â— in ore nondum â—rat sed auris Dâ—i jam in â—ordâ—â—rat Aug. in Psal 31. Vide quâ—m velox sit Dâ—i misâ—ricordia erga pâ—ccatorâ—m non dum coâ—sitâ—tur ut audiat homo sed consiâ—ri promittit quod audit D us Ludolph in Psal 31. Dâ—xâ— d liberaâ—i apud me quod consiâ—â—bor tu râ—misisti mâ—â—ni piâ—tas Dâ—i quae ad solam pâ—omissionâ—m pâ—ccata dimisit votum â—nim pro opâ—rationae judicatur Cassiodor in Psal 31. saith Aug. in the person of David and much to the same sense a later Expositor Behold with what speed the mercy of God makes toward a sinner he had not confessed so that man might hear but promised to confess which God heareth To the same purpose Cassiodore I said thâ—t is I dâ—liberated with my self how I will confess and thou forgavest O the goodness of God! forgiving sins upon promise onely for with him the will is of equal acceptation with the deed And lest we should think that this was somâ— peculiar privilege vouchsafed unto the Man after Gods own heart the same sweet singer of Israel doth presently inlarge his note and inferreth this general conclusion thereupon for this shall every one that is Godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found verse 6. The godâ—y in this world are not so godly but there are times also when they must go to this Confession and comfort themselves with this hope for we are not Angels but men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil hom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 245. gâ—â—â—c Basilea we fall and are raised and that often and in a little space Basil Thus David made a good Confession Let us pass from the Father to the Son Solomon in whom all ages have and shall admire how so fair a star could fall in so foul an eclipse yet he recovered his lost light and of a great sinner proved a great Convert and as Chronicles mention the folly of this King so Ecclesiastes relates the repentance of this Preacher He delivers a general rule Prov. 28 1â— He that hides his sin shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh thâ—m shall find mercy Wherein observe a necessary adjunct to Confession viz. forsaking of sin It is not then a naked verbal confession that hath this efficacy or such a compendious way of healing and no more but go shew thy self and thy sins to the Priest and thy attrition shall become contrition and thy sins shall be forgiven though not clean forsaken This Roman device Solomon for all his knowledge and that extended from the Cedar to the Thistle was yet to seek of for with Tiburine Impostors though a man bring not so much as that drop of sorrow for sin by them termed attrition but onely a will to confess and utter the story of his lewd life to a Priest with an intent to be absolved by him Non solùm attritus recipit gratiam delentem peccatum tanquam per virtutem meriti de congruo sed non habens talem actum qui sufficiat ad meritum de congruo sed tamen habens voluntatem suscipiendi sacramentum Ecclâ—siae sine obice peccati actualitèr in facto vel in voluntate inhaerentis suscipit non ex meâ—â—to sed ex pacto divino effectum istius sacramenti Scotus lib. 4. dist 14. there is required no more to be set free from sin the Sacrament of Penance will supply all other defects and confer this benefit mero motu of its own accord without any good disposition or desert of the Receiver insomuch that he need to put his ghostly Father to no farther trouble than this Speak the word only and I shall be healed By this new fetch the Sacrament of Penance is available without Repentance Confession without Contrition and sin forgiven which is not forsaken An opinion saith Gabriel much to be esteemed if it were laid upon the foundation of the Scriptures and holy Fathers Ista opinio esset valde acceptanda si haberâ—â— firmamentum Scripturae sanctorum Patrum Biel. lib. 4. dist 14. qu. 2. not 2. and no gallant I think but would embrace it to come off from sin at so easie a hand But see the ill luck of a thing it wants both Scriptures and Fathers to support it for in the Scripture it is He that confesseth and forsaketh his sinne Obseâ—va quod
fuller and the clearer He is my Physician Ille Medicus est vulnera igitur illi exponamus ille laesus est offensus ab illo pacent petamus ille est cordium cognitor coram ipso corda nostra effundere properemus ille denique est qui peccatores vocat ad ipsum accedere nè moremur Calvin Instit l. 13. cap. 4. Sect. 9. and to him will I open my wounds He is the party wronged with him will I make my peace He knoweth the very secrets of my heart before him then I will pour forth mine He it is that invites me a sinner unto him and to him will I hasten nor be slack at his call And this Confession of sin unto God is insisted upon by the Rabbins in the book called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Dayes and in the chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the day of propitiations Dixit R Isaac Venâ— vide quia mos sancti Dei benedicta non est sicut mos carnis sanguâ—nis mos namque carnis sanguinis est quòd si homo offendit proximum suum quandoque placet eum verbis quandoque nequeat ipsum verbis tantùm placare mos autem Dei sancti benedicti non est sic homo enim transgreditur transgressionâ— tamen placat ipsum verbis sicut dictum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non solum hoc sed etiam consert ei bonitatem sicut consequenter dictum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forsitan dices vituló◠culpae docet quid ad hoc dicendum sit id quod sequitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Petrus Galat. de arcan â—ath verit lib. 8. cap. 8. is extant this passage R. Isaac said Come and see how the manner and custome of the Lord holy and blessed is not as the manner of flesh and bloud for the manner of flesh and bloud is that if a man have offended his neighbour sometimes he may please him with words and sometimes he cannot please him with words alone But the manner of the holy and blessed God is not so for in transgressing man transgresseth and yet pacifieth him with words as it is said Hosea 14.1 O Israel return unto the Lord for thou hast fallen by thy iniquity take with you WORDS and turn unto the Lord and not onely this but he conferreth mercy upon him as it is said in the words following Say unto him take away all our iniquity and receive us graciously Not onely this but the Scripture hath it as if he should offer calves in sacrifice as it is said afterwards So will we render the calves of our lips peradventure thou wilt say the Calves of sin that which followeth teacheth what is to be said to this I will heal their backsliding I will love them freely In which testimony we see that the calves of our lips are the confession of our sins that in confession our wounds are healed and we in God beloved So in Misdras Tehillim that is exposition of the Psalmes on the title of the hundred Psalme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Psalme of Confession This is that which is written He that hideth his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall find mercy He that hâ—deth his sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hoc est quod scriptum est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 28. Qui abscondit peccata sua talis suit Saul cui dictum est 1 Reg. 15. Quae est vox harum oviumâ— ipse autem respondit de Amalâ—k adduxerunt eas Qui autem consitetur relinquit ea milericordiam consequetur talis suit David de quo dictum est 2 Reg. c. 12. Et dixit David ad Nathan peccavi Domino dixit Nathan ad David Dominus quoque transtulit peccatum tâ—um non morieris Pet. Gal. lib. 10 c. 13. such an one was Saul to whom it was said 1 Kings 15. What meaneth the bleating of these sheep but he answered they brought them away from Amalek But he that confesseâ—h and forsaketh them shall finde mercy such an one was David of whom it was said 2 Kings 12. And David said unto Nathan I have sinned unto the Lord and Nathan said unto David the Lord also hath put away thy sin thou shalt not dye Instancing in two Kings of a diverse humour the one putting off his sins by collusion hath them charged upon him and the other charging himself by confession hath them put away Saul hid his sins it was but reason therefore he should find them David discovered his and therefore God so covered them in mercy as they were past finding out This then was the custome of the Law and the Prophets Under the Gospel the same custome hath continued the Prodigal son that express pledge and hostage for mercy did but resolve upon Confession to his dearest Father whose speed embracements and kisses prevented the vocal expression God who saw him afar off heard him also what he said (a) Luke 15.18 within himself and what he said to (b) 21. himself also The prodigal sinned against God to whom it is said against thee onely have I sinned Prodâ—gus peccavit coram Deo cue soli dicitur Tibi soli peccavi c. tam câ—tò veniam an retur ut veniculi adhuc longè posito ocâ—urrit Pater Ambr. lib. 2. de Poenit. cap. 4. and obâ—ined so speedy a paâ—don that while he was yet afar off and but on the way the Father meets him The poor Publican upon his confession fared as well putting up his supplication in the Temple Luke 18.13 14. the contents whereof were O God be merciful to me a sinner and went back to his house justified without making Confession to any other Ghostly Father but onely the Father of Spirits of whom Saint John giveth this assurance that if we confess our sin◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 John 1.9 he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness why faithful and just rather then kind and merciful seeing forgiveness of sins proceedeth from his bounty not our deserving indeed it was his mercy to annex forgiveness to Confession and his justice to reward that which his mercy promised God is so gracious to promise pardon upon this condition that a sinner confess which condition performed God is faithful and just to make good his promise with actual forgiveness fail not thou him of confession and he will never fail thee of forgiveness Upon these grounds the Fathers direct a Penitent unto God esteeming the confession made unto him of so great value as they seem to make but small account of that which is made to man leaving it as a thing indifferent to be undertaken as the sinner finds occasion But he that praiseth Gold must not be thought to dispraise silver and those Ancients that approve of Confession to God in the first place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
delictum tuum solvit enim criminum nexus verecunda confessio peccatorum Vides quid à te exigat Deus tuus vides quà remissionis pollicitatione te provocat ad consitendum Ambr. l. 2. de poen c. 6. which tears never do for the tongue doth not alway open our case fully but tears ever disclose our affections to the full To God then doth the same Doctor exhort us to disclose our sins Let us be subject unto God that we may not be subject unto sin Let us call our offences unto remembrance and be ashamed of them as a disgrace and not boast thereof as the manner of some is We have a good Lord that would pardon all If therefore thou wouldst be justified confess thy sin for a modâ—st and shameful confession of sin loseth the bands thereof Thou seest what thy God exacteth of thee and with what a promise of forgiveness he provoketh thee unto Confession Led with this promise and invited with this call the Golden-mouthed Dr John Chrysostome exhorteth the people to resort to God onely in confession little regarding that which is made to man and leaving it as a thing indifferent as a thing to be used or not at the Penitents discretion which the most rigid of the Reformed side stick not at yea he seems at least in words to disavow it which is more than the Moderate sort of them expected or can well away with And a great Scholar but of the other side freely acknowledgeth that Chrysostome in divers places and by name in his 5. Quae à Chrâ—sostomo tum aliis in locis tum Hâ—m 5. De Incomprehens Dei nat parùm commode dicta vidâ—antur ubi pâ—ccatores â—â se lege negat obstringere ut hominibus sed ut uni Deo peccata satâ—antur D. Petavius animadv in Epiph. hâ—er 59. p. 224. Homily of the incomprehensible nature of God hath some unsound passages denying sinners to be tyed by any law to confesse their sins unto Man but unto God onely Well let us see what it might be that is so great an eye-sore to him and men of his rank The first mention that occurreth unto me is in Lamech his case confessing the murder he committed unto his wives Hear O ye wives of Lamech c. where expressing elegantly the torture of a rag ng conscience the Father sheweth there is no way but one to quiet the same He thâ—t is guilty of crying sins and would make good use and be aided by his conscience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tom 1. p. 139. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys ib. and be drawn to confess what he hath committed and open his wound to such a Physician that would heal and not upbraid him and receive salving plaisters from him and would câ—â—fer wiâ—h him no one beholding and declare all things diligently unto him shall easily rectifie what was amiss for the confession of a sinner is the abolishing and doing away of his transgression Now who is meant by this Physician these words following he that distinctly knoweth all thâ—ngs and again He requireth our Confession not as ignorant but knowing all things before they were sufficiently shew and from an Homily which bears his name and title of Repentance extant in the Latin Edition of his works it is thus cited by (a) Chemnit exam Concil Trid. part 2. de confes pag. 189. Chemnitius It is not necessary to confess in the presence of witnesses let there be an inquisition made after offences in the thought let this judgment be without a witness let God onely see thee confessing But let us view the Father in his own colours who taking his theme from the Confession of the Publican saith thus I beseech you alwaies to make Confession 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tom 5. pag. 262 263. for I do not bring thee upon the theatre of thy fellow-servants nor do I compell thee to uncover thy sins unto men unclasp thy coâ—science before God shew forth unto him thine actions and thy wounds and intreat a medicine from him set them forth to him who will not set at naught but cure thee for albeit thou dost say nothing be knoweth all things The same words are repeated again for failing tom 6. pag. 444. which we rather point at than produce for where the Father is copious repetitions are tedious who further saith But thou art ashamed to say thou hast sinned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tom 2. p. 708. utter thy sins in thy daily devotions What then I do not say confesse them to thy fellow-servant for to cast them into thy teeth confesse them to God that healeth them for God is not ignorant of them though thou keep them secret So upon mention of those words in the Prophecy of Esay which in the LXXII Esay 43.26 Interpreters are thus read Declare thy sins first that thou mayst be justified he writeth thus Tell me of what art thou ashamed and blushest at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tom 5. p. 258. to confesse thy sins dost thou relate them unto man to reproch thee or dost thou confesse them to thy fellow-servant to publish them upon the stage To thy Lord to him that careth for thee to him that is kind to man-kind and to thy Physician thou dost unfold thy grief And not many lines after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id. ib. pag. 258. lin 15. I compel thee not saith God to come forth upon the open stage and to make many witnesses tell me thy sins alone in private so I will heal thy wound and free thee from pain Also the same Father upon the same subject in another place adviseth not to call our selves sinners onely but to call to mind our sins and rehearsing every one in particular 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tom 4 pag. 589. I say not proclaim thy self upon the Theatre nor accuse thy self in the audience of others but I counsel thee to be perswaded by the Prophet saying Reveal thy way unto the Lord. Confess thy sins unto God confess them before the Judge praying if not in thy tongue yet in thy memory And to say no more this was his Pulpit-discourse to the people of Antioch And this not onely to be marvelled at saith he that he forgiveth us our sins 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tom 6. pag. 608. lin 10. but that he neither discloseth them nor laieth them open or maketh them manifest nor forceth us to come forth in open view to speak out our offences but commandeth us to be answerable for them to him alone and him to make our confession These 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 several flowers and far more than these are gathered from this spiritual garden of Saint Chrysostome The Church of Rome cannot well endure the breath and smell thereof The Cardinal would limit his testimonies to publick confession which is the Theatre and stage so often mentioned Loquitur de confessione publica
sono audâ—â—o sâ— preparant which tolled all the Religious each man suspecting himself to prepare themâ—elâ—es unto confession Whether this sound were a false noise or not is not the question for mine Author avoucheth it rather for a populous rumor then a crâ—â—ible report but that whereof I take notice is how upon any summons or peril of death Communem plebis opinion m non sidei mâ—teriam recito Joan. Mâ—jor de Gest Scotor lib. 2. cap. 12. confession was accounted a good preparation for a good end and a quiet setling of the soul and Conscience Inprimis consitendum Deo est posteà etiam Sacerdoti proptereà quòd confessio quae sit Sacerdoti in hoc nobis adminiculum praebet ut accepto salutari ab eis consilio saluberrimis poenitentiae observaâ—ionibus seu mutuis orâ—tionibus peccatorum maculas diluamus Theodulp lib. de Ecclesiast observ apud B. Rhenan praâ—f ad Tert. de poenit Theodulphus Bishop of Orleance writeth thus In the first place confession must be made unto God next unto the Priest because the confession that is made unto a Priest so fâ—r aideth us that receiving wholesome counsel from them we may by the wholesome observations of penance and by mutual pâ—ayers wash away the filth of sin Thou seest here Confession to a Priest and another reason thereof besides absolution that by his sacred advice (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. strom 2. pag. 281. the Penitent might be directed to bring forth such fruits of Repentance as may blot out the spots of his former sins And such rules of direction were called Canons penitential whereby a certain time was set down for each particular sin for the lustration and expiation thereof and Beda mentioneth that Theodorus sometimes Arch Bâ—shop of Canterbury composed Canons to this purpose which he calleth Peccantium judicia viz. how many years of penance belong to several sins Theodorus Archiepiscopus Peccantium judidicia quantis sc annis pro unoquoque peccato quis poenitere debeat miravili discreta ratione describit Beda in Chron. The Penitential it self being reserved as I am informed amongst the Archiva of that great ingrosser of Antiquity Sir Robert Cotton that Arch-Bishop in the Decrees is cited thus Confessio quae soli Deo fit purgat peccata ea verò quae Sacerdoti docet qualiter purgentur ipsa peccata De poen dist 1. sect quam inquit Confession made to God alone purgeth sins but that which is made unto the Priest teacheth the means how they may be purged Hitherto we have trod the steps of Antiquity and shall now second their authority with the judgment of later Divines of best account and estimation And first of all Church of England the established doctrine of that Church whereof I am a member and from which with Gods grace shall never deviate is prescribed in the Liturgie before the administration of the holy Communion where the Minister is to exhort the people Communion Book exhortation before the receiving of the Lords supper That if there be any of them which câ—nnot quiet his own Conscience but requireth further comfort or counsel he should come to him or some other discreet and learned Minister of Gods word and open his grief that he may receive such ghostly counsel advice and comfort as his Conscience may be relieved and that by the ministery of Gods word he may receive câ—mfort and the benefit of absolution to the quieting of his conscience and avoiding of all scâ—uple aâ—d doubtfulnesse Here is an Exhortation to Confession and that to the Minister and that of sins disquieting the conscience and that to receive absolution counsel and consolation to this end that the Conscience may be setled and the Scruple removed In the next place is the Defeâ—der of that Church King James who was as the Angel of the Lord to discern and whose memory is a sweet perfume King James whose royal words are Fateor nominem inveniri amicum aptioâ—em cuâ—us aâ—â—bus peccata deponas quam hominem Ecclâ—siasticum pium probum unâ—è solatium percipias eâ— potâ—stâ—tâ— Clavium peccatorum r missionem Medit. in Orat. Dom. p. 62. Edit Lat. I acknowledge that there cannot be found a more fitting friend to whose ears thou mayest commit thy sins then a Godly and an honest Church-man from whom thou mayest receive comfort and forgivenesse of sins by the power of the keys In the same place Ego cum Calvino confessionâ—m privatâ—m vero Ecclesiastico factam probo quâ—madmodum anteà professies sum optaremque ex anima frequentionem esse eam apud nos rem citâ—a controversiam praestantissimi usâ—s praesertim paranâ—is hominum animus ad sacram Synaxin ib. p. 65. the same gracious Author hath thus written I allow with Calvin of private Confession mâ—de unto a Church-man as I professed before and wish with all my heart it were more frequented by us a thing without controversie of most â—xcellent use but most especially to prepare mens minds for the holy Communâ—on Aurei l'ectoris verba bracteata words like apples of Gold in pictures of Silver and deserve of all the subjects to him and his flourishing progeny ever to be remembred B. Riâ—â—ley Act. and Mon. â—â—â—t 2. p. 17 8. Bishop Ridley a great and principal Agent in the reformation of the Liturgy and who dipping his Rochet in his own bloud sealed the verity thereof with Martyrdome in a Letter unto West sometimes his Chapl in hath written thus Confession to the Minister which is able to instruct correct comfort and inform the weak wounded and ignorant Consciences indeed I ever thought might do much good in Christs congregation and so I assure you I think even at this day B. Andrews Serm. 4. before K. James upon Whitsunday Reverend and ever to be reverenced Bishop Andrews 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sun and Apâ—llo of Divines preached thus He that shall minister comfort and advice soundly unto us had need to be familiarly acquainted with the state of our souls To go to a Lawyers reading and to hear it serves us not for our worldly doubts nor to hear the Physick Lecture for the complaints of our Bodies No we call them to us we question with them in particular we have private conference about our estates onely for our soul affairs it is enough to take our directions in open Churches and there delivered in gross private conference we endure not we need not One we must have to know throughly the state of our lands and goods one we must have entirely acquainted with the state of our body in our souls it holdeth not I say no more it were good it did Good indeed if it seemed good to Authority B. Lakes Serm. at Greenwich upon Psal 32. vers 5. p. 139. The Godly-learned Bishop Lakes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who hath left a name behind him as a precious
Dâ—i Evangelicâ—i dâ—ctâ—â—â coâ—solari Calvin Instit lib. 3. cap. 4. Sect. 12. leaving the choise free of any we shaâ—l think meetest within the fold of the Church yet because the Pastors usually are deemed more fit than others therefore aâ—e they to be chosen above others I sâ—y to bâ— preferred before others because they are designed by the Lord to the calling of the Ministery from whose lips we receive instructions to subdue and coâ—rect our faults and consolation upon assurance of pardon Let every believer then remember that it is his duty that if he stand so inwardly prick'd and afflicted with the sense of his sins that he cannot deliver himself without help from without not to neglect that remedy which is offered by God unto him namely for to ease himself that he make use of private Confession to his Pastor and implore his assistance that he may take some comfort whose office it is both privately and publickly to comfort the people of God with the doctrine of the Gospel Zanchy beats the same path with Calvin for after he had shewed what confession of sins is and to what end it is made unto the Minister reflecting upon those words of Saint James writeth thus Although in a proper sense it seemeth our infirmities may be detected to any person whatsoever be he Priest or not thereby to relieve our selves with mutual help and comfort Licèt propriè sentire videatur ut nostras infirmitates alter alteri communicantes qâ—icunque ille sit Sacerdos vel non consilio consolatione mutua nos juvemus tamen quia Pastores Ecclesiae prae aliis idonei sunt ut plurimùm praeter hoc habent etiam ministerium absolvendi ideò hos potissimùm nobis deligendos jubet Apostolus immò ad hoc nobis à Patre nostro Deo ordinati instituti sunt Ministri verbi Sacramentorum ut quotiescunque conscientia nostra peccatis afflictatur premitur consolationéque peccatorum remissione indiget ad ipsos tanquam praesentes Christi legatos mandato reconciliationis praeditos recurramus eis tanquam Christo ipsi corda nostra aperiamus peccata confiteamur infirmitates nostras detegamus petamusque tanquam à Christo ipso consolationem consilium absolutionem in nomine Christi illis enim dixit Christus potestatem absolvendi tradens Ioan. 20. Accipite S. Spiritum c. Matth. 18. Quaecunque ligaveritis c. Zanch. compend loc Theolog Neustadii 1598. pag. 459 460. yet because the Pastors of the Church are for the most part the fittest men and moreover have the Ministery of absolution therefore the Apostle commandeth us to make choise of them especially Yea to this end are they ordained and instituted by God our Father Ministers of the word and Sacraments that so often as our Conscience shall be troubled over-prâ—ssed with sin or need comfort and forgiveness we might have recourse unto them as Ambassadors of Christ and having the mandat of reconciliation To them let us open our hearts as unto Christ himself let us confess our sins let us detect our infirmities and let us crave from them as from Christ himself consolation and counsel and in the name of Christ absolution for to them hath Christ said John 20. Receive the holy Ghost c. And Matth. 18. whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven c. And so thou seest good Reader this assertion compassed about with a great cloud of witnesses Heb. 12.1 CHAP. VII Concerning the institution necessity and extent of Confession and is divided into three Sections HItherto have we cleared certain positive truths concerning confession of sins approved by the suffrages and general vote of all or the most principal of all Divines viz. 1. That sins ought to be confessed and ever acknowledged unto God because he ever is offended and alwayes able and ready to pardon 2. Next unto Man also by way of Reconciliation when he is wronged and by way of recognition when he is able and willing with discreet words like apples of gold to counsel and comfort wounded spirits 3. And amongst men to the Priests and Ministers who by their place and function are Instruments of Reconciliation God having so appointed that by them a penitent should receive news of pardon and restored favour And here my labour might have ceased there being enough in these positions for a Christians practice and a Penitents relief And here the Period should have been had not the Envious and superstitious Man mingled these truths with tares I say not whiles the husband-men the Ancient Fathers of the Church slept but rather after such time as they fell asleep in the Lord abuses privily crept in Confession being carried privately and closely of such consequence as have welnigh brought the duty it self out of Credit at least altogether out of practice and have caused the same to be laid by for many years that it is hard to say whether the neglect thereof for the adjacent Superstition hath not been more prejudicial to the growth of grace in the Church of God than the usage thereof could have been together with the superstition Matth. 13.30 And whether the Labourers had not done better to have suffered both to grow together and to have reprieved the Felonious Mother for the Infants sake in the womb than by signifying their dislike so highly of the abuses to permit the discipline it self to be abolished But now if that rust may be filed off and if the pure juyce of the grape may be defecated from the dregs of corruption there can be no reason given why the duty should not again take place and be restored to its wonted practice The wisdome of the Correctors appearing in the discreet parting of the matter it self from the abuse Iâ— fau't distinguer entre la â—hose la corruption qui la suit laquelle il saudra retranchâ—r laissant la chose mesme non la prohiber Da. Buchanan I. histoire de la Conscience p. 123. and in restoring the same to its former place and lustre my poor thoughts have ever esteemed of them for poor Reformers that shall weed up both tares and wheat together like such indiscreet Zelots that pull down Churches because formerly abused against Christs example who chased forth the Buyers and Sellers without any speech of the destruction of the Temple an even and just hand must be carried by such as take that office upon them lest pious ordinances be swept away in the mass and rubbage of pretended superstition And I think I may say of Confession now in use in the Church of Rome as Aristobulus Cassandraeus did of a fountaine at Miletum which the inhabitants called Achilleium whereof the water which streamed above was very sweet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athenaeus Deipnos lib. 2. pag. 43. but that which remained at the bottome very salt and brinish some things flow good therein but the Roman dregs
are bitter And for the better discovery thereof we must look over the same again and handle three things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 openly and distinctly Punctìm agendum non precariò 1. The institution thereof by whom and of what authority it is 2. Next the necessity thereof how far forth it is required and what danger may arise upon the abuse and discontinuance thereof 3. And lastly the extent whether all sins and the circumstances of each sin fall under the verge and charge of confession The consideration of these points will give great light to descry the misdemeanours in the practick thereof SECT I. The Contents The Decrees of the Tridentine Council for Divine right and authority of Confession The Anathema's held too severe by some moderate Romanists Publick Exhomologesis vilepended by those Fathers The School-mens faintness in resolving for the divine institution of Auricular Confession The Canonists plant the same upon the universal tradition of the Church Divines siding with the Canonists Oppugners of Auricular Confession in former ages Pretences of Divine authority from places of Scripture examined Different proceedings in the Court of Conscience from earthly Tribunals Special cognizance of all sins not a necessary antecedent at all times to Priestly Absolution God pardoneth many sins immediately never spoken of to a Priest Difference of Popish Divines concerning the matter and form in Penance prove to be no such thing as Sacramental confession which reacheth not higher than the Lateran Council Confession of sin of the same institution as Repentance is Divine institution manifold In what sense Confession may be said to be of Divine institution THe Church of Rome or the most in that Church father this imp upon Christ himself and the institution thereof from no meaner an Author thereupon make it a principal part of a special Sacrament which they call the Sacrament of Penance and they have so strong a fancy that it is a Sacrament and because it is so or rather because they will have it so it must be a divine ordinance and of Christs institution Indeed if Confession did justly deserve that title and inscription of a Sacrament we should not stick to give unto God the things that are Gods it being a Maxime in Christianity that the Sacraments of the Church are of Divine institution all the doubt is whether Confession can assume so much justly unto it self as to be the essential part of any Sacrament or no and in this Inquisition we are to take these steps The first to enquire whether private Confession of sin appear to have been any where instituted by Christ And again if it may be demonstrated from the word of God that there is any such Sacrament ordained by him whereof private confession sustaineth such a part as is reported in the Church of Rome For the first it is very true the lawful use thereof depends upon the Institution for God forbid but that his Institutes should be followed and his precepts duly observed It is good yea very good saith Tertullian that God commandeth Bonum atque optimum est quod Deus praecipit audaciam existimo de bono Divini praecepti disputare neque enim quia bonum est idcircò auscultare debemus sed quia Deus praecepit ad exhibitionem obsequii prior est Majestas divinae potestatis Tert. l. de Poen c. 1. I hold it impudence once to dispute and question the goodness of Divine Precepts nor ought we to hearken thereunto because it is good but because God commandeth the Majesty of his power must conduce to the performance of our duty With God is the authority to command and with us the glory of obedience The onely doubt is if God instituted any such thing and that mans inventions are not taught for Divine precepts The Council of Trent that popish Cynosura hath decreed Auricular Confession to be of absolute necessity from ordinance divine Dominus Jesus Sacerdotes sui ipsius vicarios reliquit tanquam praesides Judices ad quos omnia mortalia crimina deferantur qâ—i pro potestate Clavium sententiam pronuntient Constat Sacerdotes judicium hoc incognitâ causâ exercere non posse Concil Trid. cap. 5. de Confes and the Institutor Christ who by investing his Apostles with the power of the keys then created this Court of conscience submitted all sinners to this jurisdiction gave the Priests power to hear and determine of all and all manner of sins and the people a command to accuse and lay open the least sinful actions and fractions before these Judges whom he hath made Lord Keepers of this privy seal where the proceedings for the trial of sins and punishments thereof are carried exceeding privately And that God hath not commanded nor doth the Church now a dayes require open confession and open penaâ—ce Non est hoc divino praeceptâ— mâ—ndatu◠〈◊〉 satis consult è humanâ aliquâ lege praeciâ—â— r ut delicta praesertim secreta puâ—licà essen â—fessione apâ—rienda Concil Trid. ib. and it would be an inconsiderate act to injoyn the same by any humane Law Out of which Decree have been hatched these Anathema's Si quis negaverit Confessionâ—m Sacramâ—â—â—al m vel institutam vel necessariam esse â—ure divino Can. 1. The first against all such as shall deny clancular confession to have been enacted by Divine authority or not to be necessary upon the same ground The second fulminates against those that shall gainsay such a Confession as necessarily required for the forgiveness of sins Si quis dixerit ad remissionem peccatorum necessarium non esse jure divino confiteri omnia singula peccata Can. 2. however they may approve thereof for the instruction and comfort therein and believe it of old to have been observed that CANONICAL satisfaction might be imposed The third Ban is upon those that affirm the Confession of all sins as the Church observeth to be impossible Si quis dixerit confessionem omnium peccatorum qualem Ecclesia servat esse impossibilem traditionem humanam à piis abolendam c. Can. 3. and that it is but a humane tradition and to be abolished This is the doctrine of that Councils Canons and Decrees Where had those Fathers been as ready to prove as reprove and to confirm as Censure what they Anathematized sure their thundrings would have been less and lightnings more Nor would the Divines of Lovian and Coloign then assembled have desired more moderation in those Prelates Cavendum Patribus nè adversariis materâ—am praebeant ea objiciendi â—uae Theologis non promptum sit refellere quin potiùs eâ moderatione utendum tam in doctrina quà m in Canone ut Catholicis ipsis offensioni non sint Hist lat Concil Trid. p. 283. both in compiling the decree as the Canon for avoiding of Scandal in the Catholicks and in giving less advantage to the adversary in objecting what Divines could not
sins Where there is 1. preaching 2. next compunction 3. then Repentance 4 afterwards Baptisme 5 and lastly remission of sins atchieved by Peâ—ers Ministery And for the second condition that faith is engendered this way is more than evident for who hath not heard of that of the Apostle Acts 4.4 Fide ex auditu And many of them which heard the word belâ—eved the increase and addition made daily to the Church was by the Apostles planting and watering 't is true the efficacy is from God for neither is he that plâ—nteth any thing nor he that watereth but God that giveth the increase His the seed is the Minister is but the sower or rather the hopper where it is deposited and as the seed is his so is the blessing and increase the Priest concurring as a servant in this Spiritual husbandry it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching as the world accounted it to save them that believe 1 Cor. 1.21 Conclude we with Pacianus Nunquam Deus non poenitenti comminaretur nisi ignosceret poenitenti solus hoc inquit Deus poterit verum est sâ—d quod per Sacerdotes suos facit illius poâ—â—stas est Pacian ad Sympron Epist 1. God would never threaten the impenitent except he were minded to pardon the Penitent But it will be said God onely can do this very true but that which he doâ—h by his Priests is his power And to these two heads of disposition and application the more ancient Schoolmen limited the power of absolution preaching forgiveness not directly Sacerdotes dâ—mittunt ostendendo manifestando habent se ad modum demonstrantis non directè sed dispositivè ea adhibentes per quae Dâ—us dimittit peccata dat gratiam and from themselves but as disposing thereunto exhibiting those means by which God conferreth grace and forgâ—veth sin By the Word and Sacraments doth the Priest dispose and prepare sinners for repentance thereby to make them capable of forgiveness and doth actually apply unto such as are so disposed absolution and forgiveness first chafing and preparing the wax to receive the seal and when their hearts are l ke wax mâ—lted in the midst of their bowels Psal 22.14 as saith the Psalmist then as Officers they put a seal to the diploma of their pardon and absolution in the name of Christ actually absolving them so far as their Ministerial power can extend them I say qui non ponuâ—t obicem that hinder not by unbelief or impenitency So the Minister in the first place disposeth to repentance and then applieth pardon to them that repent and as it appeared in Davids câ—se upon whom the reproofs discharged by Nathan fell liâ—e claps of thunder 2 Sam. 12.13 the King thereupon truly humbled to repentance breaks forth into tears and confession which Nathan apprehending comforts him with the sweet news of pardon and absolution And this is all we can safely afford unto the Priest whose care must be not to exceed his instructions and to take that which is his own and to go his way Thou wilt say the words of his Commission give him further and more ample authority wherein the Priest hath power not to apply meerly but to absolve not to bear witness but to bind and so farr that Heaven shall not onely ratifie and confirm but second and answer his definitive resolves upon which surmise Hilary thus addressâ—th himself to Saint Peter O blessed Porter of heaven O Beate Coeli janitor cuâ—us arbitrio claves aeterni aditûs traduntur cujus terrestre judicium praejudicata authoritas sit in coelo ut quae in terris aut ligatâ— sunt aut soluta statuti ejusdem conditionem obtineant in coelo Hilarâ— Can. 16. in Matth. to whose disposing the keys of that eternal entrance are delivered whose judgment upon earth doth prejudicate that authority which is in heaven that whatsoever is bound or loosed upon earth the same stâ—tute should be of force in heaven also And Chrâ—sostome affirmeth the Priests throne to be founded in heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tom 5. p. 152. and he that averreth the same is the very king of heaven himself saying whatsoever ye shall bind on earth c. what can compare or be equal with this honour heaven takes the principality or beginning of judgment from earth The Lord followeth his servant and look what the servant judgeth below the Lord confirmeth above For the clearing of these evidences there are three points to be debated 1. If the Priest can be said to be an author or doer of absolution 2. How and when his sentence is ratified in heaven 3. And then how and in what sense these Fathers can rightly affirme and which the words of Christ seem to import The Priests censure on earth to have the precedency and to take place of heaven and to these the resolutions succinctly follow 1. To the first we affirme that the Priest doth discharge his function Priests absolve Operativè not onely declaratively as a Messenger but operatively as a causer and procurer of absolution but a Causer after his kind because he laboureth in the work of the Ministery such as take pains in planting and watering the Lords husbandry are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 3.9 labourers together with God And as the Apostle styles himself a Father to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4.15 and that he begat them in Christ Jesus through the Gospel though in the adoption of sons the seed be immortal and the quickner thereof the holy Spirit 1 Tim. 4.16 and as Timothy by his doctrine is said to save himself and them that hear him whereas salvation is from the Lord So are the Priests said to absolve as instruments ordained by God to work faith and repentance for the procurement thereof Revel 16.1 for as in the binding part of their Ministery they are like the Angels in the Apocalypse which pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon earth (a) 2 Cor. 10.6 having vengeance ready agaiâ—st all disobedience and a charge from God to deliver up unto Satan yet are they not the Avengers for to God vengeance belongeth but the inflicters thereof for unto the Priests the execution apperâ—aineth And in the Levitical Law which concerneth the Leprosie by so many of the Ancient made a type of the pollution of sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXXII Levit. 13.6 vers 44. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXXII we read the Priest shall cleanse him and the Priest shall polluâ—â— hâ—m and the Priest polluting shall pollute him where we translate the Priest shall pronounce him clean and the Priest shall pronounce him utterly unclean for the Priest was not the author of that pollution Haud dubium quin Sacerdos non quò contaminationis author sit sed quò ostendat eum contaminatum qui priùs mundus plurimis
videbatur Hieron lib. 7. in Esay c. 23. neither making him that had the Leprosie unclean or him clean that was cleared thereof but onely declared him to be polluted saith Saint Hierom who before seemed unto many to have been clean Now because Ministerial and subordinate causes work in the power and strength of the superiour and principal the effect ofttimes is ascribed unto them who have the least finger in the business and thus much to the first point For the second the Priests sentence on earth is onely at such times ratified in heaven Non sequitur Deus Ecclesiae judicium quae per surreptioneÌ„ ignorantiam saepè judicat Lomb. l. 4. dist 18. when it proceeds according to heavenly directions God leaving such judgments in the Church gained by surreption or ignorance unto themselves It being a received maxim that as the Judge of all the world cannot do otherwise but right no more can or will he approve of any censure but what is just and righteous that of Saint Augustine being true in this case also that thing cannot be unjust wherewiâ—h the just God is pleased Injustum esse non potest quod placuit justo Aug. Qui scit illum intelligere potest non nisi grande aliquod bonum à Nerone damnatum Tertul. Apologet. c. 5. And as the most ancient and learned of the Latin Fathers said of Nero The man that hath any knowledge of him cannot but understand that it was some great good that Nero condemned So contrarywise those to whom the justice and goodness of God is known cannot be ignorant but that the cause must of necessity be good and just which he approveth and bad withall which he distasteth Either suppose then the Priests sentence on earth to proceed alwayes according to equity else not alwayes to be ratified in heaven In the third doubt there sticks a little difficulty how binding and loosing on earth can precede and go before that which is in heaven for those Fathers cannot be ignorant whose Deputy the Priest is and by virtue of whose commission he proceedeth That God absolveth upon contrition of the heart Non solùm piissimâ dispensatione Leprosi antequam ad Sacerdotes venirent in via mundati sunt ut ipsi mundatorem suum cegnoscerent Sacerdotes nihil horum mundationi se contulisse sentirent juxta verò spiritualem intelligentiam Leprosi antequam ad Sacerdotes veniant mundantur quia non Sacerdotes sed Deus peccata dimittit Haymo Dominic 14. post Pentecost pag. 401. Omnes concedunt quòd per contritionem veram sufficientem peccatum remittitur sine Sacramento in actu Gabriel l. 4. dist 14. Quaest 2. and where contrition is not the Priest absolveth but in vain That as the Lepers were cleansed in the way in going to shew themselves unto the Priests so sin is no sooner repented of but instantly the sinner by God is pardoned how can then this Ministerial absolution take place of that powerful one of God For answer whereunto these conditions must be premised 1. The sinner that stands in need of Priestly absolution hath his conscience perplexed and not quieted 2. The sinner before the Priest hath done his office conceiveth hope onely of pardon from God but no full assurance But 3. upon the Priests application of mercy from the word of God he receiveth comfort his conscience is quieted and he rests assured of forgiveness And to these we must premise again for our better understanding that many persons are members of Christ in election onely as Paul before his conversion 2. Many in election and pâ—eparation as Saint Augustine a Catechumen Membrum Christi 3. 1 praedestinatione 2 praeparatione 3 concorporatione Rich. de Clav. c. 20. Corde credens devotione fervens ad baptisma fâ—stinavit believing in his heart and fervent in devotion he made haste to be baptized 3. And many in election preparation and admission as reconciled penitents by ablution and absolution This priority then is not in respect of Gods election or preparation for mercy but in respect of the actuall and complete admission of the Penitent into his grace and his sensible remonstrance thereof for as the Divine purpose to save a Penitent was from eternity so to remit his sins also but in respect of the sinners first feeling and apprehension of mercy Gods goodness intended unto him by the Priests Ministery being reduced into the outward act Forgiveness may be first resolved upon in heaven but first felt and apprehended on earth Rom. 5.10 When we were enemies we were reconciled to God saith the Apostle who was himself a Persecutor and yet reconciled to God and by him whom he then persecuted quoad veritatâ—m but he reapâ—d not the fruit thereof was not sensible of this reconciliation quoad patefactionem salutarem â—jus communicationem in respect of the manifestation and saving communication thereof till his Conversion Now in râ—gâ—rd a thing is said first to be when it is first taken notice of so a Penitent is then said to be fiâ—st absolved when the Priest maketh known the benefit and the sinner groweth first sensible and communicateth thereof which because a sinner upon earth first apprehendeth and God in his heavenly word alloweth of that apprehension it remaineth that in this sense those sayings of the Fathers are to be allowed of and thus much for the clearing of those doubtâ— The premisses considered the distinction is easily made betwixt the power of absolution which God exerciseth by himself and by his servant for from God is the Primitive and original power the Apostles power is meerly derived that in God Soveraign this in the Apostles dependent Ministri peccata remittunt non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in him onely absolute in them delegate in him imperial in them Ministerial Nor do the Bishops and Clergie forgive sins by any absolute power of their own for so onely Christ their Master forgiveth but ministerially as the servants of Christ and Stewards to whose fidelity their Lord and Master hath committed his keys and that is Pract. of Piety pag. 758. when they do declare and pronounce either privately or publickly by the word of God what bindeth what looseth and the mercies of God to penitent sinners and his judgments to impenitent and obstinate persons They then do remit sins because Christ by their Ministery remitteth sins as Chrâ—st by his Disciples loosed Lazarus John 11.44 And the Ancients have made the raising and loosing of Lazarus and the cleansing and admitting of the Lepers into the Camp a Type of the power residing in God and of the authority he hath given unto man And as Christ by his power made Lazarus alive and the Apostles onely loosing his bonds set him free so it is the grace of God which revives and justifies a sinner The Priests publishing his liberty whom the son of man hath made free In like manner the cleansing of
liking and approving them Conference at Hampton-Court pag. 12 13. edit 1625. And when the Bishop of London acquainted his Majesty with a more particular and personal form of absolution prescribed to be used in the order for the visitation of the sick the said particular absolution being read his Majesty exceedingly well approved it adding that it was Apostolicall and a very good Ordinance in that it wat given in the name of Christ to one that dâ—sired it upon the clearing of his conscience And herein the English Church is associated by her sister Churches of the Reformation The Augustan Confession The Church ought to impart absolution unto such as have recourse unto repentance Ecclesia redeuntibus ad poenitentiam impertire absolutionem dâ—bâ—â—t Harm Confes S. 8. quòd absolutio privata in Ecclesiis retinenda sit Ib. art 12. Absolutionem ex potestate Clavium remissione peccatorum per Ministerium Evangelii à Christo institutum singuli expetere possint à Deo suo consequi se sciant quando haec à Ministris eis praestantur accipere ab his tanquam rem à Deo ad commodandum ipsis salutariter inserviendum institutam cum fiducia debeant remissione peccatorum sine dubitatione frui secundum verbum Domini Cui peccata remiseris remittuntur Harmon Confes c. 5. and that private absolution is to be retained in the Churches The Church of Bohemia All persons may specially crave absolution from the power of the keys through the Ministery of the Gospel instituted by Christ and may know for certain that they obtain the same from their God And when it is performed by the Minister unto them they ought to receive it at their hands with confidence as a thing instituted by God and serving for their profit and salvation thereby enjoying beyond all questiâ—n forgiveness of sin according to the word of the Lord whose sins thou forgivest they are forgiven And the Saxon Church We affirme the rite of private absolutiâ—n to be retained in the Church Affirmamus ritum private absolutionis in Ecclesia retinendum esse constâ—â—ter retinemus propter multas graves causas de hac fide commone facere nos absolutio dâ—bet eam confirmâ—â—e sicut confirmabatur David audita absolutionâ— Dominus abstulit peccâ—tum tuum ità tu scias vocâ—m Evangelii tibi quoque annunciare remissionâ—m qâ—ae in absolutione tibi nominatim proponitur non singas nihil ad te pâ—rtinâ—re Evangelium sed scias ideò editum esse ut hoc moâ—o sâ—lvâ—â—â—r hominâ—s fide amplâ—ctâ—ntâ—s Evangelium mandatum Dei aetâ—rnum imnotum esse ut ei credas Art 16. and we for many weighty causes constantly retaine the same Of this belief absolution ought to admonish us and to confirm the same as David was upon the hearing of his absolution The Lord hath taken away thy sin so mayest thou perceive the voice of the Gospel to declare unto thee also forgiveness which by name is propâ—sed unto thee in absolution Thou mayest not feign the Gospel to appertain nothing unto thee but know that it is therefore set forth that by this means men by faith imbracing the Gâ—spel may be saved and Gods commandment abiding for ever and never to be removed that thou mayest believe the same So the Transmarine Churches herein lend us the right hand of fellowship And thus much for the power of loosing thâ— other part of their office and power is in binding Binding For the Lord saith Ambrose hath given the like power in binding as in loosing Dominus par jus solvendi voluit esse ligandi qui utrumque pari conditione permisit ergo qui solvendi jus non habet nec ligandi habet Ambr. l. 1. de poen c. 3. and hath granted the same upon he like condiâ—ion therefore he that hath not the power of absolution hath not the power of ligation Thereby the Father refuting the Novatians Hereticks of his time and of whom we shall hear some news anon that arrogated unto themselves the power of binding but not of loosing and affirmed the Church to have power to cast out a sinner but not to call in a Penitent Ligandi sacultas mandatum Evangelii Ministris datur quanquam notandum est hoc Evangelio esse accidentale quasi praeter naturam Calvin harm in Matth. 16. whereas both these properties are belonging to one key The Church is armed with this power though loth to strike and never but in the case of necessity the iniquity of men forcing her to use this weapon it being not so natural to the Gospel but accidental onely to lock up sinners in their offences And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience 2 Cor. 10.6 saith the Apostle when your obedience is fulfi ed q. d. Revenged of the false Apostles we could be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in 2 Cor. 10 p 400. and would but for that you wâ—ich are obedient aâ—e mingâ—ed with them we forbear lâ—st soâ—e strokes might fall upon you also Where nâ—te that this key is turned upon the disobedient onely and often respited for their sake who are obedient This power of binding being rather privative than positive for the guilt of sin binds the sinner over unto punishment and the Priest is said to bind when be finds no cause to loose those bonds Insomuch that whether you respect the private exercise of these keys upon private notice of a sinners state or the publick practâ—ck thereof in the Censures of the Church the Ministerial power of binding is declarative onely or applying Gods threats generally expressed in his Law upon refractory transgressors So upon the point the Priest is said to bind when he looseth not and as induration of the heart blinding of the eyes stopping of the ears c. are not to be understood of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damasc Orat. fid 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 127. Graecè as effecting and working the same but permitting and dispensing therewith onely It being the usual guise of the Scripture to call the permission of God his effect and operation So the Priest is said to bind when he permitteth onely and that upon just cause the sinner to remain in the same pickle he found him And as Henry the VIII King of England is reckoned of for the Founder of Christs-Church in Oxfoâ—d because he let it stand In that sense do Priests bind leaving obstinate sinners standing upon the same termes they formerly did in a fearfull expectation of Judgment except Repentance come betwixt that we need not make any longer stay upon this subject The handling of this part viz. the power of the keys in binding and loosing so at large shall excuse the brevity of that which followeth to be considered in the other parts and members of this promise SECT II. The Contents Peter seised of the keys to
the sinner and fidelity in the Priest that absolution may be efficacious Now as the sinner is not ever contrite and penitent in shriving no more is the Priest ever faithfull and infallible in pardoning the sentence of the Priest is then in force when grounded upon Gods word and treads the footsteps of the Judge eternal whatsoever sins ye remit that is after the form of the Church Quorum remiseritis peccata scilicet in formâ— Ecclesiae clave non errante remittuntur Bonav in Joan. 29. p. 20. Tom. 1. p. 417. Mogunt 1609. Hoc tamen intelligendum est quando judicium Ecclesiae divino judicio conformatur Lyra in Joan. 10. Supposito hîc in terra debito usu clavis Deus illud approbat in coelis aliter non Idem in Matth. cap. 16. and not with an erring key are remitted saith their Seraphical Bâ—naventure and Lyra limits the confirmation to just proceedings on earth sins are remitted and retained in heaven when the judgment of the Church is conformable to Divine judgment And again Vpon supposition of the true use of the keys God approves thereof in heaven otherwise not And these Caveats need not be entred if the Priest could not mistake herein And Richardus observing the words that they are not whatsoever thou hast a will to bind on earth Non dicit quodcunque volueris ligare sed qâ—odcunque ligaveris Ligat itaque absolvit sacerdotis sententia justa neutrum verò Sacerdotis sententia injusta Rich. de Clavibus cap. 11. but whatsoever thou shalt bind deduceth from thence that it lies not in the Priests pleasure to bind whom he thinks good but as he findâ— just cause and concludeth A just sentence from the Priest bindeth and lâ—oseth whereas the unjust sentence of the Priest is a meer nullity The Scâ—oolmen are seconded by the Canonists As the Mâ—nister or instrument hath no efficacy in operation but as moved by the principal Agent Sicut Minister instrumentum non habet efficaciam in agendo nisi secundum quod movâ—ntur à Principali Agente sic Sacerdos cùm operatur per istas claves instrumentaliter si utitur istis clavibus secundum proprium arbitrium dimittens rectitudinem divinae monitionis peccat Sum. Angel verb. Claves nu 4. Sacerdoti non licet his clavibus uti pro libito suae voluntatis quia cùm operetur ut instrumentum Dei divinam motionem sequi debet aliter peccat Barthol Armill aur verb. Claves n. 6. So the Priest who worketh by those keyes instrumentally If he use these keys after his own appetite and shall omit the just monition of God sinneth saith one of that rank and another much to that purpose It is not lawful for the Priest to use the keys as he please for seeing he worketh as an instrument of God he ought to follow the divine motion else he is out Now what need these Cautions and restrictions that the Priest must be directed by divine monitions if this instrument were infallibly moved by the virtue of the first agent and that advise to follow the divine motion if the keys in his hand were ever and undoubtedly swayed to the right wards These prescriptions are jealous of some eccentricities in the motion of these inferiour orbs and of some tamperings in these lower keys This unanimous consent of School-men and Canonists in this point whether it proceed from the beams of Divine truth or for that they would not throw open the Popes prerogative in Common whom they hold onely to be infallible I cannot say But it may safely be concluded Absolution to be then onely in force when matters are carried with right judgment and no errour committed in the use of the keys 3. Absolution declarative The third property that Absolution from the Priest is declaratory that is not absolving so much as pronouncing a Penitent from God to be absolved As the two Apostles having healed the lame man and the people filled with wonder and amazement had recourse unto them to do them honour they professed that it was not their power and holiness that had made that man whole but that the name of Christ Acts 2.10 12 16. through faith iâ— his name had made that man strong as very shie and fearful of Sacriledge in concealing the theft of Divine honours which the peoples opinion had stollen for them So it is not the holiness or power of the Priest and Minister that remitteth sin but God in the Name and Faith of Christ Jesus The Priest is an Herald making intimation thereof his absolution is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his own right pardoning but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 demonstrative onely as a special officer of the King of mercy And as Gemini an old Astronomer delivered of the constellations in heaven that they are not the causes of rain winds tempests c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Genimi Isag Astron p. 36. apud Petavii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But because observation found such accidents usually coming to pass upon the Cosmical and Acronical rising and setting of such asterismes such effects were ascribed unto them whereas they were not causes thereof but indications giving notice that the times and seasons were now come when such effects come to pass That which the Priest doth is to dispose the Penitent and by the word upon probable signs of sorrow to absolve him which absolution is not a proper act of forgiveness of sin no more then he that brings the Princes pardon can be said to pardon the Delinquent nor hath it any direct necessary or Physical influence in forgiveness of sin but he is onely causa moralis seu concilians whereupon God is said to pardon the Penitent when he seeth him humbled And as a Messenger of the Princes pardon is a mean whereby the prisoner is actually discharged and causa sine qua non a cause without whose message by him deliverâ—d the offender had been still a captive and perhaps executed So oftentimes the Minister is a cause though not of pardoning yet of freeing the sinner and though not of remission yet of the sense and feeling thereof by applying the mercy of God without which the poor sinner might peradventure have been swallowed up of grief Although then the Priests absolution be declarative yet it is not so jejune and leaden as many therefore imagine the same to be for what else are all Juridical sentences determinations and judgments in all kind of laws but the application of a point in law to a matter in fact and a declaration what the thing questioned then is in law and what justice either assertive or vindictive belongeth thereunto Now because the Judge is nothing else but the speaking law and his judgment an applied declaration thereof shall his sentence be therefore infirm because he judgeth according to law or shall the Priests absolution be the less respected because it is grounded upon Gods word denounced in
the fault is and what repentance hath followed thereupon that such as Almighty God doth visit with the grace of compunction those the senâ—ence of the Pastor may absolve Greg. And hence it comes to pass that the Fathers erect thrones for these Presbyters making them Judges and honouring their resolves as solemn judgments Saint Austin expounds the thrones Rev. 20.4 and those that sate thereon and the judgment given unto them in the Revelation Non hoc putandum est de ultimo judicio dici sed sedes Praepositorum ipsi praepositi intelligendi sunt per quos ecclesiae nunc gubâ—rnatur Judicium autem datum nullum meliùs accipiendum quà m id quod dictum est Quaecunque ligaveritis c. undè Apostolus Quid enim inquit mihi est de his qui foris sunt judicare nonne de his qui intus sunt vos judicatis Aug. lib. 20. de Civit. Dei cap. 9. not of the last judgment But the seats of the Rulers and the Rulers themselves are understood to be those by whom the Church is now goveâ—ned And the judgment given unto them cannot be taken better than of that which is spoken whose sins soever ye remit c. and the Apostle what have I to do to judge those that are without and do not you judge of those that are within And Saint Chrysostome extols the same far above the glittering pomp of earthly Tribunals Although the Kings Throne seem unto us majestical for the precious stones dazling therein and the gold wherewith it is beset 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tom. 5. p. 152. But withall the administration of earthly things alone comes under the jurisdiction thereof and further authority it hath not whereas the Pâ—iests throne is seated in heaven and matters thence are turned over to their decision And Saint Hierome having the keys of the kingdome of heaven they judge after a sort before the day of judgment Qui claves Regni coelurum habentes quodammodo ante diem judicii judicant Hierom. ad Heliod Ecce non solùm de semetipsis securi sunt sed etiam alienae obligationis potestatem relaxationis accipiunt principatumque superni judicii sortiuntur ut vice Dei quibusdam peccata retineant quibusdam relaxent Greg. supâ—à And Saint Gregory Behold they are not onely secured on their own behalf but receive the power of loosing the bonds from others and obtain a principality of judgment from above that they may in Gods stead retain the sins of some and release the sins of others Either then we must ascribe judgment to the Priests in the Ministery of the keys or else afford but little in this behalf to these Doctors Judges sure they are if these Ancient worthies have any judgment 3. The exercise of the keys We are now come to the exercise of this power which is indeed the very life thereof and this practice is spiritual as the weapons of our warfare are containing the means in the discreet use and application whereof God forgiveth sin and his Minister giveth notice of that forgiveness Dr Field of the Church Book 5. chap. 22. pag. 104. London 1610. Now there are four things in the hand of the Minister as a great Divine of our Church noteth the Word Prayer Sacraments and Discipline by the word of Doctrine he frameth winneth and perswadeth the sinner to repentance and conversion seeking and procuring remission from God By Prayer he seeketh and obtaineth it for the sinner By the Sacraments he instrumentally maketh him partaker as well of the grace of remission as of conversion and by the power of the discipline he doth by way of authority punish evil doers and remit or diminish the punishments he inflâ—cteth according as the Condition of the party may seem to require Thus that judicious man hath reduced the practick of the keys unto four heads and we receiving this method from him shall open them more particularly 1. By the Word The first is the word of Reconciliation and consisteth in the preaching and due applying thereof and the Ministery thereof doth the Apostle specially place as a powerful ordinance 2 Cor. 5.18 John 15.3 whereby a sinner is cleansed from his inâ—quity Now are ye clean through the word I have spoken unto you whereupon Aquinas observeth God to have given us the virtue Dedisse virtutem inspirasse in cordibus nostris ut annuntiemus mundo hanc reconciliationem esse factam per Christum Aquin. in 2 Cor. 5. and to have inspired into our hearts that we should declare unto the world this reconciliation to have been made by Christ Therefore it is called 1. the word of salvation Acts 13.16 2. and the word of his grace Acts 14.3 and the word of promise Rom 9.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 5.19 and the word of faith which we preach Rom. 10.8 Insomuch that when Timothy shall rightly divide the word of truth that is 2 Tim. 2.15 promises to whom promises belong and judgment to whom judgment appertaineth and that by preaching of the word instantly 2 Tim. 4.2 and applying the same by way of reproof and exhortation or by private admonition therein he doth the work of an Evangelist and maketh good proof of his Ministery Solvunt eos Apostoli sermone Dei testimoniis Scripturarum exhortatione virtutum Hieron Lib. 6. Comment in Es 14. Remittuntur peccata per Dei verbum cujus Levites interpres quidam executor est Ambr. After this manner did the Apostles loose the cords of sin by the word of God saith Hierome by the testimony of the Scriptures and by exhortations unto virtue And Saint Ambrose sins are remitted by the word of God whereof the Levite was an Interpreter and a kind of Executor And in this sense the Apology of the Church of England acknowledgeth the power of binding and loosing Ministris à Christo datam esse ligandi solvendi aperiendi claudendi potestatem solvendi quidem munus in eo situm esse ut Minister dejectis animis verè resipiscentibus per Evangelii praedicationem merita Christi absolutionem offerat certam peccatorum condonationem ac spem salutis aeternae denunciet c. Apol. Eccles Anglic. of opening and shutting to have been given by Christ unto the Ministers and the power of loosing to consist herein when the Minister by the preaching of the Gospel shall tender the merits of Christ and absolution to dejected spirits and truly penitent and shall denounce unto them an assured pardon of their sins and hope of eternal salvation Luke 11.52 This is that key of knowledge mentioned by our Saviour Matth. 23.13 And as the Jewish Scribes were by him justly reprehended for shutting up
the kingdome of heaven against men by their wicked and adulterine expositions of the Law folding up the prophesies lest the people should read Christ therein and believe maliciously detaining the key of knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl in Luc. 11. and not opening the Gates of the Law that is the obscurity thereof as Theophylact noteth So the good Scribes praise in the Gospel is to open to his hearers by preaching of the word the door of faith Acts 14.26 unlocking as it were the kingdome of heaven unto them by giving knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of sins Luke 1.77 79. to give light unto them that sit in darkness and in the shadâ—w of death and to guide our feet into the wâ—y of peace for to whom doctrine and instruction is committed that man hath the key of knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophyl suprà saith Theophylact. The key of knowledge is the authority of teaching saith Lyra by which the true understanding lying inwardly hid ought to be opened Clavis Scientiae est authoritas docendi per quam dâ—bet intellectus latens interiùs aperiri ipsi è contrario claudebant perversè inâ—erpretando Lyra in Luc. 11. and they on the contrary did shut it up by perverse interpretation Upon the point then to shut up the kingdome of heaven is to handle the word of God deceitfully or not at all and Christs woe unto you Lawyers which take away the key of knowledge is equivalent with Saint Pauls woe unto me if I preach not the Gospel And this key is truly turned when the word is duly applied 2. Prayer The next means ordained by God for procuring remission of sins and wherein the Minister doth exercise his function is Prayer Jam. 5.14 15. Is any sick amongst you saith Saint James let him call for the Eldeâ—s of the Church and let them pray over him anointing him with oyl in the Name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick and the Lord shall raise him up and if he have committed sins they shall be forgiven him And as the chains fell off from Peters hands upon the prayers and intercessions of the Church Acts 12.6 so the Angel of the Covenant toucheth a Penitents soul and the bonds of sin are released upon the prayers of the Presbyters Saint Chrysostome informes us that Priests do not onely exercise this power of forgiveness of sins when they beget us again in Baptisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tom 6. pag. 17. but after the administration thereof that power of remitting sins continueth in them and for proof of that continuance he alleageth that former passage of Saint James and thereupon inferreth that Priests forgive sins not by teaching and admonishing onely but by helping us with their prayers Aug. de Bapt. contr Donat. l. 3. c. 17 18. And Saint Augustine maketh this one special way whereby the power of the keys is exercised in remitting sins and to this end he adviseth offenders to do publick Penance that the Church may pray for them Agite-poenitentiam qualis agitur in Ecclesia ut oret pro vobis Ecclesia Aug. hom 49. ex 50. and impart the benefit of absolution unto them and that which hath already been alleged from Leo Qui pro delictis Poenitentium precator accedit Leo in fine Epist 80. ad Episcop Campan that confession of sin is to be tendred to the Priest who cometh in as an intreater for the sins of the Penitent And that of Ambrose but lately quoted Isti rogant Divinitas donat humanum enim est obsequium sed munisicentia supernae est potestatis Ambr. de S. Spiritu l. 3. 19. The Priests intreat but the Deity bestoweth the service is from man but the bounty from an higher power And his reason is sound because it is the Holy Ghost onely that forgiveth sins by their function and none can send the Holy Ghost but God and stand he doth not at the Priests command but intreaty In the Schools two not of the meanest rank Alexander Halensis and Bonaventure are clear of opinion Alex. Hal. in sum part 4. Qu. 21. memb 1. that the power of the keys extendeth to remission of sins by way of intercession onely and deprecation not by imparting any immediate absolution whereof the later giveth reasons why the form thereof is deprecative and indicative Secundum quod ascendit habet se per modum inferioris supplicantis secundum quod descendit per modum superioris judicantis secundum primum modum potest gratiam impetrare ad hoc est idoneus secundum posteriorum modum potest Ecclesiae reconciliaâ—e ideò in signum hujus in forma absolutionis praemittitur oratio per modum deprecativum subjungitur absolutio per modum indicativum deprecatio grâ—tiam impetrat absolutio gratiam supponâ—t Bonav l. 4. d. 18. art 2. Qu. 1. for that by the former he looketh upward and ascendeth unto God by prayer and as a suppliant obtaineth grace and pardon by the second he reconcileth to the Church and for a sign and demonstration hereof to the form of absolution there is prayer premised by way of request then followeth the absolution it self by way of recognition the prayer begging for grace and the absolution supposing the same to be obtained And the ancient method or form of Divine Service observed in the absolving of a person excommunicate was first to repeat a Psalme or say the Lords Prayer Primò dicat aliquem Psalmum seu orationem Dominicam secundò dicat Salvum fac servum tuum Deus meus sperantem in te Vâ—rs Domine exaudi oâ—ationem meam Râ—sp Et Clamor meus ad te veniat Vers Dominus vobiscum Râ—sp Et cum Spiritu tuo Oratio Deus cui proprium est misereri semper parcere suscipe deprecationem nostram ut hunc famulum tuum quem excommunicationis catena constringit miseratio tuae pietatis absolvat per Christum Dominum nostrum Dein dicat Ego te absolvo c. Sum. Angel verb. absolutio 3. 1. secondly O Lord save thy servant which putteth his trust in thee Vers O Lord hear my prayer Ans And let my cry come unto thee Vers The Lord be with you Ans And with thy spirit The Prayer O God whose property is ever to have mercy and to forgive receive our humble petition that this thy servant whom the chain of excommunication bindeth the pitifulness of thy great mercy may absolve through Christ our Lord. Then say I absolve thee from the bond of excommunication in the name of the Father c. And accordingly in the new as well as ancient rituals of the Latin Church the form of absolution is expressed in the third person deprecatively as if it proceeded from God and not indicatively in the first person as if
enter unprovided Learned Downes for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sustituteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but I suppose the first word may stand for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst the Ethnicks were the Priests which viewed the Sacrifices and the exta that were presented at the Altar and upon that inspection made their predictions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Clemenâ— Alexanâ—rinus styles them or else shepherds inquiring into the diseases of their flock in particular intimating thereby that the Priests under the Gospel did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a previous examination view the bowels coÌ„science of those that approched to the Table of the Lord. And our Church instructeth that if upon this examination where God and the party about to receive are onely present the Conscience remaineth unquiet but further comfort and counsel is required then let him make the Minister of his privy counsel also his presence may do thee good it cannot hurt thee In my opinion then in case where the conscience wrings and that there may be great reason to fear the Judge may be prejudicate and bribed with self-love in his own cause the approbation of the Priest is alwayes convenient and sometimes necessary as the Communicant finds himself in case and thus much briefly for the time of Confession CHAP. XI The Contents All convenient secrecy apprimely requisite in the Confessary Suspicion of discovery a great enemy to Confession Sins already committed with expressions of grief to be concealed The Schoolmen bringing sins de futuro to be committed within the compass of the seal The damnable doctrine of the Jesuites that Treasons and Conspiracies yet Plotting against Church or State and confessed to the Priest ought to be shut up in privacy The odious consectaries and inconveniences thereof Examples of sundry Confessors revealing treasons detected in confession The preservation of Prince Church or State to be preferred before the secrecy of the seal Sins opened in Confession the concealment whereof complieth not with the Priests fidelity to his Prince and Countrey to be discovered Marriage in the Clergy no prejudice to the lawful secrecy of the seal especially if the penalty of the old Canons against the violaters thereof should be revived THat which comes next under our consideration is a necessary adjunct and condition wherein the discretion of the Priest is much desired that is that he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that can lay his hand upon his mouth seal up in all convenient secrecy the sins that are mustred up in Confession that they may never once see the light but he buried in eternal silence And truly this condition must be observed else few will come to confession upon the least hint of publication No man in his right senses will lie naked in his Tent and expose himself to the scornes of a scoffing Canaan therefore the Priest may shut his ears except his lips be closed for few men would have their doings brought upon the stage And if a course may be thought on to preserve mens reputation and yet this part of the Priestly function may be executed I see no reason but the same may and ought to be preserved In the reprehension of one Brother that hath trespassed upon another Christ enjoyneth in the first place private monition of his fault between them two alone Matth. 18.15 and so thou hast gained thy brother and he hath not forfeited his reputation Christs will was sinners to be reproved in private saith Theophylact lest being openly rebuked they may grow past shame 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in Mat. 18. The reprehension then must be privately carried to preserve the offenders credit Open reproof for the most part begetting either despair or impudence If such care must be had upon the redargution of a sinner then greater must be the respect of his good name when he comes in as a voluntier upon his own confession accusing himself upon hope of pardon And 't is very fit where God covereth the sinnes in mercy the Priest should cover them in secrecy for besides the prescript and light of nature which willeth us to do as we would be done by Celare peccatum de lege naturae eleganter probat Scotus quatuor rationibus 1. ex ratione charitatis 2. ex ratione fidelitatis 3. ex ratione veritatis veracitatis 4. ex ratione unitatis mutuae utilitatis Biel l. 4. dist 21. Qu. Unica and we would be loth any secret of ours should be divulged whereby our credit might be questioned and good name which to all men is a precious odour should be defamed Besides we repute the Betrayers and publishers of secrets no better than betrayers of trust and faithless persons and not so onely but false in their promise and word whereby they ingaged themselves to privacy Now if these reasons have force for keeping secret a matter of importance which as a secret hath been commended unto us and we passed our words for the Concealment thereof All these conditions should swear the Priest to convenient privâ—cy For the Penitent comes to him of his own accord acquainteth him with the state of his soul turnes the inside of his conscience outward and resorteth to him as Gods Deputy for comfort for absolution and the Priest herein should resemble God whom he represents amongst the miracles of whose mercy Saint Chrysostome placeth the concealment of sin confessed unto him and the not upbraiding of a sinner for the same as well as the forgiveness it self his words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To. 6. pag. 608. lin 10. This is not onely wonderful that God forgiveth sins but that he doth not reveal them nor lay them open or make them manifest And how reserved Saint Ambrose was herein appeareth in his Life written by Paulinus who reporteth thus of him the causes of sins which the penitents confessed Causas Criminum quas Poenitentes confitebantur nulli nisi Domino soli apud quem intercedâ—bat loquebatur Paulin. in vit Ambr. he spake of to none but unto the Lord to whom he interceded for them He is unworthy sure of the Ministery of the keys so to wrong that grieved party as to be unto him a further occasion of sorrow he came to find grace in God eyes and not to lose his reputation in the sight of men and to make use of the Ministerial key to unloose the bonds of sin and not to unlock the secrets of his heart in the open view Let that Priest be branded for a Doeg a Judas and what not that shall not keep this trust that is committed unto him that through his folly breaks off that spiritual commerce betwixt himself the Pastor and the sheep of his pasture in the case of sin absolution direction and consolation for take away the opinion of trust and secrecy and confession will grow weak and languishing The Priest then is conjur'd to secrecy but whether in all
that season with admonitions tending to unfeigned repentance Prohibemus ne ullus sacerdos lapsus in peccatum mortale ad altare praesumat accedere celebraturus antequam confiteatur nec puto ut quidam errantes credunt quod mortalia deleantur per confessionem generalem Lindw l. 3. de celebr Mis cap. Lintheamina The same Arch-Bishop also forbad Priests that had fallen into mortal sin to approch unto the Altar there to celebrate without making their confession adding that he could not suppose as some others erreneously believed that mortal sins could be washed away by a general confession Where by the way note that Parenthesis good Reader as some believe intimating that there were in those dayes some that so believed viz. that general Confession might procure remission of sins and were not perhaps so punctual for private particular confession whose belief that Prelate censured for erroneous By the same man are Ghostly Fathers under a great penalty conjured to secrecy and silence Nullus sacerdos irâ odio metu etiam mortis audeat detegere quovis modo alicujus confessionem signo motu vel verbo generaliter vel specialiter Et si super hoc convictus fuerit sine spe reconciliationis non immeritò debet degradari Lin. l. 5. de poen remis c. Prohibemus That if at any time or by any means or upon pâ—ssion of hatred or fear of death shall lay open by signs motions or words either generally or specially what hath been privately deposited in Confession and shall be convicted thereof he shall be degraded without hope of reconciliation Also another Constitution of the same mans doing for the reviving of Publick penance for notorious scandalous offences Ut peccata graviora vulgatissimo suo scandalo totam commoventia civitatem sint solenni poenitentiâ castiganda Lindw l. 5. de poen remis c. Praeterea complaining that by the neglect of the ancient Canons the same hath been long buried in obliviâ—n whereby heynous sins have been the more frequented and the reynes and rigour of Christian discipline too much remitted And a * Lindw lib. 5. de poen remiss c. Licet fourth for the substitution of a grave and learned Penitentiary in every Deanry to take the Confessions of the Clergy residing within the same John Stratford Arch-Bishop of Canturbury MCCCXXXIV A. D. 1334. made a Provisional Law that Priests should not be cited juridically and thereby forced either to detect such arcana Et illis ex tunc Parochiani peccata renuunt confiteri Lind. l. 2. de Judiciis c. Exclusis infra as they received under the seal of Confession or else offer violence to their consciences lest thereby Parishioners might refuse to come to confession It seems equivocations mental reservations and such juglings devised to cheat justice were not up nor thought on when this course was taken that Judges should forbear to examine them The last of these Metropolitans that made any law for Confession is Simon Sudbury who was preferred to that eminency A. D. 1375. An. MCCCLXXV Confessiones mulierum audiantur in propatulo quantum ad visum non quantum ad auditum Moneantur Laici in principio Quadragesimae â—ito post lapsum consiteri ne peccatum suo pondere ad aliud trahat Lind. l. 5. de poen remis c. Confessiones mulierum He ordained women to be shriven in an open place where they may be seen of all but not heard And to admonish the Laity to repair unto Confession every year about the beginning of Lent and whilest their sins are green in their memory lest the weight of one sin press them upon another He ordained likewise to confess and communicate three times a year viz. at the three solemn Feasts of Christmas Easter and Whitsontide And to prepare themselves with such abstinence as the Priest should prescribe Prius tamen se praeparent per aliquam abstinentiam de consilio sacerdotis faciendam vivens ab ingressu ecclesiae arceatur moriens christianâ careat sepulturà Lind. l. 5. de poen remis c. Confessiones And all and every such Persons as should not come to confession and to the communion once a year at the least to be debarred from entring into the Church in his life time and after death his body not to be interred in Christian Burial By which constitutions we see how other times were appointed for Confession as well as Easter but then chiefly required for four causes and at those times is Confession required 1. Ratione sacramenti sc si vult celebrare vel communicare vel sacrum ordinem suscipere c. 2. Ratione periculi si est in periculo mortis 3. Ratione conscientiae ut si dictet sibi conscientia quod statim teneatur consiteri 4. Râ—tione dubii ut si nunc habeat confessoris copiam caeterum per totum annum non habiturum Lindwood supra saith Lindwood 1. In respect of the Sacrament whensoever the same shall be celebrated and received so upon admission into holy Orders c. 2. In respect of the danger or dread of death 3. In respect of the Conscience if a mans heart shall tell him that he hath present need of Confession 4. If it be doubtful a Confessor cannot be had within a year to take him while we may Some of these Canonical reasons we have before examined and censured A. D. 1533. A book of Religion entituled Articles devised by the Kings highness set forth an Reg. Henrici 8. 28. These were Ecclesiastical Constitutions made by several Church-men in their times But when Henry VIII had wrested the Supremacy of Spiritual causes from forraign Usurpation and annexed it to the Crown then for essayes of that new authority was substituted a Vicegerent for the Clergie Articles of Religion set forth and said to be devised by his Highness which caused the commotion of the * April 28. an RR. Hen. 8. 31. Hall Chron. p. 228. Lincoln-shire men And in a Parliament held at Westminster was established (a) Hall fol. 224. the act of the six articles which was named the bloudy statute and the whip of six strings which drew so much bloud upon poor Christians and whereof Auricular Confession was one of the strings The procurer of that Draconical law together with the occasion thereof is particularly described by our Ecclesiastical Annalist Mr John Fox whoever was the chief doer therein Ecclesiastical persons were the chief sufferers The King upon some distaste to his Clergy was willing to sharpen the edge of the Law against them and his minde being known there wanted not abbetters to whet him thereunto So fearful is the condition of the Church if once removed from under the shadow of the Crown and wings of the Royal Scepter and would soon become a prey to the little foxes if the Kingly-Lion should not protect And as in that Princes
Penance as the Priest imposeth The disorder of Romish penance and pardon And herein is justly râ—prehended that preposterous course observed in the Church of Rome for whereas in the Primitive Church open sinners were put to penance and after due performance thereof they were reconciled and no discharge nor absolution could be expected from the Minister till all reckonings were ended by the Peniteâ—t It is the fashion in this Church to absolve immediately upon confession Hodiè statim à facta confâ—ssione manus poenitâ—nti imponitur ad communionis â—us admittitur post absolutionem opera aliqua pietatis quae ad carnis castigationem reliquiarum peccatorum expurgâ—tionem faciant injunguntur Cassand Consult Art 11. de Confessione and after absolution to impose the penance and so come in with their after reckoniâ—gs And what is this but as some of the Ancients have observed first to loose and afterwards to bind Putting herein as that Ecebolius of the times La Romana perversità pone il carro inami alli Bovi prima concede la remissione poi impone l'opere di penitenza quali dourâ—bbono procedere dal Pentimento cosi molto più precedere la remissione Marc. Anâ—on de Dominis Predica in Londra appresso Gâ—ovanni Billio 1617. and Renegado Spalatio once observed the cart before the horse first conferring pardon and afterwards impose the work of Penance which ought before to proceed from the Penitent and much more to precede Remission But not the least wrong committed against the just use of the keys is in making the absolution of the Priest a Sacramâ—ntal act conferring grace by the work wrought and that absolution issuing from the Priests lips striketh such a stroke Absolution not efficacious ex operato that by virtue thereof attrition doth become contrition As much as if they had said that a sorrow arising from a servile fear of punishment and such a fruitless Repentance as Judas carried to hell with him may by virtue of the Priests absolution bâ—come a godly sorrow working repentance to salvation not to be repented of which must needs proceed from a secret and mysterious kind of operation in the absolution it self when as sorrow conceived upon dread of punishment and that may be found in wicked Cain as well as in righteous Abel shall be changed into such a sorrow as ariseth upon an hatred of sin upon an apprehension of Gods displeasure and his abused mercy that his gifts are slighted and virtuous exercises too much neglected which is a filial sorrow and proper to such which are sealed by the Spirit to the day of adoption It cannot be conceived the great harmes that fall out upon this Spiritual cosenage which flattereth and milketh sinners that although they bring not perfect repentance D'attrito si fâ—cci subito contrito cioé che se bene non há il vero perfetto pentimento d' suoi pâ—ccati má un certo picciolo lâ—ggiero per timor solamâ—nte dâ—l dâ—vin castiâ—o non per odio dei peccato con l'assolutione Egli goda il beneficio della remissione tanto quanto se egli havesse il vero perfetto pentimento col vero odio del peccato Predica supra pag. 47. but a light and small sorrow conceived upon fear of punishment and not upon hatred of sin pieced with absolution they shall obtain remission of sins in as ample manner as if they had brought all the sorrow in the world and their repentance had been as compleat as might be accompanied with a very hatred of sin Is not this to dandle sinners in their evil way And as for that temporal punishment which is supposed to remain for the Priest to inflict and to afflict the sinner either a formal penance or a Papal indulgence shall strike off that likewise A plausible doctrine for those that would live after the flesh that sin may be pardoned without hatred of sin that sorrow in it self imperfect by virtue of another mans help may be perfected That there lies such virtue in absolution as to qualifie persons otherwise indisposed to reap the fruit thereof for what sinner would stand so much upon contrition if attrition would serve the turne or earnestly repent if such a small or crude sorrow might be accepted I may not well stay any longer upon this abusive part of the keys And at the length soit peu soit prou as the French-man speaks be it little or much I have God being my help absolved this point the Ministery of the keys being no small part of our Sacred Function and with what success I had rather the judicious Reader suppose then make the relation my self it being a matter not usually or at least not methodically unfolded by your ordinary writers Conclusion By all this that hath been said you may discerne how powerful and usefull the keys are how far forth they conduce to remission of sin by the act and benefit of absolution promised Matth. 16.19 and accomplished John 20.23 Now little or no use can be made hereof except the sin and inward contrition for the same be discovered by some sensible demonstrations And no sins either for number or greatness are excepted from absolution Christ teacheth us to forgive till seventy times seven which amounteth to (a) 490 times accounting as it ought to be a Jubilee to consist of 49 years not 50. Psal 40.12 Orat. Manasseh Luke 4.27 Qualities requisite in such that desire to be relieved by the benefit of the keys ten Jubilees of pardon and we have example of one whose sins were more in number than the hairs of his head and of another whose were more than the sands of the sea that obtained pardon Yet as Christ saith There were many Lepers in Israel in the time of Elizeus the Prophet and none of them were cleansed save Naaman the Syrian So many sins there be and many sinners there be and none remitted except they be of the Quorum remiseritis by God or the Ministery of his Priests You may perceive by what hath been discoursed that many things are required to remission oâ— sins The Priest may do his devoir yet the absolution may not close except the Penitent stand rightly disposed The party then rightly qualified 1. he must be within the house or family to whom the keys belong for what have Priests to do to judge those that are without It is required then that he be within his jurisdiction that is to say a member of the Church and a believing Christian Exod. 26.34 In the Law the Propitiatory was annexed to the Ark to shew that they must hold of the Ark as Gods people that would be partakers of the propitiation for their sins Remission of sins being sors sanctorum dos ecclesiae the inheritance of the Saints and dowry of the Church 2. Also he that would claim any benefit of the keys must be repentant for in Christ's
name are preached Repâ—ntance and forgiveness of sins Luke 24.47 and those whom he hath put together man cannot part asunder And to Repentance there go two things 1. a feeling of chaines and imprisonment 2. a grief for them with a desire to be loosed for sentiat onus qui vult levari sentiat vincula qui vult solvi let him feel the weight of his burden that would be eased as David did when he cried out Psal 38. my sins are too heavy for me to bear and the straitness of his bonds that would be freed as Paul did when he saw the law in his members bringing â—im into captivity unto the law of sin and thereupon exclaimed who shall deliver me from the body of this death Rom. 7.23 And no otherwise doth Christ proclaime it that none should come unto him but such aâ—â—re weary and heavy laden Matth. 11. Grow sensible then of thy oppression under sin how the Irons enter into thy soul be sorrowful for captivating thy self with those bonds Resort unto the Priest shew him thy fetters and crave his assistance to strike them off and then whom the Son of man shâ—ll set fâ—ee or the Priest in his name he shall be free indeed And this is the first and most remarkable consideration why unto the Priest sins must be confessed CHAP. IX The Contents Paternal affection in the Confessary Good for sheep if the sheepherd know their diseases Medicinal Confession The grief better healed when clearer opened Ghostly counsell of great importance to a Penitent Great care in the choice of a discreet Confessor Romes rigid Tenet Absolution denounced by any Priest besides the Ordinary to be invalid The inconveniencies thereof The Parochial Priest not to be deserted without just cause and the same to be approved by the Diocesan II. Priest a spiritual Father THere are other inducements besides that which hath been spoken inclining to the practick of Confession which are now distinctly but suâ—cinctly to follow in their order as first the Relation of a Spiritual Father for that Paternal affection is or should be betwixt the Pastor and his people Love being the chaine that tieth the one to his charge and the other to his due respect Now what secrets will a dutiful child conceal from an affectionate father especially secrets of that nature that may be redressed by the fathers help and may prove obnoxious by the sons concealment A good Father tenders the infirmities of his child and upon notice thereof will either cure or cover them Thus stood Saint Paul affectionate unto the Corinthians 1 Cor. 5.14 I write not these things to shame you but as my beloved sons I warn you q. d. I speak not from a malicious mind to calumniate or disparage you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in 1 Cor. 5. but unto children and that beloved pardon me if I have spoken something harshly it proceeded from love I reprove you not but warn you and who will not with patience endure a fathers warnings he proceedeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem ibid. many instâ—uctors you may meet withall but not many fathers and their care may be much but not like my affection and however they may instruct you yet it is I that in Christ Jesus have begotten you through my Gospel in that natural way expressing how great his love was as Theophylact observed Now if love thus descâ—nd why shâ—uld it not ascend why art thou ashamed to make known thy state to such a father who will neither write nor speak to shame thee and whatsoever he doth therein is by way of monition onely and no way prejudicial Greg. Nyssen de Poen in appendice operum Paris 1618. p. 176. Take then as Gregory Nissen advised the Pâ—iest for a partner of thine affliction and as thy father shew unto him without blushing the things that are kept close he will have care both of thy credit and of thy cuâ—e See this testimony more amply before The next denomination is of a Sheepherd and flock III. Priest a Pastor Heb. 13.20 Iohn 21.16 a name which the Apostle hath given unto Christ the great Sheepherd of the sheep and Christ to his Apostle in feed my sheep Now it cannot be amiss for the sheep if the sheepherd know their (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. in cap. 5 ad Eph. p. 552. diseases Christ the Arch sheepherd differs herein from all others for whereas some sheepherds are clothed with the fleece feed upon their milk and kill their sheep for meat contrariwise Châ—ist clotheth them feedeth them and was slain for them likewise and His sheepherds herein differ from our sheepherds for how ever they are clothed with the fleece fed with the milk and reap temporal things yet have they not power over their lives to kill them but to feed and preserve them yea if by negligence any of their flock suffer damage it will be set upon their head and reckoning It was wittily observed by that learned and ancient Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Strom. l. 1. pag. 203. Clemens Alexandrinus that the Sheepherd and the Cook view not the sheep alike The Butcher handles him if fat and fit for the slaughter the sheepherd contented with the fleece and milk and increase hath care and watcheth over his flock Let the sheep then distinguish the sheepherds voice from a stranger and to him let their griefs be unfolded And let the same mind be in the sheepherds that was in Christ Jesus He that is studious to heal the vices of humane infirmity Qui studet humanae infirmitatis emendare vitia ipsam infirmitatem suis debet sustinere quodammodo pensare humeris non abjicere Nam pastor ille Evangelicus lassam ovem vexisse legitur non abjecisse Ambr. l. 1. de Poen c. 1. saith Ambrose must take upon him the infirmity it self and bear it as it were upon his own shoulders not cast it off for that Evangelical shâ—epherd is said to have born the weariâ—d sheep and not to have cast it off And can thy infirmities be better known to any than unto him that will take them to himself and bear the burden upon his own shoulders IV. Priest a spiritual physician Tacentibus non facilè potest medâ—la opportuni necessarii sermonis adhiberi Ex lib. Clement MS. The fourth Correspondence is as unto a Physician wherein that adage of our Saviour holdeth the whole need not the Physician but the sick And as a sick patient possesseth his Physician with each remarkable passage in his sickness that the grief being fully apprehended the remedy may be the better applied So should it be in the case of spiritual diseases also The Fathers are very plentiful in their inlargements upon this Medicinal Confession God saith Origen as he hath prepared medicines for the body Sicut corpori medicamenta praeparavit ità etiam animae medicamâ—nta praeparavit